Letter to the Editor

Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 9:05pm

Comcast has a choice. Comcast wishes to do business within Metro Nashville and is currently negotiating a franchise agreement with Metro Nashville. If it doesn’t like collecting a fee from its customers to fund PEG access, it can pay the fee without involving the customers. It can also forgo the Metro Nashville market and not negotiate a new franchise agreement. I'm sure other providers would be happy to have an opportunity to negotiate for the business.

Comcast’s customers also have a choice. If they don’t like paying a fee for PEG access, they can discontinue their relationship with Comcast. Many customers routinely discontinue their relationship with Comcast over many other issues.

Perhaps Comcast wishes to negotiate a shorter-term franchise agreement more often so it can more reasonably explain to its customers the increasing costs of doing business. I’m not a Comcast customer, so I have no idea whether they last raised their rates 10 years ago. Have they?

Todd M. Liebergen

Madison, 37115

Filed under: City Voices
Tagged: Comcast | Metro | PEG

82 Comments on this post:

By: dargent7 on 6/6/11 at 4:30

The Comcast Triple Play is a bundled pkg. that is $99.00 before all the taxes and fees.
Currently my bill is $135., for two tv sets and cable boxes.
The programing selection is pathetic. All premium channels are extra. Even some lame channels are extra eg., Imus.
For what you get w/ Basic it's worth about $59.95.
DISH is the way to go.

By: serr8d on 6/6/11 at 5:46

I use DirecTV. There's no way any one who is on Government Assistance should have any Cable or Satellite programming that WE, the taxpayer, pays for; one can get a free antenna and pick up over-the-air programming at absolutely no cost. Hell, my PC's monitor, with a built-in digital decoder, picks up programming from several Nashville stations without even the benefit of an external antenna!

We should make 'Government Assistance' less attractive, not more. Pull the plug on the 'happiness sitting in a comfortable recliner whilst subsisting on Other People's Money' factor; let these sorts get out and get busy bettering themselves of their own accord.

PEG (Public, Educational, Government Access) programming is milquetoast; if you want it and it's not coming in over-the-air for free, tough. I'll bet that anyone who wants that exceptionally boring stuff bad enough, if also on Free Government Assistance Programs, won't. Many of these are happy with 'Bugs and Drugs' programming. Let 'em get out and earn enough to pay for access (novel concept, for some of these moochers!).

By: serr8d on 6/6/11 at 5:59

Mob-rule would have everything given out for free. Democrats want to do just that; in a climate of limitless wealth, they would envision a nirvana where everyone is exactly alike; equal outcomes for everybody. They are now taking the position that they can 'give' their voters 'free stuff' in return for their vote. Our Great Debate today is to whether we should allow Democrats to get away with this tactic; if our Republic fails due to the overwhelming debt we are incurring, the answer is plain. There must be a 'happy medium' between what we give to those who 'want' and 'need', and separate the politicians from the ability to suck the Treasury for money with which to buy votes.

Here's some thoughtful reading, for those with the necessary intellectual stamina...
My answer is that one way to describe the difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals want government spending to be the independent variable that determines tax levels, and conservatives want government spending to be the dependent variable determined by taxes.


I’m a conservative because I think it’s democratically healthy to confront the hard question about taxes first and directly, and then let our answer to that question determine the budget perimeter for our welfare state. It is democratically unhealthy to proceed the way liberals have habitually dealt with the problem, by promising generous programs that will “pay for themselves” or even “pay for themselves many times over,” and only later, after people have come to expect and depend on the stream of government benefits, fess up about the taxes required to sustain them.


By: Blanketnazi2 on 6/6/11 at 6:13

"I'll bet that anyone who wants that exceptionally boring stuff bad enough"

wow, thought provoking educational programing is "exceptionally boring? go enjoy your reality tv shows then. your statement is a true insight, serr.

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 6:14

Interesting diatribe, serr...oh wait...the Bush Tax Cuts were to pay for themselves...


BTW, your problem is that you only see the world as Democrat vs Republican when in fact they are almost one and the same.

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 6:19

Hey, blanket. Did you hear Palin's version of Paul Revere's ride? LOL The woman is plain stupid.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 6:32

Good morning.

