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from: Nashville City Paper

Comcast miffed as Chamber takes cable stance
By Bill Harless, bharless@nashvillecitypaper.com
April 27, 2007

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce board endorsed state legislation yesterday that would allow telecommunications giant AT&T — which recently merged with BellSouth — to obtain a statewide franchise to provide television service.

from: Nashville Post

Can the chamber paper over differences?

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse
04-26-2007 1:18 PM —

If you are a member of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, you are now in an uncomfortable position.

NashvillePost.com has learned that the chamber's Board of Directors will be presented a "white paper" today on the video franchising debate that is raging in the Tennessee State Legislature. Sources familiar with the report fear that it will pit major Chamber of Commerce members like AT&T and Comcast against each other.

from: Germantown News

Telecommunication bill passes hurdle
By Don Moore

On Tuesday, April 17, the Tennessee House subcommittee on utilities and banking passed an amended version of the cable/video franchising bill by a vote of 8 to 6. Representative Steve McManus (Rep.-Cordova), a member of the committee, voted against the bill. Rep. Brian Kelsey (Rep.-East Memphis/Germantown), also a committee member, voted in favor.

from: Representative Susan Lynn

Build-out is a Deal Breaker

Representative Susan Lynn
Sunday, April 22, 2007

Of all the issues large and small one matter seems to be a deal breaker in the question of whether we will have competition among television service providers. Build-out, or forcing a company to build-out service to unprofitable areas, is a point so contentious that inclusion may make or break the future of the bill currently before the Tennessee legislature.

from: Jackson Sun

Statewide cable franchise bill should be defeated

Tennessee lawmakers should join those of 12 other states and defeat a bill that would grant AT&T a statewide cable TV franchise. There is no reason the telecommunications giant can't live by the current rules that give control over cable franchising to local municipalities. Only local communities can best decide what needs to be done in their communities.

from: Knoxvile Business Journal

The fight to provide
Cable industry, local governments oppose AT&T's request for statewide franchise

By KARIN MILLER, news@knoxbusinessjournal.com
April 16, 2007

The biggest — and almost certainly the most expensive — battle on Capitol Hill this year is over an effort by telecommunications giant AT&T to enter the cable television business in Tennessee.

from: TCTA Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Stacey Briggs (615) 585-6645
or Joe Hall Hall Strategies (615) 242-8856

April 16, 2007 Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association (TCTA)

from: KnoxViews

Cable franchise bill passes House sub-committee

The Tennessee House Utilities, Banking, and Small Business sub-committee voted 8 to 6 to recommend passage of the cable franchise bill that will eliminate local control of cable franchises.

from: Times Free Press

Video franchising bill clears hurdle

Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at 9:39 p.m.

By Andy Sher
Nashville Bureau

NASHVILLE -- A statewide video franchising bill cleared a major House hurdle today when a House Commerce subcommittee amended the AT&T-backed measure and then passed it on an 8-6 vote.

from: Times Free Press

Lawmakers discuss amendment in cable bill

Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at 1:38 p.m.

By Andy Sher
Nashville Bureau

NASHVILLE — A Hamilton County lawmaker said he will offer an amendment this afternoon in a House subcommittee that he hopes will ease opposition to a statewide video franchising bill.