PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE | DECember 14, 2020

Imagine a library without any card catalog that forces users to dig around the stacks to find individual books.

That’s how the Maine Attorney General office described PEG channels that are denied the use of Electronic Program Guides as it defended that state law protecting consumers and channels in NCTA v Frey. 

The cable industry is trying to overturn Maine’s provisions protecting the placement of channels, access to HD transmission and the availability of EPG listings for programs. Arguments were heard last week in the First Circuit Court in Boston. Learn more here. 

ACM is an amicus in the case supporting the Attorney General.  My thanks to all ACM members who have supported our Public Policy Fund to ensure we can continue this type of work in 2021.

The FCC has replaced Commissioner Mike O’Rielly with Nathan Simington after Senate confirmation this past week.

I was not a fan of Commissioner O’Rielly, or agreed with his conviction that local governments were bad actors that broke the law on a regular basis, but at least the Commissioner believed in following the law. That apparently is what got his renomination pulled from the Senate earlier this year.

The next battle over what goes on at the FCC occurs in January when Chair Ajit Pai steps down.  We hope that traditions and elections are respected and the Biden Administration can appoint a new Commissioner to replace Pai.  

If it doesn’t? Our colleague Harold Feld at Public Knowledge gave his perspective on what a 2-2 FCC will look like in the coming year. Read his article here. 

It helps to have fans.

Writer and comedian Blaire Erskine went to Twitter last week to talk up the Gabfest program with Paul and George on Billerica Access TV which have helped her make it through quarantine. As of today, the video clip has over 100K views! View the video here. 

Keep doing what you’re doing and cultivate that audience!

Thank you!

Mike Wassenaar
President & CEO
The Alliance for Community Media