By Rupert Howell
Batesville City fathers again discussed the CableOne franchise not carrying a CBS affiliate for local subscribers at the end of a work session Monday morning.

“It affects our revenue,” Nabors noted stating, “People are leaving cable and going to DirecTV. . . We don’t have one of three major networks—We’re not talking about the Cooking Channel.”
Aldermen discussed that other municipalities served by CableOne including Cleveland and Tutwiler were receiving CBS from the Jackson CBS affiliate.

Nabors said the city needs to send a registered letter or to at least see if negotiations are going on to get the Memphis or another affiliate while acknowledging the city’s need for a cable franchise.

The city receives a small percentage as franchise fee from CableOne.

Alderman Stan Harrison noted that he had received a call earlier that day from an irate cable customer and said many constituents have switched to a satellite dish of which there is no fee paid to the city.

Also mentioned is the ongoing Final Four NCAA Basketball Championship and other ball games being missed by cable subscribers due to the “missing” network.

“There’s some other stuff (programming) coming up, too,” Nabors noted before adding, “The cable lady is coming to the next meeting (April 7).”

“She was supposed to be at our last meeting,” Alderman Teddy Morrow quipped.