Agenda Packets - 1994/07/25 - Laserfiche WebLink

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--::`{r.!'-.'''..4,:-- 7:414:,i;-..1;-----,3._Yi C� /Sveeitder‘7991 ¢$ 67' Peira , �eleiait :sl tio/t 4' m ti 4�ol�ee'ado' access ��, - /row is tie tiore to /66 our G4 Y. cfe ra tol aidRelotwefftatiefre�� ow is the time for all good community producers and same thing. volunteers to come to the aid of public access!!! If Sample letters were included in the S. 2195 mailing to you believe in the concept of public access and you community producers and volunteers. We have also put the want to preserve not just channel capacity for your program- letters on disk here if you want to use our computers to write ming,but the equipment and facilities to produce it,then you your letters, and we have post cards you can send. must act immediately. S. 2195 is the only legislation that This legislation is expected to move this summer,possi- specifically requires telecommunications providers—whether bly in July, so please don't wait. cable or telephone company — to set aside capacity and A bit of good news....The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in funding support for public use of their networks. Unless late in June on a case brought by Turner Broadcasting against Senators Durenberger and Wellstone hear from you, how- the F.C.C. on the "must carry"rules. In a key decision, the ever,and not from those of us whose salaries are paid by the Court upheld the right of the government to regulate cable access facility, this bill is dead in the water. companies. The cable industry has long argued that it should The U.S. House of Representaties has already passed a have the same First Amendment rights to freedom of speech bill, H.R. 3636, that would eliminate franchises for cable that are enjoyed by newspapers. If that position had prevailed, companies. Right now,the only reason that public access or franchises and public access requirements would be consid- any other community channels exist is because they have ered unconstitutional. been required in a cable franchise. So,if cable franchises are The Court instead ruled that cable companies are more invalidated by federal law, the requirement that a company like broadcasters, using a limited public resource to transmit provide community access will also be invalidated unless their message. In the case of broadcasters,the resource is the another federal law, like that proposed in S. 2195, re-estab- electronic spectrum; in the case of cable companies, the lishes the requirement. resource is the public rights-of-way. Therefore, the govern- Here's what we think will happen. If enough community ment has a legiti- support from people like you is generated for S. 2195, it will mate obligation to //�� / p likely be amended to S. 1822, the Senate companion bill to promulgate regula- (io7tactt.LPse J H.R. 3636. Although it is considered a companion bill, S. tions to manage the p 1822 is actually more favorable to cities on the issue of resource in the pub- crCirato/€1S'OW/ franchising. If S. 1822 is approved by the Senate, then a lic interest that Conference Committee composed of members of the House supercedes the cable Senator154 Dave DurenbergBr and Senate will be formed to negotiateW a compromise between companies'freedom Russ on Senate 20510e Bldg. H.R. 3636 and S. 1822. The stronger the support for the of speech. Washington D.C., (202) 224-3244 language in S. 2195, the more likely it is to survive the The decision conference committee process. does not give the Senator Paul Wellstone Unfortunately, members of the Minnesota delegation government at an y have told us that they haven't heard from anyone other than level the authorityto 717 HartnSenate Office20Bldg. staff persons on this issue. For this effort to be successful,they establish anyregu- Washington D.C., 20510 have to hear from you. What should you do? ont g (202) 224-5641 1. Call or write Senators Wellstone and Durenberger and rules must be tied wants. The ask them to support S.2195. Suggest that they sign on as a co- the public interest. It 722 Senator Daniel OfficeKInouye sponsor. Tell them how you have used public access and/or does, however, af- Washington2 Hart Senate 20Bldg. how it has benefitted you or your organization. D.C., 20510 b firm the concept of 2. Write to Senators Inouye and Hollings. Tell them you regulation of cable support S.2195 and,again,explain how you have used public companies in gen- Senator125 Earnest Hollings access and/or how it has benefitted you or your organization. eral. Washington RusselSenate 20510Offie Bldg. 3. Call or write your U.S.Representative and tell them the D.C., —Coralie Wilson 7 :