Passing The Buck

Don’t you hate it when you call customer service and get transfered from operator to operator?  It usually ends with you hanging up in frustration.  One of our goals at WJBF is to make sure that NEVER happens to you.  From the news side of things, it’s usually a “story idea.“  Now, nine times out of ten, those ideas are usually too difficult to tell (i.e. need a lawyer, not a journalist).  But we try to listen anyway.  As I’ve found - a good listener will also ease a customer’s mind.  So, if you get NOTHING else from this bit - always remember you can call on us.  We welcome it.  But now you won’t be surprised when we “pass the buck.“

Closed Captioning On Cable & Satellite:  I’ve found that even though my hearing is not impaired (just slowly getting there), I still rely heavily on closed captioning and subtitles.  What’s a convenience for me is a necessity for so many of our viewers.  And it’s important.  So important in fact that the FCC requires it by law.  So you know, “live” programming that airs only one time is not required to have captioning.  And anything under five minutes (live or taped) is not required to have captioning either.  Everything else is required to have captioning.  All that said, our live local news IS captioned as a result of the newscast script running through our teleprompter.  We just send it through to captioning.  As for syndicated shows (Judge Mathis, Regis & Kelly) and ABC programming (Daytime Dramas, Primetime) - closed captioning is fed through WJBF to your TV sets.  If you aren’t getting your closed captioning and feel you should, call WJBF first.  But if you PAY for TV using cable or satellite, you’ll want to ask if WJBF is feeding closed captioning.  It’s easy to check.  If we are, then the problem lies with your pay TV provider.  So you know, they simply pull in our over-the-air signal and pipe it to you.  So if we’re doing our job - something is getting lost in their system.

Black Screen Weather Warning:  Have you ever found your programming on Channel 6 interrupted by a black screen, annoying tone and a weather warning that sounds like it’s being transmitted through a 1930’s radio?  If so, then you’re watching us on cable.  Comcast to be specific.  When WJBF began transmitting its signal digitally, Comcast was no longer able to prevent it’s automatic Emergency Alert System from interrupting our channel.  The problem has to do with a piece of equipment which Comcast needs to repair or purchase.  As you expect, when there’s severe weather we agree to provide appropriate warnings.  But despite that promise, this automatic warning will go up until Comcast is able to repair or replace the equipment it needs to keep that from happening to Channel 6 (or Channel 2 on cable).  They assure us it’s getting done - but in the meantime that screen pops up.  This is not something that’s happening with Knology or any satellite providers that we know of.

Remember, WJBF-TV is licensed to provide free content, over-the-air.  All you need is a television set, antenna and in many cases a converter box.  But the signal remains just as free as it was back in days before cable and satellite.  So if you pay a provider to be a conduit for our free signal, you run the risk of adding another layer of potential problems that are simply out of our control.

So call us first - but be prepared to to ask if all is “leaving” WJBF appropriately.  If it is, then you can confidently tell your provider that you’ve already checked with the source and the problem is likely on their end.  If they fail to step up and get involved, then you can remind them that “customer is always right.“ If they disagree, you might want to consider keeping your money and going with “free” in the future.

Contact information:
Comcast (Augusta market): 706-733-7712‎
Knology (Augusta market): 706-364-2100‎
DirectTV: 1-800-531-5000
Dish Network: 1-888-686-2388