It’s a problem that’s plagued residents in extreme Northeast Georgia for years and this pandemic is bringing it to the forefront.
Nearly 94,000 residents in Franklin, Elbert, Hart, and Stephens counties get their “local” television news from South Carolina. That’s because of how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigns TV markets. Viewers in those counties don’t have access to Georgia news and sports broadcasts: They’re called ‘orphan counties.’ The gap was once filled by the now defunct WNEG-TV in Toccoa. Now that the coronavirus pandemic has hit, that gap seems wider than ever.
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today sent a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai urging the commission, to work with stations and satellite providers to give orphan counties immediate access to in-state programming to ensure they receive critical state-specific updates.
“In recent weeks, I’ve heard from several constituents worried they will miss an important coronavirus-related order issued by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp or that they will miss updates regarding the number of Georgians affected by this pandemic,” Collins said. “It is unacceptable that Georgians cannot receive the information they need in the midst of a global health emergency simply because media conglomerates are weary to make the fix.”
Congressman Doug Collins has spent several years working with county officials and the FCC to bring in-state broadcasting to these four counties. The FCC previously approved the counties’ petitions to switch to the Atlanta TV market but TV stations in South Carolina appealed the rulings for Franklin, Hart, and Stephens.
