The company says those who feel they were charged for the service without receiving it should contact the Malibu office about a refund.
By Olivia Damavandi / Special to The Malibu Times
In response to the demand of Malibu customers, Charter Communications has decided it will bring back its FM radio service by mid-October. A Charter official made this promise in an interview with The Malibu Times on Tuesday.
Craig Watson, vice president of communications for Charter, said the company discontinued the FM service in June when it began a project to digitize its analog channels.
“What triggered it [discontinuing FM radio] was the November wildfire that created a dramatic set of issues for Malibu,” Watson said. “The wildfires burned through the wiring of our Malibu office. Fred Lutz, our vice president general manager, made the commitment that we would be looking to provide a different source for signals coming into and out of Malibu [out of concern about disasters such as fires].”
Watson continued, “Our goal for a long time has been to get the best signal source and to transfer it around so it’s safe, delivered in high quality and customers are satisfied. When we did that, we heard from Malibu residents, and we fully understood there was a large enough interest to bring back FM radio stations. That’s going to happen. We are absolutely committed to that. Expect them to be back on by early to mid October.”
The FM radio service discontinued, Watson said, because Charter “didn’t have a sense of how many people used or cared about FM signals” and it needed the bandwidth to provide a greater variety of high-definition television channels. He said in December 2007, there were 160 Charter customers in Malibu being charged for FM radio service, and that while it was offered, it wasn’t marketed. Watson also said those who feel they have been inappropriately charged for FM service should visit Charter’s Malibu office and obtain a refund.
“Analog [channels] takes up the most bandwidth and ties up space on cable networks that would otherwise be put toward more standard-definition channels or more high-definition channels,” Watson said.
Watson said there is a “trade off” between FM radio service and high-definition television channels. “It’s an exchange,” he said. “There’s only so much room to use both, and our customers have asked for more high-definition channels.”
Watson added that although the completion of the digitization process will result in customers having to purchase a digital converter box from Charter for $5, it will greatly improve the quality of the signal, making it stronger and clearer.
Radio station KPFK Los Angeles, a grandfathered, high-power FM station with transmitter facilities on Mt. Wilson in the Angeles National Forest, led a Signal Coverage Discussion on the Internet in the summer of 2002 to explain why certain areas get better FM service than others.
A Web page from the discussion states, “FM broadcasts need a clear view to reach radio receivers…but, Southern California is not a flat landscape; there is no shortage of hills, trees, and even mountain ranges many thousands of feet high. FM signals are subject to fade from obstructions, such as buildings, mountains and hills that block the signal path … KPFK has always had a poor signal along the Malibu coast.”
The inability to receive FM radio in their homes has made many Malibu residents explore alternative options. Ron Munroe, an engineer who lives up Rambla Pacifico, said that before Charter became the cable carrier in Malibu, he “had FM radio all over the house.” After losing his house in the 1993 fire, Munroe decided to install a generator and a satellite dish to end dependency on external power, but stayed with Charter for its music, namely its classical music channel.
Malibu resident Kraig M. Hill switched to satellite television after learning he “had to give up FM radio,” but he said he would consider switching to Charter if it becomes available. “It is important to have public radio stations and City Council meetings publicly available to citizens,” Hill said. “Citizens should have access to more public, non-corporate media channels.”
Watson stated that all Charter customers in Malibu will receive notices in the mail regarding the reinstatement of digital FM radio service when it is reoffered and promoted in early to mid October.