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Norwood residents tuning into their favorite television programs will soon feel a pinch in their monthly household budgets, as local cable television rates are officially headed up next month. According to a formal letter sent to the board of selectmen by Cablevision general manager Penelope Contos, widespread rate increases will take effect beginning September 1, 1992. The town’s most popular subscription tier, Family Cable Service, will see a $1 increase, bringing the new monthly rate to $22.95. Subscribers to Basic Service will similarly experience a $1 hike, raising their monthly bill to $11.95.
For households subscribing to more expansive programming, the optional premium packages will see even steeper increases of $2 per month. Under the new pricing structure, Family Plus will jump to $36.95, the Rainbow package will rise to $43.95, and the top-tier Rainbow Gold service will cost subscribers $53.95 monthly. Additionally, individual premium channel services will increase by $1, reaching $10.95 per month.
This significant pricing restructuring arrives during a period of corporate transition for the local cable provider. Cablevision is currently expected to schedule a formal public hearing within the next few weeks to openly discuss its impending takeover by A-R Cable Services, a New York-based subsidiary of Cablevision that actively manages cable television systems for Norwood and 18 other surrounding suburban communities. Despite the suspicious timing, a Cablevision corporate executive previously assured the board of selectmen at a June meeting that the September rate increase has absolutely nothing to do with the corporate takeover.
During their meeting last night, the selectmen formally requested that Cablevision prepare a comprehensive, itemized list detailing the specific channels and services offered for each corresponding rate tier to present at the upcoming public hearing. Furthermore, town officials decided to postpone discussions regarding the school department’s pending funding request until after the public cable hearing concludes. The school department is actively seeking permission to utilize $80,000 of the town’s $200,000 Cablevision municipal rebate to critically upgrade the local television studio situated at the high school.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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