Help us foster economic development and support of Community Media Centers and PEG Channels!
As many of you know, last session the State Legislature passed a law which allows cable and phone companies to avoid many of the public service requirements that have existed for over 30 years. Those requirements mainly have to do with channel space and support for Community Media Centers, like The Peoples Channel, and Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Access channels. The bill has turned out to be a very serious blow to local governments and nonprofits like us. Many of us concerned with the legislation worked together to produce a new piece of legislation that would remedy two major problems with the bill: funding for Community Media Center and PEG channels, and deployment of broadband to rural and economically distressed communities.
The bill, S-1068 moved along quickly in the Senate and is now on the House side, but there is a fear that they won’t take it on before the session ends or at all. I haven’t given a call to action thus far because we thought this bill would have no problems and I know you all have busy lives. However, I really need you to make calls TOMORROW and WEDNESDAY.
This could mean a difference of The Peoples Channel having a budget of $9,000 a year, or $200,000 a year. This is very serious! It is especially important if you have Rep. Luebke (Durham) or Speaker Hackney (Orange County) in your district. These are two very powerful and very important representatives that we have to make sure we communicate with.
Below you will find very simple script that you can read word for word. You don’t have to be an expert to let your reps know that you care about TPC and its future. If they ask tough questions you don’t know how to answer, tell them you’d be happy to put them in touch with myself, who helped to author the bill.
Please don’t let the telecom corporations take away funding for The Peoples Channel and please forward this message widely!
Script:
I am calling to urge you to support S-1068.
S-1068 ensures that revenue from the statewide video franchise law that passed last summer is returned to local governments to support two things:
1. Broadband buildout for rural and low-income communities
2. Community Media Centers (derived from PEG Channels) to provide digital
media training for our young people and small-business incubation for our
digital entrepreneurs.
Both of the above were overlooked and underfunded in the video franchise law last summer. S-1068 corrects these oversights.
Many thanks for your support of S-1068 and for ensuring a stronger digital media economy in North Carolina.
Thank you all so much and let me know if you have any questions! I also have more information on the web site: http://thepeopleschannel.org/takeaction.htm
Let’s swamp their offices with messages, voicemails and emails!
Chad Johnston
Read below for a little history
of the legislation...
Last NC Legislative session, the Video Service Competition Act was passed. Check out this link for a little history: http://www.freepress.net/defendlocalaccess/=NC
Many of us working for the public interest were able to get some concessions in the bill, but one of the (many) problems was regarding funding for PEG channels. The research division assumed that there were close to 36 PEG channels operating in the state of NC and based the funding levels (2 million - $25,000 for each channel) on that number…well…turns out they were a little off the mark.
Last we've heard, a little over 200 channels had been certified for funding…that would only leave a couple of thousand dollars for each channel. Well, with the help of Senator Dalton and others, we have introduced a new bill which would increase funding for PEG Channels and Community Media Centers. This bill would greatly benefit the state and would help foster the growth of Community Media Centers throughout NC and here in Orange County.
Please tell your NC representatives to pass Senate Bill 1068!
Here are some basic talking points:
* This bill is necessary because the Video Service Competition Act eliminated local video franchise negotiations -- the only tool for local governments to obtain funding for Community Media Centers built around public, education and government (PEG) access channels.
* In the Digital Media Age, Community Media Centers (CMCs) are essential engines of economic development, job training and small business incubation, especially in North Carolina communities currently not benefiting from technology-driven economic development in and around the Research Triangle.
* With Google's purchase of YouTube and plans to build a major server farm in Lenoir, this amendment to fund CMCs would position North Carolina as a national leader in digital media production.
* With statewide video franchise laws being passed in nearly all states, North Carolina will be the first state to ensure the growth of CMCs by appropriating a portion of video franchise revenues for community-based digital media production.