Congressional Hearing highlights PEG Access
Subcommittee members call industry to task

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On January 29, 2008, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing of its Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet entitled, "Public Education, and Governmental (PEG) Services in the digital TV age."

 

Testifying at the hearing were the Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Annie Folger of Midpeninsula Community Media Center in Palo Alto, California, and representatives of Comcast and AT&T.

 

Annie Folger itemized the harms that PEG centers are encountering from bad state laws and other problems.

 

Rep. Charles Gonzales, a Democrat from AT&T's hometown of San Antonio, Texas, said, “The real question comes down to is this a technological challenge or is it really a business decision?”

 

Annie Folger strongly countered that AT&T has made the business decision to install PEG at a quality standard that is sub par and not equivalent to commercial channels. Folger’s testimony reinforces that point.

 

For testimony on PEG from the Telecom Subcommittee hearing, click here.

 

 

Illinois Supports Public Access

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On Saturday, June 30, 2007, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich approved SB 678, signing the telecommunications bill into law as Public Act 95-0009, The Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007.

The original telecommunications bill (formerly HB 1500 and SB 678) threatened public, educational and government (PEG) access TV centers like CAN TV. The revised bill (PA 95-0009) does no harm to PEG access TV centers.

Click here to view Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Satter's speech about PA 95-0009.

 

For details and documents on PA 95-0009
(formerly HB1500 and SB678)

 

 

The FCC Endangers Public Access

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In March of 2007, the FCC passed an order that is harmful to PEG Access by restricting its funding and channel capacity.

On Halloween, the FCC extended its attack on PEG by allowing cable companies to get out of obligations made with local governments for support of this important resource.  CAN TV is supporting an effort to fight these regressive measures in court through Alliance for Communications Democracy.

 

For more read FCC Creates a Climate of Chaos over Video Franchising.

 

For more on the FCC and the fight to save public access click here.