Rep. Serrano urges action on PEG

(Washington D.C. ) - PEG Access was discussed as a key concern at a U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing held Wednesday on the Federal Communications Commission's 2010 budget.  Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) and Acting FCC Chairman, Michael Copps, agreed about the importance of PEG channels to the public, and Serrano urged action on the PEG Access Petitions for Declaratory Ruling before the Commission.

In his written statement to the Subcommittee, Acting Chairman Copps said:

"I know that a number of the members of the Subcommittee are concerned about recent developments regarding the carriage by multichannel video programming providers of PEG channels. I share those concerns. PEG is a valuable source of diverse and local programming that not only provides an outlet for local voices, but also nourishes the civic dialogue and gives citizens the information they need to govern themselves... it is my hope that the Commission will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that PEG remains a vibrant and valuable service."

Rep. Serrano warned that if the FCC doesn't move, PEG issues might "fall by the wayside" while the FCC waits for a new Chairman to be confirmed.  Copps said that he is not reluctant to move and while some items, such as universal service, may have to await the new Chair, PEG channels don't fall into that category.  Rep. Serrano agreed, noting that while there may be new issues facing the FCC, PEG is not one of them.  The Subcommittee previously issued a letter to the FCC seeking answers on PEG following its September 17, 2008 hearing. 

Earlier this week, two Illinois residents were in the Capitol to conduct ex parte meetings with the FCC on the Petitions for Declaratory Ruling regarding PEG Access.  Cheryl Fayne-dePersio of Illinois NATOA, and Barbara Popovic of Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV), were joined by Dan Coughlin of New York City's Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN). All three organizations are petitioners in ACM et al, which calls for a ruling that AT&T's method of delivering PEG channels over U-Verse violates the Communications Act and Commission rules. 

In the ex parte meetings, petitioners disputed AT&T's characterization of its PEG product as "innovative" and "superior".  In fact, AT&T's PEG product goes in the opposite direction, disadvantaging both viewers seeking local PEG programming, and local programmers attempting to reach their audiences.  AT&T's PEG product hampers the meaningful development of PEG channels in an evolving digital age.

Over 770 comments were filed in this proceeding prior to the deadline.  Keep Us Connected recently shared comments of the City of Aurora, Village of Lombard, and Champaign-Urbana Cable Television and Telecommunications Commission that were among 111 comments filed from Illinois.  

The ex parte letter filed by Illinois petitioners is available here.

Complete comments filed in this proceeding are available here.  Type (09-13) in the first box (09-13), and click the "Retrieve Document List."