It doesn’t seem to be working. I know several people who have
recently gotten or looked into getting basic cable because the
new digital broadcast system isn’t getting them as good
reception as
they used to get under the old analog broadcast system.
They have all found that there are stations they watch
regularly in broadcast that they don’t get in basic cable.
One household is in Fall River, which gets broadcast television
from both Boston and Providence. Comcast seems to have decided
that Must Carry doesn’t obligate them to carry both the
Providence and Boston PBS affiliates, and they’re carrying only
the Boston ones on Basic Cable, although Digital Starter Cable
does include the Providence PBS station.
Another household is here in Cambridge, where the local NBC
affiliate broadcasts a second digital channel with a lot of
movies on it, but Comcast Basic cable doesn’t carry that.
Does anyone know what the Must Carry Law actually says Comcast
must carry?
