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from: Cup of Joe

Phone Company Wants It All, Promises Nothing

Monday, April 09, 2007

The lobbyist-sponsored cable franchise bill is bad for everyone and would be a massive benefit to only one group - the phone company. Hollow promises and the elimination of local control of land rights likewise benefits only the phone company. A bill which would negate all local control, HB1421/SB1933 is up for review again in committee meetings in the Senate and House and simply needs to be rejected, not delayed or deferred or handed off to a 'study group'.

from: Chattanooga Times Free Press

Signal Council opposes video franchise bill

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

By Mike O’Neal Staff Writer

The Signal Mountain Town Council unanimously passed Monday night a resolution opposing a statewide video franchising bill now before the state legislature.

from: Shelbyville Times-Gazette

Cable TV bill takes legislative spotlight
Monday, April 9, 2007
By Clint Confehr

State Rep. Curt Cobb is holding a hearing today in Nashville on what's been dubbed the AT&T bill to create statewide franchises for cable TV companies instead of having them licensed by cities and counties.

from: Tri-Cites News

City Raises Concerns Over Controversial Cable Bill

From Tri-Cities News, April 6, 2007
By Nate Morabito

Cable television customers could pay the price if a bill making it’s way through the Tennessee Legislature becomes law according to some Johnson City Commissioners.

from: Knox Views

Cable Committee summary

Submitted by Mark Harmon on Wed, 2007/04/04

Knox County Cable Committee met April 4, 2007, 8:30-9:30 am in Room 640 of the City County Bldg. Chair Mike Hammond was present. I was there, I'm vice chair. Also present: Commissioners R. Larry Smith, Josh Jordan, and Lee Tramel. The group discussed and unanimously passed my resolution below:

From: The Tennessean

Tennessee Towns Offer Cable as a New Civic Necessity

April 3, 2007
By Naomi Snyder

Meg Montgomery thought at first it was a little odd that she was getting her cable TV service from the municipal electric company.

“But then I thought about it and they have the (utility) lines, they have the customer service and it seems like a natural market for them to tap into,” said the 33-year-old Jackson, Tenn., resident.

Note: This is the spin Freedom Works is putting on municiplaities that are trying to protect local control of "right of way" and home rule.

from: PR Newswire

Public Officials Using Tax Dollars to Lobby for Higher Cable TV Rates

Tennessee Consumers Harmed by Outdated Laws; Cable Rates Artificially High

From Free Press, Consumers Union, U.S. PIRG, Consumer Federation of America, March 30, 2007

Consumer and Public Interest Groups Oppose Tennessee Video Franchise Bill

Good public policy guides the market to maximize competitive deployment across the board in video and broadband. It also protects an open, thriving and nondiscriminatory marketplace for Internet content and applications.

From: Cup of Joe

Shut Down the Plan to End Local Control of Cable Franchises

I'm encouraging all readers of this page and residents statewide to voice a loud opposition to a bill before the legislature which drains funds away from cities and counties, removes local control over cable franchise rights, and essentially hands the telephone companies both an unfair advantage and reduces existing standards of service.

from: Knox News

A warning on proposed legislation in TN

I'm encouraging all readers of this page and residents statewide to voice a loud opposition to a bill before the legislature which drains funds away from cities and counties, removes local control over cable franchise rights, and essentially hands the telephone companies both an unfair advantage and reduces existing standards of service.