roundtable: MINUTES TPR 4-4-95 MEETING

roundtable: MINUTES TPR 4/4/95 MEETING

MINUTES TPR 4/4/95 MEETING

Center for Media Education (cme@access.digex.net)
Thu, 13 Apr 1995 19:04:31 -0400 (EDT) 

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 1995 19:04:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Center for Media Education <cme@access.digex.net>
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: MINUTES TPR 4/4/95 MEETING
Message-Id: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950413185758.11604A@access3.digex.net>


		Telecommunications Policy Roundtable
			  Draft Minutes
		   April 4, 1995 General Meeting
			  Washington, DC

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meeting was chaired by Ann Beeson of the American Civil Liberties Union.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L E G I S L A T I V E   U P D A T E

ANDREW BLAU of the Benton Foundation stated that Sen. Pressler's S. 652 
was reported out of committee the last week in March.  Blau noted 
pressure from Senate leadership to take the bill up before recess on 
April 7th.  (Note:  Blau reported later that due to concerns raised by 
the administration and other unresolved issues, Senate leaders decided 
to delay further action on S. 652 until after Congress returns from 
spring break.  Blau noted the possibility that the bill may be referred 
to the Judiciary Committee for hearings before it is taken up before the 
full Senate.) 

DAVID BANISAR of the Electronic Privacy Information Center described 
the modified Exon/Gorton bill S. 314 (the "Communications Decency Act") 
amended to the Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 
1995.  The bill, opposed by some on First Amendment grounds, bans 
"filthy, indecent, and obscene"messages/images on advanced 
telecommunications systems.  Banisar reported that originally, online 
service providers would be held responsible for the decency of the 
messages/images they transmitted.  In the revised bill a number of 
defenses are available to online service providers.  However, it is 
unclear how those defenses will actually work.

ANN BEESON circulated a "Cyber Liberties Alert" describing the ACLU's 
continued opposition to the bill on First Amendment grounds.  While 
the bill may eventually release online service providers from liability, 
individual "users are still very much at risk of both massive fines and 
imprisonment."  Beeson asked that TPR members contact the Senate Commerce 
Committee and their own senators with comments on the amendment.

Banisar continued, stating that the provision banning anonymous, 
annoying, or harassing messages on advanced telecommunications systems 
had also been struck from the bill.  Such provisions were part of an 
attempt to ban "electronic stalking", or targeted online harassment.  In 
the House, Rep. Mfume has introduced HR 112, the "Electronic Stalking 
Act," which is similar to the Exon bill's ban on harassing speech.  
However, the bill is not expected to be included in House legislation.  
For more information, contact the Electronic Privacy Information Center 
at INFO@EPIC.ORG

JILL LESSER of the Civic Media Project reported on an amendment to 
S.652 dealingwith community access to advanced telecommunications 
networks.  Introduced by Senators Snowe and Rockefeller, the provision 
grants incremental cost-based rates to rural health care providers, 
elementary and secondary schools, and libraries.  Lesser is working to 
make the bill more inclusive of other nonprofit and community groups.   

JEFF HOPS of the Alliance for Community Media reported that a public, 
educational, and governmental (PEG) access provision introduced by Sen. 
Kerry (D-MA) was passed as an amendment to S.652.  (Note: Currently, 
cable operators can be required through their franchise agreements to 
provide public access to their networks.  The franchise fees paid by 
cable operators are the primary support for public, educational, and 
governmental access equipment, services, and facilities.)  

The recently approved amendment would ensure low-cost access to "video 
dialtone"channel capacity for PEG centers.  While pleased by the 
amendment, the Alliance noted that it does not provide access equivalent 
to current access in cable television.  The Alliance has also voiced 
support for an amendment proposed by Sen. Hutchinson (R-TX) requiring 
video dialtone providers to pay fees proportional to those paid currently 
by cable operators.  The Alliance believes the provision "would level the 
playing field between cable and VDT operators, and ensure that states and 
localities receive fair compensation for use of their rights of way."  
Hops of the Alliance noted, "We see the possibility that PEG centers 
could be the `camel's nose in the tent' for public access to a whole 
range of public access telecommunications services on video platforms." 

Lesser then described the effort to attach anti-redlining provisions to 
S.652.  The provisions, which would require advanced telecommunications 
providers to deploy their systems in an affordable and equitable way, 
would prevent the exclusion of low income, rural, and other 
disenfranchised populations on developing information networks.  Sen. 
Lott supported the amendment once "race" was struck (removing traces of 
what Lott considered affirmative action).  However, Sen. Hollings 
opposed and tabled the amendment.     

