Community Media: Selected Clippings – 04/06/07

How Video Franchising Works
Lafayette Pro Fiber (LA)
04/06/07

—> They’ve got some experience under their belt with state video franchising in Virgina and, according to an article in the Newport News paper, some of the opponents’ worst fears are being realized. Verizon, who is building out a Fiber to the Privileged (FTTP) network (If this is unfamiliar territory drop to the bottom and read up on the background to this story.) The map submitted to the city of Newport News also leaves out the greatest concentration of poor, black residents in the Southeast community. This map is supposed to include the plans for the first three years of service.

No surprise, eh? But it is interesting that nobody wanted the public to know: When asked by the Daily Press, both Newport News and Verizon officials initially denied that they had a map of the service territory. —>
http://lafayetteprofiber.com/Blog/2007/04/how-video-franchising-works.html
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Statewide cable franchise bill meets growing opposition
by R. Neal
Knox Views (TN)
04/06/07

The AT&T lobbyist sponsored bill HB1421/ SB1933 in the Tennessee General Assembly eliminates local control of cable franchises, regulates local franchise fees, restricts or eliminates customer service and quality standards, provides state regulation of local public right of way for the benefit of cable companies, restricts or eliminates local build-out requirements, and allows cable companies to create statewide franchises.

The House version has been deferred three times, and is currently on the House Commerce Committee calendar for April 10th. The Senate version has been deferred once, and is currently on the Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture committee calendar for April 10th. —>
http://www.knoxviews.com/node/4220
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Proponents claim cable bill is gaining strength
by Don Moore
Germantown News (TN)
04/06/07

Despite opposition from cities and towns, including the City of Germantown, and from many local citizens who fear the loss of GHS-TV, proponents of legislation to bypass local governments on cable television decisions (Senate Bill 1933/House Bill 1421) claim their bill is gaining ground. —>
http://www.germantownnews.com/articles/2007/04/06/news/news3.txt
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Opposition To State Telco Legislation Grows
by Andy
Media and Democracy (OH)
04/06/07

—> One Response to ‘ Opposition To State Telco Legislation Grows ‘
Rick Hayes said,
Thanks for the post from Ill. Its good to compare the various forms this legislation has taken in different states. The Ohio has some aspects not in others, apparently there to satisfy Time Warner, who states they are neutral on the Bill. Good question to follow everywhere, who wrote these Bills and how can we prove it?
http://www.ustvmedia.org/media-and-democracy/2007/04/06/opposition-to-state-telco-legislation-grows/
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Statewide Coalition Formed To Fight SB 117
Bytes from Lev (OH)
04/04/07

This arrived in my inbox and after reading the draft legislation, I think it is really important that folks inform themselves of this significant retrogressive Ohio Senate Bill. Smart communities around the country continue to leverage Franchising Authority to create and sustain community value. This development, if it were to pass, would be very significant nail in the coffin of community partnership networking efforts. If others have insights, please share them via comments. —>
http://blog.case.edu/lev.gonick/2007/04/06/statewide_coalition_formed_to_fight_sb_117
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Cable access channels threatened by proposed legislation, leaders say
by Randy Hanson
Hudson Star-Observer (WI)
04/06/07

Hudson/North Hudson Community Access Television has made great strides in the quality and quantity of its programming in recent years, its leaders say. But now all of that progress is threatened by proposed legislation that would reduce funding for local cable access channels and increase their costs. “I’d really like to stress that Channel 15 is in danger from the Wisconsin legislation,” Cable Access Manager Nate Skoog said last Thursday. —>
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/articles/index.cfm?id=23336&section=homepage&forumcomm_check_return&freebie_check&CFID=28380148&CFTOKEN=17214921&jsessionid=8830a065466930362b66
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Local Governments Challenge FCC Video Franchising Rules
TV Technology
04/06/07

Several lobbies representing local governments have petitioned the courts to get the FCC’s recently issued video franchise rules reversed. Five appeals, filed in separate federal courts April 3, claimed the FCC exceeded its authority with the franchise order, adopted in December by a vote of 3-2. —>
http://www.tvtechnology.com/pages/s.0015/t.4624.html
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TV show takes on bullying
by Justina Wang
Herald News (IL)
04/06/07

In the 17 years that Walter Duy served as principal at Kaneland elementary and middle schools, and the subsequent 10 at Mooseheart Elementary, north of Aurora, he learned to put up with bullying through a long-established educator’s tenet. “We just thought it was a right of passage,” he said. “It’s going to happen, so you just deal with it the best you can and let kids work it out.” But when two teenagers at Columbine High School killed 12 students, a teacher and themselves in 1999, and a rash of school shootings followed, the mentality changed….

In his last year at Mooseheart, Duy began running a “Peaceful Schools” program that he said led to a safer environment and his own passion to spread the anti-bullying message. When Duy retired in 2003, he took the program to East Aurora elementary schools through funding from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Now, he’s spreading the message through the airwaves. On Saturday, his own public access cable show debuts on Aurora Community TV, Comcast Channel 10. —>
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/330104,4_1_JO06_BULLY_S1.article
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How do we really do public involvement?
Chuck Jackson School Board (IL)
04/06/07

In candidate forums and in my written responses to various surveys I have continually beat the drum for community involvement. OK, so what happens if we do make it easier for people to come and if we are able to change the “just trust us attitude”? Will people take advantage of it?

I noticed the attendance at the Care3 forum (hosted at the Urban League) did not represent the people who are in that building during the day. In fact, the audience was dominated by people who attended in a quasi professional capacity. Board members, NAACP representatives, Urban League representatives, union, and PTA people filled the room, so where are the parents, teachers, and students whose lives are literally changed daily by the decisions we all make? I wonder if public meetings are another relic of a bygone era. —>
http://publiclycrazy.wordpress.com/2007/04/06/how-do-we-really-do-public-involvement/
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compiled by Rob McCausland
Director of Information & Organizing Services
Alliance for Community Media
202-393-2650

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