What's New?

March 5, 2010 We have a companion Senate bill for AB 721!!!!! The bill, SB582, was introduced by our friends Senators Vinehout, Robson, Miller and Risser and is currently in Senator Risser's, the Committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations. On the Assembly side, Rep. Berceau is set to vote on AB721 in her committee, Committee on Urban and Public Affairs. Both committees are very favorable for us! So it means we are very likely heading to a floor vote! WOW!

March 3, 2010

WHY (unless we pass AB721) IS COMMUNITY TELEVISION GOING AWAY IN WISCONSIN?
Federal law established that community television is a public interest obligation cable companies must meet. Municipal franchise authorities were allowed to require “adequate” support for community television. However, the State of Wisconsin, as the new “statewide local franchise authority” no longer requires cable companies to “adequately” fund community television and not only ended dedicated funding by passing Act 42 in 2007, it also increased expenses and allowed cable operators to make cable subscribers pay more to see PEG channels or suffer through inherent problems with signal quality where they have been placed. If the State does not change this law, community television stations will begin going dark in 2011.

Before Act 42 (Video Competition Act) After Act 42 (If AB 721 DOES NOT PASS)
City common councils could vote to add a user fee called a PEG fee to cable bills to help with video equipment expenses. The fee is limited to 1% of cable gross revenues or to about 60 cents per subscriber per month. LOWER REVENUE: Beginning January 1, 2011, property taxpayers must pay for all PEG-related equipment, rather than cable subscribers through a user fee called a PEG fee.
Cable companies would pay for transmission equipment and lines leading to local origination sites. HIGHER EXPENSES: Wisconsin taxpayers will have to pay for transmission equipment and any new lines for cable companies.
100% of cable subscribers could see PEG on the basic tier. REDUCED VISIBILITY ON THE LINE-UP. Wisconsin taxpayers who are cable subscribers will need to buy more expensive cable service to see the local PEG channels. Cable operators can place them on the more expensive digital tier; AT&T does not even give PEG a “channel”, but rather carries it on a multi-levele website on channel 99.
echnical requirements were enforceable by municipalities. NO ENFORCEMENT OF SIGNAL QUALITY. Taxpayers will have no recourse when their PEG channel comes in poorly.

February 24, 2010 - The public hearing was wonderful! We had so many people there in support of PEG and the comments were great. The committee asked great questions. Wisconsin Eye covered it live -- all 3 1/2 hours of it, apparently! Thanks for all of your contributions, the letters and e-mails and calls you made to make this so successful! Yea Team PEG!

February 23, 2010 - The public hearing on AB 721 could start as early as 12:30 pm tomorrow in room 400 North East at the State Capitol. If you decide to speak, keep your remarks to about two minutes in length. It's good to have a paper copy of your remarks which will help you use your time effectively and if you have about 15 extra copies, you can share them with the 9 committee members. You can submit a written statement instead of or in addition to speaking. Or you may send a written statement in advance of the public hearing to the clerk of the committee, Traci.Peloquin2@legis.wisconsin.gov and she will see that the members get copies.

February 19, 2010 -An ally in the legislative struggles for access TV, Cynthia Laitman, passed away today. In 2007, her TeleTruth organization stood up for community interests against astro-turf industry front groups like TV4Us. If her health had permitted, she would be advocating for the public interest in favor of AB 721 and AB 606. We mourn her passing.

February 18, 2010 - A public hearing on the Save Our PEGs bill (AB 721) is planned for Wednesday, February 24. Plan to come to the Capitol in Madison speak your mind to the Legislature!

