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from: MultiChannel News

Bill Stalls in Wisconsin
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 9/10/2007

While most state legislatures have concluded action on cable-franchising bills, the one in Wisconsin is stuck, awaiting the outcome of a fight over the state budget.

from: Media Intell

Friday, September 14, 2007
How Did It Come to This?: The Origins of the Telephone-Cable War over the Internet

The reality that competition over the internet is evolving into two opposing camps is now well established. On the one side are “former” telephone companies, including AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest, the successors and beneficiaries of the Bell System break-up in 1984. Opposing them are “former” cable television operators, including Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, and Charter Communications, the successors and beneficiaries of mergers, acquisitions, and favorable legislation in the 1990’s. (The quotation marks indicate that these “former” companies are no longer just telephone or cable operators, but a new breed that is increasingly vertically integrated, that is, diversified into several different markets, More on this later.)

Note: The new AT&T Tennessee president, Gregg Morton, repeats the telco mantra "competition means lower prices" while offering no evidence that this has been the case anywhere. Instead he offers up the cost of the infrastructure upgrades AT&T has planned in states that have given in to telco state franchise demands, as if that is somehow a form of corporate benevolence. In reality, these upgrade costs come at the expense of the local cities and the loss of revenue from past local franchising agremments. AT&T and other telcos are saving much more than they are investing in infrastructure upgrades - the city losses are their gains.

from: Chicago Public Radio

Comcast Pulling Plug on Public Access TV in Northwest Indiana

Comcast customers in Northwest Indiana have only a couple more weeks to enjoy their favorite locally produced shows.

Producer: Michael Puente

Date: Thursday, September 13, 2007

Listen: http://audio.wbez.org/cityroom/2007/09/cityroom_20070913_mpuente_Comc.m3u

from: Animation Artist

Bill Stalls in Wisconsin

(Multichannel News) _ While most state legislatures have concluded action on cable-franchising bills, the one in Wisconsin is stuck, awaiting the outcome of a fight over the state budget.

The bill, which will move franchising authority to the state Department of Financial Institutions, was approved by the Assembly on a 66-28 vote in May. It was sent to the Senate, where it will be heard, possibly in the fall, by the Joint Finance Committee. But that apparently won't happen until the Democrat-ruled Senate and Republican-controlled Assembly can agree on a state budget.

from: Enclave

Monday, September 10, 2007
AT&T Waves Investment Dollars to Leverage Favorable State Legislation

As a former lobbyist, AT&T Tennessee's new President must understand the power of money in the General Assembly. Now he seems to be using it to resurrect "video franchise reform" (VFR) which would not just promote competition for the cable industry; it would also centralize the marketing process by establishing state-wide franchising, effectively removing the power of municipalities to broker their own deals.

from: St Petersburg Times

TV channel shakeup causes stir
Local government officials worry the cable changes may reduce open access.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Staff Writer
Published September 7, 2007

State Rep. Rob Schenck questions the timing of the Bright House changes.

from: Bradenton Herald

Posted on Fri, Sep. 07, 2007
Cable channel change
Bright House switch should be affordable

Government-access TV programming was created in the early days of the cable era as an inexpensive way to provide average citizens easy access to the actions of their governments. Giving viewers a way to watch their county commission or city council in action was considered a small payback by cable companies for the privilege of stringing their cables through public rights of way so they could make big profits off people's love of commercial television programming.

from: Post Tribune

Comcast facing protests

September 8, 2007
By Carrie Napoleon Post-Tribune correspondent

Seven producers from Comcast's public access Channel 21 have formed the United Producers for Public Access to speak out against the telecom giant's decision to close its public-access studios in Hammond and Portage, as well as some of its bill payment centers.

from: Athens Messenger

Bill forcing Athens to look at fees, rights-of-way
September 07, 2007

CASEY S. ELLIOTT
Staff Writer

The passage of a bill in the Ohio Legislature that affected rights-of-way in municipalities and cable franchise fees, among other things, might not be as severe as Athens city officials have feared.