roundtable: Alliance Files on FCC ATV and CT Access Law

roundtable: Alliance Files on FCC ATV & CT Access Law

Alliance Files on FCC ATV & CT Access Law

AllianceCM@aol.com
Wed, 29 Nov 1995 19:39:49 -0500 

Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 19:39:49 -0500
From: AllianceCM@aol.com
Message-Id: <951129193947_120333876@emout05.mail.aol.com>
To: alliance-nw@isu.edu, communet@uvmvm.uvm.edu,
Subject: Alliance Files on FCC ATV & CT Access Law


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 1995	

ADVANCED TELEVISION SHOULD SUPPORT SCHOOLS, CHARITIES, AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS
 SAYS PUBLIC INTEREST MEDIA GROUP

Washington DC -- The Alliance for Community Media, a national membership
organization promoting public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access to
telecommunication networks, has urged in two regulatory filings that advanced
telecommunications services meet the educational, cultural and public affairs
needs of local communities.  

In comments filed yesterday, the Alliance urged the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to require broadcasters to provide financial support for
public, community and educational programming as broadcasters make the
transition to "advanced television" (ATV) signal delivery.  The FCC could do
this, the Alliance stated, by requiring broadcasters to pay market-determined
fees for their use of ATV-allocated spectrum.  The FCC is in the midst of
seeking comment on a proposed rule which would guide the broadcasting
industry's transition to ATV.  ATV would digitalize television transmission
signals, enabling any existing broadcaster to transmit six channels of
programming or other information on a spectrum allocation which currently
permits transmission of only one analog signal.  For instance, in the space
allocated for one signal, a broadcaster could provide two channels of free
broadcast television, two subscription broadcast channels, numerous digital
radio channels and data transmission services simultaneously.

"ATV is the most significant development since the birth of television
itself," stated Barry Forbes, Executive Director of the Alliance, "since it
has the capability of making mass media more responsive to local needs and
non-commercial voices. Digital transmission allows spectrum carrying one
television channel to carry six.  This provides enough room for everyone --
educational and local broadcasters, as well as companies wanting to enter the
broadcast medium. What's incredible is that broadcasters want the FCC to give
them $70 billion worth of spectrum for free, claiming that they will be
developing this new television technology. And now they are demanding
'spectrum  flexibility,'  a  euphemism  for the freedom to use this extra
capacity to engage in more lucrative ventures such as subscription
television, communications services, and data transmission."

In a separate filing made last week with the Connecticut State Department of
Public Utility Control (DPUC), the Alliance urged the DPUC to implement a new
public access support law in a way which guarantees "meaningful access" to
the telecommunication networks by PEG access centers and their users.  The
new state law imposes an annual five-dollar per subscriber tax on all
multichannel video programming distributors, including cable operators, video
dialtone platform operators, direct broadcast satellite providers, wireless
cable providers, and satellite master antenna providers.  The five-dollar
 amount is subject to readjustment every year after factoring in the yearly
Consumer Price Index and assessing community needs.  All proceeds from this
tax will be used to support PEG access programming, facilities and services
in Connecticut communities.

"The message of these filings is that companies using the public spectrum or
public rights-of-way must adequately compensate the owners of those public
resources -- the members of the communities," said Forbes. "However, public,
educational, and government (PEG) access is currently only available to the
members of those communities that have far-sighted governments who fund
community media organizations from franchise fees. The Connecticut approach
provides a good model for the FCC and other states for providing funding and
thereby guaranteeing community access to current and emerging
telecommunications networks."

"The over 1,300 members of the Alliance believe that the First Amendment
protects not only the ability to hear different points of view, but the
ability to express them, and implicitly guarantees the means to express
them," said Forbes. "These filings are meant to ensure everyone's access to
electronic media -- not just the telecommunications industry, but the diverse
communities of America."

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, 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
Kelly Matthews, Director of Member Services
Jeff Hops, Government Relations
Wanda Sheridan, Conference Director
_________________________________________________

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