BLTV - News & Announcements

RETRANSMISSION CONSENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FEBRUARY 2012 - Retransmission Consent Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Retransmission Consent? Why are the TV stations charging you?

   Since 1992, television stations have been authorized by the U.S. Congress to grant or deny permission for a cable television provider to carry their signals. This right is renewable every three years. The agreements with the broadcast TV stations we carry in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville expired at the end of 2011. When these agreements expired, the local broadcast channels can deny BLTV the right to carry their station unless we pay an exorbitant price increase per subscriber. There is almost zero room for negotiation although the FCC states they must negotiate in "good faith".

2. How does this affect Ben Lomand's BLTV service?

   In the past, BLTV has reached mutually acceptable agreements with all of the local stations. For 2012, these same stations have demanded unreasonable payments for the right to carry their channels. In some cases, the rate has increased over 150%. We believe that above all else broadcast television is a public resource and should continue to be made available without charging our customer additional fees. For several months, we have fought for this right but unfortunately, the TV stations did not back down. They have demanded these unreasonable amounts or we must take them out of our line-up.

3. Why can't I drop these channels and just subscribe to the expanded package?

   By law, BLTV is required to place all broadcast TV stations in their basic package. Currently, the law does not allow us to sell any services a la carte and we cannot sell you any level of service without the basic package included.

4. Why is this different than paying for channels like ESPN and Discovery?

   Cable networks like ESPN and Discovery also bill TV providers a charge for each subscriber. However, broadcast TV stations are given free spectrum by the federal government to provide service to the local communities. Therefore, you are already paying for these stations with your tax dollars. Cable networks like ESPN pay millions of dollars to be transmitted by a satellite and are not available free over the air. You cannot view ESPN on your TV with just an antenna. In addition, for cable channels like Discovery, we are allowed to sell advertising to help offset a portion of these costs. In this case, the Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville stations are not providing us an opportunity to insert local advertisements but still charge our customers a rate similar to ESPN and Discovery.

5. Which TV stations are charging Ben Lomand and how much are they charging you?

   In addition to the price per sub they demand for the carriage of their channel, the TV stations demand complete confidentiality in their agreements. We are not allowed to tell you which stations are charging and how much they are forcing us to pay. This is another frustration and we would like to publicize this information. We do encourage you to take action and complain to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and/or your local Congressman and Senators. We can tell you this increase in retransmission fees in addition to the increases from the network channels will equal over $600,000 per year.

6. Why shouldn't I switch to satellite or another provider?

   While satellite or another provider may appear appealing at this point in time, please keep in mind the advantages of being a BLTV customer. We are a local employer and we are committed to our communities that we serve. We have local offices where you can still speak to a real person. Dish, DirecTV, and other providers experience similar rate increase challenges with programmers as referenced by the recent headlines when DirecTV almost dropped 25 very popular Fox networks over a very heated battle of programming rate increases with Fox. All providers are fighting this battle with local affiliates.

7. What kind of action can I take to complain about this?

   We understand your frustration with this fee and we encourage you to act now and make your complaints known by contacting the FCC at the following address:

   Ms. Marlene Dortch
   Secretary
   Federal Communications Commission
   445 12th Street SW
   Washington, DC 20554
   Re: MB Docket No. 07-198

   If you would like help writing a letter to the FCC or to your local Congressman and Senators, please visit the American Cable Association website at www.americancable.org for sample letters.

   The Honorable Eric Stewart
   Tennessee Senate
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 310A War Memorial Bldg.
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Sen.eric.stewart@capitol.tn.gov
   Coffee, Grundy, Van Buren
   & Warren Counties

   The Honorable Bill Harmon
   TN House of Representatives
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 24 Legislative Plaza
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Rep.bill.harmon.@capitol.tn.gov
   Sequatchie, Van Buren, Grundy
   & Marion Counties

   The Honorable Charlotte Burks
   Tennessee Senate
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 304 War Memorial Bldg.
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Sen.charlotte.burks@capitol.tn.gov
   Cumberland, Putnam, & White Counties

   The Honorable Cameron Sexton
   TN House of Representatives
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 20 Legislative Plaza
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Rep.cameron.sexton@capitol.tn.gov
   Cumberland County

