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from: Dayton Daily News

AT&T advocating statewide permits for utility growth
Backers say bill will lower cable costs, but consumer groups say it benefits suburbs and ignores urban poor and rural areas.

By Jim DeBrosse
Staff Writer

from: Wisconsin State Journal

Video bill on fast track

MARK PITSCH 608-252-6145
mpitsch@madison.com

Wisconsin residents would lose their rights to cable television repairs within 72 hours, credit for service interruptions and advance notice of rate increases, under a bill on the fast track in the state Legislature.

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: Miami Herald

Florida Cable Bill Being Pushed Through Legislature

March 22, 2007
By Jim Wyss

A controversial proposal to open up Florida’s cable-TV market to increased competition could win House approval as early as today, even though it’s expected to face some static in the Senate.

from: DSL Reports

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

from: Iowa City Press

Franchise bill worries some city leaders
Fear losing local control of cable deal

By Hieu Pham
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Friday, March 23, 2007

The state may be moving forward with a cable television franchise touted by supporters for breaking monopolies and lowering consumer prices, but local officials say they are concerned about another effect of the bill.

from: Belleville News Democrat

Blunt signs cable competition bill into law
DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Legislation intended to give Missourians a greater choice of television service providers was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Matt Blunt.

The new law will make it easier for traditional telephone companies such as AT&T Inc. to start offering video service over their fiber-optic wires in competition with existing cable TV companies.

Alert!

Late last night HB 227 passed in the House and was sent to the Senate. Senator Schafer (404-656-0048) is the Chairman of the Regulated Utilities Committee. Please call Senator Schafer’s office and every Senator on the attached list. It is imperative that we let them know we are opposed to the state video franchise bill and it is not good for ALL Georgians because of the issues below:

from: Capital Times

Statewide cable report rapped
By Jeff Richgels
The Capital Times

A new report from a conservative think tank that backs proposed statewide cable franchising is based on false assumptions, a critic said today.

The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute's report, prepared for release today, asserts that consumers on cable's basic and expanded basic tiers could save up to $149.01 yearly on their bills if cable competition were allowed.

from: St. Petersberg Times

Consumers lose with pay-TV bill

By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published March 21, 2007

The Florida House would have you believe the barrier to competition in the cable television business is the concessions that companies must make to local governments in exchange for using the public right of way for their wires. The real barrier for companies is the expense of building that network and the time it takes to sign up enough subscribers to recover the cost. That's why the bill pushed again this year by state Rep. Trey Traviesa remains fundamentally flawed.