May 5, 2021 Minutes
FINAL— CTAC Meeting Minutes May 5, 2021 – ZOOM TELECONFERENCE
Attending members:
Yvonne Manning-Jones – (New Haven) – Stand in Chair
(Peaches Quinn (New Haven) Acting Chair – absent
Laurel Coleman (Hamden) Advisor
George Alexander (Hamden) Treasurer
Anthony Cardo (Hamden) Advisor
Johnes Ruta – (New Haven) – Acting Secretary
Joe Schofield – CTV Representative – in attendance.
Sharon Codeane – Comcast Representative – not in attendance but report submitted
-
Call to order 6:03pm.
2. April Minutes
George’s requested edits – done.
Laurel’s requested edits – done.Yvonne – Motion to accept April Minutes. Laurel – seconds the Motion.
Vote Carried.3. Treasurer’s Report
George reports “Balance remains the same.” (No expenditures)
Anthony makes Motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report. Johnes seconds the Motion.
Vote: carried.
-
CTV Report – Joe Schofield.
a. CTV offices and studios have been closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19,
but will reopen June 1st for staff only, not for producers. Then September 1st for
producers. All persons who enter must show proof of vaccination (CT Vaccination
Card. Masks and Social Distancing will be required for all. Otherwise persons
will not be allowed entry. ) -
The Cable Television Advisory Council can resume meetings in the CTV office in
September.c. Laurel states her concern for unvaccinated individuals, but agrees with CTV protocol.
Joe notes that Laurel uses the CTV Editing Room, but indicates that there is a CTV
editing program that can be downloaded onto her computer for use at home.d. George asks Joe if CTV had gotten any Small Business Loans?
Joe indicates that CTV is not eligible for C(3) Funding. But CTV is trying to get
additional money from the State of Connecticut.5. Comcast Report – S. Codeanne
Sharon Codeanne submitted the Comcast Progress Report. Please see attachment
below..6. Old Business
a. CTAC Public Service Announcement- PSA call for new CTAC members: Laurel requested an update from CTV program scheduling to learn when this PSA would be run. Laurel reported CTV has not given a date the PSA will be run, but has stated they recognize our need to recruit council members.
- Community Awards – Anthony Cardo – No response from outreach as yet
- CTAC Facebook Page- ? Yvonne, status?
CTAC Website- George say that he has updated our website (cableadvisory.org) info with news about Comcast programming for children, and further commented that Comcast really needs the same programming options for seniors.
- Letter to 3 Mayors urging city wide internet – still deferred….
Within your networks and social media: Urge all to send letters to the Mayors of our 3 towns to implement Internet city wide wifi free of charge.
Comcast has not yet responded to CTAC’s call for city-wide WiFi.
- General Assembly-
1) Governor’s Bill 6442- Internet Equity
Continue to write/call legislators daily!
2) Support Bill in U.S. Congress proposing internet become a public utility
7. New Business
- Annual Report- Minutes review and financial report being added
- Appoint CTAC Nominating Committee – Discussion took place
- Subscriber Issues
- Subscriber Correspondence – None
- Complaints: Laurel states that there have been numerous complaints to Comcast about their “unjustified” rate increases during the pandemic, + $10 in February 2020 and an additional $10 in January 2021.
- Other: Consumer Inquiry
Laurel spoke with Peaches about a Comcast subscriber hoping to get assistance for her monthly bill. Peaches checked with Sharon . Unfortunately there is a wait period of 3 months an individual needs to be on unemployment before any funding help from Comcast kicks in.
7:07 pm, Laurel makes Motion to Adjourn. Johnes seconds Motion. Agreed.
Next CTAC Meeting: Wednesday, June 2, 2021, 6:00pm, via Zoom.
May 5th,, 2021 Meeting Minutes respectfully submitted by Johnes Ruta, (New Haven) Acting Secretary.
COMCAST ANNOUNCEMENT
Good afternoon!
We have seen time and again how access to technology opens a new world of possibilities, and that’s why we are thrilled to ask you to join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of Internet Essentials, our comprehensive effort to close the digital divide. Since launching in 2011, the Internet Essentials program has connected more than 44,000 households in Connecticut to high-speed Internet. As we look back on our decade-long commitment to connecting the unconnected, we’re also looking ahead. We will continue to work to close the digital divide by sharpening our focus on programs that provide media and technology skills training that can lead to economic mobility.
In Connecticut, we have continued to drive Internet adoption through several initiatives, which include increasing the speed of our Internet Essentials service to 50 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. This was the sixth time since the inception of Internet Essentials that we increased speeds for these customers while keeping the price of the program at $9.95/month. We are also continuing to offer 60 days of free Internet Essentials service to new customers through June 30, 2021 and our public WiFi hotspots remain open for free to everyone, even non-Xfinity Internet subscribers.
In addition, we are proud partners of the Connecticut State Department of Education to provide Interest Essentials to even more low-income families, through our Internet Essentials Partnership Program.
