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from: MultiChannel News

Tennessee Franchising Bill Aims To Extend Broadband Services
Local Governments Could Also Subsidize Deployment If Private Sector Passes
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 4/11/2008 1:10:00 PM

Legislators in Tennessee have been presented a new version of a state franchising bill with a unique scheme to provide an incentive to new providers to extend broadband services.

from: Nashville City Paper

AT&T Won't Say Where It'd Offer TV if Bill Passes

April 9, 2008
By John Rodgers

Despite lobbying for a bill to start offering television services and compete with cable, AT&T will not say where it would offer those services if legislation were approved.

“For competitive reasons, the company does not outline those plans,” said Bob Corney, an AT&T spokesman. “But, our goal is to try to get our product to as many customers as possible as quickly as possible.”

from: Light Reading

Nice Lobby
APRIL 10, 2008
Discuss >

1:00 PM -- There's one industry in the U.S. economy that is certainly not in a recession: lobbying. In New York state alone, lobbyists had a golden year in 2007, taking in a record $172.1 million. There are a lot of people and companies to thank for that, but none more so than Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ - message board).

from: Cup of Joe

Thursday, April 10, 2008
Devilish Details In TN Cable Franchise Legislation

A definition of the word Legislation: a solution to a problem which may, or may not actually exist, which may or may not actually create any observable results, and typically is a hand-stitched agreement crafted after some great length of time in order that the public be aroused or dulled and during which time money may be applied to preserve, alter or eliminate debate.

from: Riedel Communications

Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tennessee Waltz

It’s every woman’s nightmare. You take your sweetheart to a dance and your best friend dances off with him. Sure it feels like betrayal, but they couldn’t help themselves, they fell in love with each other while they were dancing. Nothing personal, mind you, nothing personal.

from: TN Municipal League

For Immediate Release Contact: Carole Graves (615) 255-6416
April 8, 2008 TML Communications Director

Cable Compromise Fair and Protects Consumers

The Tennessee Municipal League offered the following statement in response to the

from: Knox News

Compromise puts cable bill back on track
Wednesday, April 9, 2008

One of the biggest lobbying efforts in the Tennessee Legislature in recent years involved legislation to give communications giant AT&T the ability to have a cable franchise in the state. One lawmaker, in fact, dubbed the proposed Competitive Cable and Video Services Act as the Lobbyist Employment Act.

from: Nashville Post

Cable-AT&T legislation unveiled
Summary of the most anticipated bill of the legislature as well as statements from the groups involved
By Ken Whitehouse

04-07-2008 3:28 PM —

Members of the Tennessee State Legislature have unveiled what they call "The Competitive Cable and Video Services Act," the most anticipated piece of legislation this session.

from: Cup of Joe

Tuesday, April 08, 2008
State Cable Franchise Plan Moves Ahead

Yesterday state officials provided information about a draft agreement for the state to start offering statewide cable TV franchises, just as AT&T wanted, and along the way the state will create a new oversight agency and a new fund to "promote" broadband internet access.

from: Nashvilles City Paper

AT&T, cable compromise bill debuts
by John Rodgers
Nashville City Paper
04/07/08

Tennesseans rooting for another alternative to cable television are a step closer to victory today as a compromise bill was unveiled that AT&T says it needs to offer television services.