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from: Suncoast News

Cable TV Bill Cuts Counties' Revenue

By CARL ORTH The Suncoast News

Published: Mar 20, 2007

Counties face a dimmer financial future if legislation creating a statewide cable TV franchise becomes law.

But a west Pasco lawmaker thinks the plan would help lower viewers' bills.

from: The News-Journal

Hollow promise to viewers
Cable provider plan unlikely to spread the wealth

March 17, 2007

Competition can provide consumers with greater choice and lower prices. It can also give lawmakers a cover for consumer-unfriendly legislation.

Note: Video Access Alliance is a well known astroturf organization receiving funding from telephone companies for their activities. VAA doesn't represent public interest concerns on video franchise issues, they merely present the telco positions.

from: Pine Hill News

Video Access Alliance

from: Palm Beach Post

Phone companies' boost targeted by lawmakers

By Kristi E. Swartz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers are pushing Florida's telephone companies to forgo a scheduled increase in local phone rates as a way to sweeten a bill that would make it easier for them to get into the cable business.

From: Florida Times

Consumer groups or covert lobbyists?
Groups with names that may mislead flock to telecom debate.

By Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer
Published March 5, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - More than a half-dozen people flanked Rep. Trey Traviesa as he announced his new legislation: "This is not a phone bill, a cable bill, a local government bill," he said. "It's a coalition endeavor, a consumer endeavor."

from: Florida Today

Cable oversight bill advances in House
BY BILL COTTERELL
FLORIDA TODAY
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from: Tampa Bay 10

Opposition surfaces to new standard for cable service

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — Two state lawmakers say Floridians deserve more choices and lower prices for their cable television.

They unveiled legislation today requiring companies to get cable franchise agreements from the state instead of from local governments.

This page last updated 4/21/07
Recent State News via saveaccess: newswire

HB529 passed House and Senate and is awaiting Gov. Crist's signature. As passed, Build-out is banned and PEG support is reduced to 0%. The bill, in effect, ends and PEG channel support and legitimizes red-lining.

Bill Number(s):

from: DSL Reports

Cities Say FCC Dishonest About Franchise Issues
Tampa : FCC claims 'complete and abject fiction'
Posted 2007-01-29 by Karl

The FCC voted along partisan lines 3-2 last December to streamline TV franchise rules at the request of the baby bells in order to aid TelcoTV efforts. Some localities say that the FCC and telco lobbyists demonized the existing franchise system to get that vote through and, in some cases, made up stories entirely. Tampa officials are annoyed after the FCC inaccurately claimed they were forcing Verizon to film math tutoring classes in order to get a video franchise. Democratic Commissioner Adelstein has accused FCC chief Kevin Martin of taking telco claims at face value without any independent fact checking.

Note: Should the FCC (or Congress) have it's way with removing local control of video franchising - this may become the most efficient way for consumers to lodge complaints. The Telcos should take heed and be prepared to duck.

Comcast Network Suffers Gunshot Damage; 7,500 Customers Lose Service

About 7,500 Comcast customers in Palm Beach, Fla., went without cable service earlier this month after technicians discovered gunshot damage to the company’s fiber-optic main service line. The entire town’s cable service had to be shut down temporarily to fix the problem.