Lastly, we’re excited to announce the launch of 25 WiFi-Connected “Lift Zones” across Connecticut, 13 of which are now open. Comcast “Lift Zones” enable us to forge partnerships with community centers to support safe spaces for homework, training, social activities, and more, driven by connectivity.
We’re immensely proud of everything Internet Essentials has accomplished – and we know from our work over the past 10 years that the digital divide can only be addressed through a comprehensive effort by nonprofit and community-based organizations, educational institutions, faith leaders, as well as the government and private sectors. We can’t thank you enough for being part of this journey with us and invite you to view our 2021 Internet Essentials Progress Report to learn more about how we have evolved to serve our communities over the years, as well as through the ongoing pandemic.
Thank you again for your support and the work you do in your communities every day.
Best regards,
Sharon
Sharon Codeanne
Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs
Comcast
222 New Park Drive
Berlin, CT 06037
860-505-3477
PRESS RELEASE
Comcast Corporation
One Comcast Center
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.comcastcorporation.com
COMCAST LAUNCHES DISNEY+ AND ESPN+ ON XFINITY
Millions of X1 and Flex Customers Can Now Enjoy Disney+ Original Series, Feature-Length Films, Documentaries, Live-Action and Animated Series, the Latest Releases from The Walt Disney Studios and More via the Award-Winning Xfinity Voice Remote
ESPN+ Launches on Flex Today and X1 in the Coming Weeks, Bringing Fans Thousands of Live Sports Events Including the Upcoming FA Cup Semi-Finals, UFC 261, new MLB and MLS seasons, The Masters & PGA Championship, Original Programming and More;
PHILADELPHIA – (March 29, 2021) – Comcast and The Walt Disney Company today announced the start of the rollout of Disney+ and ESPN+ on Xfinity, giving X1 and Flex customers access to the Disney+ library of movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with thousands of live sports events and original programming from ESPN+.
The launch means in the coming days tens of millions of customers will soon have access to Disney+ in an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art user interface that provides access to the best entertainment, just in time to enjoy the newly released series Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” and upcoming series “Big Shot,” premiering April 16, and “Secrets of the Whales,” premiering April 22.
Additionally, ESPN+ is now available to Flex customers via the ESPN app, with plans to launch on X1 in the coming weeks. ESPN+ programming includes over 10,000 live sports events including exclusive UFC events, hundreds of MLB games, Golf (coverage from PGA Tour, The Masters and PGA Championship), an incredible lineup of international and domestic soccer (including the FA Cup, Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, Copa Del Rey and more), college sports from 20 conferences, boxing and much more. ESPN+ also features exclusive ESPN+ Originals and signature studio shows like “Stephen A’s World,” “SportsNation” and “Peyton’s Places” – plus exclusive access to the entire library of ESPN’s award-winning “30 for 30” documentary films and more.
X1 and Flex customers can access Disney+ or ESPN+ by saying “Disney+” or “ESPN+” into the Xfinity Voice Remote or by saying the name of a desired title from one of the streaming services (like, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” or “Stephen A’s World”). Xfinity customers will also be able to find the Disney+ and ESPN+ content libraries integrated throughout their user experience, including in collections such as “TV,” Movies,” “Sports” and more.
“With the launch of Disney+ and ESPN+, our X1 and Flex customers will now be able to enjoy all the best entertainment from today’s most popular streaming services on one device that makes it easy for them to find their favorite programming, or discover something new,” said Rebecca Heap, Senior Vice President, Video and Entertainment, Comcast Cable.
“The launch of Disney+ and ESPN+ on Comcast’s Xfinity platforms comes at an opportune time with the new Disney+ Original series from Marvel Studios ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ in full swing, the return of Coach Gordon Bombay in a new series ‘The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,’ and “Secrets of the Whales” from National Geographic premiering on Earth Day. It will be a big April on ESPN+ too with UFC 261, the start of MLB and MLS seasons, The Masters, and more,” said Michael Paull, President, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Disney+ and ESPN+ join a growing collection of streaming services available over the Internet on X1 and Flex including Peacock, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Vudu and Pandora, amongst many more.
Xfinity delivers all the best entertainment to customers via its X1 and Flex devices and through its leading Xfinity Internet service. X1 provides the most comprehensive library of entertainment on one platform with thousands of choices – aggregating live TV, On Demand, and all the best apps. Xfinity Flex is a 4K streaming device included with Xfinity Internet that extends the best features of X1 to customers who prefer a streaming experience, with all the favorite video and music apps, as well as the ability to manage Xfinity WiFi, mobile, security and automation services – all controllable with the award-winning Xfinity Voice Remote.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit http://www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes Disney Parks, Experiences and Products; Media & Entertainment Distribution; and three content groups—Studios, General Entertainment and Sports—focused on developing and producing content for DTC, theatrical and linear platforms. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $65.4 billion in its Fiscal Year 2020.
# # #
Media Contacts
Comcast
Debbie Frey
215.983.0563
Disney
Bridget Osterhaus
April Carretta