City of El Centro files complaint against Spectrum cable

Customers of Charter Spectrum cable have been without local coverage from KYMA, KSWT, and Estrella TV for nearly two months.

The city of El Centro is stepping in, filing a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

“I have never seen a corporate entity act with such disregard for our community and that’s saying a lot being in my position for the last twenty years,” said El Centro mayor Sheryl Viegas Walker.

El Centro Mayor Sheryl Viegas Walker is talking about Charter Spectrum, blaming the cable company for failing to provide proper notice when it blacked out KYMA, KSWT and Estrella TV on February 2nd.

The city is filing a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, similar to complaints filed by the cities of Yuma and Jackson, Wyo.

“We have a contract with them that spells out certain steps that they’re required to take if those kinds of changes are going to be made. They didn’t do that. We wake up one morning and we’re suddenly without two major channels.”

El Centro has a franchise agreement that allows Charter Spectrum to provide service in El Centro. The city is only allowed one cable system per jurisdiction.

“Spectrum cable has a monopoly in this area. We cannot go out and contract with another cable company to provide services in our community.”

El Centro’s franchise agreement also contributes more than $200,000 to the city’s general fund. That money is used for public safety, transportation, or community developments.

But the numbers could change if residents decide to cut the cord.

“I would rather people be happy with being able to get the news that they want and the programming that they want rather than the little bit of money that we get from the franchise agreement.”

West Regional Communications Senior Director of Charter Spectrum, Dennis Johnson said in the following statement :

“Charter did not violate the FCC’s notice requirements to customers or local franchise agreements because the removal of Northwest Broadcasting TV stations – KYMA, KSWT and Estrella TV – was not in our control but rather was a result of Northwest Broadcasting no longer authorizing Charter to carry its stations. As soon as Northwest terminated its authorization for Charter to retransmit the broadcast signal, Charter notified affected customers.”

The mayor of El Centro said they are not holding back.

“I sent an email to Spectrum cable and said I’m taking it to the streets. I am so fed up with your disregard to this community. I am using every opportunity to communicate with other elected officials. How poorly you have treated the city of El Centro.”

El Centro’s mayor is asking other cities impacted by this blackout to join them in filing FCC complaints against Charter Spectrum cable.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px}