Save Access

from: WMNF

Pinellas, Hillsborough TV Stations Scramble to Retain Funds

From WMNF-FM, September 4, 2007
By Mitch E. Perry

Tonight in Clearwater, producers and supporters of public access are going before the Pinellas County Commission to urge the Board not to cut funding for the television station.

from: Broadcasting and Cable

DTV-Carriage Item Makes FCC Meeting Agenda
Extension of Program-Access Rules Also on the Docket

By John Eggerton 9/4/2007 7:31:00 PM

The Federal Communications Commission issued its agenda for the Sept. 11 public meeting Tuesday, and it is scheduled to include votes on cable's carriage of TV stations after the transition to digital, as well as maintaining the program-access rules for another five years.

from: Colombia Tribune

September 04, 2007

Blunt touts cable bill at Columbia visit

CenturyTel — a company known in the area for telephone and Internet service — will enter the Columbia television provider market at the end of the month, putting the agency on a collision course with Mediacom and satellite companies.

from: TampaBay.com

August 31, 2007
Letter: Show Your Support For Public Access

Here's a letter asking for public opposition to the decision by Pinellas County to eliminate public-access cable programming as part of its budget cuts (while keeping the government's own channel intact, of course):

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.

from: Morning Times

Athens Township: State could take over local cable franchise agreements

By WARREN HOWELER Times Managing Editor
Published: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:52 PM CDT
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ATHENS TOWNSHIP - The Athens Township Supervisors this week approved a 10 year renewal of the municipality's franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable and it could end up being the last such agreement that the township has with its local cable company.

from: Forbes

Associated Press
Comcast Paid Lobbying Form $100,000
Associated Press 08.31.07, 4:24 PM

Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable TV operator, paid Arent Fox PLLC $100,000 to lobby the federal government in the first half of 2007.

The firm lobbied the House of Representatives on issues affecting the cable industry, including rules on franchising and network neutrality. Arent Fox disclosed its work for Comcast (nasdaq: CMCSA - news - people ) in a form posted online Aug. 14 by the Senate's public records office.

from: Colombia Missourian

Council to consider raising video franchise fee

By Emilie Rusch

August 31, 2007 | 5:36 p.m. CST

COLUMBIA — A proposed ordinance to raise the fee Columbia charges cable television providers to use public right-of-way could inject much needed funding into Columbia’s beleaguered public access channel.

from: Columbia Missourian

TV station tour meant to raise awareness of funding woes

By REGAN McTARSNEY

August 28, 2007 | 9:25 p.m. CST

COLUMBIA — In order to plead their case for funding, Columbia Access Television volunteers gave Columbia City Council members Jerry Wade, Karl Skala and Barbara Hoppe a tour of their facility on Tuesday night. The council is set to vote next week on a drafted ordinance that may determine Columbia Access Television (CAT TV) funding.

from: The Daily Sentinal

SEPB seeks franchise in county
By Chasity Brown
The Daily Sentinel

Published August 30, 2007
Scottsboro Electric Power Board has requested a cable franchise in unincorporated areas of Jackson County.

Jimmy Sandlin, manager of the Scottsboro Electric Power Board, addressed the Jackson County Commission Monday to request the franchise. Sandlin said the franchise would be in place in case the power board ever needs to establish facilities outside of Scottsboro.