TV Eye columnist Belinda Acosta wrote about the Texas Community Media Summit in this week's issue of the Austin Chronicle. See the TV Eye column The Best TV on the Block. She also wrote about the recent 5th Circuit Court decision that enables the Texas Cable Association to pursue a lawsuit to challenge SB 5, the state video law that eliminates municipal franchise agreements.

Austin, TX – The Texas Community Media Summit, hosted by channelAustin (aka Public Access Community Television), Dallas iMedia Network, Houston Media Source, and the Texas Media Empowerment Project will take place at 10 am on Saturday, March 1, at the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Union. Organizers expect 150 to 200 people from across the state.

The Texas Community Media Summit will bring together Texas community media makers, stakeholders, activists, and advocates representing a full spectrum of community media: art, theater, print, radio, film, television, and Internet.

. . . if Time Warner successfully sues to get out of the franchise agreement with the City.

The following article “Court allows Texas Cable Industry to Challenge State Law” appeared in last week’s Austin American Statesman (Feb. 8, 2008).

Currently, the City’s franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable is set to expire in 2011.

Time Warner still owes more than $1 million in capital equipment funds for public access. If Time Warner gets out of the franchise agreement now, that money will be lost.

The following appears in today's Austin American Statesman (Feb. 8, 2008). This is potentially bad news for public access / community television in Texas. There are still several municipalities (like Austin and Dallas) who have existing franchise agreements that are grandfathered under the 2005 SB 5 legislation that eliminated municipal franchise agreements.

Take a look at this article:

Media Watch: The Incredible Disappearing Telecom Committee
http://austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/column?oid=oid%3A475833

Here is an earlier blog entry on this:
http://www.savetexasaccess.org/node/15

On Saturday, May 12, shop for garage sale treasures while supporting free speech and community media.

Come to Public Access Community Television’s Bizarre Bazaar.

Bizarre Bazaar: It’s more than a garage sale.

Join us for family fun and music. Performances by Lower 4th, A Story Of, and Double Blessings.

Tour the public access studios. Step up to the open mic and let your voice be heard on television.

Bizarre Bazaar is on Saturday, May 12, between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Located at 1143 Northwestern Avenue in East Austin.

Call 478-8600, extension 10, for directions and more information.

Houston, TX -- Fred Fichman, Executive Director of Houston Media Source -- the public access TV station in Houston -- said today that he met with the Mayor's Deputy Chief of Staff, and other City officials in Houston, who verified that as of April 2008 there will be a major reduction in funding for both the public and government access TV channels.

In April 2008, the franchise agreement between Comcast and the City of Houston expires, and under Texas' two and a half year-old statewide video franchise law, Comcast will be allowed to apply for a statewide franchise certificate, essentially a permit.

Regarding earlier blog posts on San Antonio, Public Access, and AT&T, here are is link a guest column by Deanne Cuellar of Texas Media Empowerment Project that published in the San Antonio Current on April 10, 2007.
The Say-Town Lowdown – Guest Column

And here is a letter from AT&T in response, also in the San Antonio Current.
Letter To The Editor

The Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission passed this resolution at its meeting on April 11, 2007.

RESOLUTION

PACT Equipment Needs and Mobile Production Vehicle

WHEREAS, capital equipment funds in the amount of approximately $1.8 million are provided by the COA/Time Warner franchise agreement and represent the franchisee’s full obligation for such funds for the remainder of the term of the franchise, which expires July 2011;

Commission Approves Plan for Public Access TV Equipment Needs

Austin, TX -- The Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission approved a resolution on April 11, 2007, recommending that $1.8 million in capital equipment funds – available under the City of Austin and Time Warner Cable franchise agreement – be used, in part, to meet some of the existing equipment needs at the City’s public access television studio in East Austin.

Last August, the City asked Time Warner to deliver these remaining capital funds.