Wayne and Garth might have to look for a different line of work if they lived in Clarkston.
Dave Wagner, Independence Township supervisor, announced at the Nov. 6 township meeting that Comcast Cable was closing their billing office and public-access studio on Maybee Road.
Township meetings and other information and government shows are broadcast on public-access channels 10 and 20. Wagner said they are trying to figure out a way to keep the studio open, so they can still broadcast meetings and shows.
‘I think it’s a lot of benefit to the township, because I would actually like to broadcast our meetings live and now that we have control of the studio, there is a good possibility that we could do that,? he said.
Much of the equipment at the studio is already owned by the township, Wagner said.
According to an e-mail, Comcast might donate the rest of their equipment to the township, which would save money. The studio would be operated like an Independence Township cable network, he said.
‘As part of its competitive assessment and revised business objectives, Comcast will no longer operate public access studio facilities in Michigan,? said Patrick Paterno, director of communications for Michigan Region. ‘Comcast remains committed to offering public access programming and will work with communities and public access users to identify alternate production facilities.?
A new franchising law was enacted Jan. 1 by the state legislature to update, centralize and streamline operations. The goal was to simplify laws and make it easier for companies to provide cable services across the state, Paterno said.
Comcast is upgrading its Michigan Regional Programming Center on Franklin Road in Southfield ? public access channels in the area, including Clarkston, Detroit, Southfield, Flint, New Haven, Lansing, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Canton, and Woodhaven, would be run from this central location, instead of several different private studios, he said.
‘We are working with each community how we can help them,? he said.
‘It’s a third-party organization, or whatever is going to make it easier for the transition.?
Paterno said they will develop a procedure for studio locations to pickup and drop off recordings and other programming materials for broadcast.