TV regulations are denying free speech
I am upset at being denied the ability to receive TV through my satellite dish from Mainland stations. The technology exists, I’ve had that service in the past, but it’s been taken away, apparently by an act of Congress.
Instead, we all are restricted only to seeing network TV via Honolulu stations. I’m told that we are in their “economic” area. Since I live on Kauai and must take air transportation to get to Honolulu, my likelihood of purchase of items advertised by Honolulu TV is slim. Consequently, I disagree with their assertion of ownership of what I can or cannot view.
For several months, I have been denied ABC TV by KITV in Honolulu. They provide free TV for over-air viewing in Honolulu but I have to pay a fee for the service. Apparently, my payments are not sufficient and any competition has been taken away (by Congress).
I wish some common sense would be put into these “regulations.” Restricting what I view is denial of freedom of speech since that freedom depends as much on being able to “hear” as being able to “say.”
As we go into areas where fewer companies own more TV stations, having the ability to get information from other markets is especially important.
There should be no restrictions on which network packages I purchase. It’s my money and I should be allowed to spend it as I see fit.
Michael Taylor, Princeville
Relatives of incarcerated face challenges
A day after Henrietta Napolis’s letter appeared in TGI (Nov. 8) regarding the death of her grandson in Kauai CommunityCorrectional Center, I was rudely awakened at 5 a.m. by a robo-call. After the adrenal rush which accompanies very earlymorning calls, a woman’s voice explained that my billing arrangement with my relatives incarcerated in Saguaro CorrectionalCenter in Arizona would change on Dec. 17.
No longer will inmates be able to call collect nor would I be billed through Hawaiin Telcom, but I would be required to pre-paythrough a Mainland telephone company. None of which I was prepared to jot down just getting up. It seems many of usreceived this same call.
Once again I’m reminded of the collective punishment relatives of the incarcerated must suffer with. Not to mention thosefamilies who cannot pre-pay due to financial circumstances. How dare we know anyone in prison! Now many of us will be ableto speak with them by phone at all.
As a follow-up to Henrietta’s letter, we “Relatives and Friends of the Incarcerated” have been meeting with her relatives mostof the year providing support and mapping out a course to deal with the multi-faceted subject of prison reform. It has been acomfort to share our stories, our worries and our vision for a more restorative justice system.
Finally, we can climb out of the despair and no longer need to “suck it up” like oppressed, intimated folks. We invite otherfamilies and friends to join us in the future. For times and location of meetings, please call 332-0952 or you can email us atsoniadon@99hotmail.com and get a quick reply.
In closing, a short piece in the online Civil Beat titled, “No relief in sight for high cost of prison calls” by Rui Kaneya willprovide additional information on the type of telephone service the inmate’s families and friends must endure.
Blu Dux, Koloa
Michael, you must be 16 years old, or need to go back to your Junior High School Civics teacher and slap them in the face.
Ah, the First Amendment (the “free speech” part) protects individuals from the United States Government. See, in some countries, you are beaten, put in jail, or never heard from again, if you speak out against their Government and their Leader. In the United States, ah you are protected to say what you want if you disagree with our leaders in GOVERNMENT.
How about going with a different cable company? You have been watching too much of the “Drama Channel” on your cable subscription.
TV regulations Welcome to the new world where the gov has more and more decided it knows best for us all. What is best appears to be that which will deny the public, you can read that the 99% of us as opposed to the 1% and corporations, viewing restrictions and all things that make money for the rich and corporations. At the same time we have a President who has threatened to curtail the freedom of the Press. All this happens because the public does not pay attention. The SEC holds these meetings about TV access, bandwidth restrictions etc in DC where the public has to be very vigilant about what is decided in these meetings of appointed officials, not elected officials. I suggest reading George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm and see if what he wrote about in 1945 rings true in 2017,especially since the election of teh last President.
Most people go through spectrum. But if you’re some of them, a satellite dish used means your channels were via cable and GPS or geostat orbital. Which means any number of channels. A head honcho network giving out the channels for free is the option you had. Spectrum bought you out on the open market. I had one of those dishes too. That’s the market for high technology. Via Best Buy Inc.