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At a time when local information is needed, FCC vote endangers public-access stations
August 8, 2019
By Current
The FCC voted 3-2 along party lines Thursday to change long-standing guidelines related to cable franchising fees. The modifications detrimentally affect one of educational media’s great unsung heroes, Public, Educational and Government access television and radio stations nationwide.
At issue for many communities are what may be, to the average consumer, little-known regulations from the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984. That legislation limited what cities can bill cable companies for local access to 5% of gross revenues on cable bills. Cities then use that money to support their local PEG stations.
