Cable Choice and Competition Act

[Garrett Wollman]

<<On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:10:05 -0500, "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@attorneyross.com> said:

> I've just got a mailing from "Consumers for Tech Choice" promoting 
> the "Massachusetts Cable Choice and Competition Act."  They don't 
> really say what the Act is, and their Website isn't very specific 
> either.  For all I know this is some industry group trying to abolish 
> all regulation.

Pretty much.  It's an astroturf campaign backed by Verizon trying to
bypass local franchise authorities (i.e., cities and towns) and get
the General Court to give it a statewide cable TV franchise, in which
it would be allowed to serve only those customers it felt like (i.e.,
the most profitable ones), unlike the incumbent cable TV companies
who must serve everyone in their licensed service areas.

As with all campaigns, there is an equal and opposite astroturf
operation acting as a front for Comcast.  I've heard radio spots from
both urging me to contact my state legislators and support or oppose
this legislation.

-GAWollman
(who already has a choice of cable companies, thank you very much)