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from: KC Community News

Students testify before legislature against cable bill

Bill could jeopardize award-winning Channel 18
By: Natalie Shelton
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 4:13 PM CST

With the future of Liberty school district’s KLPS Channel 18 made uncertain by a proposed Missouri bill, high school students traveled to Jefferson City last week to testify before a House committee against the measure.

from: Capital Times

Cable TV bill called a blow to consumer
Critics say proposed law is riddled with problems
By Jeff Richgels

Consumers would lose what little protection they have under a proposed statewide cable TV franchising law introduced Thursday, critics of the bill said today.

from: People First

Overall Strategy

Verizon has introduced a bill into the Massachusetts State Legislature which is a disaster in more ways than one could even count, and they are putting a full-court lobbying and media press on to pass it, with extraordinary local and national dollars behind it. We need to kill this bill, but it’s going to take a seriously organized effort to win.

Note: An example of what we can expect to see when state franchising rollouts imapact on current city-cable franchise negotiations.

from: Arizona Daily Star

Takeover language may scuttle Cox pact
By Rob O'Dell
Arizona Daily Star
Published: 03.10.2007

The up and down negotiations between the city and Cox Communications over its cable franchise look to be heading down again.

Note: An example of what we can expect to see when state franchising rollouts impact on current city-cable franchise negotiations.

from: Arizona Daily Star

Takeover language may scuttle Cox pact
By Rob O'Dell
Arizona Daily Star
Published: 03.10.2007

The up and down negotiations between the city and Cox Communications over its cable franchise look to be heading down again.

Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO: Endorse Video Competition Bill

3/7/2007

Thursday March 8, 2007 Contact: Ann Crump, Communications Workers of America 414-525-4292

Groups Say Bill is Critical to Future of Union Telecom Jobs

Madison, WI – The Communications Workers of America (CWA-IUE), a labor organization representing more than 10,000 workers in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO said Thursday they strongly support a bill that would promote video competition and encourage job growth.

Note: A new spin on this older story (May 2006), remember that the Justice Department and the FCC cleared the AT&T-Bell South merger well after the original story was broken. EFF still has a lawsuit pending against the NSA

from: AlterNet

Top Secret Gov't Spying room revealed by AT&T Whistleblower

Note: TV4US mentioned in this article is an astroturf organization funded by AT&T

from: Gazette Extra

Lawmakers introduce bill to increase cable competition in Wis.

(Published Friday, March 9, 2007 10:25:18 AM CST)

By Scott Bauer
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. - To increase competition in the cable TV market, lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday to make it easier for new companies to enter a community.

from: TVT Newsbytes

Released FCC Video Franchise Rules Favor Telcos

March 9, 2007

The full FCC order on video franchising was released this week, just shy of three months after it was approved in a 3-2 vote. The rules are aimed at helping telcos break into the video delivery game in the name of competition with cable and satellite distributors. The order limits the power of local franchise authorities, which FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said was necessary because LFAs regularly overstep their purview.

from: Asbury Park Press

More bucks spent on lobbying, or is it just more disclosure?

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/9/07

BY GREGORY J. VOLPE
GANNETT STATE BUREAU

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TRENTON — Money spent on lobbying in New Jersey nearly doubled last year, as state leaders grappled with the beleaguered budget, tried to reform a tax system that has yielded the nation's highest property tax bills and voted to allow competition for cable TV services.