Farm Groups Unite to Advocate For Cable Competiton Legislation
LAS VEGAS (January 12, 2006) – Consumers for Cable Choice (C4CC) and its 13 farm advocacy members have called on lawmakers to update the nation’s antiquated telecommunications laws and encourage competition in the cable industry that will speed deployment of advanced communication services to rural America.
From the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association’s Broadband Summit in Las Vegas, the groups asked lawmakers to eliminate unfair local cable franchise requirements but ensure that local franchise fee payments and public access standards remain intact.
“More than 30 million American households do not have access to a broadband connection, many of them in rural areas where incumbent cable companies refuse to serve,” said Robert K. Johnson, C4CC president. “As a result, the U.S. has fallen to 16th in the world in broadband availability, and rural America trails urban and suburban areas.”
“Rural America will continue to be left behind in the communications revolution until antiquated cable franchise regulations are reformed to allow and encourage competition and infrastructure deployment,” he predicted.
Lynn McBride, executive director of the California Farmer’s Union, said her motivation in joining the call for competition is not to improve traditional cable services. “Comprehensive deployment of broadband infrastructure will drive economic progress for rural communities and it will also offer additional venues for educational programming,” McBride said. “Rural consumers need broadband services now. Regulatory roadblocks must be torn down.”
Larry Mitchell, spokesman for the Alliance for Rural Television, a national coalition of farm and rural advocacy groups, said the lack of access exacts a steep economic price from rural Americans. “The future of our rural quality of life depends on prompt action now, which is why we have joined forces with C4CC to push for that action,” he said.
Johnson attributed a significant part of rural America’s lack of access to outdated cable franchise requirements, which require new competitors to obtain local franchises (33,000 nationwide) before cable services can be provided. In many instances, local roadblocks keep that from happening.
For example, recently in rural Oregon a new provider gave up its plans to deploy broadband infrastructure and cable service because local officials tried to extract too many concessions wholly unrelated to video services, Johnson said, adding that example is endemic of the problem.
“Comprehensive deployment of broadband communication infrastructure will not occur in America’s rural areas unless lawmakers reform the law and encourage competition in the video marketplace,” Johnson said.
Farm advocacy groups joining C4CC to call for competition are: American Agriculture Movement, American Corn Growers Association, California Farmers Union, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, League of Rural Voters, National Association of Farmer Elected Committees, National Farmers Organization, National Farmers Union, National Grange, Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural, Soybean Producers of America, Washington Grange and Women Involved in Farm Economics.
About Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., and formed in June 2005, Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc. is a national alliance of individuals and 37 advocacy groups, whose combined memberships total more than 700,000. Alliance members are committed to promoting maximum choice for consumers in cable, video and broadband services. C4CC uses a combination of education and grassroots advocacy to impact change, which will result in a deregulated and pro-consumer market that stimulates fair price, more choices and better service options in the cable television industry. President Johnson has been advocating for policies that benefit residential and small business consumers for more than 20 years. Executive Director Jim Conran has been advocating for policies that benefit residential and small business consumers for more than 20 years. To learn more, visit consumers4choice.org or mycablenightmare.com. |
