The future of the New England Cable News Network broadcasts was recently in jeopardy for Time Warner Cable customers ”“ of which there are many in Maine ”“ because the cable provider announced it would drop the station in Maine as of Jan. 1.
However, the company announced over the weekend that it will retain NECN for Maine customers. NECN declined to comment on the decision, according to the Associated Press.
We’re pleased that Time Warner leaders changed their minds.
NECN provides an important service for Maine people, with its 24-hour regional news coverage. Local news stations provide morning, afternoon and evening news on weekdays, but have limited or no broadcasts on weekends, and the coverage is not 24 hours a day.
NECN provides important weather and storm updates for the region. Although it is based in the greater Boston area, it provides much more detail for Mainers than networks like CNN or The Weather Channel, both of which are based in Atlanta. Maine gets little to no coverage at all on such stations, and it is typically lumped into the “New England” states during such mentions.
For Mainers who have Time Warner, some of whom do not have a choice of cable providers, NECN offers up-to-date, developing coverage of news stories and storms that may be important for their work, travel plans and safety.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree urged Time Warner not to cut the service after the initial announcement, saying “Around 300,000 Mainers, many of them in rural areas, rely on NECN for everything from regional news and weather reporting to coverage of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins,” in a letter to Glenn Britt, CEO of Time Warner Cable. “Time Warner’s decision to drop NECN will mean these current subscribers will lose the only available 24-hour news and information provider with an exclusive focus on the New England region.”
Following Time Warner’s announcement to reverse the decision, Pingree released another statement saying, “I’m glad that Time Warner listened to the customers in Maine and throughout New England ”¦ It was clear that there is a demand for the service NECN provides, especially in rural areas of Maine.”
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King also released a joint statement hailing the decision as a victory for Maine Time Warner Cable customers.
“Our offices heard from many constituents around Maine who were upset that they would lose access to the New England coverage that NECN provides,” they said. “We are pleased that Time Warner and NECN worked together to reach an agreement that is good for the companies and their customers.”
The decision also shows the power of consumers; making their voices heard likely played an important role in Time Warner’s decision, and we hope Mainers will continue to use their voices when companies try to cut services simply to save money, thereby increasing their profits.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham Rousseau on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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