Video Franchising -- A La Carte Blanche

VIDEO FRANCHISING -- A LA CARTE BLANCHE
[SOURCE: Public Knowledge, AUTHOR: Art Brodsky]
[Commentary] The new version of the Senate telecom bill is 287 pages, although the first 68 are the text of the House bill all crossed out, to be replaced by Senate text. But, no question, there’s still a lot left. The chief sponsor, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), has talked of two separate strategies to get something passed in what’s left of this legislative year. Plan A is to find 60 votes to bring the massive bill to the Senate floor. With 60 votes, he puts off the possibility of a filibuster on the question whether the bill should even be brought up for debate. However, even if the bill is debated, there are many other legislative hurdles, including the possibilities of long debates over Net Neutrality and other issues. Plan B is to substitute the massive bill with a slimmed-down version concentrating on a couple of issues such as universal service and the streamlined video franchising. Universal service is dear to Sen Stevens’ heart because it supports telephone companies with high costs, like those in Alaska. The telephone companies want the expedited video franchising to save them millions in regulatory fees. There is a lot to be slimmed down in this bill. Brodsky offers some suggestions.
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/585

* For more on the Stevens bill see http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=node/2173