Sources of Information for Upper Dublin Residents

NEWSPAPERS

News coverage of Upper Dublin has for at least one hundred years been provided by a weekly, the Ambler Gazette (now published by Montgomery Publishing, formerly located in the Fort Washington Industrial Park. Back issues for most of the post-World War II era are available at the Old York Road Historical Society and, to a lesser extent, at the Wissahickon Valley Library and by subscription on newspapers.com and similar subscription services. However, six years (1995-2002) of the Ambler Gazette are no longer available in print.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, the most widely circulated daily in the area, also covered events in the Philadelphia suburbs, particularly beginning in the 1970s through the early 2000s.

There were two other newspapers that covered the eastern Montgomery County suburbs to some extent: The Daily Intelligencer, now named Intelligencer, mostly concentrates on Bucks County news, and Times Herald, a newspaper focused on Norristown and its environs. The Montgomery County Record, later named the Record, also covered suburban news; it ceased operation in 1988.

With the advent of radio and television, and eventually the Internet and still later social media, the sources of suburban coverage have for many shifted from print to electronic media. Phillyburbs.com is an electronic news media operated by the Intelligencer. Electronic sources have included PATCH, a locality specific electronic medium originated by AOL (America OnLine, as it was originally known) and a number of other electronic publications, such as Daily Voice, that publish at least one issue concentrating on Eastern Montgomery County. The most recent includes MONTCO.com that includes coverage of Upper Dublin and, using artificial intelligence, Citizen Portal AI, that provides virtually instantaneous summaries of public meetings from the publicly transmitted video recordings of those meetings. Ancestry.com Founder Launches Citizen Portal to Counter Decline of Local Journalism with AI-s11 ep53 ((Superpowers for Good: Empowering Changemakers for Social Impact via Regulated Investment: Crowdfunding from the SuperCrowd.).

In addition, Change.org, an Internet site providing means of protest other than letter-writing, phone calls and attendance at public meetings, has emerged as a voice of public protest. Beginning in 2014 Change.org petitions (some receiving nominal support and others receiving several hundred supporters) have appeared with some frequency referring to Upper Dublin governmental issues.

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MUNICIPAL ROLE IN CABLE TELEVISION

In the 1970s cable television began to become widely available. At first municipalities, like Upper Dublin, granted a single provider an exclusive franchise to operate within its boundaries, with, in turn, the township board of commissioners having the authority to approve (or disapprove) the monthly service charge.

In Upper Dublin and surrounding municipalities initial franchises were granted to UltraCom. Doylestown Intelligencer, Aug. 17, 198-, at p. 64. In 1984, UltraCom was later acquired by Harte-Hanks Communications, a Texas company. The Upper Dublin commissioners granted Harte-Hanks a rate increase in recognition of the availability of additional cable channels. Elizabeth Hallowell, Cable firm gets full rate increase, Phila. Inquirer, March 13, 1986, p. 119.

In 1988, when Harte-Hanks determined that it needed cash to survive, it sold its franchise rights to Adelphia Communications Corp., of Coudersport, Pennsylvania. CITE

The regulatory environment changed in 1990 when the Federal Communications Commission issued a report advising that it would no longer permit local monopolization of cable television rights. MM-89-600, adopted July 26, 1990. This action effectively ended the municipal role in cable television regulation through franchise grants and fees.

Cable television and Wi-Fi each rely to a major extent upon placing transmitters on “cell towers” located on high ground (although satellites are increasingly displacing the need for cell towers). In Upper Dublin, like many other communities, there has been litigation about the location of cell towers in which locals (whether government or citizenry) challenging siting of towers. In the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, local communities were granted rights to have a voice in cell tower siting disputes.

Not surprisingly, that statute has stimulated disputes and litigation. Christina Couret, Solving the problem of cell tower placement, American City & County, Sept. 1, 1999 (referring to Upper Dublin Zoning Hearing Board decision in February 1998 upholding siting of cell tower and Upper Dublin Commissioner Jules Mermelstein’s response: “But we won’t get any more towers.”); Adam Greenberg, “UD township to oppose cell tower in Maple Glen triangle,” Ambler Gazette, Jan. 9, 2001; “Zoners say “no” to cell tower in Maple Glen,” Ambler Gazette, Jan. 31, 2001; American Cellular Network Co., LLC v. Upper Dublin Township, 203 F. Supp.2d 383 (E.D. Pa. 2002) (holding that Upper Dublin Zoning Hearing Board’s decision denying approval for the Maple Glen cell tower was contrary to the Telecommunications Act).

Surely another siting controversy was to arise as the demand for cable services became nearly universal. Linda Finarelli, “Upper Dublin challenges communications tower on Twining Road,” Ambler Gazette, May 10, 2010; “Upper Dublin challenge to communications tower appealed,” thereporteronline.com, June 7, 2010; Linda Finarelli, Willow Grove residents win the battle of the tower, Ambler Gazette, July 12, 2010. But, like the unsuccessful battle against Maple Glen tower, eventually the Twining Road cell tower was built.⁷⁹

While these cell tower siting issues were being fought, the cable business continued to evolve. Adelphia lost its cable business when its management became the subject of criminal proceedings, resulting in the 2006 sale of its local network to Comcast. Earlier, in 1999, Comcast had acquired Lenfest Suburban Cable, the dominant cable company in southeastern Pennsylvania. Upper Dublin considered and ultimately rejected providing broadband access to residents. Upper Dublin Township Community Broadband—Business Plan Update (Wireless Internet Institute, September 2006).

With Verizon, Comcast remains one of the providers of local cable service, but, like all other cable providers, is now subject to competition and “carry” rules established by the Federal Communications Commission.⁸⁰

Under longstanding public service provisions, cable television has provided public access channels for broadcast of local and state government proceedings. Recognizing increasing use of streaming services, the Township now uses Zoom and the School District uses UD Media YouTube to stream their public events to local residents. However, local cable networks continue to carry CSPAN, providing cable television coverage for national public affairs programming, and PCN, Pennsylvania Cable News, that provides similar programming for Pennsylvania governmental matters.