   The Honorable Judd Matheny
   TN House of Representatives
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 15 Legislative Plaza
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov
   Coffee & Warren Counties

   The Honorable Pat Marsh
   TN House of Representatives
   301 6th Avenue North
   110 War Memorial Bldg.
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov
   Bedford County

   The Honorable Charles Curtiss
   TN House of Representatives
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 34 Legislative Plaza
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Rep.charles.curtiss@capitol.tn.gov
   White, Putnam & Warren Counties

   The Honorable Jim Tracy
   Tennessee Senate
   301 6th Avenue North
   Suite 2 Legislative Plaza.
   Nashville, TN 37243
   Sen.jim.tracy@capitol.tn.gov
   Shelbyville, Bedford, Moore &
   Parts of Rutherford Counties

BLTV CHANNEL LINE UP WORKING TO GIVE YOU THE BEST LINE UP AVAILABLE

FEBRUARY 2010 - Ben Lomand's customer service department receives many requests throughout the year for channels. We take each channel request into consideration every time we evaluate the BLTV channel line-up. We also hear from you about the content programmer's air on their channels. Unfortunately, we have no control over the specific content the programmers choose to air and it seems that things like showing repetitive movies is unavoidable in the industry. As we begin a new year, we wanted to take this opportunity to give our customers a better understanding of the process involved with channel negotiations.

Programmers are the channel providers themselves such as Disney, Discovery, and Turner Broadcasting. One programmer may own several channels such as MTV. They own over 13 networks including VH1, Spike, Noggin and CMT. Some programmers feel that their content is in such high demand that it allows them to charge excessive rates or they require an entire suite of channels to be purchased instead of just the one channel that we want. Monthly rates range from 10 cents to a few dollars per subscriber and every 1-4 years these rates must be renegotiated.

Even local channels that we once considered free from Nashville and Chattanooga require BLTV to pay a per subscriber charge. Their business plans in the past were solely based on selling advertising but today are based on the number of subscribers that have access to their channel. In the last contract negotiations one provider asked for a 1200% increase. We worked very hard to negotiate a better price and did so successfully but it was still an increase nonetheless.

Programming fees and negotiations are not limited to BLTV. Time Warner recently had a major rate negotiation dispute with Fox over a contract that was ending on Dec.31, 2009. Fox reportedly demanded $1 for each of Time Warner's subscribers per month which Time Warner, and most of the industry, felt was completely unfair. Fox/Time Warner was able to resolve their dispute around the midnight hour.

Even with 12,000 subscribers, BLTV is considered a relatively "small" video provider with "small" meaning less than 100,000 subscribers. In most every situation this is good except when trying to negotiate these contract rates with major channel programmers. To increase our buying power, Ben Lomand is a member of National Cable Television Cooperative and the American Cable Association, which pools several smaller providers together in order to negotiate better programming rates. Each channel does not have a set rate and the rates are often set based on the number of subscribers. Programmers can often have a "take it or leave it" attitude when negotiating.

One example of this situation is the NFL Network. We have spent many hours trying to negotiate a fair rate with the network but in each situation they have given us "take it or leave it" terms. That price is so excessive that most companies cannot afford to add this channel without a price increase for their customers. NFL also requires the channel to be in the Expanded Package which means a price increase for nearly everyone- not for just those that want the network. This price is also for the entire year, not just football season.

On average these programming costs are increasing 5-10% yearly, however BLTV actively tries to find ways to absorb these costs without passing it along to customers with a rate increase. BLTV's other offerings such as the Family tier, Hispanic tier, HD and DVR help to offset some of the programming increases. BLTV is proud of the fact that there has been only one price increase during the first 5 years of service.

We will keep working hard to bring you one of the best channel line ups around and thank you for your channel requests, we do listen!

KID'S BLOCK PREMIERS FEB 6, 2010

FEBRUARY 2010 - Beginning Saturday, February 6, 2010, BLTV's Channel 6 is proud to present Kid's Block (programming designed for children). These programs will air from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm each Saturday and from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm weekday afternoons.

