Bermuda CableVision has launched an online survey to obtain input from residents about proposed changes to the ?must carry? rule.

The Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce recently notified cable providers of proposed changes to the rules governing how cable companies carry local broadcast signals which come into effect on January 1.

Currently, cable companies do not pay local broadcasters for the local broadcast signals that they provide to their customers.

However the proposed change would require cable companies to start paying local broadcasters a fee for their programming, specifically impacting CableVision?s carriage of ZFB, ZBM and VSB (Channels 7, 9 and 11).

CableVision general manager Jeremy Elmas is not in favour of the proposed changes since the additional costs will be passed on to customers. People who use an antenna, however, will be able to watch the same local programming at no cost.

Mr. Elmas said the implication that cable subscribers should pay for this service, while those who receive the signal via antenna, ?discriminates? against cable customers.

The CableVision survey is available at www.cablevision.bm