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from: The Capital Times

AT&T boxes big and ugly, mayor warns

Judith Davidoff — 6/08/2007 10:47 am

More than 300 hulking, refrigerator-size "graffiti magnets" could soon sprout in Madison yards if state lawmakers pass a controversial cable TV deregulation bill, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is warning.

"There would be hundreds of these boxes throughout the city," Cieslewicz said in an interview this week. "They would be on the street right-of-way and also in people's backyards. They are large -- five feet by four feet -- they make a visual statement and they could be graffiti magnets."

Astroturf Alert! Freedom Works is a sleezy front for free market conservative politics and is on the telco payroll. They cite cable increses that everyone knows were the result of Congressional deregulation in the 96 Telecom Act (passed by a Republican Congress). Now they want even greater deregulation. The two year old state franchise in Texas has already resulted in higher cable rates.

Dear Friends,

All the good work that you have put forth on SB 117 may be being undone as we speak in the halls of the Columbus Statehouse.

from: Boston Globe

Verizon seems to flip-flop on local video approvals
Firm tells investors need to get local OK's not hurting TV rollout

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff | June 5, 2007

from: BitchSlappin

Follow the Money. It's going right from the Telecomms to the State Congresspeople

So the other day I pointed out that there was new legislation being introduced in North Carolina that would take away the ability of a City to build out its own broadband network in the absence of Cable or Telecomm action, a bill called The Local Government Fair Competition Act, which is anything but local and anything but fair. I also expressed my opinion that this smelled way too much like Telecomm Shenanigans to be anything different. Sure enough, all five sponsors of NC House Bill 1587 received $4,000 or more from one of the Telecomm or Cable interests. Who are the five? Drew Saunders, Harold Brubaker, Nelson Cole, Julie Howard, and Hugh Hollman. I suggest that when these five come up for re-election you interested citizens in North Carolina should let them know what you think of them selling you out to the highest bidder.

from: MultiChannel News

State Franchises Mean Service Call of Duty

As state lawmakers across the nation race to pass legislation taking control of video franchising oversight, state regulators are grappling with the additional responsibility and costs associated with that responsibility. Meanwhile, many city administrators say they’re trying to solve customer service problems regardless of whether they have official control or not.

from: Chicago Sun Times

Consumer protections are cable bill victory

June 7, 2007

You can already get phone service from your cable company. And if a promising bill in Springfield becomes law, you could soon get TV service from your phone company. The result should be a win for customers, not only because the bill will spur competition for TV service as well as phone service, but also because the measure contains some consumer protections that are the strongest in the country.

Report On Verizon Bill State House Public Hearing

Click To Play

Report dated June 5, 2007

The Joint Committee on Telecommunications held a public hearing at the Gardiner Auditorium in the MA State House to hear testimony on the "Verizon" bill. S. 1975 H. 3385

Many local communities spoke to defeat the bill.

If your community access television station would like a cablecast quality copy to show, or would like to hotlink this video on their web site....please contact Somerville Channel 3 at (617) 628-8826.

posted by SCAT Staff Vlog at 10:01 AM

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from: SCAT TV

Click To Play

Report dated June 5, 2007

The Joint Committee on Telecommunications held a public hearing at the Gardiner Auditorium in the MA State House to hear testimony on the "Verizon" bill. S. 1975 H. 3385

Many local communities spoke to defeat the bill.

If your community access television station would like a cablecast quality copy to show, or would like to hotlink this video on their web site....please contact Somerville Channel 3 at (617) 628-8826.

posted by SCAT Staff Vlog at 10:01 AM

0 comments

from: Chicago Sun-Times

Letter To the Editor: For once, public good doesn't fall in a hole PEG access television gets important protections in proposed legislation

June 7, 2007

Within a short walk from the hubbub of the legislative session in the State Capitol in Springfield is a quiet plaza with a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Inscribed are words spoken by the newly elected president in 1861 at his first inaugural address. Those words serve as a constant reminder to the men and women serving the people of Illinois today and in the future: ''Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?''