Collins Calls on Satellite TV Providers to Switch Customers to Georgia Local Stations

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR

U.S. Representative Doug Collins says it’s now up to satellite TV companies to move customers in Northeast Georgia to Georgia local TV stations.

Collins made the comment at a brief address Tuesday evening to the Hart County Board of Commissioners.

He said the issue of the area’s orphan county status for satellite TV customers is over.

“Now it’s away from government, the appeal has been rejected, and it’s now with the satellite and cable providers to do this, and I encourage the public to be involved to talk to them and to make this happen in a way that is fitting for Hart County and the other counties as well,” he said. ”

After years of waiting, the Federal Communications Commission released a decision denying an appeal by the Carolina TV stations to reverse the FCC’s original decision allowing the transfer.

That decision came in 2018 but was appealed by the Carolina TV stations and it took over a year for the FCC to make a decision on that appeal.

In April of this year, Franklin County Manager Beth Thomas, who spearheaded the transfer effort on behalf of Franklin, Hart, Stephens, and Elbert counties, wrote a second letter to the FCC asking for a decision.

That letter was followed by another letter from Congressman Collins.

Then on May 21 the FCC denied the Carolina appeal, clearing the way for satellite TV customers to request Atlanta TV stations be added to their programming package.