LRPA's 3 channels will go dark for cable TV subscribers in 13 townships

LACONIA — Lakes Region Public Access television will withhold its signal from a baker's dozen of towns in the Lakes Region that declined its offer to join the consortium and contribute to its operating budget.

Chan Eddy of Gilford, president of the Board of Directors of LRPA, said yesterday that Alexandria, Alton, Barnstead, Bridgewater, Bristol, Deerfield, Gilmanton, Hebron, New Hampton, Northfield, Pittsfield, Sanbornton and Tilton will go dark on March 20. Only Alton had been a paying member of LRPA. The other towns did not provide programming to the public access channels, but received the signal via MetroCast channels 24, 25 and 26.

Eddy explained that LRPA adopted a new business model in response to the new cable franchise agreement negotiated with MetroCast by a consortium of municipalities, which left the station scrambling to fund its operations. Traditionally, LRPA received an annual $30,000 grant from MetroCast and contributions from municipalities belonging to the consortium that negotiated the original cable franchise agreement with MetroCast. Those contributions were intended to come from the franchise fees MetroCast pays communities, based on the number of subscribers. The new cable franchise agreement eliminated the grant from MetroCast and enabled municipalities to produce their own programming.

The new business plan, which is akin to the models of public radio and television, calls for soliciting contributions from municipalities as well as sponsorships from businesses in the region. Eddy said that contributions have been received from the city of Laconia and four townships — Belmont, Gilford, Meredith and Northwood.