from: Iowa City Press-Citizen [1]

Iowa Franchise Bill Passes on to Governor’s Desk

April 26, 2007
By Maria Houser Conzemius

There is a new guy in town—Qwest. SF554 (video franchise bill) has passed the Senate and House, even though our representatives put up a valiant fight. But there is still hope.

We just got word our representatives are talking to the Governor about a possible veto. They need your help. Send Chet a message: Veto SF554!

What this bill does:

SF554 will end all public access cable TV channel funding within 10 years.

SF554 allows Qwest to come into Iowa and offer their services—including cable TV— completely deregulated.

Qwest will be allowed to wire to anybody they choose—and not to wire to anybody they choose.

No equal access for all.

No competition for all. Just more money for Qwest, without those dreary regulations.

No rate regulation.

Support for Institutional Networks (INETs) will end. INETs are the life blood of some community organizations and institutions that enable them to communicate to the outside world. Additional costs to local access cable TV channels to get to be on
Qwest’s systems—$20,000+ more—which puts many of them out of business.

Then, the cable companies get out of their contracts when Qwest says they’ll compete. They don’t have to show any competition — just say they’ll compete. Poof! Cable companies no longer have to abide by any contracts or franchises. Everything any community negotiated for is gone—null and void.

Contact Chet Culver and say no to SF554. Veto it. We’d like to have our Governor listen to the people, not the lobbyists from Qwest!

ACTION:

PLEASE contact the Governor and ask him to veto this bill.

Call: 515.281.5211

Click here to email Gov. Culver

For more information about the bill (from yesterday’s alert):

Rein in Prices by Keeping Tough Local Regulation
www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704120363

or at Nick Johnson’s blog:
fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/

Also, see this Guest Opinion in Sunday’s Iowa City Press-Citizen by Saul Mekies, Chairman of Iowa City’s Telecommunications Commission

Local Franchises Fund Channels and Ensure Coverage of All Areas

Click here.

or go to:

FreePress: www.freepress.net/defendlocalaccess/
Iowa City PATV: hpage_id=45ttp://patv.tv/?