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This week's astroturf candidate: The National Black Caucus of State Legislators

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Black Legislators Back Light Regulatory Touch

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/5/2006

With prospects dimming for national video franchise reform legislation anytime soon, the battle over the issue of network neutrality continues on the state level.

from: LA Times

Congress likely to hang up on ’06 telecom reform

By Jim Puzzanghera
Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON – Big phone companies trying to dial in an overhaul of telecommunications laws will have to hang up and try the call again next year.

The Democratic takeover of Congress makes it increasingly unlikely that AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. will be able to push through stalled legislation to make it easier for them to sell pay television.

from: PR Web

SANTA AND SONS & daughter! continues Million Elf March on Public Access TV for Second Year.

Christmas movie musical "SANTA AND SONS & daughter!" reprises its Public Access Television awareness campaign with holiday showings of the rockin' Santa family in over one hundred cities across the US and internationally.

from: LA Times

Phone firms' TV market bid may skip Congress
With Democrats rising, an overhaul of telecom laws is unlikely. The industry turns to states.

By Jim Puzzanghera, Times Staff Writer
November 28, 2006

WASHINGTON — Big phone companies trying to dial in an overhaul of telecommunications laws will have to hang up and try the call again next year.

from: Technology Daily

Sen. DeMint Pessimistic On Chances For Market-Based Telecom Reform

By Andrew Noyes

(Tuesday, November 14) Chances for market-based communications reform in the Democratic-controlled Congress that convenes in January are "slim to none," Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said.

from: Technology Daily

Telecom Bill Appears Dead For Year

By David Hatch

(Revised Thursday, November 9) Pending deregulatory telecommunications legislation faces new hurdles now that Democrats have won the House and gained control of the Senate, industry sources said.

from: Technology Daily

Telecom Reform, Merger Are On Rep. Dingell's Radar

By David Hatch

(Wednesday, November 8) House Democrats will pursue a fresh telecommunications overhaul next year, incoming Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell said. The panel also will ask the FCC to delay consideration of the AT&T, BellSouth merger until 2007 so it can oversee deliberations on the transaction.

from: Technology Daily

Tech, Telecom Donations Flow To Newly Empowered Democrats

By David Hatch

(Revised Wednesday, November 8) In the runup to Tuesday's election, Microsoft, Time Warner and other deep-pocketed telecommunications and technology giants filled the campaign coffers of House Democrats who will now emerge as key powerbrokers with their party having captured a House majority.

from: DSL Reports

A Democratic House's Impact on Telecom
Goodbye national franchises, hello net-neutrality laws?

Posted on 2006-11-08 15:17:35 by Karl

Democrat John Dingell (MI) and Democrat Ed Markey (MA) have both been avid supporters of net-neutrality laws and are expected to take command of telecom policy when Democrats reclaim power in the House next January. Dingell will be appointed chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees phone & cable operators. Markey will lead the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, which could apply pressure to change tactics at the FCC.

from: TMP Cafe

Lame Duck Senators Plan Fresh Assault on Net Neutrality

To learn more about GOP plans for the lame-duck session visit Lameduckhunt.org

If national polls are right, the upcoming midterm election could bring a dramatic shift of power on Capitol Hill. But that may not save us from a last-minute assault on Net Neutrality by members of the outgoing Congress.