Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Opposing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Proposed Rule Change Regarding Public TV Channels.
Body
WHEREAS, all across Wisconsin, community media centers and public educational (PEG) TV channels provide transparency in government, inform and involve citizens in the electoral process, provide information on municipal services and serve local non-profits, community organizations and places of worship; and,
WHEREAS, in Madison, WYOU provides members of the public access to cable television to create and share a diverse array of programming, and MMSD-TV helps the Madison Metropolitan School District disseminate important information about schools; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison IT Department’s Media Team distributes Madison City Channel programming on three cable TV systems to increase transparency in government and offer improved access to City information, meetings, events, and proceedings, especially to those who might otherwise find it difficult to participate; and,
WHEREAS, Madison City Channel’s Know Your Candidates forums, co-produced with the League of Women Voters of Dane County, provide candidates for offices ranging from the Common Council to U.S. Congress the opportunity to introduce themselves to voters, and encourage constituents to watch, decide, and vote; and,
WHEREAS, Madison City Channel programming was invaluable in reaching as many residents as possible with important emergency information during the devastating flooding in the late summer of 2018; and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin municipalities are forbidden by Wisconsin statute from collecting a “PEG fee” to fund PEG-related equipment and facilities, making them completely reliant on the static franchise fee to fund PEG access television; and,
WHEREAS, cable franchise fees (called video provider fees in Wisconsin statutes) are paid to Wisconsin municipalities, including Madison, by cable companies and other video service providers for access to municipal r...
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