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The following is printed verbatim as it was sent to me. This story has local impact.

We need to look at each municipality in Massachusetts, for instance, as well as all states, and see if there is any indication that what might be happening in Washington DC is not happening in the state house or city or town halls.

As it stands with regard to video, municipalities can insist that all video providers are all subject to the same franchise license terms and conditions. That would be proper as well as fair and to best serve our communities, including the Public access (P.E.G.) communities. Thanks to Chuck Sherwood for forwarding this through the Alliance for Community Media.

We should not be asleep on this issue.

Teletruth News Analysis, June 1st, 2010.

To read the full article:
Letters from House Democrats and Senate Repbublicans against
the FCC --- Sponsored by AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Astroturfers?
It's open season on the FCC's Broadband plans, from a new proposed bill by
Rep. Stearns (FL), or former politicians tied to astroturf groups --- Are
the phone and cable companies pulling the strings?

To protect the Public Interest, shouldn't these Senators and Congressmen
recuse themselves from voting on issues that directly help their
contributors --- AT&T, Verizon and Comcast?
Astroturfer: Some person, politician, 'expert', company, non-profit or
other entity that takes money from a corporation then uses their influence
for the good of the corporation - usually over the needs of their own
constituents, members, etc.

CNET reports that "Congress rebukes FCC on Net neutrality rules". http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20005834-38.html"The Federal Communications Commission's plan to impose Net neutrality
regulations just became much more difficult to pull off...A bipartisan group
of politicians on Monday told FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, in no
uncertain terms, to abandon his plans to impose controversial new rules on
broadband providers until the U.S. Congress changes the law...Seventy-four
House Democrats sent Genachowski. a letter saying his ideas will 'jeopardize
Jobs' and 'should not be done without additional direction from Congress'. A
separate letter from 37 Senate Republicans was more pointed. It accused
Genachowski of pushing 'heavy-handed 19th century regulations' that are
'inconceivable' as well as illegal."

Senate Republicans(PDF)

House Democrats (PDF):
The story doesn't mention that these letters are totally partisan --- as the
list of House Democrats and Senate Republicans who signed these letters
reads like a who's who of politicians who, almost all, are
campaign-financed by AT&T, Verizon and the cablecos as some of their largest
contributors.

More suspect, the location of these posted letters are on the Netcompetition
website, an astroturf euphanism for 'this web site is brought to you by
AT&T, Verizon and Comcast to keep their monopoly/duopoly power intact'.
Here's a link to NetCompetition's funding sources: AT&T, Verizon and
Comcast, not to mention a number of 'co-opted' groups like LULAC, who gets
millions in funding from AT&T and Verizon. http://netcompetition.org/index.php/go/about-us-members/ We wonder--- Are the initiators of these letters drafted by/created by some astroturf group who works directly for AT&T, Verizon or Comcast? And doesn't this smack of anti-trust violations when both the cable and phone companies --- the caretakers of the only wires --- are working together to
harm the Public Interest?
The Republican Letter: AT&T, Verizon and Comcast Funding.
Going  through the signatures we find that the majority of these signees
have AT&T, Comcast and Verizon as their major funders. Here are just a few;
John Mc Cain has AT&T as his Number 2 campaign and PAC funding source, Sam
Brownback has AT&T as Number 1, Jim DeMint has AT&T as Number 2, with
Verizon and Comcast making the Top 20.
Top 20 Contributors to Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

SOURCE :  Rank Contributor Total

John Mc Cain
2 AT&T Inc $57,500
12 Verizon Communications $34,250
20 Comcast Corp $28,000

Sam Brownback
1 AT&T Inc $11,000

Kay Baily Hutchinson
4 AT&T Inc $37,000

James DeMint
2 AT&T Inc $64,750
12 Comcast Corp $26,500
13 Verizon Communications $26,250

House Democrat Letter(s).

The Democratic letter, signed by 74 Democrats seems to be just as suspect as
a previous letter of House Democrats 'concerned' with the FCC's Net
neutrality' policies. The previous letter signatories showed that monies
were being paid by AT&T and Verizon to almost all of these concerned
Democrats. In short, the Congressmen gets money from a corporation, then
signs onto a letter of concern, which can only help the phone companies and
is against the interests of their own constituents.

The Hill blog mentioned that Congressmen John Dingell also sent a letter.
"Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) sided with major phone and cable companies in a
letter discouraging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius
Genachowski from a plan to boost the agency's authority over broadband
access providers." Link

It seems that Congressmen Dingell also gets money from the cable and phone
companies, who are major contributors.
To read the rest of this analysis.

Thanks Chuck for forwarding this to us.

Manufacturers / Equipment List
Wireless Microphones

To see if your wireless microphone operates on the 700 MHz band, simply click on the name of the manufacturer and see if your model is listed.

*

If your model is listed on the table, it is a 700 MHz wireless microphone and can not be used after June 12, 2010.
*

If you can find your manufacturer’s name and your equipment is not listed, then you may continue using your wireless microphone because it does not operate in the 700 MHz Band.

