WBEZ’s Tony Sarabia Interviews CMA Member Gordon Quinn

This morning CMA member Gordon Quinn, who is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Kartemquin Films, was interviewed by Tony Sarabia on WBEZ’s program The Morning Shift, along with CAN TV Executive Director Barbara Popovic, to discuss CAN TV and Comcast’s franchise renewal and the potential effect it could have on public access television in Chicago.

Gordon recalled the formative days of public access in Chicago, when residents from a wide range of backgrounds came together to advocate for a public space on cable. He said that the Committee for Media Access today reflects a similar diversity in terms of the groups that participate in and have a stake in Chicago’s public access center. 

Gordon also expressed concern about the closures and other downgrades to public benefits that result when corporations like Comcast are able to wiggle out of their obligations, noting how those obligations stem from their use of the public rights of way. He said that mega mergers like the proposed Comcast-Time Warner union would embolden already powerful companies like Comcast, even when dealing with major cities like Chicago, not to mention smaller municipalities whose bargaining power would be further diminished. 

Barbara Popovic of CAN TV pointed to Portland Oregon, where Comcast has met standards much higher than the terms being discussed in Chicago. She said that so many Aldermen in Chicago have pledged their support because they have seen the benefits of CAN TV’s work in their local wards. 

In March the City Council granted a 3-month extension to Comcast’s franchise as negotiations over CAN TV were unresolved, that extension will expire June 15.  Gordon speaks for the Committee for Media Access when he said, “We want to see this settled, it’s been delayed already, and we think it’s time for them to settle this so that CAN TV can be planning for the future.” 

Click here to listen to a recording of the interview.

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46 Aldermen Pledge Their Support of CAN TV

According to this news alert from CAN TV, last week Alderman John Pope of the 10^th ward took the lead in securing the support of 46 Alderman for a letter to Comcast, telling it that they will oppose any franchise renewal that does not meet CAN TV’s needs. The letter also pressed Comcast to expediently finalize the negotiations and provide public benefits that “meet or exceed” the terms of RCN’s franchise renewal, passed by the City Council in 2012. 

A full text of the letter has been provided by CAN TV and can be found here. 

Needless to say, this is VERY good news! We are glad to know that so many Aldermen have recognized the value of CAN TV and stand behind this important community institution. 

CMA members will be watching this process closely over the next month or two in anticipation of it being brought to a positive conclusion that serves the public interest.

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Committee for Media Access Challenges National Advocacy Groups to Seek Protections for Public Access in Comcast Merger

CMA members have mailed letters to national advocacy organizations that signed on in support of Comcast’s 2010 merger with NCBU.

CMA cautions that funding cuts and channel closures have resulted in many communities served by Comcast, and in the letter calls on these organizations to condition their support for Comcast’s new merger with Time-Warner Cable on protections for public access channels nationwide. Public access is not mentioned in Comcast’s public interest filings for the merger, despite the importance of protections for local speech, diversity, and public access to the media.

The full list of organizations that received the letter is below:

National Council of La Raza

US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

League of United Latin American Citizens

National Conference of Black Mayors

Urban League of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan

National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators

National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials

National Black Caucus of State Legislators

National Association of Black County Officials

National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women

National Puerto Rican Coalition

Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute

Latino Community Foundation

Urban League of Springfield

Cuban American National Council

ASPIRA Association

US Hispanic Leadership Institute

National Hispanic Media Coalition

SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc.

Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility

National Association of Hispanic Publications

National Hispana Leadership Institute

MANA, A National Latina Organization

Hispanic Federation

National Urban League

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

National Conference of Black Mayors

Urban League of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan

Chicago Urban League

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

NAACP

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Protest of Merger at Comcast Shareholders Meeting in Philadelphia

Protesters outside the Comcast shareholders meeting hold signs
indicating the number of people who oppose the merger deal.
Photo credit: Viviana Pernot, Philly.com Staff Photographer

On Wednesday about 100 Comcast shareholders met in Philadelphia for the company’s annual shareholders meeting. Outside, national policy and consumer groups protested Comcast’s proposed $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable. Groups represented included Free Press, Common Cause, Media Mobilizing Project, Consumers Union and Center for Media Justice.  They used the opportunity to present a petition with more than 400,000 signatures from people who object to the merger.

At the meeting, shareholders reelected Comcast board members and approved compensation packages for Comcast executives, including CEO Brian Roberts who earned $30 million last year. Shareholders also rejected several proposals, including a request from the Episcopal Church calling on the company to be more transparent about its government lobbying activities. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Comcast spent almost $19 million on lobbying efforts last year, and is one of the country’s top corporate spenders.

Also represented at the meeting was the Chicago branch of the IBEW, who called on the company to settle a longstanding dispute over technicians’ contracts. As detailed extensively on this blog, also unresolved in Chicago is Comcast’s cable franchise renewal, where public benefits to community resource CAN TV are still being negotiated a year into the process.

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May Cable Compliance Hearing Attended by CMA Members

CMA members Gwendolyn Chubb and Robbie Smith attended this month’s Cable Compliance Review on May 14. Both testified to the importance of CAN TV to the community and questioned the City on its handling of the Comcast negotiations.

Robbie began her comments by stating that “CAN TV is a valuable Chicago asset and it must be protected and sustained, but it appeared that efforts are underway to prevent that from happening.” She gave background on CMA’s advocacy efforts, including meeting with Comcast.  She testified that several CMA members attended the March Committee on Finance meeting and listened carefully to questions from Aldermen specifically:  (1) Do the outstanding renewal issues relate to CAN TV? (2) What is Comcast’s annual revenue in Chicago?  (3) Will a renewal agreement that meets the RCN standards be complete by the extension deadline on June 15^th?   Robbie testified that if there is not an agreement by that date, that means Comcast does not agree to the three critical issues CMA presented to Comcast, BACP Commissioners (both Krimbel and Lapacek), and members of the City Council.  She stressed the three points:  1) Provide direct and unrestricted funding to CAN TV, 2) meet or exceed the RCN agreement, and 3) provide technological equality to the public’s channels.  Robbie emphasized that the City Law Department’s representative Jeff Levine told Aldermen that they were working to make the agreement meet the RCN standards or better, and that an agreement would be ready by June 15^th or sooner.  She pointedly asked the city for an updated response to the three key questions Alderman asked and Jeff Levine and the city answered at the March meeting.  Finally, Robbie stated that Corporate Social Responsibility seems to have changed from “socially driven” to “profit driven”.

When Gwendolyn spoke she reminded the City that she had testified at a Cable Hearing nearly one year ago, and she questioned why the negotiations were taking so long. She said, "With so much community support for CAN TV, in conjunction with expressed support by so many public officials from Aldermen to State Legislators to Congressmen, I truly don't understand what is taking Comcast so long to finalize the agreement." She described the importance of CAN TV and its unique ability to provide a platform for nonprofit groups and community service providers in the City to reach the people that need them. She also pointed out that public access centers have been shut down by Comcast, and also that New York City has a strong agreement from Time Warner that Comcast will have to honor.

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