Local scene: Wilkes-Barre considers franchising RCN; Cox wins local channel placement battle

Service Electric, which calls itself the "first cable TV company in the nation" may turn out to be the first of two cable TV companies in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. where city council is considering giving RCN Telecom Services a cable franchise. Mayor Tom Leighton said RCN approached the city and talks have been ongoing.

In other local cable system news, a Bibb County, Ga. superior court judge has dismissed WPGA-TV's suit against Cox Communications over channel placement.

WPGA had claimed that Cox breached its agreement when it tried to move the TV signal from channel 6 and 706 when the station stopped broadcasting ABC on Jan. 1. Cox wanted to put ABC station WGXA in those slots and move WPGA elsewhere but the case went to court. All this doesn't necessarily mean that WGXA is on 6 and 706 because Judge Lamar Sizemore dismissed the claim but left the door open with a temporary restraining order that leaves WPGA in the 6 and 706 slots until an appeals court hears the case.

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