While surfing the Internets tonight I came across a brief notice posted on the local news section of WFIN’s website:
Subscribers to Time Warner cable systems in northwest Ohio will be missing some familiar channels beginning in mid-January.
New regulations affecting the carriage of out-of-market over-the-air TV stations will result in the loss of Channel 10 from Columbus and CBC Channel 9 from Windsor, Ontario in Findlay. Time-Warner will add WLMB, a low-power religious channel from Toledo.
Fostoria customers will lose Channel 3, WKYC from Cleveland, and WPTA from Fort Wayne, Indiana will disappear from the Ottawa system. Three low-power Lima stations may be added in Ottawa and other Time-Warner systems.
Other changes affect cable channels being dropped and others being added, according to a letter from Time Warner’s Pat McCauley.
Time-Warner changes will mean the loss of some familiar TV stations
I confirmed it on the Time-Warner website with the change to happen on or about January 14th.
This is very sad in a sentimental way.
In 1972, cable TV came to Findlay. Our family signed up and of the 14 or so channels available included Channel 9 out of Windsor and at the time WTVN Channel 6 from Columbus (which is now WSYX). Some years later WBNS Channel 10 replaced Channel 6.
I grew up on the CBC as it showed some interesting programs over the years. It was through the CBC that I learned about and became a fan of Curling as well as Hockey Night in Canada and the CFL. I also enjoyed The National with Peter Mansbridge and The Fifth Estate magazine show. Then there was the The Edison Twins and Degrassi Junior High.
I remember when Time-Warner first aquired the cable system in Findlay they tried to drop the CBC and protests ensued forcing them to continue to carry it. Now under the cover of “new regulations affecting the carriage of out-of-market over-the-air TV stations”, I doubt the change can be stopped. I am also upset because there are 50 billion shopping channels and religious channels on the system yet they plan to drop two good stations for a low power religious channel out of Toledo?
Columbus and Windsor are about 100 miles from Findlay, in these days of broadband digital broadcasting distance doesn’t mean anything. I can, and do, watch The National over the Internet for free. Too bad Time-Warner wants to give up getting subscriber money for quality programing. Do they still carry WKBD out of Detroit or WEWS from Cleveland?
My cable system in Columbus has over 500 channels. Is Time-Warner really unable to find a place for Channel 9 and 10 on the Findlay system?
Just sad.
*Update* It seems that Time-Warner and Viacom are having a spat so come Jan 1 all of Time-Warner could lose all the Viacom owned cable channels like Comedy Central. For more info see this link: http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/happy-new-year-time-warner-cable-to-yank-mtv-nickeodeon-comedy-central-off-the-air/
*Update 2* Time-Warner and Viacom reached an agreement early Thursday 1/1 so no one should lose any channels.
I got so tired of being jerked around by Time-Warner with their dispute with Fox causing me to miss a Dallas Cowboys game & their dispute with the NFL Network that I have switched to DirecTV.
While I don't have some of the channels you're concerned about, I do have some others that have been sore spots with cable in the past.
I'm not a fan of Time-Warner either. Here in Columbus I had a choice and went with WOW instead.
There is just a ton of junk channels we have to pay for and I would rather pick and choose my channels. Hopefully, one day we will all get to do that. For now I make generous use of my "favorites" button on my remote.
We live this close to another country, Canada, and it is block from our air ways. Nice going Time Warner. I didn't watch it a lot but having a different perspective on the world is good. And I loved to watch the horse jumping. A sport that is pretty much ignored by our networks.
Of course the other channels they had to have…umpteen sports channels if I want them or not but not one channel from our closest neighbor.
The only reason I have Time Warner and aol is because my 80 year old mother would have trouble figuring out something new.
I complained vociferously to TimeWarner MidOhio about the removal of CBC-9. The response I received from Brandon at TW on Jan. 25th included the following: Our primary focus is to improve our lineups by standardizing our lineups and eliminating duplicate programming so that we can bring greater variety to our customers. Instead of having the same programming on two channels, we want to offer more choices in all areas and standardize channel lineups. … Ultimately, we believe that our product is stronger when the channel lineup offers a variety of programming options rather than multiple channels carrying the same programming the vast majority of the time. I was reallly offended by this response. If by non-duplicative, TW means something different than ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS and other U.S. produced content, then CBC-9 is the best source of non-duplicative news, sports, and entertainment that can be had in NW Ohio. The fact of the matter is that TW MidOhio is trying to save money by providing the same Columbus-orientated content (standardized lineups) from Toledo to the Ohio River, and the Indiana state line to Interstate 77 (check this out yourself by looking at the channel lineups for communities served by TW MidOhio). We in NW Ohio shouldn't be limited to getting the same programming that TW offers to cusotmers who live on the Ohio River. Finally, there is nothing in the FCC regulations that requires TW to discontinue providing out-of-market over-the-air stations such as CBC-9. If the CBC consents, then retransmission is within the discretion of TW. See 47 C.F.R. 76.56 and 76.64. Basically, TW decided to hose us by dropping the CBC. What a shame.