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from: Nashville City Paper

The $4 million cable battle – so far

By John Rodgers, jrodgers@nashvillecitypaper.com

AT&T, in its battle against cable companies and local governments to get into the television business, has spent $1.55 to $1.6 million on lobbying expenses inside and outside the state Capitol, according to records filed Tuesday with the Tennessee Ethics Commission.

Through March 31, AT&T spent between $250,000 and $300,000 on paying its 25 lobbyists to lobby lawmakers at the state Capitol and $1.3 million to lobby Tennesseans through public relations campaigns and advertisements in favor of its statewide video franchise bill.

“We believe its necessary to spend the money to make Tennessee consumers aware of the benefits of competition and of the benefits of this legislation,” said Ted Wagnon, an AT&T spokesman.

A related group backing AT&T’s bid, TV4us, spent less than $10,000 on lobbying expenses but between $300,000 and $350,000 on non-related lobbying, which includes advertising and public relations.

AT&T is one of the main members of TV4us, a non-profit coalition backing increased choice in television services.

Using top end figures, AT&T and TV4us’ total of about $1.95 million, combined with previously filed reports Monday from the Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association and Comcast of about $2.1 million, equals more than $4 million spent on either supporting or opposing the AT&T-backed bill.

The “Lobbying Expenditure Report for Employers of Lobbyists” had to be mailed to the Tennessee Ethics Commission today, and reports on spending from Oct. 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007.

A second report due later this year will cover the period of April 1 to Sept. 30.

That report may provide the complete spending picture on what has been called the “Lobbyist Employment Act of 2007.”

“Probably the next six month report will be even more telling,” said Stacey Briggs, the executive director of the Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association.

Bruce Androphy, the executive director of the Tennessee Ethics Commission, said the lobbying expenditure reports, required for the first time this year, brings more “transparency” to government.

“So the public can be able to access the amount of dollars that are going into lobbying activities and expenses,” Androphy said. “Its just part of the openness of the law.”

AT&T is heavily lobbying the state Legislature to pass a bill to allow the telecom giant to get a statewide television franchise so it can start offering its form of “video services.”

Currently, cable companies have obtained franchises at the local government level.

AT&T officials say it’s getting into the television business will bring competition to “monopoly cable companies” and ultimately benefit Tennesseans.

The Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association spent between $200,000 and $250,000 on paying its 11 lobbyists, according to the disclosures.

The cable industry group, of which Comcast is a member, spent $1.65 million on related lobbying expenditures, a “big chunk” of which was advertising, said executive director Stacey Briggs.

Comcast spent between $100,000 and $150,000 on paying its one lobbyist, Curtis Person III, and between $25,000 and $50,000 on related lobbying spending.

The Tennessee Municipal League, which represents local governments like Metro and is against AT&T’s bill, have spent between $50,000 and $100,000 on lobbyists.