ACM ADVOCACY REPORT

Where Does The Alliance’s Agenda Stand?What Can, And Should, You Be Doing?

Gerry LedererACM Advocate

MY P.E.G.

Remember these faces when you fill out your evaluations.

You’re Not Alone

Understanding Decision Making at All Levels of Government

• Power Comes From Three Sources: Money Information Ability to Reach an Audience

• Every Policy Decision is a Risk/Reward Calculation

Advocacy Agenda

Hill• CAP Act

Co-sponsors in House Champion in Senate

• Pressure on FCC to act on ACM petition

States• Mass, NJ, & Idaho

FCC• ACM Peg Petition

(30 months and counting)

• 14th Annual Video Competition – Comments filed 6/8

• USF eligibility for PEG Centers – Comments were filed 5/21

60% of States Cut PEG Support

5 States zero out PEG Support

5 States require provider to match Incumbent until franchisehas expired or 2012, whichever is sooner.7 States require state franchisee to match incumbent orprovide set percentage in support.2 states provide support in a new format that cannot fit inneat description.

Failure of Benefits: Consumer Satisfaction

• Ninety eight percent (98%) of local regulators in state franchise states when surveyed disagreed with the statement “Customer service is working better now than it was before the implementation of state franchising.”

Source: NATOA98% Disagree 2% Agree

I D

AZ

UT

MT

W Y

NM

CO

AL

FL

SC

TN

KY

I NOH

NC

S D

K S

NE

MN

W I

I A

I L

MO

AR

MS

OK

ND

OR

CA NV

W A

TX

PA

ME

VA

NY CT

W V

MDNJ

VTNHMA

DE

RI

LEGENDState w/ Franchising LawLocal Franchising -L egislation U nderC onsiderationLocal Franchising - N o A ctive Legislation

Last updated 9 / 15/ 08

HI

LA

MI

GA

AK

State Franchising Status today –Majority Preserve Local Franchise

ALLIANCE AGENDA AT FCC

• Comcast Merger• PEG Petition• Future of Media• Video Competition• Eligibility of PEG

centers as anchor institutions for universal service.

2011 COMMUNITY ACCESS PRESERVATION ACT 

112TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1746___________________________________

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish signal quality and content requirements for the carriage of public, educational, and governmental channels, to preserve support of such channels, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMAY 5, 2011

Ms. BALDWIN (for herself and Mr. LATOURETTE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

___________________________________

2011 CAP ACT

PROBLEM• Cable Act Unnecessary Limits on the Use of PEG funds.

SOLUTION• Bill amends the Act to ensure that PEG fees

can be used for any PEG purpose, i.e. money can be spent for operating as well as capital.

2011 CAP ACT

PROBLEM(s)

• Discriminatory Treatment of PEG channels

SOLUTIONS• Bill amends the Act to ensure

PEG programming is transmitted without “material degradation and without

altering or removing content or data” and

such signals shall be viewable “by, every subscriber of the cable system without additional service or equipment charges…”

No fee for connection.

2011 CAP ACT

PROBLEM

• Loss of PEG Support and Localism

SOLUTION• Cable operator must

provide greater of: 2% of gross

revenues; Historical support

received (i.e. prior to the state franchise) or

State franchise financial obligations.

2011 CAP ACT

Problem

• Loss Of PEG Channels

Solution

• Cable Operator must provide number of channels in place day before state law was passed. If none on that day, then up to 3 channels at request of locals.

CAP ACT

Problem• Operators claiming

they are video providers, not cable and therefore not subject to PEG obligations

Solution• Act is amended to

ensure providers using wired facilities in the rights of way are treated similarly and are subject to similar PEG requirements.

CALENDAR

• Congress is scheduled to be home from August 8 to September 8 September 26 – 30 October 17- 21 November 7- 11 November 21 – 30 December 9 – January

Hill Day & Voter Voice

• “Hill Fly In” Advocacy Day.• Voter Voice

Please watch your mail and ACM’s Facebook page for more details.

MY P.E.G.

Remember these faces when you fill out your evaluations.