BP MARKOWITZ CALLS FOR LOWER RATES, DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS AND IMPROVED PROGRAMMING DURING TESTIMONY ON UPCOMING CABLE FRANCHISE RENEWALS

On Thursday, January 31, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz testified before a public hearing at the New York City College of Technology regarding upcoming renewals of Time Warner and Comcast cable television franchises in New York City. During his comments before the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), the Borough President recommended discounts for seniors and people with disabilities on Supplemental Security Income (SSI); improved programming packages; increased funding for Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT) and public access programming; and the creation of an independent panel to monitor and arbitrate disputes between broadcast and cable stations.

“Giving our residents the very best service at the fairest rates, with the programming they want, is a win-win for everybody—and it should be just a click away,” said Borough President Markowitz.

The Borough President stressed that cable television can be too costly for many seniors and people with disabilities on SSI, and that cable companies need to consider discounts such as those offered by the MTA.

“As a public servant who represents the borough with the largest population of senior citizens in New York City, I think it is critical for cable franchises to offer reduced rates for low-income seniors and people with disabilities, since television is often their most important source of entertainment and information,” Borough President Markowitz testified.

In an effort to lower cable rates across the board, Borough President Markowitz also urged cable providers to offer “clusters” of programming—such as health, sports and travel—so that consumers can select and pay for only those stations they want to watch. Additionally, he called on cable companies to provide incentives, such as reduced rates and expanded programming, to entice subscribers to switch to cable from less expensive satellite service.

The DoITT is hosting public hearings throughout the City to gather feedback about cable television service issues and concerns from all New Yorkers. The findings from these forums will provide DoITT with insight as it proceeds to negotiate renewal agreements with the City’s existing cable television providers this spring.