Does Omaha need six channels to broadcast public access programs on cable TV?That is the question that will be raised Monday at a meeting of the Cable Television Advisory Council.
Cox Communications is asking the City of Omaha for the right to reclaim three of six community access channels. According to Cox, six channels are available but users are only creating enough programming to fill just over one of them.
Cox's proposal would cut the number of community access channels in half to use them to provide customers "with enhanced services" such as high definition channels and additional programming.
WOWT (Cox Channel 8) reported on the issue earlier this week. Cox Communications has lobbied a lawmaker in Tucson, Ariz., to propose a similar move in that city, one which would cut the number of public access channels by more than half.
Two of the six channels up for review are The Knowledge Network of Greater Omaha (TKN) (Cox Channels 17 and 18). Jim Adams of UNO Television is appealing to viewers of programs on the Knowledge Network to come to Monday's meeting at 4 p.m. in the Douglas County Civic Centerto show support for the programs they watch.
The programming in question on TKN includes specially-produced shows such as "ICU Learning English," "Hola Amigos," "La Otra Cara De La Moneda," and the student productions, "The Coach Kemp Show" and "The Omaha News."
The Knowledge Network also provides University of Nebraska at Omaha students, Omaha Public School students and Metro Community College students with the opportunity to gain hands-on television production experience. Westside High School's student-produced news program has proven to be particularly popular, according to viewing habits tracked through the "Viewer's Choice" option.
