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from: The Daily Journal

Kankakee County tuning in local TV
03/14/2008, 9:37 am

By John Stewart

Anybody can post a video on YouTube.com with a cheap Web cam and an even cheaper microphone.

But not everyone gets on television or can make a video that gets on television. That's because television still has a "mystique," according to Steve Bertrand, assistant director of the Kankakee Public Library.

from: Wet Machine

Comcast to Illinois: I loves Me The Market Power!
Harold Feld

As reported on BroadbandReports.com, Comcast has greeted former Insight customers transferred to Comcast as part of unwinding a partnership with a 6% rate hike. Thanks to all the delightful cover given to Comcast by Congressional Republicans, who declare that all is “A OTAY” in Cableland, the Comcast guys are no longer even pretending that the rise in rates has anything to do with cost. Rather, as Comcast rep Libbie Steh told the Springfield Journal Register in a rare attack of honesty: “increased costs are not a factor this year.” Rather:

from: Kane County Chronicle

County prepares for boxes

By PAUL DAILING - pdailing@kcchronicle.com

A new state law allows AT&T to create a statewide cable service network, but residents and governments will be the ones dealing with the large utility boxes that the system requires.

from: Peoria Chronicle

New FCC rule could mean less franchise fee revenue for Peoria

I’ve been trying to keep up on how cable franchise negotiations are going. You may recall that the city’s franchise agreement with Insight expired in April 2006. After several months, the city finally signed a temporary extension with Insight/Comcast through January 1, 2008. That’s not very far away now, and there’s still no permanent franchise agreement.

from: SY-R.com

AT&T wins statewide franchise

By TIM LANDIS
BUSINESS EDITOR

Published Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A barely one-page finding from an administrative law judge could mean new consumer choices in cable and video early next year in Illinois — or, at least, that is how supporters of a cable-reform law hope it works out.

from: Illinoize

Video competition: Phone vs. Cable

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
by Bethany Jaeger

The phone giant AT&T officially can compete with cable companies on a statewide level to offer high-tech video services to customers. But that doesn’t guarantee the company will build out those services in all areas of the state any time soon. See Crain’s Chicago Business story here.

from: Chicago Business

AT&T gets OK to offer statewide video service

Oct. 24, 2007
By Brandon Glenn

(Crain’s) — A state regulatory agency approved AT&T Inc.’s application to offer video service across the state.

The Illinois Commerce Commission’s acceptance of the application is a first. Previously, cable or video companies had to negotiate on a city-by-city basis if they wanted to offer service in Illinois.

from: Chicago Business

AT&T ready to take on Comcast on TV

By John Pletz
Oct. 13, 2007

AT&T Inc. is laying the groundwork for an assault on Comcast Corp.'s local cable TV monopoly starting this spring, perhaps as soon as April.

Having cleared the legislative hurdles that stood in the way of offering TV here, AT&T is now sprucing up its network of roughly 65 local stores; hiring construction, engineering and call-center staffers, and building out the fiber-optic network needed to deliver its U-verse TV service.

from: Chicago Tribune

AT&T applies for video permit
Company seeks state approval of franchise

By Jon Van

Tribune staff reporter

September 25, 2007

Although still a few months away from offering competitive video service in Illinois, AT&T on Monday applied to the state for a video franchise under a law enacted in June.

from: STL Today

AT&T shows them the money

By Kevin McDermott
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
07/01/2007

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As AT&T was lobbying this year for a controversial overhaul of Illinois' pay television laws, it was donating tens of thousands of dollars to the state lawmakers who would ultimately approve the measure, records show.