Whittier : Cable Contract Locked Into Renewal Despite Complaints

Whittier is locked into renewing its contract with the current cable television provider whether residents are happy with their service or not, a consultant told the City Council Tuesday night.

Replacing Sammons Communications entirely would be “virtually impossible” because federal regulations allow cable companies to contest the switch, consultant Carl Pilnick told the council. The result is lengthy, costly lawsuits that cities will almost certainly lose, Pilnick said. That assessment was bad news for a dozen subscribers who complained about the Texas-based company for 45 minutes during a public hearing.

“Every time it gets damp, or there’s a little bit of rain, or the wind blows, the picture disintegrates,” resident Larry Scher said.

Sammons’ 15-year contract expires in November. Before renewing it, council members said, they will seek to include language giving the city more power to regulate Sammons, including the authority to impose fines. They also want Sammons to reduce subscribers’ complaints.

In addition, they said the company must increase its number of channels from 36 to 60, replace old, outdated equipment within two years, provide more hookups to schools and offer opportunities for live local coverage.