government

Many feel the Comcast/NBC merger is a bad idea for public access to the free flow of information. For example the following has been extracted from The CAP Times on line. More on the Comcast merger here
Some key quotes taken from the article:

"We are writing to express our opposition to Comcast Corp.'s acquisition of NBC Universal. If this deal is approved, it would further consolidate a U.S. media industry that is already controlled by a handful of corporate conglomerates. Localism, diversity, and competition in today's media, all of which are severely weak, would be nearly lost. At a time when it is critically important for the public to be able to access independent sources of information, we believe this acquisition should not go forward and urge you to reject it."

Check this out:
State Wide Franchising Not living Up to Lobbyist Promises
Oligarchy at work for the special interest the only winners here are the phne companies and the politicians that obviously get paid off.
It's a good thing Massachusetts hasn't bought into this nonsense.

From the free press Misty Perez Truedson. Educate yourselves with this one. We ran into one of these while battling the Verizon Bill a few weeks ago ( remember the "Stringer"? ). Here's what Misty writes:

Check out our new AstroTurf tool and Tim Karr’s latest blog post.

-Misty
Unmasking Astroturf

Timothy Karr
Timothy Karr's Unmasking astroturf

If you haven't been paying attention to the work of "astroturf" groups in Washington, in the media and at your local town hall meeting, now's the time to tune in.

These front groups for hire have been everywhere this summer -- spreading misinformation about health care reform, carbon emission caps and financial regulation.

I really do not need to comment here but as a local blogger friend of mine consistently says, it is time for the oligarchy to end. It is amazing to me how some huge mega companies can spend hundreds of millions of dollars to advertise and promote their product under the guise of making life easier while all the while they seem to be profiting at the expense of communities. What is more shameful is how some "elected" tolerate such activity seemingly ignorant of community voices by sponsoring legislation to encourage such corporate behavior. Here are some links that are well worth your time if you are interested in community media:

att-is-a-big-steaming-heap-of-failure

How NTIA dismantled public interest provisions

This PDF file Free Press Reply comments
In particular, pages 26-29 where Free Press examines Verizon's practice of dumping rural customers onto smaller companies who then go bankrupt.

link to apprising Whats wrong with the broadband

This is the NTIA PDF
BTOP RULES notice of funding availability

Short Deadlines for stimulus funds hits munis hard

Don't forget this is about your access to technology, to channels of communication, to community, to information, to be included. Make sure your legislators are not forgetting that.

Our Friend Chuck Sherwood, sent us this link that ties in PEG channel interest:
from Image and Media Partners
Enjoy!

A collective of Massachusetts public access communities are asking friends of Public Access to join us in opposition of Senate Bill # 1531, in house, H 3765, aka Verizon Bill. The bill is apparently a scam being spun as a boost for competition, when we see it as actually an attempt to give Verizon an edge over cable competitors. If successful the bill will place municipalities at a disadvantage when it comes to determining community media, technology and other franchise license related needs. Verizon tried to pass a similar bill before back in 2007, Worcester city council and administration, to their credit and wisdom, joined a large number of cities and citizens across the state in defeating it. Saving this municipality millions of dollars, local controls, senior discounts, locking out potential discriminatory "cherry picking" service practices and maintaining our Public Access as well. The right thing is to shoot this Senate Bill 1531, also known as the Verizon Bill, down immediately. To our Senate representatives we hope you do not fall asleep on this one

On July 22, 2009, there will be a public hearing at the State House on Senate Bill #1531. Join us in saying NO to this Bill.
Please contact your State Representatives and Senators and explain how this bill will adversely affect stations such as WCCA TV and therefore your community. This link should tell you who your local legislators are - http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm .

We hope our city council ( read more)

Kelly M. Teal writes on exchange mag ( xchangemag.com) ,"Cablecos seeking customers in multidwelling units (MDUs) now will have to woo those potential users just like any other business trying to land a sale. In other words, the era of cable exclusivity in MDUs is extinct – that is, except for deals already in place. But for the most part, from here on out, operators will have to compete against telco and satellite for MDU tenants’ eyeballs, and property owners won’t be able to dictate who their occupants rely on for pay TV."

For more you can read how the Court Nixes Exclusive MDU Deals.

Another thing for muni's to consider while companies like Verizon lobby to give themselves more of what seems to be an unfair edge over cable providers. Anyway, this does seem like it could open the door to LESS local programming in the long run.

"AT&T, Comcast and Verizon -- the nation's largest ISPs -- don't want to have to build networks constrained by so-called 'net neutrality' provisions that would ban them from giving preferential treatment to some services (such as their own streaming video server) over others (such as YouTube)." Read how wonderful these benevolent giants are.

Also, check out how Verizon, Comcast, AT&T and other large wireless carriers and cable companies are behind lobbying efforts in state legislatures around the country to prohibit local governments from using federal stimulus money to build and manage their own broadband networks, critics contend. So far, they seem to be succeeding.
These are the ones lobbying in Massachusetts claiming they want to keep municipal controls and inspire competition. Don't laugh too hard.

Sharing this MEDIA ADVISORY with you:

Worcester’s Tax Day Tea Party Planned

Citizens to Rally in Lincoln Square to Protest Government Bailouts,

Spending and Tax Increases, and Attacks on Free Markets

Worcester, MA- Area citizens who are fed up with unprecedented government spending, taxation, and interference in our (formerly) free market economy are planning a huge rally in Lincoln Square on April 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. This rally is one of over 300 Tea Party rallies planned for Tax Day in all 50 states. Read more: