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from: As Ohio Goes

Ohio Senate Bill SB 117
CZawadzki's http://www.asohiogoes.com

The Ohio House of Representatives’ public utilities committee will be holding another hearing on Senate Bill SB 117 on Wednesday, June 6,at
11a.m.

Ohio Senate Bill SB 117 threatens to undermine public, educational and government access television (PEG) throughout the state of Ohio. Established in the early years of cable television, public access provides the opportunity for average citizens to produce and broadcast their own TV shows, an extension of First Amendment free-speech rights. Cable access channels are a vital part of our democracy, allowing citizens to communicate directly with one another without mediation by the dominant corporate media. AT&T’s bill is threatening this essential part of our democracy.

from: Cincinnati Post

Critics oppose cable TV bill
Associated Press

COLUMBUS - A bill that would rewrite the rules governing cable television franchises in Ohio and help telecommunications giant AT&T Inc. enter the video market threatens to wipe out local public access channels, critics say.

Note: We have heard similar reports from other states considering video franchise legislation. It seems the best way to get legislators to change their vote is to misinform them at the last minute. We hope our elected officials will read the fine print of these telco bills before signing off on them.

The day that SB 117 passed in the Senate I was at the statehouse and here are a couple of the things I noticed:

from: Beacon Journal

Cable competition bill a threat to local programming, critics say
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A bill that would rewrite the rules governing cable television franchises in Ohio and help telecommunications giant AT&T Inc. enter the video market threatens to wipe out local public access channels, critics say.

from: Columbus Dispatch

Public TV could be jeopardized, critics say

Sunday, June 3, 2007 6:29 AM
By Alan Johnson
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Fun with Grapes could be crushed, Your Mortgage Matters might not matter and the morning Traffic Watch could be stop and go.

from: The Columbus Dispatch

Bill Would Mean Lots of Money for Giants: AT&T, Time Warner Unite to Push Lawmakers

By Alan Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

Jun. 3--A proposed state law expanding Ohioans' cable-video service options stretches 29 pages. But it can be summarized in just two words: big bucks.

from: Keep Access Alive

Last Updated 5/31/07
Ohio Senate Bill 117 Update

The House Public Utilities Committee held a hearing on SB 117 on Wednesday, May 30th at 11am.

Various industry representatives spoke in favor of the bill by attacking the value of programming seen on PEG access.

Included in their presentation was a video clip of programming that they claimed was objectionable and could only be seen on PEG access. However they failed to show or address the many channels of objectionable programming available on their own systems.

from: Progress Ohio

Netroots First News: HOUSE IMPEDES PUBLIC ACCESS TO TESTIFY ON CABLE BILL
By Dave Harding - Jun 1st, 2007 at 2:16 pm EDT

Rules show bias toward public input on public utility issues

A contentious bill that would weaken long-standing consumer protections and limit local oversight of cable TV providers just got more contentious when the Chair of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee created rules that impede public testimony on the bill.

from: Callahan's Cleveland Diary

Cable association shows porn at SB 117 hearing

The “news” at the second House Public Utilities Committee hearing on Senate Bill 117 was the cable industry’s outright endorsement of the bill.

from: Common Cause

Ohio Senate Bill 117 is not "TV4US"

By Sibley Arnebeck
Posted on Tue May 29, 2007 at 09:33:56 AM EST

SB 117, Ohio's "state video franchising reform" bill is yet another business friendly scheme borrowed from Michigan. A previous effort was the successful "buying" of (through illegally funded "issue ads") a business friendly supreme court. This time telco giants are spending large amounts of money through their phony "astroturf" front groups to advertise and lobby to "buy" legislation favorable to their shareholders, with no regard for their obligation to provide diversity of information and service to all of the people.