Category: Local

This was in the Bulletin’s business section, but I couldn’t find it on their web site (I think it was a wire story — don’t have the paper in front of me), so you’re getting the CBSNews link:

The Federal Communications Commission has opened an investigation into the pricing policies of major cable operators and Verizon Communications Inc.

The agency wants to ensure the companies’ customers are getting treated fairly, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin in an interview with The Associated Press.

“I’m certainly concerned with the increasing cable prices that consumers are facing,” Martin said. “They are getting less and being charged the same or more.”

The FCC wrote on Oct. 30 to cable operators including Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc., Cox Communications Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp., Bright House Networks, Suddenlink Communications, Bend Cable Communications, GCI Company, Harron Entertainment and RCN Corp.

Naturally, it’s a pretty one-sided story as there’s not a single comment from the cable operators in the story, just quotes from Martin of the FCC and from the Consumer’s Union. The FCC also is basically looking at the cable companies that cover the bulk majority of the US, so it’s not like they’re picking on individual companies here.

So I’d like to hear what the cable operators have to say. I know BendBroadband (aka Bend Cable) folks read this site: Care to comment?

On a related note, AT&T is going to start capping bandwidth, much like BBB already does.

Somebody recently commented to me privately that they don’t read my site as much when I don’t have local gossip on here. Since there is already plenty of that on Bend Blogs, I generally don’t even bother with it. I just don’t have time to deal with aftermath of what that kind of stuff generally turns into.

That being said, it’s time to just throw some stuff out there, and I’ll let you guys decide what you will with it (we need Snarky Bend again, who had no problem just running with this kind of crap):

• A random dude emailing from a Denmark e-mail address (though his IP address was American) says the following:
  

  “BendBroadband received multiple offers after making their shocking announcement last month. Supposedly the PPS or Price Per Subscriber figure the Tykesons were hoping for was met ($4000/PS) but the terms of the agreement were unsatisfactory. It’s rumored that the top bidder was Verizon, which makes sense. $4000/PS is high, the average for a cable company these days is around $2600/PS. So $4000×50,000 subs = deep pockets.

  I’m guessing that Verizon wanted to gut the company, run fiber from their valley system, and just operate Bend with a handful of installers and a payment center. This would severely contradict Amy’s obligation with EDCO, who’s primary mission is to “Facilitate New Job Creation”.

  I honestly don’t know what to think about that, nor could this guy give me any sort of credible evidence that it was true (as he gave me the “it would incriminate me” line), so take it all with a huge helping of salt.

• Deschutes County sent around a notice this week that “Due to unforeseen family circumstances, Commissioner Melton will be going back to her legal last name of Baney as of today. Thank you for your understanding and for making this change.” Didn’t we elect her as Baney? Not that I really give a rip what happened, but did think it interesting, as the name change was obviously because of a divorce (I’d assume) so she hasn’t been married that long. All I know is that I like her better than the other folks on the Commission as she’s the only one that didn’t vote .

So there you go — local gossip, for better or for worse. Discuss. Start some rumors, knock yourself out — just don’t blame me if things get out of hand.

Anybody else got any hot local gossip to share, true, false, or just plain stupid? The floor is open…

Undoubtedly, there will be a self-congratulatory column from the Bulletin Editor-in-Chief on Sunday (which The Source will probably tear apart word-for-word). The topic this time? The Bulletin’s circulation numbers have gone up again, bucking the national trend. Congrats to them, as it’s not an easy thing to do, but I would have to argue that it’s probably easier in an a rapidly-growing area like this with only a small amount of competition (at least, print-wise). While there are better online outlets (thanks to the Bulletin’s paywall), for sheer amount of varied content, the Bulletin has them beat.

No, I’m not kidding. And, no, I don’t have pictures (I suck), but it’s been snowing off and on today here at my office. Nothing’s been sticking, but it’s certainly been snowing, and I’m really going to have to dig my winter coat out of the closet.