February 4, 2010 - These Wisconsin communities have passed a resolution in favor of AB606 (the Cable Consumer Repair Bill) and/or LRB 3996 (the Save Our PEGs Bill)! They recognize the importance of media access for their public, their schools and their local government bodies:

  • Columbus
  • De Pere
  • Eau Claire
  • Hartford
  • Hudson
  • Oak Creek
  • Rice Lake
  • Sturgeon Bay
  • Sun Prairie
  • Watertown

January 29, 2010 - Representative Gary Hebl, sponsor of the Cable Consumer Repair Bill (AB606), has introduced a lighter-weight bill to cover public, educational and government access channels issues only. This bill has a much better chance of passage this session, which is fast coming to an end. The last floor session is at the end of April, possibly May. It is EXTREMELY important that everyone contact their legislator and ask them to co-sponsor. See the "In the Spotlight" area at right for a link to more information on the "Save Our PEGs Bill."

The League of Women Voters has registered in favor of AB606. The Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups (who registered FOR the Video Competition Bill last time) has indicated it will register in favor of AB606 too!

WAUSAU AREA ACCESS CHANNELS

Will we be saying good-bye at the end of January? The Wausau access channel needs to raise $7,000 for February and $7,000 for March to keep afloat. Charter Communications has not paid PEG fees for two years. The City of Wausau made up the difference, but a budget crisis is prompting them to stop after January 31, 2010. WAAC used PEG fees for 60% of its budget. I am hoping that the City will choose to continue supporting public access with it's share of the cost of access -- the 40%. See the "News" section at right or go to the News page for more on the plight of access television in Wausau.

WYOU (Madison)

WYOU is also struggling this year with a 50% drop in PEG fees from the City of Madison. This station has been trying to raise funds with a variety of public campaigns. Public access stations are going to be hit hardest if PEG fees end, because they are frequently being supported primarily with PEG fees.

Dodgeville

Access television in Dodgeville has seen a huge cut in funding from $30,000 to $5,000. The City chose to end all support except for $5,000 because of budget woes. Located in the schools, Dodgeville has in-kind support, but has had to cut back severely on all but the most limited services.

Come to one of these public listening sessions

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010 1 PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010 2:30 PM
ST. NORBERT COLLEGE
MULVA LIBRARY PRESENTATION ROOM		 CITY OF OAK CREEK COUNCIL CHAMBERS
3rd Street
De Pere, Wisconsin

 8640 S. Howell Avenue
Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Speakers include:

Rich Pearson - Vice-President Communication Workers of America (CWA), Local 4603, Milwaukee (Oak Creek only)

Rob Boelk - President, CWA Local 4622, Oshkosh

Dr. Barry Orton - UW-Madison (Oak Creek only)

Just Added!
James Godlewski - City Attorney, City of Neenah (De Pere only)

Just Added!
Ellen Totzke - City Attorney, City of Appleton (De Pere only)

Mary Cardona - Executive Director, Wisconsin Association of PEG Channels

Gary Goyke - Former state senator

It has been two years since the Video Competition Bill became law amidst a barrage of TV-4-US ads and one of the most intense lobbying efforts the legislature has ever seen. Bill backers promised consumers lower rates, cable competition, more jobs for union workers, and the preservation of community access television stations.

Have those promises been kept?

Mounting evidence says NO:

A Legislative Audit Bureau Study says cable rates are skyrocketing.

Just before Christmas, AT&T announced another 52 union workers are losing their jobs.

Wausau Community Television is on the brink of closing its doors because of the loss of funding from Charter Communications.

So what can be done?

The Cable Consumer Repair Bill (AB606), introduced by Rep. Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie) and Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) with 29 co-sponsors, would strengthen the hand of consumers, ensure residents get to keep their community access (PEG) television stations, and expand video and broadband roll-out to more of Wisconsin, providing jobs for union workers.

Join in a lively discussion with invited area legislators or their representatives, non-profit organizations, city leaders, community television advocates and our guest speakers.

Sponsored by:

Representative Gary Hebl
Wisconsin Association of PEG Channels
League of Wisconsin Municipalities
Wisconsin Alliance of Cities
Communication Workers of America Locals 4603 (Milwaukee) and 4622 (Oshkosh, Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac)

For more information contact:

Mary Cardona, WAPC, 608-215-5594 wapc@tds.net