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from: Cleveland.com

Cable TV control at stake in Ohio
Local governments, telecom giants tangle over statewide contract

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Aaron Marshall
Plain Dealer Bureau

Columbus- Imagine your monthly TV bill dropping as video competitors fight for your business. You wear out your thumbs flipping through channels that never end, and cutting-edge technologies put you in the middle of the action on the football field. It could be a TV junkie's nirvana.

from: Jackson Sun

Statewide cable franchise bill should be defeated

Tennessee lawmakers should join those of 12 other states and defeat a bill that would grant AT&T a statewide cable TV franchise. There is no reason the telecommunications giant can't live by the current rules that give control over cable franchising to local municipalities. Only local communities can best decide what needs to be done in their communities.

from: The Ledger

Phone, Cable TV Giants Battle

By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Ledger Tallahassee Bureau
Sunday, April 22, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Cable companies are using the television airwaves to lobby against a bill that would make it easy for phone companies to compete in the cable market.

from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

AT&T doles out $54,000 ahead of cable bill debate
Doyle, lawmakers say money won't affect stands on deregulation legislation

By STEVEN WALTERS
swalters@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 21, 2007

Madison - Communications giant AT&T pushed a controversial bill to have state government license cable systems by showering more than $54,000 in campaign cash on dozens of lawmakers and Gov. Jim Doyle over the past 15 months.

from: The Badger Herald

Cable bill could turn off city public access channels

by Keegan Kyle
Friday, April 20, 2007

As two legislative committees approved a statewide video franchise bill this week, Madison public station managers predicted future budget cuts, the loss of one channel or increased taxes.

from: Desmoines Register

Statewide video franchise fee could curb soaring cable costs

By REP. CARMINE BOAL
IOWA HOUSE DISTRICT 70

April 20, 2007

Expected to come before the Iowa House this week is a bill designed to increase cable and video competition in Iowa, encourage improved service, lower rates and provide a greater diversity of products - all benefitting consumers.

from: Waxing America

AB 207 Amended; Worst Aspects Fixed Somewhat

April 17, 2007

AB 207 passed the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities today on a vote of 8-1. There were a number of amendments introduced by Chairman Montgomery, several of which improved the bill significantly. I'm still reviewing them, but at first glance they:

CMW NewsTips

Cable Deregulation Challenged
Newstip Date: 04-16-2007

Growing attention on a proposed statewide cable franchise bill could slow a legislative blitz by supporters of telecommunications giant AT&T.

State Representative James Brosnahan (D-Oak Lawn) was expecting the House Telecommunications Committee he chairs to vote Wednesday to approve HB 1500, the franchise bill he has sponsored, but the vote could be delayed. The bill would strip local municipalities of cable franchising power and create state franchises authorized by the Illinois Commerce Commission, going far toward deregulating the industry in Illinois.

from: Madison.com

Cable officials, bill authors met

TUE., APR 17, 2007 - 12:57 AM
MARK PITSCH 608-252-6145
mpitsch@madison.com

As legislative aides drafted a cable competition bill this year for Rep. Phil Montgomery, R- Ashwaubenon, officials from telecommunications giant AT&T and the state's cable providers got a chance to express their opinions about the measure in a private meeting while opponents didn't, according to state records and interviews.

from: Cup of Joe

Fiction and Facts on Bill for Cable Franchises

Monday, April 16, 2007
Joe Powell

The state continues to consider handing AT&T a sweet deal to bypass local control of cable franchises and has picked up the support of the ever-dubious lobbying of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, which continues to exude hearty support for corporate interests and little support for the average Tennessean.