| THE TRUTH BEHIND PENDING LEGISLATION IN MASSACHUSETTS BILL HB3385 & S01987 |
Under the guise of "increased competition" and the mistaken desire to"fix" a broken
system Mass Representative Jim Vallee of Franklin and Frank Naughton of Clinton have
introduced legislation that will totally sweep away the Cable Franchising system in
Massachusetts and replace it with a bill seemingly written by one member of the cable
industry - Verizon - to favor itself at the expense of the consumer.
This bill is extremely bad law. Not only does it attempt to "fix" a system that is not broken
but it proposes that we do so with sweeping, far reaching proposals that undermine the
current cable licensing structure that has worked so well in Massachusetts since that late
70's. Most important, the bill will eliminate local control.
Never in history has "increased Competition" lead to lower prices for the consumer nor
will it in this case. The breakup of AT&T in the 1970's was ordered by the courts to help
lower the spiraling cost of telephone service. Has you phone bill gone down? Time and
time again we see government step in with the intent of easing consumer costs only to
see the end result of the government intervention resulting in higher costs for all. It will
be no different under this bill.
This bill was written by Verzion for their own benefit, without the welfare of the
consumer, the municipalities or the telecommunications industry in mind. The force
behind this bill is Verizon. Verizon has long enjoyed the label of being a "Utility" and as
such has operated for most of its existence without being required to deal with local
communities to provide its service. Verizon is now attempting to enter into the lucrative
Cable field and it does not like being required to deal with local town governments in
order to offer its products. To Verizon the system may seem "Broken". It is not.
The cable franchising system in Massachusetts has worked extremely well over the
nearly forty years it has been in service and has benefited the consumer through
increased opportunities for self expression as well as the expression of less popular
views. Under the current system, the town (Board of Selectmen with the Cable Advisory
committee along with a lawyer to advise the town) define the community needs and then
negotiate in good faith with the cable provider to provide a range of cable TV services
that fulfill the needs of the entire community. Typically a ten year contract is signed on a
NON EXCLUSIVE basis. Under the current system communities nearly always receive
the services they were seeking for the community, cable providers also benefited by
Communities nearly always received the services they were seeking for all of their
residents, the cable companies also benefited by guaranteeing themselves a piece of the
cable revenues from the community. This system worked well for all of the preceding
cable providers operating in Mass; Media One, AT&T, Cable Vision Inc, Cox
Communications, Time Warner, Adelphia, RCN and ComCast. Not one of these cable
providers ever complained about the system being "Broken".
Along comes Verizon, they do not like dealing with the local towns to hash out
agreements. They seem to want to deliver cable offerings by right not contract. Verizon
has spent untold millions to change legislation both on the National (they failed) and now
statewide stage rather than use a system that has provided cable to millions of homes for
nearly forty years. To do this they had a local Representative submit a bill on their behalf
which completely alters the way cable franchising will be handled in Mass. Their final bill
is great for them but as always happens will result in higher (not lower) prices for the
consumers. Money that is now, under current cable contracts, returned to the
communities in cable access operational fees will now be given to the state to dole out as
it see fit. The fees could go to provide cable access or repair roads in Billerica, more of
your hard earned dollars disappearing in the guise of fees.
Here are a few of the provisions of the new bill.
1) All Cable Licensing will be conducted by the state. Once submitted the applications
must be approved within 15 days. This will completely eliminate any direct local
input. Towns will lose the ability to determine who is allowed to peddle cable
services in their own community.
2) Cable companies such as Verizon will NOT be required to deliver their services to the
entire community. They will be allowed to pick areas that are able to pay premium
packaging and skip over less lucrative markets or areas that are expensive to wire. In
Wrentham this means the entire 883 area exchange would probably not be included.
3) The 5% PEG Access fee paid to the local communities would be eliminated or
drastically reduced to 1% or less. Right now these fees support equipment upgrades
at WCAC and all of our programming including, entertainment, educational and
Government meetings.
4) PEG stations unable to air a minimum of eight hours of original uninterrupted
programming would be eliminated. In Wrentham the Educational channel (Channel 12)
would be taken away. This is a channel that has been under development for several
years. Currently it airs school related bulletins. Plans are for the three KP communities
to be linked together by channel 12 and to receive programming originating from KP.
This would include all sporting events, student education productions, School
committee meetings. Under Verizon's proposed legislation this channel we've been
calling KPTV will disappear.
5) The wiring of town buildings via the INET, ( all municipal building are linked by way of
the INET to allow speedy transmission of data such as computer, telephone,
emergency information) will probably disappear
6) The agency that would oversee the new cable franchising law is loosely defined. One
would assume that the new regulations if passed would require an expanded DTE
agency and require an increased budget requiring more taxpayer funding.
system Mass Representative Jim Vallee of Franklin and Frank Naughton of Clinton have
introduced legislation that will totally sweep away the Cable Franchising system in
Massachusetts and replace it with a bill seemingly written by one member of the cable
industry - Verizon - to favor itself at the expense of the consumer.
This bill is extremely bad law. Not only does it attempt to "fix" a system that is not broken
but it proposes that we do so with sweeping, far reaching proposals that undermine the
current cable licensing structure that has worked so well in Massachusetts since that late
70's. Most important, the bill will eliminate local control.
