Plymouth Begins Cable License Renewal Ascertainment as PEG Fees Fall 25 Percent

PLYMOUTH -- March 25, 2026, Plymouth's Cable TV Advisory Committee opened license renewal ascertainment for both Verizon and Comcast as subscriber counts showed a 25.3 percent drop since fiscal year 2020. EdTV Director Brian told the committee his program, which serves all 12 Plymouth public schools with a staff of six funded almost entirely by cable PEG access fees, faces cameras dating to 2013, iPads from 2015, and a broadcast studio at Lincoln Street approaching 10 years old, but could not yet provide a capital dollar figure for the license negotiation. The Local Scene's Elizabeth said her organization's needs assessment is also underway with no final number ready. Finance department data reviewed at the meeting showed Comcast subscribers falling from 12,102 to 9,032 and Verizon from roughly 10,000 to 7,400 between fiscal years 2020 and 2025, with fiscal year 2025 recording the steepest single-year revenue decline at roughly 5 percent. The committee set its next meeting for April 29, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. to continue survey preparation ahead of a planned end-of-June mailing to approximately 35,000 Plymouth households.