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from: Business Week

Divided FCC approves new cable TV rules

By JOHN DUNBAR

BW Exclusives

WASHINGTON

A sharply divided Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along partisan lines Wednesday to impose new measures meant to ensure that local governments do not block new competitors from entering the cable television market.

Breaking News
FCC Gives Telcos Big Victory

By John Eggerton
from: Broadcasting & Cable, 12/20/2006 2:09:00 PM

Video franchise reform went from being stuck in neutral in Congress to being thrown into overdrive at the FCC.

The FCC Wednesday granted telcos a big victory and what amounts to an FCC version of the sweeping video franchise reform legislation that failed to pass Congress over the issue of network neutrality.

FCC Poised To Grant Telcos a Victory

By John Eggerton
from: read more

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Breaking News
FCC Video Franchise Meeting Delayed

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable,
12/20/2006 11:21:00 AM

The FCC was once again unable to start a meeting--this time over last-minute negotiation-- on a video franchise item..

As of 9:30 on Wednesday, open meeting at which it was planning to address video franchise and cable rate issues, among others, had yet to start at press time.

from: Lasar Letter

Cities, states, and non-profits line up against Martin's video franchise agenda

by Matthew Lasar Dec 18 2006

They're all but calling it the Magna Carta of video franchise reform: Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin's proposal to set limits on the power of cities and counties to grant video franchises. The FCC will vote on the matter on Wednesday.

from: Teletruth

TELETRUTH ALERT: December 18, 2006

The FCC Should Not Attempt a Run-Around of Congress to Pass Bell-Friendly Cable-Franchise Plan.

Teletruth files

* Comments: FCC Proposed Cable Franchise Plan & Chairman Martin's Speech.
* http://www.teletruth.org/docs/fccfranchise.doc (filed 12/13/06, 23pages)

from: Callahan’s Cleveland Diary

MI video franchise “reform”: A license to redline?

HB 6456, Michigan’s new law stripping municipalities of cable TV franchise authority, appears to open the door for cable providers to deny service to “low value” neighborhoods in cities where they maintain franchises… in effect, creating a license to redline low-income communities.

With the FCC ruling on Video Franchising expected Wednesday, Dec 20th, the Alliance for Community Media is urging supporters to call their elected representatives and urge them to stop the FCC. Chairman Martin of the FCC has prepared a telco friendly ruling and has been quoted in the press repeating the telco's exaggerated claims and misinformation. It's important to alert Congress to the intended actions of this runaway agency!

from: Houston Chronicle

Dec. 17, 2006, 11:30AM
FCC head: Cities block cable competition

By JOHN DUNBAR Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Cable television rates keep going up while prices for other communications services are going down, says the nation's chief communications regulator, and he blames local governments for blocking competition.

From: Bloomberg News

Verizon, AT&T Lobby States for TV Licenses, Bypassing Congress

By Molly Peterson

Dec. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. haven't fared well in Washington in their bid to expand their television business. They're doing a lot better in Trenton and Topeka.

The phone companies are backing off a two-year push to get Congress to help them win a bigger chunk of the $68 billion cable-TV market. Instead, they're shifting their focus to state capitals -- nine legislatures have already approved TV-licensing laws -- as well as the Federal Communications Commission.