Never in history has "increased Competition" lead to lower prices for the consumer nor
will it in this case. The breakup of AT&T in the 1970's was ordered by the courts to help
lower the spiraling cost of telephone service. Has you phone bill gone down? Time and
time again we see government step in with the intent of easing consumer costs only to
see the end result of the government intervention resulting in higher costs for all. It will
be no different under this bill.
This bill was written by Verzion for their own benefit, without the welfare of the
consumer, the municipalities or the telecommunications industry in mind. The force
behind this bill is Verizon. Verizon has long enjoyed the label of being a "Utility" and as
such has operated for most of its existence without being required to deal with local
communities to provide its service. Verizon is now attempting to enter into the lucrative
Cable field and it does not like being required to deal with local town governments in
order to offer its products. To Verizon the system may seem "Broken". It is not.
The cable franchising system in Massachusetts has worked extremely well over the
nearly forty years it has been in service and has benefited the consumer through
increased opportunities for self expression as well as the expression of less popular
views. Under the current system, the town (Board of Selectmen with the Cable Advisory
committee along with a lawyer to advise the town) define the community needs and then
negotiate in good faith with the cable provider to provide a range of cable TV services
that fulfill the needs of the entire community. Typically a ten year contract is signed on a
NON EXCLUSIVE basis. Under the current system communities nearly always receive
the services they were seeking for the community, cable providers also benefited by
Communities nearly always received the services they were seeking for all of their
residents, the cable companies also benefited by guaranteeing themselves a piece of the
cable revenues from the community. This system worked well for all of the preceding
cable providers operating in Mass; Media One, AT&T, Cable Vision Inc, Cox
Communications, Time Warner, Adelphia, RCN and ComCast. Not one of these cable
providers ever complained about the system being "Broken".
Along comes Verizon, they do not like dealing with the local towns to hash out
agreements. They seem to want to deliver cable offerings by right not contract. Verizon
has spent untold millions to change legislation both on the National (they failed) and now
statewide stage rather than use a system that has provided cable to millions of homes for
nearly forty years. To do this they had a local Representative submit a bill on their behalf
which completely alters the way cable franchising will be handled in Mass. Their final bill
is great for them but as always happens will result in higher (not lower) prices for the
consumers. Money that is now, under current cable contracts, returned to the
communities in cable access operational fees will now be given to the state to dole out as
it see fit. The fees could go to provide cable access or repair roads in Billerica, more of
your hard earned dollars disappearing in the guise of fees.
Here are a few of the provisions of the new bill.
1) All Cable Licensing will be conducted by the state. Once submitted the applications
must be approved within 15 days. This will completely eliminate any direct local
input. Towns will lose the ability to determine who is allowed to peddle cable
services in their own community.
2) Cable companies such as Verizon will NOT be required to deliver their services to the
entire community. They will be allowed to pick areas that are able to pay premium
packaging and skip over less lucrative markets or areas that are expensive to wire. In
Wrentham this means the entire 883 area exchange would probably not be included.
3) The 5% PEG Access fee paid to the local communities would be eliminated or
drastically reduced to 1% or less. Right now these fees support equipment upgrades
at WCAC and all of our programming including, entertainment, educational and
Government meetings.
4) PEG stations unable to air a minimum of eight hours of original uninterrupted
programming would be eliminated. In Wrentham the Educational channel (Channel 12)
would be taken away. This is a channel that has been under development for several
years. Currently it airs school related bulletins. Plans are for the three KP communities
to be linked together by channel 12 and to receive programming originating from KP.
This would include all sporting events, student education productions, School
committee meetings. Under Verizon's proposed legislation this channel we've been
calling KPTV will disappear.
5) The wiring of town buildings via the INET, ( all municipal building are linked by way of
the INET to allow speedy transmission of data such as computer, telephone,
emergency information) will probably disappear
6) The agency that would oversee the new cable franchising law is loosely defined. One
would assume that the new regulations if passed would require an expanded DTE
agency and require an increased budget requiring more taxpayer funding.
Additional Information on
the bill can be found by
clicking these links:
the bill can be found by
clicking these links:
What can you do to help?
This bill is bad law. Wrentham Cable Access encourages all residents of our community to fight this
legislation. Let's keep local access local. There is some big money behind this legislative push, the
people driving this bill want local access to go away. They want to be able to do business, to take
your hard earned money and return the barest minimum of services possible. This bill is about
greed. It is a corporate sponsored bill which is being touted as increasing competitiveness,
reducing prices for the average Joe and repairing a broken system; claims that are nothing more
than spin. This bill spells the end to both local access and competitive pricing. To defeat this bill we
ask that you write/email your state congressmen and senators and demand that they vote no on HB
3385 and S01987
This bill is bad law. Wrentham Cable Access encourages all residents of our community to fight this
legislation. Let's keep local access local. There is some big money behind this legislative push, the
people driving this bill want local access to go away. They want to be able to do business, to take
your hard earned money and return the barest minimum of services possible. This bill is about
greed. It is a corporate sponsored bill which is being touted as increasing competitiveness,
reducing prices for the average Joe and repairing a broken system; claims that are nothing more
than spin. This bill spells the end to both local access and competitive pricing. To defeat this bill we
ask that you write/email your state congressmen and senators and demand that they vote no on HB
3385 and S01987
The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for June 5, 2007. Please email
one or all of the members of the House Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy Committee before this date. Click on their names below to email your
opinions regarding this matter.
one or all of the members of the House Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy Committee before this date. Click on their names below to email your
opinions regarding this matter.
