Channel 20 moves to 902 on January 15

On January 15, all public, education and government (PEG) programming will move to a digital format across the state of Michigan. Local programming 12 will move to 900, Educational Access 20 will go to 902, Educational Access 22 to 903, and Government Access 5 to 911.

According to a release from Comcast, “Current basic and preferred basic Comcast customers can continue to receive PEG programming by acquiring a digital converter, digital service or compatible equipment.”

Comcast urges those with questions to call 1-877-824-2984.

“Comcast is using government access channels to promote the conversion to digital cable statewide – this is not just happening in Grosse Pointe,” state Superintendent C. Suzanne Klein.

“As a teacher in the television production program, I’ve been researching similar conversions in other states and it’s not a good sign for educational access for the future,” said Steve Geresy, a teacher at South High School. “In our schools, the immediate impact is that we would not be able to see our own district channel in our classrooms.

Comcast is providing one digital conversion cable box per site on a request-only basis, so only one television set in each school building could see the programming we produce. “We will still have our in-house Channel 18 and announcements, but as the supervisor of Channel 20, I am concerned about the ramifications of this move to digital cable,” Geresy added. “We see our educational access channel as a critical communications tool and a key component of the goal within the district’s strategic plan to have a well informed public.”

In addition to announcements such as school closings, school events, and community education programming, Channel 20 is used to broadcast board of education meetings for Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods, graduation ceremonies, drama and musical productions, and sporting events.

Steve Geresy and Brian Stackpoole, his counterpart at North, are working closely with Steve Woloszyn, to be sure that the district’s Technology Plan which is currently being updated, includes the necessary technology for the digital conversion.

One piece being investigated is whether the programming could be streamed from the district website – making it accessible to our constituents and staff no matter where they live or what cable or satellite provider they have.