roundtable: ALLIANCE DEFENDS PEG FROM RBOCS

roundtable: ALLIANCE DEFENDS PEG FROM RBOCS

ALLIANCE DEFENDS PEG FROM RBOCS

AllianceCM@aol.com
Tue, 25 Apr 1995 07:22:21 -0400 

Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 07:22:21 -0400
From: AllianceCM@aol.com
Message-Id: <950425072219_95399051@aol.com>
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: ALLIANCE DEFENDS PEG FROM RBOCS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 1995					

NATIONAL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION VOWS TO FIGHT 
REGIONAL BELL COMPANIES' ATTACK ON PUBLIC, 
EDUCATIONAL AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS PROVISIONS 
IN CONGRESSIONAL BILLS

The Alliance for Community Media today warned that unless local 
communities rallied in support of public, educational, and government 
access on all video services, the Regional Bell Operating Companies 
(RBOC's) would be successful in silencing the churches, schools, civic 
organizations, ethnic groups, chambers of commerce, and other community 
groups on all forms of television-by-wire. "Since the late sixties and 
early seventies, local communities have successfully fought for the 
channels and the financial support to assist them in serving their 
communities through local programming," said Barry Forbes, Executive 
Director of the Alliance for Community Media. "Now, as the result of 
regulations out of sync with technology and the lobbying clout of the 
Bell companies, these local communities may well be economically 
barred from new video wire services -- and denied their traditional 
support from cable TV."

Currently, many municipalities request channels and franchise fees, up 
to 5% of gross cable TV revenues, from cable TV operators who lay cable 
through local public rights of way. Many towns and counties use the 
channels and funds to provide facilities, equipment, training, and 
programming for their citizens. Local public, educational, and 
government (PEG) access is threatened because new transmission 
technologies, such as video dialtone ("VDT") and Direct Broadcast 
Satellite ("DBS"), bypass local franchise authorities.   Under current 
regulations, the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) does not 
require nor allow cable TV competitors to provide PEG access. 

The U.S. Congress is now developing legislation which will have a 
sweeping impact on all forms of electronic media networks. The full 
Senate will soon vote on S. 652, "The Telecom-munications Deregulation 
and Competition Act of 1995." The bill includes amendments by Senator 
John Kerry (D-MA) which grants current PEG access centers reduced rates 
for video dialtone services, and by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) 
which allows some states to impose a "competitive neutrality" fee (in 
accordance with state law) which would be equal to that paid by local 
cable TV operators.

"It's crucial that communities continue to have public access services, 
regardless of whether they're provided by the traditional cable 
companies or the new video services soon to be offered by local phone 
companies," said Senator Kerry. "As we open up the video marketplace to 
competition, we can't forget that the public has a right to use these 
services as well. People fought long and hard during the 1970's and 
1980's to require cable companies to offer public access. I'm glad 
those gains won't be rolled back because of new advances in technology."

However, the passage of S. 652 (with the PEG access and "competitive
neutrality" fee provisions) is not assured. Senate staff members have 
alerted the Alliance that RBOC lobbyists are pressuring them to 
eliminate or weaken these provisions by encouraging Senators to propose 
amendments from the Senate floor. Therefore, the Alliance has embarked 
on a massive grassroots lobbying campaign to mobilize the country's PEG 
access centers and the millions of community groups and citizens who 
depend on this access to reach their communities. An amendment proposed 
by one Regional Bell Company would shift responsibility for PEG access 
provisions onto "programmers offering a broad package of programming" 
rather than on the VDT platform provider. The proposed measure would 
require that the programmer give PEG access a portion of its total 
package of programming comparable to the portion reserved by cable 
operators serving the same geographic area.

"This proposed amendment would be devastating to PEG access and the
communities they serve fro two reasons," said Forbes. "First, the 
RBOC's assume that programming will be 'packaged' by two or three 
major programmers.  More likely,  the market  will be dominated by 
many targeted programmers -- who will not be required to offer PEG 
access at reduced rates. Second, the 'incremental cost' will be much 
higher from the 'packager' that from the platform provider."

Forbes said that the stakes for PEG access are high. "Without 
provisions for some kind of financial support and channel capacity from 
the providers of VDT, PEG access will not be included in this format. 
Also, if VDT providers avoid any kind of local fee for using local 
public rights of way, their competitors the local cable TV operators 
may also be successful in challenging their own obligation of paying 
franchise fees -- the lifeblood of PEG access centers." 

The Alliance has targeted the first week of May to launch its 
grassroots campaign, since this is the time when the Senate is 
expected to consider S.652. The House Commerce Committee is likely to 
unveil the first draft of their version of the telecommunications bill 
at the same time. 

Forbes credited past Alliance successes to previous grassroots 
campaigns.  "We have proven to members of Congress that we can turn 
out energized grassroots support from both PEG access centers and the 
community groups they serve. Once again, Congress will hear from 
churches, charities, Chambers of Commerce, local and state government 
officials, public schools and universities, libraries, Little Leagues, 
Rotary Clubs, and United Way agencies. And the voice of the people who 
are already using part of one lane of the 'information superhighway' 
will not be stilled until we have guaranteed their access to all forms 
of electronic media."

The Alliance for Community Media is a national, non-profit membership
organization committed to assuring everyone's access to electronic 
media.  The Alliance accomplishes this by disseminating public 
information, advancing a positive legislative and regulatory 
environment, building coalitions, and supporting local organizing. 
Founded in 1976, the Alliance represents the interests of over 950 
public, educational and governmental ("PEG") access organizations and 
local origination cable services throughout the country. The Alliance 
also represents the interests of local religious, community, charitable 
and other organizations throughout the country who utilize PEG access 
channels and facilities to speak to their memberships and their larger 
communities.

-- 30 --
_________________________________________________

Alliance for Community Media
666 11th Street, NW, Suite 806
Washington, DC 20001-4542
Voice:	(202) 393-2650
Fax:		(202) 393-2653
E-mail:	AllianceCM @ aol.com

"Ensuring everyone's access to electronic media
since 1976."

Barry Forbes, Executive Director

"Do what's right. Do it right. Do it right now."
_________________________________________________

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