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from: Broadband Reports

Bells Using Minority, Disabled Groups For Telecom Propaganda?

Bruce Kushnick pens a piece for Nieman Watchdog exploring how AT&T and Verizon are manipulating public opinion by "co-opting" (read: paying) legitimate minority, disability, elderly and low-income groups into supporting positions that are frequently not in their members' best interests. This, of course, is in addition to their use of consumer groups they've made up completely, or think tanks they've paid to produce public relations disguised as objective economic analysis. Collectively, it creates a very loud "sound wall" of consumer support that actually doesn't exist.

from: Nieman Watchdog

Verizon, AT&T and the manipulation of public opinion

COMMENTARY | April 04, 2007

Needed: Blacks, Hispanics, disabled, deaf, low-income and the elderly to support the telecoms’ positions on anti-consumer FCC rulings and legislation.

By Bruce Kushnick

Note: below are excerpts from the full bulletin

from: Mondaq News

United States: Communications Law Bulletin -- March, 2007

04 April 2007
Article by Charles H. Kennedy

The Month in Brief

Among other developments in the month of March, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held rescheduled oversight hearings of the Federal Communications Commission (the "FCC" or the "Commission"). This was the first time in four years that the full panel of FCC commissioners had appeared before Committee members, and Democratic members had harsh words for the Commission generally and Chairman Martin in particular.

Note: In NY State both Verizon and the cable companies are against the current legislation which calls for strong build-out requirements, progressive PEG provisions, a level of local control and net neutrality protections. A fourth NY state bill sets a 30 day shot clock and preserves local control, also not favored by Verizon. By the contrast - the Florida Bill is terrible.

From: CED Magazine

from: Kreucher Law Firm PLC

Combating State Video Franchising Reform: A Few Ideas

AT&T continues to press its vision of bringing Saturn’s “no haggle” policy to video franchising. There’s no need here to get into why video franchising reform is unnecessary and contrary to customers’ interests — that topic has been covered extensively in other places (get a copy of the International City/County Management Association’s white paper, “Forced Franchising: Why the Telephone Industry’s Calls for ‘Shall Issue’ Video Franchising Shouldn’t be Answered”). There is, however, some need to discuss how to deal with state legislation once AT&T makes its move.

from: DSL Reports

The Truth Behind The Baby Bells & 'Franchise Reform'
State legislators drunk from promises of lower TV prices

from: MultiChannel News

Help In an 'Ugly Box'
Cities Go Guerilla To Fight Pro-AT&T Franchising Bill
By Linda Haugsted
3/19/2007

The competition between cable and telephone companies for customers has been marked by guerilla stunts such as advertisements in pizza boxes and come-ons on dry cleaning bags. But now two Illinois municipalities have gotten into the guerrilla game to protest a bill they believe will strip them of needed local authority over video providers.

from: Black Agenda Report

March 14, 2007

Black on Black Political Crime
Black Lawmakers Digitally Redline African-Americans

By BRUCE DIXON

Last year big cable and bigger telephone companies deployed platoons of lobbyists and up to a hundred million dollars in an attempt to enact national cable franchise legislation. They greased its way through the House of Representatives, proving along the way that willful ignorance and lots of corporate cash could make two thirds of the Congressional Black Caucus vote for the digital broadband redlining of their own communities. The power play of big phone and the cable guys stalled in the US Senate, thanks to a national grassroots campaign campaign spearheaded by Free Press, a national not-for-profit media reform group.

from: Institute for Southern Studies

Rural Broadband vs. Statewide Franchising Lobbyists

From Institute for Southern Studies, February 15, 2007

Remember FDR’s rural electrification? It transformed the South, or at least the Appalachian Tennessee Valley for every future generation.

Statewide Video Franchising Legislation
States to Watch:
CO | LA | ME | MA | MN | NY | PA | TN | UT | WA

With Federal legislation stalled in 2006 and unlikely for 2007, telephone companies have quickly turned to their Plan B: Statewide Video Franchising. In most cases, these video franchises over-ride local franchises and enable the telephone companies to begin to rollout their services to selected communities on a statewide basis.