Some examples of what you will see on Kid's Block are as follows:

The children's television show "Mustard Pancakes" takes place in the comfortable home of singing/storytelling grandmother Courtney Campbell. Courtney shares her home with four kind-hearted and child-like puppet characters: Oogleberry Ink Dog, a scruffy and thoughtful dog; Tiny Tina Ten Toes, a free spirited beagle who loves to dance; Mo, an innocent and playful Chocolate Labrador; and Mr. D, a slightly self-absorbed cat. Combining the art of storytelling and the element of song, the series presents everyday situations in an age-appropriate way to help children learn about solving life's little problems.

"Did You Ever Wonder?" is truly a one of a kind educational and entertaining program. These video tours take children behind the scenes to places you would rarely have the chance to take children in real life. Join Ms. Jennings and our kids as they embark on enlightening adventures.

"Kid Fitness" incorporates physical activity, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, original music and edu-venture (education and adventure) story lines designed to get children moving and developing healthy habits to help prevent sedentary lifestyles, obesity and health-related issues.

Set in Hawaii, "Blue Dolphin Kids" is an exciting children's program that's perfect for the whole family! From outer space to inner space, join the Blue Dolphin Kids as they explore, learn and imagine. Blue Dolphin Kids is a live action, news magazine format children's show that makes learning fun with breathtaking visuals, educational trivia, cool factoids and a whole lot more.

WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM CHANNEL

DECEMBER 2009 - Ben Lomand was pleased to announce the return of Channel 5+ to the BLTV line up last month. This month brings another channel completely unique to BLTV Ben Lomand has partnered with the Warren County School System to bring you WCS- TV, located on channel number 180 in the BLTV's Basic Package.

"The students will be the stars of the channel" says Professional & Community Development Coordinator, Bonnie Collier. The channel will show fun activities such as assemblies and ballgames that highlight students in our school system. "It will also be used as an informational tool to communicate with parents" states Dr. Jerry Hale, Director of Schools, "with instructional programs, announcements, parent tips, calendars, public service announcements and lunch menus".

The new channel will debut on December 1st at 8:30 a.m. Joe Harvey has been hired as the WCS-TV video broadcast technician to work on filming, editing and scheduling the programs. He will work with each school in the system to assist in getting their content on the air. It will take some time to develop the channel to the fullest but Harvey feels that it will be a source of great interest for the whole community.

Network Operations Manager, Ray Cantrell hopes that this will encourage other counties to add their own school channel. "BLTV is open to each county in our service area having their own school system channel", states Cantrell. "It's a winning situation for BLTV because it is exclusive to our system and it's a great tool for the schools to promote themselves and communication." Tune into WCS­ TV on December 1st at 8:30 a.m. along with all of the school children in the county to watch its premier.

YOU ASKED FOR IT ... AND YOU GOT IT: DAILY TV SCHEDULE ON BLTV!

SEPTEMBER 2009 - Recently we've been getting quite a few requests from our customers to post a schedule of daily TV programming on our BLTV website. We listened and we are pleased to announce that it should be up in the next few weeks at www.bltv.net using the Zap2it service.

The schedule will show all TV programming available on BLTV including your favorite shows, movies, sports and upcoming events on local & national channels. You'll be able to search by channel, by date and time, as well as highlight favorite channels, sports, movies, news, and children's programming. Not only that, you can sign up through Zap2It and build your own custom calendar of TV programming - including all your favorites.

Included is a screen shot showing how the TV programming page will look and a sample of just a few of the channel listings.

AREA SPECIFIC LOCAL WEATHER

JULY 2009 - We are constantly making improvements to BLTV and the latest will come soon with area specific local weather. Sparta, Tracy City, McMinnville and Crossville will have local temperatures, current conditions, radar and satellite maps for each area. This will allow for more local forecasts and conditions since Ben Lomand has such a large coverage area. "We are excited about our new options with the new weather server system" states Clent Kesey of BLTV. "This new system will give a new updated look as well as offering businesses a chance to sponsor BLTV Channel 1. Features on the new weather system even allow the capability of pulling live images from camera(s) placed in the community," says Kesey.

