Senate Bill 2686 is currently in the Commerce Committee. This bill threatens to severely limit money that Access Centers around the country receive from the cable companies. This action threatens the existence of many centers. The US House companion bill passes last week. If this bill makes it out of committee and passes the US senate there will be conference committee. I am urging the blog world and the access world supporters to send a letter to members of the commerce committee and voice your opposition to this bill. Bloggers are looking for freedom to express ideas much as access producers are looking to share their ideas with their local communities. Please help save access.
Below you will find a sample letter please change and modify to fit your style. I received this letter from the Alliance for Community Media.
ACTION ALERT
S.2686 -The Communications, Consumers' Choice
& Broadband Deployment Act of 2006
______________
MESSAGE OF THE DAY – Friday June 16, 2006
PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS TODAY
TO SAVE COMMUNITY MEDIA
For All (Center Staff, Board Members, Access Users & Supporters):
· Fax Senator Ted Stevens, Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee a letter. Fax 202-224-2354
· Fax Senator Daniel Inouye, ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee a letter. Fax 202-224-6747
Message: (PLEASE ADD YOUR OWN TEXT OVER AREAS IN Bold. FEEL FREE TO STATE OUR MESSAGE IN YOUR OWN WORDS AS YOU SEE FIT)
Introduce yourself and where you are from.
Tell them why PEG Access and/or Community Media is important to you.
Thank you including the discussion language in the draft S2686 on Page 63, line 16 through Page 64, line 4. This language is critical to the survival of PEG Access Television and Community Media across our country. Without this language many centers will be forced to close their doors.
There is one problem with this well-intentioned effort. If the last phrase, “but excluding one-time or lump-sum payments” is included, this will have a devastating affect on some Access Centers’ ability to serve their community by cutting needed money for equipment and facilities. Please support replacing this with language whic
