Save Access

from: The Columbus Dispatch

Bill Would Mean Lots of Money for Giants: AT&T, Time Warner Unite to Push Lawmakers

By Alan Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

Jun. 3--A proposed state law expanding Ohioans' cable-video service options stretches 29 pages. But it can be summarized in just two words: big bucks.

from: Herald News

Will AT&T win battle?

June 3, 2007
By BOB OKON Staff writer

The unfinished business in Springfield includes legislation expected to have a big impact on the kind of TV service people get.

Senate Bill 678 is the latest version of legislation hotly contested by Comcast and AT&T.

from: Boston Globe

Locals fight to keep control of licensing cable TV companies

By Laura M. Colarusso, Globe Correspondent | June 3, 2007

As the Legislature focuses on a bill that would seize from municipalities the authority to approve cable TV licenses, local opposition to the proposed law is growing.

from: USTV Media

Telcos Offer ‘Consumer Choice’, But What About Citizen Voice?

June 3rd, 2007 by Andy in Media and Democracy

There is a lot of talk surrounding the policy debates over eliminating local video franchising about the need to provide for ‘consumer choice.’ The fact is that local franchising does not in any way restrict the ability for any company to provide for that choice that so desires to do so. One vitally important factor which continues to be shortchanged in the plans being put forth by the telco corporations is that these video franchise changes being proposed will to all intents and purposes effectively eliminate cable access channels as we know them today. These corporations keep talking about ‘consumer choice’, but what about ‘citizen voice’? What makes access so unique and invaluable is that the choice it provides for is that of citizen voice, giving people the choice to express their voice over what is still the predominant instrument of media of our time, that being the medium of television.

from: Mass Access

Massachusetts cable franchising bill, Senate No. 1975, proposes elimination of local cable franchising

COMMITTEE HEARING SET FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 5th 10 AM - DETAILS BELOW

TIME:
The Hearing begins at 10:00am and will end promptly at 1:00pm
(they only have the room for 3 hours)

LOCATION:

from: Keep Access Alive

Last Updated 5/31/07
Ohio Senate Bill 117 Update

The House Public Utilities Committee held a hearing on SB 117 on Wednesday, May 30th at 11am.

Various industry representatives spoke in favor of the bill by attacking the value of programming seen on PEG access.

Included in their presentation was a video clip of programming that they claimed was objectionable and could only be seen on PEG access. However they failed to show or address the many channels of objectionable programming available on their own systems.

from: New York Times

June 2, 2007
Op-Ed Contributor
The Price of Free Airwaves

By MICHAEL J. COPPS
Washington

AS a member of the Federal Communications Commission, I often hear how fed up Americans are with the news media. Too much “if it bleeds it leads” on the evening news and not enough real coverage of local issues. Too little high-quality entertainment and too many people eating bugs.

from: LA Times

City to challenge FCC on cable TV proposal
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
June 2, 2007

The City Council voted Friday to file a lawsuit challenging tentative decisions by the Federal Communications Commission that city officials fear could reduce their authority to regulate cable television franchises.

from: Wilmington Community Television

Two Save Access TV Shows Available

Wilmington Community Television has created two Save Access TV television shows and would like to share them with the rest of Massachusetts (and the country) in response to the hearing at the Massachusetts State House on June 5th concerning the Verizon authored franchising bill. Cambridge Community Television has uploaded the videos to our University Channel FTP account as well as our blip.tv channel. Find out how to grab the content for your websites and cable channels below.

from: Capital Times

Cable cost eyes are on Texas

Jeff Richgels — 6/02/2007 3:23 am

Competition from phone companies designed to be boosted by the nation's first state cable franchising law has not lowered cable TV prices in Texas but has provided consumers with a lower cost alternative, a study has found, Multichannel.com reported this week.