Worcester Cable Board Members Quit Over Spectrum Contract Renewal

WORCESTER, MA — Three of the five members of the Worcester Cable Television Advisory Committee have resigned, saying their work on evaluating the renewal of a cable contract with Spectrum has been ignored.

The committee in March unanimously voted to recommend City Manager Eric Batista not renew the city's contract with Spectrum, the only cable television provider in Worcester. Chair John Keough, Vice Chair Steve Quist and member Philip Lwasa resigned over the weekend after they were denied the opportunity to address the Worcester City Council directly about their work on the contract renewal, according to a letter shared by Keough.

"The fact that the city attorney actually created an unconstitutional doctrine that disallows myself and the vice-chair from expressing ourselves at an open meeting is beyond my comprehension," Keough wrote.

Spectrum's 10-year contract as the city's cable provider expired in October, but the city negotiated a one-year extension while the renewal process took place. Batista addressed the decision to continue with Spectrum in a post on his blog earlier this month.

In response to the resignations, Batista said the issue will be brought to the council floor.

"I value the hard work of the Cable Television Advisory Committee and appreciate its findings and recommendations as part of the municipality’s ascertainment period amid the cable license renewal process. This information and feedback are critical for informed negotiations. There is a report from the City Solicitor regarding the timeline and process of the cable television contract, and I look forward to a productive discussion on the council floor," he said.

The cable commission helped gather data and public input as part of the ascertainment period — a review of the performance of the cable provider over the previous contract — and presented that material to Batista for a final decision. Not renewing a cable contract allows a municipality to enter into a legal process involving the federal government. The result could mean more favorable terms for local cable subscribers, but also could lead to no contract at all.

Cable contracts are important for municipalities because companies like Spectrum are required to fund PEG — public, education and government — programming in order to use public infrastructure to deliver cable TV. PEG funds the local access channel WCCA and the cable channels that stream government meetings.

The cable contract does not affect internet and phone service. In addition to Spectrum, Verizon Fios offers internet service in some parts of the city. Batista has previously declined to pursue a municipal broadband program, calling such an endeavor "impossible." Residents in Shrewsbury, for example, buy internet from the town's utility, SELCO.