[Imc] Cable TV Fwd: ACTION ALERT

[Paul Riismandel]

>Delivered-To: mediageek-org-paul at MEDIAGEEK.ORG
>X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)
>Approved-By:  Rachel Anderson <rachel at BENTON.ORG>
>Date:         Tue, 27 Nov 2001 16:53:51 -0500
>Reply-To: Rachel Anderson <rachel at benton.org>
>Sender: The Benton Communications Policy Mailing List
>               <BENTON-COMPOLICY at OWA.BENTON.ORG>
>From: Rachel Anderson <rachel at benton.org>
>Subject:      ACTION ALERT
>Comments: To: "UPFORGRABS-L at OWA.BENTON.ORG" <UPFORGRABS-L at OWA.BENTON.ORG>
>To: BENTON-COMPOLICY at OWA.BENTON.ORG
>
>--Please respond to Harold Feld (hfeld at mediaaccess.org).--
>
>
>INDEPENDENT PROGRAMMERS: "HORROR STORIES" NEEDED!
>
>Has the Cable Industry Discriminated Against You?
>
>The FCC has opened a proceeding to reexamine how many cable systems any one
>company may be allowed to own.  Unless a case is made for strong
>limitations, the nation may be left with two companies operating most of our
>nation=s cable systems, thereby making it even harder for independent
>programmers to obtain distribution.
>
>Media Access Project needs your help keep programming open to independents.
>
>The 1992 Cable Act requires the FCC to set a limit on how many cable systems
>a single company could own.  Congress reasoned that if only a few companies
>owned all the cable systems in the United States, these companies would
>become Amedia gatekeepers,@ controlling what Americans can hear, see and
>say.
>
>Although the law is now 9 years old, it has not been enforced.  Although the
>FCC finally issued rules capping ownership at 30 per cent of the nation=s
>homes, a federal court threw them out, purportedly because the FCC did not
>have enough evidence to justify the 30 per cent limit.  (Never mind that
>when the law was passed, the largest cable company controlled less than 25%
>percent of the cable systems, and the top ten companies controlled less than
>50% of the cable systems.  Today, AT&T owns all or part of about half of the
>cable systems and AOL/Time has about 30 per cent.)
>
>MAP needs to collect proof that will satisfy the FCC.  It needs Ahorror
>stories@ from programmers, particularly where you have dealt with one of the
>larger cable companies, or where a local cable company started acting
>different after a larger company bought it.  MAP can keep information
>confidential, if you so request.  MAP is especially interested in hearing
>from independent content producers, those using public access channels, and
>local franchising authorities.
>
>The FCC has set a deadline of January 4, 2002, for comments.  So that we may
>include your experiences can be in the comments, please send your stories by
>December 16, 2001.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Please send questions or information to:
>Harold Feld, Associate Director
>Media Access Project
>950 18th St. NW, Suite 220
>Washington, DC 20006
>Tel: 202-232-4300
>Fax: 202-466-7656
>email: hfeld at mediaaccess.org