Save Horizon TV Task Force

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: January 31, 2013

Contact: SaveHorizon

Community Group to Fight Charter’s Decision to Yank Non-Profit
Armenian Channel Off Air

GLENDALE—A group of concerned community members and leaders has come
together to form the “Save Horizon TV Task Force” to chart out the
legal and other elements of the recent decision by Charter
Communications, Inc. to arbitrarily yank Horizon Armenian Television
off its Charter lineup effective February 19, 2013.

Earlier this month, the management of Horizon Armenian Television was
notified by Charter Communications that the channel that has been
serving the Armenian community for more than two decades would be
yanked off the Charter lineup effective February 19, despite the fact
that Horizon signed and delivered a contract for 2013.

Deeming this action by Charter as nothing short of bullying a
non-profit organization, which is dedicated to service and betterment
of the community, the Save Horizon TV Task Force has initiated an
online and print petition drive that has been met with overwhelming
support by the community. In a matter of days there are thousands of
responses to the online petition
(http://signon.org/sign/save-horizon-nonprofit), which is directed to
Charter Communications regional management and the Federal
Communications Commission. The paper petition, which was circulated at
various community events since Saturday, has also received thousands
of signatures.

“Charter is acting in bad faith and violating the principles of a good
corporate citizen by ignoring the needs of the community and being
insensitive to the customers they serve,” said Zanku Armenian a
spokesperson for the Save Horizon TV Task Force. “As a franchisee in
Glendale, Burbank and La Crescenta, Charter serves at the pleasure of
the citizens of these cities and with their callous actions they are
demonstrating they don’t care about their customers.”

Armenian-Americans comprise more than 40 percent of the population in
Glendale and La Crescenta and 35 percent of the total population in
Burbank—the area covered by Charter Communications that carries
Horizon Armenian Television.

Horizon Television was the first Armenian-language channel to become
part of the Charter lineup with a 24-hour channel in 1999 and was
chosen by the corporation because of its deep roots and its
demonstrated service to the community. Horizon Television debuted in
May of 1989 with a mission to inform and serve the Armenian-American
community. In a short time, Horizon became a broadcast outlet for news
and information and evolved into a true voice for the ever-expanding
Armenian community. In 1999, Horizon expanded its programming to
become the first 24-hour television channel in the Armenian community
and since then, by partnering with organizations and businesses alike,
it has provided groundbreaking coverage of all things Armenian for its
viewers. Horizon is the Armenian language equivalent of the non-profit
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) network on mainstream television.

This shocking and unilateral decision by Charter which governs the
cable system and has been home to Horizon since its inception directly
hits the Horizon channel and the broadcaster, whose sole purpose for
operation is to serve and cater to the needs of the community.

The Task Force is also exploring legal avenues to address this matter
because this unexplained action by Charter is aimed at ultimately
silencing a trusted and sought after voice in the community.

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Attached: Announcement, Horizon Board of Directors (Armenian)

Horizon Announcement – Armenian.pdf