Save Access

from: People First

Overall Strategy

Verizon has introduced a bill into the Massachusetts State Legislature which is a disaster in more ways than one could even count, and they are putting a full-court lobbying and media press on to pass it, with extraordinary local and national dollars behind it. We need to kill this bill, but it’s going to take a seriously organized effort to win.

from: Massachusetts Municipal Association

FCC rules preempt local franchising authority

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Two and a half months after announcing new cable franchising rules, the Federal Communications Commission yesterday formally published the rules, which significantly limit the role of local governments in the cable licensing process.

from: Metro West Daily News

Verizon wants to even cable playing field

By Andrew J. Manuse/Daily News staff
Sunday, March 04, 2007 - Updated: 11:01 PM EST

In its latest effort to convince state lawmakers to make cable licensing a state-level job, Verizon Communications Inc. said its main competitor is unfairly benefiting from the current local-level process.

This page last updated 4/7/07
Recent State News via saveaccess: newswire

Bill Number(s):
Senate Docket 1975 read Bill
House Docket 3385
Introduced January 10, 2007 - pushed by Verizon.

Description:

IS PUBLIC ACCESS NEEDED YES.
TIME TO STOP marginalizing THE INSTITUION OF PUBLIC ACCESS

Consider sharing this with your fed and state legislators:

120 people pack City Council Chamber to support WCCA TV PUBLIC ACCESS TV
http://www.wccatv.com/node/785

Press release Illustrates the importance to PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS
http://www.wccatv.com/node/790

from: Worcester Telegram & Gazette

City Council Asked to Protect Public Access Channel

From Worcester Telegram & Gazette, February 1, 2007
By Nick Kotsopoulos

More than 100 supporters of WCCA-TV, Channel 13, the nonprofit, local public access cable channel, last night urged the City Council Public Service and Transportation Committee to ensure that the station’s funding is not decreased as part of the new cable television contract the city negotiates with Charter Communications Inc.

frm: Worchester Telegram

Friday, December 22, 2006
Community voices

Cutting public access channel would be unwise

As Worcester nears the end of the current cable television contract with Charter Communications, speculation that the public-access channel could take a major budget hit is troubling, indeed.

This letter was sent by Verizon to a 'municipal leader' in Massachusetts - but it reads like a 'Dear John' letter to the access community. Note the issues: PEG support is capped at 1% which will hurt many Massachusetts PEG acccess centers. There is no mention of iNet support (institutional networks) or possible interconnect fees. Also missing are any promise of build-out (redlining) requirements. Then there is the absurd 15 day shot clock to approve applications.

from: Boston Globe

Legislators look to increase cable TV competition Bill to speed approval process, aid Verizon

By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff | January 10, 2007

A pair of Massachusetts lawmakers is expected to introduce legislation today that would enable companies seeking to offer cable television to get approval from the state rather than cities and towns.

The bill being prepared by state Senator Steven Panagiotakos , Democrat of Lowell, and Representative James Vallee , Democrat of Franklin, would allow new cable-television providers such as Verizon Communications Inc. to bypass the current franchising process in individual communities and apply to the state Department of Telecommunications and Energy for permission to enter the cable market in one or more service areas.

From: Worcester Telegram and Gazette

Cable access could face cut
Funding affects public channels

By Matthew Stone SPECIAL TO THE TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Jun 3, 2006

WORCESTER— The city’s three public access television channels could lose nearly $700,000 in annual funding under major telecommunications legislation before Congress, according to a recent report by the Washington, D.C.-based Alliance for Community Media.