By: house_of_pain on 6/6/11 at 6:35



By: govskeptic on 6/6/11 at 6:44

Comcast being the largest of the Nation's Cable companies has much more
leverage than should have ever been allowed by the regulators. Their purchase of
NBC-Universal was at a price that Wall Street considered outrageous, so consequently
the rate payers will now be bound to help pay for that. Metro should also not be
demanding the rate payers wind up paying for more than a minimal network for
their use as well! The metro educational channel is a joke suited for babysitting
rather than real teaching/learning by a broader spectrum! Can't wait to hear
"you get what you pay for on this issue"!

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 6:59

LMAO house.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:01

Conservatives are a afraid of anything new and would still be in Europe, if not for Liberals.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:05

I think there is a place in the world for Conservatives, however the lot we have now should not be in charge of anything.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:07

Palin is a good example at how informed the Tea Bags are. lol

“He who warned the British that they weren’t going to be taking away our arms by reading those bills. And uh making sure as he’s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were gonna be free.”


By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 7:07

Serr and others are not going to be happy because the popularity of entitlements will only increase as the boomers start retiring and find out that they can't afford health care or the standard of living they were used too.

Plus the fact that neither party has ever addressed the reforms needed to keep SS and Medicare solvent for the boomers.

By: house_of_pain on 6/6/11 at 7:18


By: serr8d on 6/6/11 at 7:30

A Letter, written by Paul Revere...

I was an express? I answered in the afirmative. He
demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and
and that There would be five hundred Americans there

He imediately rode towards those who stoppd us,
when all five of them came down upon a full gallop;
one of them, whom I afterwards found to be Major
did not give him true answers, he would blow my
brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those
above. He then orderd me to mount my Horse, after
searching me for arms. He then orderd them to advance,
turned down towards Lexington. When we had got about one
Mile, the Major Rode up to the officer that was leading
We rode till we got near Lexington Meeting-house,
when the Militia fired a Voley of Guns, which ap-
peared to alarm them very much. The Major inqui-
any other Road? After some consultation, the Major

(emboldenings mine)

Keep listening to the LameStream media, fools, for they know you very well. Unable to read or understand anything except for what they feed to you.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:30

Palin moves to Arizona and Fire breaks out. Is this a coincident or is it part of her plan?

By: serr8d on 6/6/11 at 7:32

Nemo, how do you get out of bed and dress yourself every morning? You are the stupidest person I've ever encountered, bar none.

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 7:33

I love it...serr defends palin...dumb defends dumber...classic...

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 7:40


Have you Obama fans read the latest on his birth certificate fraud?

It seems two twin girls were born the day after His Majesty yet his certificate number is three numbers higher than the "youngest" girl's number, even though his certificate was filed on record three days before the girls.

Wonder where he got that number.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:41


I get up from my bed the same way you do, except I don’t I don’t have to be let of a padded cell and I can come and go as I please.

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 7:43

yogi as been reduce to recycling his old post.

By: Funditto on 6/6/11 at 7:47

I'm hopin' and prayin' Palin runs for president.

By: Funditto on 6/6/11 at 8:01

Palin: "We must never forget the wisdom of Jefferson, and his wife, Weezy."

By: Captain Nemo on 6/6/11 at 8:05

house this means war! ;-)

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 8:06


I must agree with you on your statement about Captain Nemo's stupidity. That's why I call him dumba...

Then, when it is obvious he has so many "friends" on this site it makes me wonder about them, also.

Any man (if you want to call him "man") that would post someone's name, address and phone number over such a national, or possibly even a world wide, network makes one wonder if he even knows how to put his britches on in the mornings. He doesn't even seem to know how to wipe his a.. because the odor of so much s... is coming from him all the time.

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 8:12

yogi - Your comments, coming from the dumbest, most inaccurate, most untruth msgs. poster on the board, is suppose to count for something? You can't verify or prove anything you post, but just keep repeating all of your congered up ideas.

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 8:12


You make such a statement you get out of bed the same way serr8d does. How do you know how anyone, other than yourself, gets out of bed? When, and where, did you see serr8d get out of bed?