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
R E G U L A T O R Y   M O R A T O R I U M

As part of the Contract with America, Republicans have introduced 
legislation affecting the actions of regulatory agencies.  The House 
has passed a bill which would allow a freeze to be placed on policies 
enacted by regulatory bodies.  The Senate bill, still in deliberation, 
would allow any one senator to bring up for re-vote any agency 
regulation he or she chooses.  A further update on this will be given 
at the May meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
F C C   A N D   C H I L D R E N 'S    T E L E V I S I O N

JEFF CHESTER  of the Center for Media Education, reported on the FCC's 
upcoming action on the Children's Television Act of 1990.  The Center, 
along with a national coalition of child advocacy groups, filed comments 
with the FCC asking that it revamp its enforcement of the Act.  CME 
requested that the FCC a.) require broadcasters to air an hour a day of 
educational programming; b.) redefine what it considers educational 
programming; and c.) mandate that only regularly scheduled, program 
length shows on between 7AM and 10PM count towards compliance with the 
Act.  (Note: Since the TPR meeting, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking regarding children's television and is now seeking public 
comment.  FCC Commissioners have proposed:  requiring broadcasters to 
air 3 hours per week of educational programs - 2 hours of which a 
broadcaster could pay another station in its market to air; creating a 
processing guideline; or taking no further regulatory action.  Contact 
Christine Viera, Campaign Director, at CME for more information. 
(Tel: 202-628-2620/Fax: 202-628-2554/CME@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
C U T S   T O   P U B L I C   B R O A D C A S T I N G

ANDREW KENNEDY of the Citizen's Committee for Public Broadcasting (CCPB), 
a nonprofit group working to sustain funding to public broadcasting, 
called on the TPR for comments and support.  Kennedy cited the need to 
more formally organize listeners and viewers in the debate over funding 
for public broadcasting and explained CCPB's goal of involving more of 
these third party individuals in its defense.  The group circulated a 
letter to the TPR which asks for individual and organizational support.  
For more information on the Citizen's Committee, contact Andrew Kennedy 
or John Melby at (202) 463-0020 or CCPB@ESSENTIAL.ORG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T I I A P

ANDREW BLAU of the Benton Foundation briefed the TPR on budget cuts to 
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's 
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program 
(TIIAP).  TIIAP is a funding mechanism for innovative noncommercial 
uses of telecommunications technologies. In 1994, the program granted 
approximately 24 million dollars to 92 nonprofit organizations.  

Congress is currently considering two bills that, when taken together, 
could reduce TIIAP funding to zero.  According to Blau, HR 889 (a 
supplemental appropriations bill for the Department of Defense) 
originally proposed 34 million in cuts.  In Senate conference committee, 
however, the cut was reduced to 15 million.  The President has since 
agreed to and signed that bill.  

HR 1158, a domestic recisions package, is currently on the Senate 
floor.  The version that passed in the house included 30 million in 
cuts to TIIAP.  Since the TPR meeting, the Senate passed its version 
of the domestic recisions bill with no cuts to TIIAP.  The final figure 
for the domestic recisions cuts will be worked out in conference 
committee after the recess.  Thus, the final figure for TIIAP funding 
will be 15 million, plus whatever is worked out in the domestic 
recision bill.

For more information, see the Benton Foundation's World Wide Web page:  
http://cdinet.com/Benton or BENTON@BENTON.ORG

BRIAN HARRIS of the NTIA stated that for 1995 funding, TIIAP has 
received more than 4,000 letters of intent.  The NTIA expects 
2,500-3,000 applications.  Harris announced that the NTIA is seeking 
proposal evaluators to review approximately 25 applications each.  
Interested parties may send resume and cover letter to Brian Harris 
at HARRIS@NTIA.DOC.GOV or by regular mail to Brian Harris/NTIA - 
TIIAP/U.S. Department of Commerce/14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Room #6043/Washington, DC  20230.  Harris cautioned that reviewers 
must meet strict conflict of interest rules in order to be eligible.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 PM.

The next meeting of the Roundtable will take place Tuesday, May 2 from 
12-2PM.  Location TBA.  

Respectfully submitted,

Emily Littleton
TPR Secretary
CME@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET or EMILYL@CAP.GWU.EDU

[CNI Home Page]