Save Access - Save PEG Community Media!

A Summary on the Comcast/FCC Net Neutrality Hearing

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:10:40 -0500

Comcast Threatens the Open Internet – FCC Hears Complaints
Last summer, users of Comcast internet services reported cut-offs and significant decreases in their download speeds when they were sharing large content such as video, audio and data files using a peer-to-peer sharing application known as Bit Torrent (www.bittorrent.com).

No Quarter for the Time Warner Bandwidth Rationing Plan

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:23:56 -0500

The leaked Time Warner memo of January annoucing a Texas trial to meter cumulative bandwidth usage for new subscribers and charging a levy for excess consumption should be met with outrage and derision. If implemented nationally, such metering will result in another layer of tiered internet access and turn the web into something resembling a cable TV package, both in escalating cost and eventual loss of content diversity.

Why the Congressional Hearing on PEG Matters

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:14:23 -0500

Today's Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee Hearing, "Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) services in the Digital TV Age", was called by Rep. John Dingell (MI) in response to Comcast's actions in Michigan. Comcast had unilaterally announced that PEG channels in many municipalities would be bumped from analog cable carriage to obscure digital channels in the 900 range. The move would mean that 'basic' cable subscribers would no longer have access to the local PEG channels, in fact they would need to subscribe to more a expensive digital cable service tier and pay for an additional charge for a digital cable set-top box.

Your World Delivered . . . On Fire

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 09:59:17 -0500

Another AT&T U-verse VRAD Cabinet Explodes

Updates 1/15/08:
AT&T Begins Massive Battery Replacement (Light Reading).
Wauwatosa residents had expressed safety concerns over AT&T cabinets (Save Access)
Additional Photos (Light Reading 1/22/08)

In the early hours of Christmas morning, an AT&T VRAD cabinet (DSLAM) exploded in the city of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Only days earlier, Governor Jim Doyle had signed Assembly Bill 207, a statewide cable franchise bill pushed through by AT&T despite the best efforts of municipalities and public interest advocates to stop it. A saveaccess reader concerned over the lack of any local or regional news coverage sent us the following note with the attached photos:

The FCC, Again clueless and unable to communicate for or with the American People

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:44:47 -0500

It wasn't a surprise, we are now accustomed to the FCC voting on significant orders under the cover of the holidays when mainstream media coverage of such obscure political issues is at a minimum (not to mention media self-interest). It was this time last year that the FCC drove a spike into PEG, and only this past Halloween that they drove another (quite literally crucifying PEG to a company owned telephone pole). Today Chairman Martin pushed through the media ownership changes that had been overwhelmingly rejected in public hearings around the country over the course of the past year

FCC Creates a Climate of Chaos over Video Franchising

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:58:31 -0400

Washington, DC, September 14, 2007 — In another blow to consumers and cities, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected soon to decree that any company now under contract with a local government to provide video services may have the right to renegotiate better terms for itself, putting at risk America’s public access channels, first‑responder communications capability, and millions of dollars in franchise fees used by cities and towns for public safety and infrastructure.

The Franchise of Deception

Thu, 31 May 2007 20:45:44 -0400

Triple Ploy and the Lie of Competition

In the past two years telephone companies have rushed to introduce national and statewide video franchising legislation around the country to better position themselves as cable TV providers.

Mapping a Public Interest Future

Thu, 17 May 2007 18:45:22 -0400

This week word came that the Grand Rapids Media Center (GRMC) is being forced to reduce operating hours, a casualty of the Michigan State Video Franchise passed last year.

State Franchise News Tracker:

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:32:56 -0400

AR | AZ | CA | CO | CT | FL | GA | IL | IN | LA | MA | MD | MI |
MO | MN | NC | NJ | NY | OH | PA | SC | TN | TX | UT | WA | WI |
State news updated as available. Also check legislative updates In the States.
Send comments/updates to info@saveaccess.org

AT$T: How You are Delivered to U-verse

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:24:41 -0500

AT&T: 'How You are Delivered to U-verse' informational brochure.

We've received this 'corrected version' of one of AT&T's explanatory brochures on how their new U-verse system really works. It all makes sense now . . .

Download PDF

enjoy.

The New Senate Commerce Committee Members - How They Voted Last Session on ATOR S2686/HR5252

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 18:28:57 -0500

This was the vote last summer on S2686 (later named HR5252) in the 109th Congressional Session: 15-7 with all 12 Republicans and 3 Democrats voting for the bill. The new Democratic majority will hopefully alter the equation in this session.

New for 2007: Can Democracy 2.0 Change the World?

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:53:27 -0500

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2006 is You. Time sees the tipping point of self-produced, online, “citizen” media as “a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before.” The magazine’s homage extols the “cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace.”

New House Telecom Subcom Members - How they voted last session on COPE

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:15:00 -0500

This is how members of the new 110th Congressional House Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee voted on COPE HR5252 last year. Nine of the current 18 Democrats voted for COPE, let’s hope they have become better informed on the issues of PEG TV, Red-lining and Net Neutrality since then.

See their ‘06 donations at: COPE Scorecard

FCC Approves AT$T-BellSouth Merger and Pink Slips 10,000 Workers

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:50:44 -0500

“I call them the black ninjas. They work by night and are very, very good.”
- past FCC Chairman Bill Kennard explaining telco lobbyists

In a holiday present to Wall Street, the FCC approved the 85 billion dollar AT&T/BellSouth merger. The combined company will have an estimated $100 billion dollars in annual revenue, employ 300,000 people, and control 22 states, including local phone service to 70 million and DSL service for 11 million.

FCC Issues Devastating Video Franchise Ruling in 3-2 Vote

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 09:37:34 -0500

Republican Majority Attack Cities and Loot Community Television Centers Across the Country

On Wednesday Dec. 20th, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted in favor of MB 05-311, adopting "Rules to Ensure Reasonable Franchising Process for New Video Market Entrants." The vote was split on partisan lines with three Republicans voting for and the two Democrats against the new rules. The ruling is expected to be challenged in the courts on numerous fronts since it imposes FCC authority over the existing legislative rights of local governments.