WHEC-TV tried to explain what a gigabyte is to the average consumer, using small squares that remind me of those AT&T “milky minutes.”  Only Time Warner gigabyte allowances never roll over.  In fact, the only thing Time Warner wants to roll over is YOU.

Reporter Ray Levato gives it his best shot, and does generally well with his analogies (although everyone has different numbers about what equals a gigabyte), but things rapidly derail when he tries to explain Time Warner isn’t a monopoly in Rochester.

People in our area can get their Internet service from companies like Frontier, Comcast and Clearwire.

Comcast?  Don’t think so.  Not in metropolitan Rochester.  There might be a scattering of Comcast systems in some of the rural communities far away from the city, but you can be assured Time Warner doesn’t compete in those areas.  Frontier and Clearwire are options, but not for everyone.  Frontier DSL has limited availability in many rural communities outside of the city and adjacent suburbs, and Clearwire service is extremely limited outside of the city itself and a few nearby towns.  There are numerous Time Warner customers who have just three other options: outrageously priced satellite Internet, dial-up, or go without.

The report seems to suggest that consumers’ hatred of this plan is somehow now alleviated by Time Warner’s second plan, which I’ve yet to hear anyone suggest is an improvement worth discussing. The train comes completely off the tracks by the time Time Warner’s guy shows up.  I am certain he has heard from customers.  But I am also certain the overwhelming majority of them want to leave things just the way they are, profitable for Time Warner, rationally priced and worry-free for customers.  Then, short shrift is given to Rochester’s deaf community: “not a problem,” according to this report anyway.  That’s not what my e-mail inbox says.

By the way, since I couldn’t find their promised list of alternative providers on their website, here’s ours.

This was a tougher call, because some facts were wrong, and nobody seemed willing to challenge anyone else’s assertions, but it gave equal time to ordinary consumers who hate caps, a reporter willing to try and explain what the heck a ‘gigabyte’ is to the average person who has no idea, and Time Warner’s position on the matter.  A good newscast report will let the viewer decide.  I suspect most already have, but you still have to give them the chance.