Press Release Sample #2

Comm 1 Moves Fully Into Digital Age

KANAWHA IA, Feb. 15, 2011—Communications 1 old cable system is officially retired. The system was shut off in late January. The company now offers digital service to all customers in the greater communities of Kanawha, Klemme and Corwith.

Comm 1 technicians spent numerous construction hours preparing the service area for the digital transfer at no cost whatsoever to the customer. When it was completed, customers received a free receiver box (set-top) and free wiring inside-and-outside of the home or business.

“It (the new digital television) reflects a change in technology once again,” Comm 1’s Randy Yeakel said. “Many people have witnessed the changes throughout the years going from black-and-white to color TV, antennas to cable systems and now to digital.”

The new technology allows Comm 1 to offer additional channels (including music ones), high definition channels and a sharper, more colorful picture.

Some customers have wondered why they need so many channels for the increased monthly cost.

“The reason we have so many channels is the programmers we buy channels from offer a suite (package) of channels,” Yeakel said. “If we didn’t go with a suite of channels, monthly rates would be extremely high.

“The contracts we sign for one channel will include upwards of 12 must-carry channels.”

For example, ESPN offers many sports channels but is part of the Disney and ESPN Media Networks. That group provides 16 total channels. Non-sports channels include Disney, Disney XD ABC, ABC Family and the Soap Network.

The challenge is that programming costs continue to rise.

“We don’t receive these signals for free,” Yeakel said.

Comm 1 has worked out the bugs that caused problems with some of its receiver boxes and TV remotes. Yeakel said that according to others in the communications world, these challenges are an industry-wide issue.