If your manufacturer is not listed, please contact the FCC for additional assistance to determine if your wireless microphone operates on the 700 MHz Band.

You can also contact the FCC’s Consumer Center for more information about
wireless microphones or other communications issues by calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice

ACOMMUNITYTV.ORG
may be the only national organization that advocates for PEG that made
our filing by the deadline, that I am aware of. WCCA TV 13 and numerous public access facilities also filed comments responding to the FCC Future of Digital Media Inquiry. With 400 potential channels going dark in six states by 2012, voicing Public Access position is important.

The American Community Television groups comments present an excellent case on behalf of PEG channels by outlining the unique value or Public Access as well as presenting the frustrating political challenges PEG has continually faced throughout the years, particularly and most recently, the damaging and devastating impact caused by the switch from local to State franchising, in some states, has had on PEG channels.

Read the attached PDF taking on the FCC's request for comments concerning: "Question 27....

Philly[dot]com writes:
"FCC chairman Julius Genachowski just announced news to cheer open-Internet advocates: a new policy that stands up for the principle of network neutrality and recognizes the broadband Internet for what it obviously is: the essential telecommunications service of the 21st century.

In regulator-speak, Genachowski's plan says that broadband transmission will be reclassified as a "Title II" service - a telecommunications service of the type subject to close oversight since the FCC was established in the 1930s. Under the Bush administration, the FCC declared broadband offerings to be "Title I" data service, subject to much looser regulation. Although the plan also promises to carefully limit the regulators' role - the buzzwords are "narrowly tailored" and "third way" - it has predictably been denounced as a "power grab."

It appears that the FCC may be on the right track. A bit early to tell but we can hope for the best.
Here is what one happy group has to say about this

I am monitoring the FCC's "Workshop on Public and Other Noncommercial Media in the Digital Era" FCC workshop. There is a discussion focusing upon public media, non-profit journalism, media diversity, and topics including local communities. FCC members are listening to PBS producers, and administrators, broadcast lobbyist, and others. But missing from the table are PUBLIC ACCESS stations.

How can the FCC be serious about holding a workshop or any public forum covering a topic that includes the word "Public Media" while excluding groups representing Public Access stations?

It is disturbing to hear the term "public media" in the context of open debate concerning issues such as government funding, media diversity, local journalism without representation from Public Access organizations present. The public access community should also be outraged and outraged that through such discussions, at a government agency level, others are allowed to cloud the public access brand by, what I feel is infringing upon, the term " public media " as they exclude public access television centers.

Public Access television can be found all over this country and may be as broad based and widely seen as any other broadcast or cable network.

We say that "WCCA TV is more that a TV station , it is a community resource" and that is what makes us so unique. Not only are public access stations such as WCCA TV 13, providing important unique and local news and information programming. It does something that no other media, including PBS does. It provides hands on opportunities and media tools, to individuals as well as organizations, necessary to learn and develop skills in television and electronic media production as well as to directly participate in the creation and distribution of what I believe is the most relevant programming in a public forum that is presented on television and digital outlets. Public Access generally benefits their community with a substantially much higher return ( exceeding 150 times more in many cases) for the public investment as well.

I invite you to go back an review What is going on at WCCA for a glimpse at what this public access center is doing. Imagine, the combined value of every access center in Massachusetts and even the nation.

Learn, Create, Connect those three words sum up what WCCA TV 13 , "The People's Channel", is all about.
Support Public Access Television today.

I hope the FCC would consider being a little more inclusive with future workshops.

I consider WCCA TV to be public, by nature of it's mission and non-commercial content don't you.

John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, writes:
After some details started slipping out, the FCC eased an embargo on its long-awaited Broadband Plan on March 15, a day ahead of its scheduled unveiling at the commission's monthly public meeting and two days before its delivery to Congress.

Entitled Connect America: The National Broadband Plan, the plan calls for an ambitious refocus on broadband as the medium of choice for information delivery in the new millennium. That includes getting affordable broadband to everyone and high-speed access to at least 100 million households by 2020, including using half of broadcasters spectrum for wireless broadband by 2015.

It could also mean a national framework for taxing online goods and services, and getting a better handle on current broadband speeds and service by new standards and online metrics like dashboards.

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."

Comcast's Promises Won't Help Consumers
Public Opposition to Comcast Takeover of NBC Is Growing.

The amount of BS these companies spew in order to sway public policy.

"Comcast's reputation for customer service ranks about one rung above Enron and Blackwater. The idea that it is magically going to be consumer friendly after it gets bigger doesn't pass the laugh test. Regulators at FCC and the Department of Justice should cut through the rhetoric and put a spotlight on the real problems with this kind of unprecedented media consolidation." Free Press Executive Director Josh Silver

Read more and scroll links fro further information.

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED: Help your communities speak out through FCC Reply Comments! Defend Public Access Channels everywhere We need action and reply comments in record numbers to send a signal to the FCC that PEG channels matter to a broad diversity of people from all across America. Why? Read More TODAY