Connecticut

AT&T Appeals Connecticut Court's U-verse Definition

Lindsy Embree — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:04:58 -0700

Fonfara Criticized for AT&T U-verse Letter

Stevie Converse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:02:11 -0700

State Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, has been a strong advocate of giving consumers a choice besides cable for television service. But his letter inviting constituents to an AT&T-sponsored event Friday celebrating its new U-verse TV service may have gone too far, some critics say.

League of Women Voters Says Yes to E-Democracy, Keeping the Net Neutral and Supporting Public Access TV

Stevie Converse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:17:15 -0700

After a year-long study (http://www.lwvct.org/events/e-democracy-for-ct.htm), the League of Women Voters of Connecticut released new position statements on “Internet Neutrality,” universal high speed Internet access for Connecticut residents, and community access television for state residents.

Future of Town Government TV Heads to Hartford for Debate

Stevie Converse — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:53:30 -0700

Thousands of area residents who watch their town government in action on local cable stations may be in for a shock, according to a release from the Area 9 Cable Council. While Cablevision continues to air such stations on channel 79, new competitors to the TV market may make such valuable programming harder to find, the group said.

Don't Downgrade CT-N

Stevie Converse — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:42:33 -0700

AT&T's new U-verse service doesn't have to play by all the rules that cable TV companies do. But it should play by one: It should offer viewers the same quality public affairs broadcasts that cable viewers now enjoy.

U-Verse's Sorry Excuse For Public Access TV

Stevie Converse — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:58:18 -0700

As Verizon and AT&T lobbyists worked to eliminate the local video franchise system, consumer advocates pointed out that such moves resulted in the death of public access. In States where lawmakers insist, AT&T has to carry public access -- but localities haven't been all too thrilled with the results.

FCC to Tribune: So Sue Me

Craig Aaron — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:10:00 -0800

Late on Friday — which FCC watchers know is the only time new policies are announced– the agency effectively granted Tribune Co. further waivers to operate both TV stations and the major daily newspaper in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Hartford Conn.

The FCC had been under intense lobbying pressure to approve the waivers so that real estate magnate Sam Zell could complete his complex buyout of Tribune before the end of the year. But FCC Kevin Martin didn’t stop there.

The FCC could have issued a single temporary waiver while it sorts
out the rules governing newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership everywhere.
But the FCC’s maneuver is far more complicated — and devious.

Support of Affordable High Speed Internet for America and Internet Neutrality

ProgRock — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:24:00 -0700

Democrats,

On July 15th, 2007 the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party passed the following resolution in favor of Net Neutrality and affordable high speed Internet for America.

The adoption of this resolution was made possible by the unprecedented cooperation of both the Labor Caucus and the Progressive Caucus of the CDP. Working together over the months following the CDP convention in San Diego, representatives of both caucuses, led by Jim Gordon, chair of the Labor Caucus and Brad Parker, officer of the Progressive Caucus, were able to craft a resolution that addressed the concerns of both groups and Americans as a whole. Once again, after 100 years of organizing and political activism, Progressives and Union members have found common cause. Our hope is that this resolution will become a blueprint for legislation across the country that preserves Internet integrity with open, equal and impartial access and Net Neutrality. Further, that the build out of high speed Internet be undertaken as a public utility maintained by union members bringing affordable broadband Internet access to all Americans.

No issue of public governance is more critical at this time in our history than the immediate need for every level of government to pass and enforce legislation to embody the principles of this resolution. Therefore, we call upon every Democrat in America to send this resolution to every elected official across the nation and to insist that Net Neutrality and affordable high speed Internet become the law of the land.