Looks like you're more ignorant (excuse me, I meant dumber) than I thought.

By: dargent7 on 6/6/11 at 8:12

To all you who cannot dress themselves in the morning....do what I do: hire someone to do it for you. They're called wives.
re: Palin: Bachmann is crazier. And I thought that witch, O'Donnell was a trip.

By: dargent7 on 6/6/11 at 8:15

This board is getting downright nasty.
I remember the good 'ole days when there just Sid and "Chief" to mess with.
Now Sid's Bud and no on has seen Chief since his gender re-assignment went south.

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 8:20

Yogi, that isn't the "latest", you're just rehashing your old BS...by the way, it is consistent if they filed them alphabetically.


By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 8:24

Time will tell, bfra. I understand your loving of Master Obama, but the man is a fraud. He is sitting in the Oval Office illegally. A sadder point is; Congress allowed this to happen. Wonder why? It is simply a power grab, bfra. They are walking down the aisle with Obama. The best part is; they have awoken the true American citizens up and a rebellion is in process now.

Simply use what little piece of brain you have and ask yourself a few simple questions: Why is he keeping every piece of paper regarding himself under lock and key? Why has he spent almost 2 million in legal fees (as is currently known) to keep those locks locked? Why does his wife mention Kenya as his homeland?

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 8:30

Prove "anything" you have ever posted! Do you enjoy being laughed at and known as the "idiot" of the board?

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 8:33

Filed alphabetically, gdiafante? I presume you are referring to the birth certificates? If so, where did you get that idea? Where was you born? Birth certificates are filed in accordance to time of birth when filed with the Department of Health, not by name.

By: slacker on 6/6/11 at 8:41

I own cookware made by Paul Revere.

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 8:42

Yes bfra,

I do enjoy being considered the "idiot" of the board. I'm just don't think I'm as big of an idiot as you and your other fellow idiots are proving yourselves to be when you are so willing to accept someone you know nothing about as president of this nation. Especially when he has been caught in so many lies.

There is only two reasons I can think of for your acceptance of him; he's black or you're getting government handouts.

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 8:43

yogi - Where's your proof?

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 8:45

yogi - surely some of your pea brained i.e. tea baggers can give you some reference to prove at least 1 iota of what you post, over & over & over & over!

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 8:52

"Where was you born?"

You still can't produce a grammatically correct sentence yet seem to label everyone else an idiot. Can you define irony?

By: brrrrk on 6/6/11 at 8:54

gdiafante said


And he expects us to believe she reads.... :-)

By: BenDover on 6/6/11 at 9:00


By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 9:06


Simply put, why would any true American accept someone as their president (i.e., "leader") who refuses to show any papers as to who they are (birth certificate, school papers, passport, life as a young man)?

Why has a 22 page suit been filed to prove as false, the paper he FINALLY showed as his birth certificate?

Why has it been stated for two and one half years it could not be seen? Why was it presented at the specific time it was, after those two and one half years? Even after it was said it wasn't available?

If you, and your "friends" don't see what is going on in this country today, I truly feel sorry for you and your heirs to come.

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 9:07

Back it up with Proof yogi!

By: brrrrk on 6/6/11 at 9:08

Funditto said

"Palin: 'We must never forget the wisdom of Jefferson, and his wife, Weezy.'"

Palin: "And let us not stop remembering to the farsightedness of Ben Franklin for inventing the very first discount store."

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 9:09

Give me a break Ben...informing six British troops who captured him is not alerting the British army with shots and whistles. Your as dumb as she is.

By: yogiman on 6/6/11 at 9:10

Sorry gdiafante,

Let me rephrase that question: Where, and when, was you born?

By: bfra on 6/6/11 at 9:10

That's a good one brrrrk!

By: gdiafante on 6/6/11 at 9:11

"Where, and when, was you born?"

Wrong again. You are truly stupid.

By: brrrrk on 6/6/11 at 9:32

Anyone who is opposed the the very ideas put forth by the GOP these days should consider going to the independent movie, I Am, at the Belcourt. It's an inspiring attempt to address the ideas of what's really important in our lives.

By: brrrrk on 6/6/11 at 9:36