ACM ADVOCACY REPORT Where Does The Alliance’s Agenda Stand? What Can, And Should, You Be Doing? Gerry Lederer ACM Advocate

MY P.E.G. Remember these faces when you fill out your evaluations.

You’re Not Alone

Understanding Decision Making at All Levels of Government Power Comes From Three Sources:  Money  Information  Ability to Reach an Audience Every Policy Decision is a Risk/Reward Calculation

Advocacy Agenda Hill CAP Act  Co-sponsors in House  Champion in Senate Pressure on FCC to act on ACM petition States Mass, NJ, & Idaho FCC ACM Peg Petition (30 months and counting) 14 th Annual Video Competition – Comments filed 6/8 USF eligibility for PEG Centers – Comments were filed 5/21

60% of States Cut PEG Support

Failure of Benefits: Consumer Satisfaction Ninety eight percent (98%) of local regulators in state franchise states when surveyed disagreed with the statement “Customer service is working better now than it was before the implementation of state franchising.” Source: NATOA

State Franchising Status today – Majority Preserve Local Franchise

ALLIANCE AGENDA AT FCC Comcast Merger PEG Petition Future of Media Video Competition Eligibility of PEG centers as anchor institutions for universal service.

2011 COMMUNITY ACCESS PRESERVATION ACT 2011 COMMUNITY ACCESS PRESERVATION ACT 112TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R ___________________________________ To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish signal quality and content requirements for the carriage of public, educational, and governmental channels, to preserve support of such channels, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 5, 2011 Ms. BALDWIN (for herself and Mr. LATOURETTE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. ___________________________________

2011 CAP ACT PROBLEM Cable Act Unnecessary Limits on the Use of PEG funds. SOLUTION Bill amends the Act to ensure that PEG fees can be used for any PEG purpose, i.e. money can be spent for operating as well as capital.

2011 CAP ACT PROBLEM(s) Discriminatory Treatment of PEG channels SOLUTIONS Bill amends the Act to ensure PEG programming is transmitted without  “material degradation and without altering or removing content or data” and  such signals shall be viewable “by, every subscriber of the cable system without additional service or equipment charges…”  No fee for connection.

2011 CAP ACT PROBLEM Loss of PEG Support and Localism SOLUTION Cable operator must provide greater of:  2% of gross revenues;  Historical support received (i.e. prior to the state franchise) or  State franchise financial obligations.

2011 CAP ACT Problem Loss Of PEG Channels Solution Cable Operator must provide number of channels in place day before state law was passed. If none on that day, then up to 3 channels at request of locals.

CAP ACT Problem Operators claiming they are video providers, not cable and therefore not subject to PEG obligations Solution Act is amended to ensure providers using wired facilities in the rights of way are treated similarly and are subject to similar PEG requirements.

CALENDAR Congress is scheduled to be home from  August 8 to September 8  September 26 – 30  October  November  November 21 – 30  December 9 – January

Hill Day & Voter Voice “Hill Fly In” Advocacy Day. Voter Voice  Please watch your mail and ACM’s Facebook page for more details.

MY P.E.G. Remember these faces when you fill out your evaluations.