"The new law is designed to make it easier for phone companies to enter into the lucrative cable market by relieving them of certain money-draining contractual obligations"
Anybody helping you (or your state government) getting out of their "money-draining" contracts (like a mortgage)? I mean, they keep telling us a contact is a contract, so WTF?
"Legislation pulls plug on public access; TV programming may disappear in some 20 states" by Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times | January 11, 2009
LOS ANGELES - For decades, public-access programming on cable television has provided a virtually free forum for community activists and aspiring entertainers, for preening star wannabes as well as serious-minded political watchdogs.
But in Los Angeles and across California, that forum has begun crumbling, a development that advocates say will strip ordinary citizens of a valuable First Amendment platform.
Why not? They've taken most of the rest anyway!
A provision of a law passed by the Legislature in 2006, which took effect Jan. 1, allows cable television providers the option of dropping their longstanding obligation of providing free studios, equipment, and training to the public. In return, providers must pay a substantial annual fee and continue to provide a minimal number of public education and government channels.
The new law is designed to make it easier for phone companies to enter into the lucrative cable market by relieving them of certain money-draining contractual obligations....
I guess that means Democracy Now goes away, too, huh? That's on local access.
