Dalton Cable Panel Works to Update Contract

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Cable Advisory Commission intends to meet with Spectrum representatives to negotiate the terms of its contract. 
 
The last time the town had a contract was in 1997 with Time Warner Cable, which was acquired by Charter Communications, doing business as Spectrum, in 2016. 
 
The commission plans to negotiate for a share of gross revenue, capital funds, funding for fiber-optic cables to enhance connections, and updated equipment needed to handle this upgrade for Dalton Community Television. 
 
"Over the past year, viewership has dropped, and it's reflected in our income. We have an extremely tight budget, and we're able to manage where we're at, but if it continues to drop, then that's going to cut the income that we get," said Commissioner John Ostresh, president of the Community Cable Association.
 
"I know they are now streaming a lot of programming that used to be on regular channels, movies, and that sort of thing on the internet. Is there any way we could tap into some of that to stabilize our income?"
 
Attorney William Solomon requested that the commission send him their quarterly revenue statements to confirm Charter is accurate and that they are paying for the programming in the Xumo boxing in their app, because that is cable service at the moment. 
 
"We want to take a look at quarterly reports to see if we think they're accurate. Whether you're getting your full 5 percent of the proper amount of gross revenue. We want to broaden our definition of gross revenue in the new license," Solomon said. 
 
DCTV can not get revenue from the internet service but the public access channel wants to make sure that anything that is cable service, regardless of the technology used, is counted as the revenue upon which 5 percent is applied.
 
Throughout the process of updating its contract, Dalton Community Television representatives have emphasized the need to address its aging infrastructure. 
 
The association owns its facility. It has portable production equipment that is used to go live from various locations like Town Hall and the schools. The station's system still runs on analog. 
 
The station currently has one channel, 1301. Dalton residents also have access to Channels 1302 and 1303 on Pittsfield Community Television.
 
In cases where the station wants to play Pittsfield programming, such as the 4th of July Parade, it is no longer able to switch broadcasting to 1301, as it was previously able to do.
 
Some commissioners expressed the need for a fiber connection directly from the studio back to Charter's headend to enable high-definition broadcasting. 
 
The commissioners worked with representatives from the association to develop a 10-year capital plan that would add up to approximately $100,000, including funding for its equipment. They will be finalizing the list by next meeting. 

Tags: cable television,   public television,   

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Companion Corner: Moose at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a chill Labrador retriever mix at the Berkshire Humane Society that's looking a home where he can take long walks and can cuddle afterward.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. 

Moose is a 5-year-old Lab mix and has been at the shelter for about three weeks. Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox.  

"He just wants to soak up all the attention, all the pets, all of the love that you have to give. He is just a big mush. Very social, buddy," she said.

He had to come to the shelter after his home situation had to change.

"The young woman who brought him in had him since he was a puppy, and unfortunately, her housing changed, so she was not able to keep him with her anymore," Olivieri said.

Moose is a happy boy who likes moderate exercise. While he does not play with toys aggressively, he loves to nibble on them, but prefers to just hang out with his person.

"He loves to go on walks. He likes to hang out with other dogs. He's pretty chill. He's social. He's not super playful, but he does like the company of other dogs, who are also calm like he is," she said. "But mainly, his favorite thing is just being with people. He wants someone to cuddle with at night, cuddle with on the couch. He's just going to be right by your side, glued to you all the time."

Moose can go home with children ages 10 and older and to one with another chill dog. It is preferred he is in a home and not an apartment as he can be a bit vocal when he is alone.

"He could live with another dog, but no small animals, no cats. And a home where someone is home with him a bit would be really good for him, so that he could spend a lot of time with people," Olivieri said. 

Moose is on a special diet for his skin as he has some itchiness caused by allergies.

"He does have what appears to be some kind of skin allergy. He is on medication for that right now as well, and we've been giving him medicated baths. And his hair and coat are growing in nicely, but he did have some patches where there's some hair loss and some definitely some itchiness and irritation in his ears," she said. "But we've given him some ear treatments, and he is on medication right now to help clear that up, and it is looking pretty good."

While Moose can be shy at first but warms up pretty fast once he meets you.

"At first, it does take him not too long, but just a little bit to get used to new people. If he is a little bit uncomfortable with someone, he will bark a little bit, but really, it's just him being a little bit uncertain, and that's kind of how he lets his feelings out. But if you take your time with him and take your time getting to know him, it does not take him long at all to warm right up," she said.

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