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from: Broadcasting and Cable

Cities Weigh In Against Franchise Changes
Battle Over Regulating Local Franchise Authories Brews

by John Eggerton
10/5/2007 11:18:00 AM

"An order federalizing the franchising process cannot stand."

That was essentially the message from the Alliance for Community Media, which represents a number of localities -- including the cities of Los Angeles; Chicago; Boston; Tampa, Fla.; and Milwaukee and the New York villages of Larchmont and Mamaroneck -- in their court challenge to Federal Communications Commissioin changes to video-franchise rules.

from: New Times

ATT franchise issue not yet resolved

State regulators will continue to review AT&T's application to provide Internet TV despite a federal court ruling Tuesday saying the service should be regulated as a cable franchise.

Beryl Lyons, a Department of Public Utility Control spokeswoman, said the agency is aware of Tuesday's court ruling but, because of a new state law that governs video service, the issue of licensing AT&T as a cable franchise is moot.

from: NY Daily News

Verizon cable TV deal worth too much to be done in secret

Juan Gonzalez
Wednesday, October 3rd 2007, 4:00 AM

In the next few weeks, the city is expected to conclude talks with Verizon over a new 15-year franchise that would let the telephone giant offer cable TV service throughout the city.

from: New Haven Register

AT&T won’t halt TV services
Gregory B. Hladky, Capitol Bureau Chief
10/04/2007

-HARTFORD — AT&T executives insisted Wednesday that an adverse federal court ruling won’t curtail operation of their new television service, saying they will continue to offer alternative TV to more than 100,000 consumers.

from: TBO.com

Judge Won't Force County To Fund Public Access TV Channel For Now

By ELLEN GEDALIUS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 4, 2007

TAMPA - With its funding eliminated and a judge's ruling against it, a public access television network is unable to allow county residents to produce programming, at least for the time being.

from: Big Money Blog

Your Union. Delivered.

Back in May, we posted an item about state Democratic Party chairman Joe Wineke signing on as a lobbyist for AT&T to push for a cable TV franchising bill the company desires. The firestorm that Wineke's dual roles created eventually forced him to put an end to his lobbying work for the telecommunications giant.

from: Stamford Advocate

AT&T's TV service suffers a setback in federal court
By Brian Lockhart
Staff Writer

October 3, 2007

AT&T lost some ground yesterday in its ongoing battle with cable and satellite television.

The telecommunications giant's efforts to compete through its fiber-optic U-verse, available in several Fairfield County communities, were dealt a setback by a federal judge in New Haven.

from: MultiChannel News

Public Access TV Group Sues Fla. County

Tampa Non Profit Cites First Amendment in Suit Over Funding Dispute
By Kent Gibbons -- Multichannel News, 10/1/2007 10:55:00 AM

The non-profit corporation that operates a public-access channel called Speak Up Tampa Bay is suing Florida’s Hillsborough County for cutting channel funds, saying the county used budget woes as a pretext to censor constitutionally protected speech.

from: MultiChannel News

AT&T Files to Become ‘Competitive Video Provider’

Connecticut AG Opposes Application As Telco Says State Law Provides ‘Clarity’ to Continue U-verse TV Rollout
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 10/1/2007 2:19:00 PM

AT&T filed an application Monday with the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control to become a “certified competitive video provider,” a new designation provided for under a state franchise-reform law. Meanwhile, the state’s attorney general continued to oppose treating the company any differently from incumbent cable providers.

Note: This report riddled with inaccuracies and misleading conclusions is from one of our favorite astroturf think tanks. Heartland provides the industries that fund their 'research' with persuasive reports for misleading legislators.
from: Heartland Institute

Opponents Slow Video Franchise Reforms