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from: Tennessean.com via: Keep it Local Tennessee

It's 'lobbyists gone wild' in the legislative telecommunication fight

By LARRY DAUGHTREY
Sunday, 04/08/07

Dick Armey, majority leader for the Gingrich Gang that voters ousted from control in Washington in November, had some words of wisdom for the Tennessee legislature last week:

from: Boca Raton News

Boca to state: stop messing around in local business

Published Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:30 am
by By John Johnston

It’s not that Boca Raton Deputy City Manager George Brown doesn’t like consumers.

“We just don’t want the state messing around in local business,” he told The Boca Raton News.

from: State of Sunshine

Florida Senate Cable Television Bill

In the same committee, SB 998 by Sen. Mike Bennett is on the agenda. This bill would remove local government oversight of cable television (well, “video”) franchises and provide a state-level franchise process. A quick history lesson: When cable television was first developed, cable companies established franchises with local governments. In exchange for paying “franchise fees” to the local government, ostensibly for the right to run cable along public rights of way, the cable company received a monopoly in a geographic area. There were a lot of cable companies back then.

from: Brewed Fresh Daily

George: A briefing on SB 117 from Walter & Haverfield’s client newsletter

Probably something to brush up on, then write your State Senator:

If enacted as written, Ohio Senate Bill 117 (S.B. 117), introduced on March 15, 2007, will have a tremendous negative impact on every municipality, township, and school district in Ohio. S.B. 117 takes away the right of Ohio’s municipalities and townships to require cable franchise agreements from cable operators and/or telephone companies. But this Bill would not only prohibit local governments from negotiating new agreements or extending existing ones; in fact, it would permit operators to abandon their existing franchise agreements at any time after the legislation becomes effective…

from: MultiChannel news

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 4/11/2007 7:36:00 PM

The multiple appeals filed against the Federal Communications Commission order that local governments approve competitive franchises in 90 days have been consolidated and will be heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Note: Interesting to see that the president of Qwest Iowa thinks public interest concerns such as red-lining and predatory pricing are nothing more than "bogus and irrational fears".

from: Desmoines Register

Allow state franchise to open competition, lower TV rates

from: Wisconsin State Journal

Lampert Smith: Bill would kill city cable channel

THU., APR 12, 2007 - 1:45 AM
SUSAN LAMPERT SMITH Wisconsin State Journal
Contact Susan Lampert Smith at ssmith@madison.com or 608-252-6121.

It's just a guess, but in this government junkie town, I bet there are lots of people out there with a secret passion.

from: Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter

Posted April 12, 2007

Conspiracy' threatens local sports cable casts City officials fear loss of revenue, programming

By Charlie Mathews
Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Lincoln High School football and basketball games, city council and school board meetings might disappear from Comcast cable if a proposal in the state Legislature passes, according to Manitowoc mayor Kevin Crawford.

from: Broadcasting and Cable

Federal Court To Hear Video Franchise Challenge

By John Eggerton
4/11/2007 3:33:00 PM

As promised, local governments took the FCC to court last week over its revision of video franchising rules, and now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has reportedly been assigned to hear the case.

from: City Pulse

Whither public access?

Written by T.M. Shultz
Wednesday, 11 April 2007

When the Lansing City Council approved its first franchise agreement last week with Arialink Telecom LLC under a new state cable franchising law, Christine Timmon was thrilled.