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW TO DEBUT JUNE 29

JUNE 2009 - Ben Lomand would like to announce a wonderful addition to the BLTV Channel61ine up of shows. How Does Your Garden Grow will debut June 29th at 7:00 p.m. and will show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This informative show hosted by Kim Correll teaches gardening techniques for flower, vegetable and herb gardening. Check out How Does Your Garden Grow at their blog spot www.howdoesyourgardengrow.tv

MORE PROGRAMMING CHOICES AT BLTV

JUNE 2009 - BLTV Digital Video gives you the power to watch what you want, whenever you want with over 100 channels of digital programming delivered straight into your living room. With inDemand movies and events, premium movie channels, 2 local community channels and shows, 40+ digital music channels, an Interactive Program Guide, HDTV, plus optional DVR technology - you're in control.

Subscribers of- BLTV's Expanded package can further customize their programming with the Family and Hispanic tiers of channels. BLTV's Family tier offers 20 channels that include Biography, Discovery Science, Hallmark Movies and much more. BLTV's Hispanic tier also includes 7 of the most popular Hispanic networks available. Subscribers have several options for just a few pennies a day.

BLTV also puts you in the game, in the movie, and right in the center of the action - with HOlY, the ultimate home theater experience. HD delivers wide-screen, crystal-clear pictures, and CD-quality

Dolby Digital surround sound. HDTV will awaken your senses with vivid colors, lifelike picture quality, and amazing sound - be a part of the action with HDTV service from BLTV. We offer 19+ channels of HDTV - from sports to regional networks - all delivered in stunning high definition. You can also view HBO/Cinemax* in high definition.

*Subscription to premium services required.

RATE STRUCTURE CHANGES

FEBRUARY 2009 - You've probably heard about the many changes that are happening in the television industry regarding the way that local affiliates, NBC, CBS, ABC and others, are delivered to your home. The cost associated with delivering the local affiliates has unfortunately made it necessary to change our rate structure. Price increases are never popular but we have been able to absorb the annual programming increases until now. This is our first rate increase in BLTV's five year history. Effective February 25th 2009, the price of expanded video service will increase $4.00 to $53.95 per month. The Basic video package will be $21.45, increasing a nominal $1.50 per month.

Along with this increase we have also made a few minor changes to the channel lineup. G4TV (Tech TV) and DIY will be moving to the Family Tier and we will be removing BET from our lineup. In an effort to provide you the most value for your money we are adding Sprout to the Expanded package, Style to the Family Tier and ESPN 2 HD, E HD, HBO and Cinemax HD* to the High Def package.

We understand the need to keep our prices competitive while offering the best possible service and value. When you compare us to other providers, you will find that we are still the best value in entertainment services available. Please call your local office at 1.800.974.7779 with any questions regarding your BLTV. We look forward to providing your video service well into the future and we thank you for your business.

Note: BLTV customers will not be affected by the DTV transition on February 17, 2009.

*must subscribe to Premium Package to view

LOCAL CHANNEL 6 TO PREMIER 'YOUR PLATES OR MINE' ON FEBRUARY 2ND

FEBRUARY 2009 - Local Channel 6 is pleased to announce the debut of the first cooking show added to their lineup, Your Plates or Mine. The show is hosted by David Miller and features his favorite recipes of family and friends. David hosts the show from many locations ranging from his home in Nashville, to The Inn At Harvest Farms, to Ft. Walton Beach Florida where he cooks up some incredible Memphis Style Baby Back ribs with his friend Paul.

David has many local ties to Warren County with the most important being his wife, Shelly Grissom Miller who grew up in McMinnville. Shelly helps David with the production of Your Plates or Mine and they are both Host David Miller and Paul Holzschuh professional photographers.

David is very excited about the venture with BLTV local channel 6 stating "I am thrilled to be working with BLTY. We wanted to do a show that would appeal to anyone who wants to be a star in their own kitchen. We show our viewers how to make the very best recipes from food fanatics just like us".

Business advertisement during Your Plates or Mine can be obtained by calling 1-800-974-7779. Karen Wilson of BLTV Channel 6 comments that "it will be a great opportunity for local businesses to advertise, especially businesses that cater or host events or sell cooking appliances. It will be a great way to target "foodies" in our area". The show will premiere on February 2nd at 7:30 p.m.