Only a penny cheaper, but a lot less informed

To the editor:

On July 1, 2025, the Bronx became a lesser part of New York City.

That morning, expecting final results from the Democratic primary elections, I turned to NY1. Instead of the daily political briefing from Pat Kiernan and Bob Hart, a blue screen informed me that NY1 was no longer carried on Optimum, the provider for most television viewers in the Bronx.

After several days, I contacted Councilman Dinowitz’s office. In response, an intern sent me a copy of a letter sent to Optimum, signed by a who’s who of our elected representatives. That letter apparently carried little weight: Clicking channel 8 for NY1 now automatically takes you to ABC 7. (Despite the loss of this important station, my monthly bill from Optimum dropped by only one cent).

This is a very important election year for New York City. NY1 typically provides the best political coverage — going far beyond sound bites — including interviews and debates with most candidates. We want to be able to make informed choices based on this reporting.

Pressure must be placed on Optimum to reach a resolution with Spectrum, so that Bronxites are not left out of the picture. City Hall may be many miles away, but access to “Inside City Hall” and NY1’s excellent political coverage is vital this year.

Robert J. Schwarz