Save Access

from: Times Free Pres

Fight for fiber
Thursday, January 03, 2008

By Dave Flessner
Staff Writer

The new year should bring new options for Chattanooga consumers who want high-speed Internet, telephone and cable TV services.

But as the local cable provider, electricity supplier and phone company try to invade one another's traditional turfs in 2008, battles loom in the General Assembly, the courts and ultimately the marketplace among Comcast, AT&T and EPB.

from: Lasar's Letter

The top paid telecom executives of 2006

The Security and Exchange Commission now has a handy-dandy new database that tells you who in the corporate world is making what these days.

These are, of course, the firms that voluntarily disclosed this data. LLFCC couldn't resist downloading the numbers and coming up with this table. Enjoy!

from: Heritage Newspapers

Comcast moving local public access channels to digital service

PUBLISHED: January 2, 2008
DEARBORN

Customers of Comcast cable television in Dearborn should know that Comcast is moving CDTV, the city of Dearborn's government channel, from channel 12 to channel 915 on Jan. 15.

from: MLive

Comcast changes concern local officials

Posted by Julia Zaher | The Grand Blanc News December 26, 2007 15:33PM

GRAND BLANC TWP. -- Concern about Comcast's decision to close its public access television studio in Flint and move public access programming to the 900 channel spectrum has program producers, residents and local officials concerned.

from: News Advance

Comcast expected to cut support for public access TV
By Alicia Petska
apetska@newsadvance.com
December 22, 2007

Comcast is looking to call “Cut!” on Lynchburg’s public access channel, with its next franchise contract expected to drop funding for the station that runs community announcements, City Council meetings and a bevy of public-generated shows.

NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

For immediate release: December 21, 2007

Contact: Jodi Seth or Carrie Annand, 202-225-5735
Chairman Dingell Challenges Comcast Decision Restricting Availability of Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Channels

Washington, DC – Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent the following letter today to the Chairman and CEO of the Comcast Corporation regarding the company’s plan to require customers to lease additional equipment from Comcast to view public, educational and governmental (PEG) channels.

from: Eldo Telecom

Friday, December 21, 2007
Comcast applies for California video franchise

Comcast has joined cable providers Cox, Time Warner, Charter and Wave Broadband in applying for a statewide franchise with the California Public Utilities Commission under the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act that took effect in early 2007.

Note the wonderful statement by Verizon's spokesperson:
"In a marketplace like this, oftentimes the competitor won't respond by lowering prices, but will respond in other ways" such as offering discounts as incentives to keep its service, said Gierczynski of Verizon.

from: Pittsburgh Live

from: Ann Arbor News

Ann Arbor to Fight Cable Switch

December 19, 2007
By Tom Gantert

Council Member Marcia Higgins, D-4th Ward, sponsored a resolution that calls on the Legislature to amend the state law to require cable providers to keep offering its public access and government channels in their customary channel slots.

from: Grand Rapids Community Media Center

Grand Rapids’s GRTV & LiveWire Being Booted to Digital Tier

December 20, 2007

I am sad to note that as of January 15th, GRTV (channel 25) and LiveWire (channel 24) will no longer be seen on basic cable TV but instead on channels 917 & 916. Invoking their new options made possible by the State Uniform Video Franchise Act, Comcast has decided to put all community cabel access channels in the State of Michigan in the 900 tier of their digital cable service.