The FCC has set its meeting agenda for the open meeting to be held on December 20th. This meeting includes the video franchising issue, MB 05-311. [See Proposed FCC Rules Threaten Free Expression and Democracy and FEDS want to STOP Public Access TV.] According to their rules no contacts by the public are allowed after 5 PM Wednesday, December 13. Please do not post letters or comments at this time. This is very important.

(The purpose of this rule is to prevent secret meetings or undue influence while the Commissioners deliberate the issues before them.)

- For Immediate Release -

December 7, 2006

Public Access Community Television (PACT)
1143 Northwestern Avenue
Austin, TX 78702
www.pactaustin.org

Proposed FCC Rules Threaten Free Expression and Democracy

Austin, TX – The Federal Commissions Commission (FCC) is set to vote on Dec. 20 on “rule-making” (FCC MB 05-311) that threatens U.S. citizens’ right to free expression, thereby further eroding a critical keystone of our democracy.

Public Access Community Television (PACT) is joining with the Alliance for Community Media (ACM) and other Public, Education, and Government (PEG) access TV stations nationwide to oppose FCC efforts to implement new video-franchising rules that would achieve what Congress failed to do for the telecommunications industry this past year.

The Alliance for Community Media is calling on all supporters of Community Media to call and write the FCC no later than Wednesday, December 13!. THIS ACTION IS OVER.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing to issue a rule-making on video-franchising. This rule-making is the bureaucratic version of the national telecom laws we helped to defeat this past year. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. We cannot allow the FCC to do to us what some members of Congress were unable to do.

Part of what is being proposed:

* All PEG, I-Net and other in-kind services would be counted against 5% franchise fees. 5% would be an absolute cap. [THIS MEANS NO $$$ for Public Access.]

Williams: In defense of local control

Chad Williams, AUSTIN COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Tuesday, December 05, 2006
After 22 consecutive years of telecommunications deregulation, the law that ensures consumer protection and local control is in jeopardy.

Pushed by telecommunications industry lobbyists, Texas was one of the first states to pass anti-consumer legislation. Last session, Senate Bill 5 was presented as the only way competition could exist in the cable television market. Industry lobbyists made misrepresentations claiming that Texas cities were preventing companies from providing low-cost, competitive video services to residents because of the local franchising process. The result has been a loss of local input on programming and consumer protection.

The Public Utilities Commission of Texas today approved its Report to the 80th Legislature on the Scope of Competition in Telecommunications Markets in Texas.

The 70 page report is available here in two parts:
Part 1 PDF 2.6 MB
Part 2 PDF 2.3 MB

Items related to SB 5 are on the agenda for the next Open Meeting of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS
OPEN MEETING AGENDA
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2006, 9:30 A.M.
Commissioners' Hearing Room
7th Floor, William B. Travis Building

November 1, 2006

Dear Friend of Access in Texas,

November will be an important month for public access television in Texas. Here’s why.

If in the November election Democrats win one or both houses in Congress, Republicans will likely make a more vigorous last-ditch effort to push through pending legislation in the “lame duck” session beginning November 9.

Proposed federal legislation (H.R. 5252) that would nationalize video franchising and reduce funds for Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) access passed the House in June but has not been voted on by the Senate. Commerce Committee Chair, Senator Stephens (R-Alaska), has failed to get 60 votes needed to stop an expected filibuster.