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Something unexpected from New York

sign with Spectrum logo

ACM New York recently shared something fairly unexpected for some states:  a public services regulator not coming down on the side of a cable provider.  A post on their Facebook page leads to a July 27, 2018 story in the Times Union newsite: “PSC orders Charter cable giant out of NY.”  This was also reported on […]

Vermont Saga, continued

In a previous post, we summarized the year-long efforts of VAN to include better conditions for access media in Comcast’s license renewal.  In January, they were awarded many of their requests by the state’s Public Service Board.  PEG people everywhere rejoiced because this created a precedent that others could cite.  Indeed, MassAccess did just that […]

Why he went to Minneapolis

Marc Gronich is Director of Legislative Affairs for the state affiliate, ACM New York and Vice-Chairman of the Oversight Board for Channel Albany in the state capital.  With decades of experience as a community access intern and producer, he went to the Rivers to Cross conference to seek the policy and technological tools to help […]

Meanwhile in Massachusetts…

The Legislative Approach Eric Dresser’s May report to ACM-NE began with Bill H.2682, “basically aimed at helping to require cable television operators provide PEG access feeds for both SD & HD, while also enabling Electronic Programming Guide so that subscribers may record, select and view PEG access channels in the same manner as local broadcast […]

Vermont Access Network in 2017

photo of the Comcast Tower in Philadelphia

Catching up on some exciting episodes… But before we get into this saga, some regulatory basics for the non-Vermonters: Franchise agreements–or Certificates of Public Good (CPG)–are settled at state level by the VT regulatory agency, the Public Service Board. Comcast is the main cable provider for most of the state, with one area primarily served […]

ACMNY goes to Albany

This is adapted from a report by Tony Arrien, chair of the New York state chapter: ACM New York had a “Community Media Advocacy Day” in Albany back on March 29, 2017. In addition to most of our ACMNY Board members, more than a dozen Community Media representatives from all over the state went to the capital for […]

FCC and Closed Captioning

At the Our Town conference in Boston last month, and in follow-up discussions online and by telephone, Alliance members and allies discussed the FCC’s Second Report and Order on Closed Captioning, released last February.  Connecticut ACM explained to their members and friends this way.  How will it work for PEG people in your states?

Connecting in Connecticut – April 2016

Connecticut ACM has managed to hold two face-to-face meetings in the past 7 months.  In September, Citizens TV in New Haven hosted several PEG people for lunch and a tour of their facility (recently converted from a veterinary hospital).  Over lunch they discussed their mutual problem of insufficient funding and how to approach the legislature.  Trying to recover the PEGPETIA fund […]

April in New York State

(adapted from Maryann Arrien’s report to ACM-NE) ACM New York’s six current board members had monthly meetings in February and March. We have started the work of our Public Policy Committee & Public Relations Committee and discussed plans for a video to be produced at a PEG center in either Westchester or NY City to further […]