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from: Reuters

Tue, Jan 12 2010

By Yinka Adegoke - Analysis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cable companies, burdened by the cost of programing, are starting to seriously consider something they have long resisted: letting television subscribers pay for just those channels they want to watch.

For years consumer advocates, regulators and politicians have argued that cable TV providers should allow consumers to choose their own TV channels or buy smaller packages, rather than bundle around 100 fixed channels at prices usually starting around $50 a month.

from: The Morning Star

Lawmakers Press FCC On AT&T's Public Program Offerings
9-17-08 2:10 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Members of a powerful House committee are pressing the Federal Communications Commission to put a stop to how AT&T Inc. (T) offers public and educational programming on its fledgling paid TV service.

from: Riedel Communications

More Verminators!

On the eve of a Congressional hearing regarding what has happened to Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels since the passage of statewide or state issued franchise legislation, it is heartening to note that the cable and telecom industries (and the FCC) have severely overplayed their hand. Tomorrow, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government will hear a laundry list of harms done to PEG in what appears to be an industry-wide effort to bury and destroy these local channels. An effort that was spawned by the FCC’s First and Second Report and Order on Video Franchising and the nineteen states that passed the state legislation. These harms come at a time when Congress and the American people are acutely sensitive to media consolidation and the loss of localism.

The following link is scheduled to provide a live look at this morning's subcommittee meeting on PEG:

http://appropriations.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/appropriations/33698/282_appropriations-happrops_080213.asx

Background:

Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Hearing on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Access for Cable Television

from: Hawaii Reporter

State Seeks Input on Upcoming Cable Franchise Renewal
By Keali'i Lopez, 6/17/2008 3:59:54 AM

In the recent past, we've kept you informed about past proceedings, including the RFP and legislative bills and resolutions that could impact Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Access.

Note: A little confusion in this worthy article. PEG is a public interest requirement that applies to cable TV and that resulted from the original Cable Act. Broadcast TV, which includes the new digital TV channels, originally created PBS in the 1960's as the 'public' and non-commercial component of that system. However, the giveaway of the new spectrum/channels for DTV should have had increased public interest obligations attached.

from: Broadcasting and Cable

Barack Obama’s Media Agenda: An Exclusive Interview
Presumptive Democratic Presidential Candidate and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama

E-Mails with B&C’s John Eggerton
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/15/2008 11:00:00 PM

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has a profound appreciation of the media’s great possibilities. That’s at least part of what earned him the presumptive Democratic nomination for president.

from: US Census Office

Conversion from Analog to Digital-TV
Feb. 17, 2009

On Feb. 17, 2009, all full-power TV stations will cease to broadcast analog programming. This transition to digital television will enable more efficient use of the nation’s airwaves, providing new advanced wireless services and increased public safety services. To mark this historic transition, the Census Bureau has assembled a sampling of statistics from its publications about television and the television industry.

from: Ars Technica

Cable: deregulation good for consumers; Ars: like heck it is

By Nate Anderson | Published: June 10, 2008 - 12:50PM CT

If the last 10 years have taught us anything, it's that the cable industry in the US is focused on openness, innovation, and customer satisfaction; but if we can't keep the government's knuckleheaded regulators out of our cable lines and off our Internet, cable's nearly absurd level of innovation will be throttled down more effectively than BitTorrent uploads on Comcast's network. Well, so says the cable industry, at least.