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from: Callahan's Diary

State video franchising: Where are the competitors?

This post and comments at BFD got me wondering: How’s that brave new world of competitive IPTV and sizzling broadband that Ohioans were promised last summer — when the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved and the Governor happily signed SB 117, AT&T’s “cable franchise reform” bill — coming along?

Medina Gazette

Wadsworth irked over funding halt by Time Warner
February 6th, 2008
By MARIA KACIK
Staff Writer

The city of Wadsworth may take official action against Time Warner Cable after the company halted its funding of a portion of the city’s public education and government (PEG) programming on WCTV.

from: Union Network

"Connect Ohio" Project Embraces CWA's Speed Matters Campaign

- Labour news from UNI global union - for trade unions in a global services economy.

Determined to bring high-speed internet access to all of Ohio, CWA's District 4 has helped launch a private-public partnership in the state that will identify underserved areas and build coalitions to attract investment. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland announced the program, called Connect Ohio, this week at a news conference attended by CWA District 4 Vice President Seth Rosen, as well as members of the telecom industry.

from: The Enquirer

State lets Cincinnati Bell offer cable TV in 3 counties
BY MIKE BOYER | MBOYER@ENQUIRER.COM

Cincinnati Bell Inc. on Thursday became the third company in Ohio authorized to offer cable TV service under a new state law designed to encourage cable competition.

from: Ohio Department of Commerce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/14/2007

Contact: Barney Wolf at (614) 644-7115
barney.wolf@com.state.oh.us
or

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

VIDEO-SERVICE AUTHORIZATION GRANTED TO TIME WARNER CABLE

Cable provider receives 10-year approval

Ohio Commerce Director Kimberly Zurz today granted statewide video-service authorization to Time Warner Cable LLC.

from: MultiChannel News

AT&T Wins Statewide Ohio Franchise
Telco Is First Provider to Win Agreement Under New Franchising Law
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 11/8/2007 8:42:00 AM

AT&T has become the first provider to be granted statewide video service authority under terms of Ohio’s new state franchising law.

Note: OK, we confess to creative license on the title alteration, but frankly we're very tired of seeing these self-laudatory corporate press releases being picked up by local press as fact and as evidence of corporate benevolence on the part of the telcos' recent legislative scams. AT&T, like Verizon, is making a fortune off such misinformation and deceit. With their merger with SBC, AT&T promised to cut 10,000 jobs right off the bat, then there's the multi-million dollar contracts with the NSA and FBI to violate your privacy, finally, as in Ohio, they've succeeded in deregulating the cable TV market and are now eliminating the residents' First Amendment Rights by de-funding public access and PEG TV. Also note, the Internet Innovation Alliance is funded by AT&T and likely is nothing more than a staff of three PR agents copying and pasting these press releases. But we digress - on to the self-celebratory corporate text . . . hooray for competition and DSL quality broadband!

from: News Herald

State takes control of cable TV franchises

David S. Glasier
DGlasier@News-Herald.com
09/24/2007

Department of Commerce now awards state television and wire-video franchises

The channel is changed in the Buckeye State.
Beginning today, the Ohio Department of Commerce assumes responsibility for awarding cable TV franchises and wire-video franchises such as AT&T U-verse.

from: Athens Messenger

Bill forcing Athens to look at fees, rights-of-way
September 07, 2007

CASEY S. ELLIOTT
Staff Writer

The passage of a bill in the Ohio Legislature that affected rights-of-way in municipalities and cable franchise fees, among other things, might not be as severe as Athens city officials have feared.

from: USTV Media

Video ‘Competition’ In Ohio Begins To Spark Complaints
August 29th, 2007 by Andy in Media and Democracy

Seems that some towns in Ohio are starting to receive a number of complaints from residents regarding AT&T’s solicitors. Here is a letter from one Ohio resident to their local municipal officials regarding rude and pushy behavior on the part of AT&T employees.