Topic: DN! Comcast Campaign

by Khalil Hachem
November 26, 2008
The Ann Arbor News
http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/index.ssf/2008/11/ypsilanti_goes_after_comcast_f.html

The city of Ypsilanti will fight for franchise fees it says Comcast owes for cable services to Eastern Michigan University students.

The Ypsilanti City Council has asked an attorney to investigate whether Comcast should have been paying a percentage of the fees it collects for providing cable services at EMU dormitories.

By Jason Carmel Davis
October 16, 2008
Press & Guide Newspapers
http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/101508/loc_20081015006.shtml

DEARBORN - Federal Judge Victoria Roberts has ruled against Comcast's motion to dismiss the city of Dearborn's lawsuit regarding public, educational and government (PEG) access channels.

Instead, the city's lawsuit will continue, with the judge referring the key issues to the Federal Communi-cations Commission (FCC). The judge described the FCC as an expert on cable TV issues.

By Bill Laitner
October 3, 2008
Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081003/BUSINESS06/81003118

A federal court order in Detroit today gave hope to municipal officials in Michigan fighting the push by cable-television operator Comcast to move public-access stations from low channels such as 12 in Dearborn to channels in the 900s.

By Linda Haugsted
Friday, August 8, 2008
Multichannel News
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6585787.html

Saline, Mich. Officials Say Cabler Isn't Living Up to Funding Obligations

The city of Saline, Mich., is taking Comcast to court, alleging the operator has failed to fund public, educational and government programming support fees the city is entitled to under Michigan's state franchising law.

The suit asserts the operator balked at the fee established by the city: 2% of its gross revenues. The new state law, the Uniform Video Services Local Franchising Act, gives communities authority to establish that fee, the city alleges.

by John Eggerton
January 24, 2008
Broadcasting & Cable
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525447.html

The House Energy & Commerce Committee's Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee has set the witness list for a Jan. 29 hearing on on “Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Services in the Digital TV Age.” Witnesses include the mayor of Dearborn, Mich., John B. O'Reilly Jr.; Comcast executive vice president David Cohen; and Gail Torreano, president of AT&T Michigan.

Schedule:
Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Services in the Digital TV Age
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet Hearing
1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Room 2322, Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC
Connect to the live Audio Webcast (56 kbps)
(Note: This hearing will be available live via audio Webcast. The Webcast will begin about 10 minutes before the meeting begins. Windows Media Player is required to listen to the Webcast.)