Comcast Intends to Drop RETN

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Comcast, the nation’s largest cable television provider in the country, has filed a complaint petition with the Public Service Board regarding the Regional Educational Technology Network (RETN). Comcast is seeking to pull the plug on RETN if its demands are not met. RETN provides public access programming, including school board meetings and other school events such as graduations, to the Chittenden County region as well as Ferrisburgh and Vergennes. Comcast has questioned RETN’s financial management and some of the network’s investments, particularly streaming videos on the RETN website.

RETN officials contend that they have agreed to amend their financial management to satisfy Comcast, including the use of independent financial auditors, and that the cable giant’s true motivation is simply to cut costs. RETN spokesman Doug Dunbebin told the Burlington Free Press, “This is not an investment on the part of Comcast, it’s an obligation. That is not Comcast’s money, it’s the community’s money, so it’s up to the community to determine how the money is used.” The Burlington and Winooski school boards have both issued a resolution supporting the mission and operations of RETN.

95 percent of RETN’s regular funding comes directly from Comcast (the other 5 percent is from Burlington Telecom), under federal and state laws that require cable operators to fund public, educational and governmental (PEG) programming. The Public Service Board prefers that cable operators use local access management organizations (AMOs) like RETN, but cable does have the option of broadcasting PEG programming in-house. Currently, Comcast utilizes 23 different AMOs statewide.

Lauren-Glenn Davitian, executive director of CCTV, another Chittenden County AMO, told Seven Days, “(Comcast doesn’t) view us as a partner, but a problem… They are challenging all kinds of expenses that is verging on micromanaging.”

If Comcast and RETN cannot resolve their disputes, the Public Service Board can rule on Comcast’s petition as the regulatory arbiter of the public airways.

The following is the text of the Burlington school board’s resolution (the text of the Winooski resolution is nearly identical).

“Be it resolved that the Burlington Board of School Commissioners appreciates and supports the work of RETN and its valuable contribution to students, the board, and the community of Burlington by providing public television access, enhancing democracy through transparency of government, and creating educational opportunities for students.”