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From: Broadcasting & Cable

Telcos Celebrate Franchise Wins

From Broadcasting & Cable, September 29, 2006
By John Eggerton

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday signed the state’s new video franchise reform legislation.

The law makes it easier for competitors like telephone companies to get into the multichannel video business in competition to cable.

From: Michigan Municipal League

Issue Advisory

SUCCESS! LOCAL OFFICIALS STOP CABLE FRANCHISE VOTE
September 21, 2006

To: Mayor/President, City Manager, City Commission & Cable Commission:

Issue:
In a huge victory, local officials stopped a full House vote on HB 6456, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) early Thursday morning. After hundreds of phone calls and letters by local leaders, the legislature decided to wait until after the November election to continue discussions on this bill. Local officials were going head-to-head with big phone companies (AT&T and Verizon) and big cable companies (Comcast and Charter).

If you are located in Michigan, you should call your State House Representatives today and tell them to support the positions of the Michigan Municipal League on Bill HB 6456.

from: The Michigan Municipal League

State & Federal Affairs Division
Action Alert

Urgent Message on Telecommunications Legislation:
Your Calls Are Needed on Amendments!!!

House Committee Expected to Vote on HB 6456 this Morning, Entire House May Vote Later Today

Note: An interesting case challenging city use of franchise fees, which may or may not be used to administer the franchise and local PEG channels/facilities, as in many cities. A number of outcomes are imaginable, including: "consumers win franchise battle, save $2 a month but lose local, governmental and free speech cable channels".

from: Multichannel News

Big trouble in Michigan - read the state franchise bill here

from: Grand Rapids Press

Cable bills could darken public access channels

From: MultiChannel News

California Cities Seek A Veto for Video Bill

By Linda Haugsted
9/11/2006

California cities and counties, concerned that a new statewide video-franchising bill will disenfranchise groups of consumers throughout the state, have launched an effort to get Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto
the bill.

The municipalities and their advocacy group, the League of California Cities, strongly opposed the bill throughout the hearing process. Local regulators stressed their support for competition, but said they fear the bill (approved Aug. 31) will allow new providers, including telcos Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc., to geographically “cherry-pick” the state.

from: Telecom Web

Cities Slap Telcos Over Franchise Procedures

To hear some municipal officials tell it, AT&T and heavyweight cousin Verizon Communications are employing hardball tactics in their quests for video franchises.

"We believe AT&T was trying to create an appearance of negotiation breakdown, to establish a record in support of statewide [and national] franchise law," says Peter Burchard, city manager of Naperville, Ill., where AT&T recently scrapped plans to deploy "Project Lightspeed" on claims the city council inserted a poison pill (i.e., buildouts) in its franchise proposal (Telecom Policy Report, Aug. 18). Adds sister publication CableFAX Daily, the telco already is knee-deep in a dispute with seven nearby municipalities over their collective moratoria on the issuance of construction permits for its video service. AT&T spokesman Rob Biederman refused to comment on the litigious debate, and repeated calls to additional execs went unanswered.

from: Telecom Web

Telcos Win: California Senate OKs Statewide Video Franchises

The California state Senate yesterday passed a video franchise measure establishing a streamlined statewide certification and authorization process that will make it far easier and speedier for major local exchange carriers to enter the market against incumbent cablecos (TelecomWeb news break, Aug. 18).

from: SFGate.com

Big business lobbies hard for video licensing bill
Creating statewide franchises would shake up telecom world

Matthew Yi, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
Monday, August 28, 2006

Sacramento -- When Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez held a news conference in April to introduce legislation to give telephone companies unprecedented access to the home video market, he did so with props that evoked a bygone era.

Note: Congrats to our CA friends for doing such great work to protect PEG in the upcoming state legislation.

from: California Progress Report

Community Media Advocates Influence California Cable, Phone and Broadband Bill

By Ron Cooper
Executive Director
Access Sacramento