{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221042654/http://www.baldwin.senate.gov/press-releases/us-senators-tammy-baldwin-and-edward-markey-preserve-public-access-to-local-television-channels-ensure-diversity-of-programming", "U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Edward Markey Preserve Public Access to Local Television Channels, Ensure Diversity of Programming", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WI", "Tammy Baldwin", "B001230", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Edward Markey Preserve Public Access to Local Television Channels, Ensure Diversity of Programming\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 10, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Edward Markey (D-MA) today introduced the Community Access Preservation (CAP) Act, legislation to ensure public access to local television programming.  \u00a0  \u201cThe 80-plus public, educational, and governmental access channels in the state of Wisconsin deliver invaluable public programming on a daily basis, commercial free and with the sole purpose of informing and educating our communities,\u201d said Baldwin. \u201cAs local budgets tighten and television delivery methods change, we must ensure that our local public access channels are able to continue to reflect local interests and bring diverse programming to the public.\u201d  \u00a0  \"PEG access stations are televised town squares where local citizens can see and hear what is happening in their own community, and respond with their own voices to the issues affecting their cities and towns,\u201d said Markey. \u201cI have long admired the goals of education and participation heralded by these TV channels, and I will continue to support the work of these vital local resources.\"  \u00a0  Across the country, there over 2,000 public, educational, and governmental (PEG) studios/operations and an estimated 5,000 PEG channels. In a time of media consolidation, these local, non-commercial access channels bring unique voices, perspectives, and programming to communities. Local school districts operate PEG channels to feature school board meetings and forums, homework helpers, interviews, lectures, and sporting events not otherwise broadcast on television. And religious programming represents 20-40 percent of local access programming.  \u00a0  PEG channels receive no federal funding.\u00a0 The Telecommunications Act of 1996 grants municipalities the right to assess a small franchise fee, which is paid to local or state governments to support community media centers. Several states, while intending to preserve PEG and community media, have adopted statewide video franchising standards that have devastated PEG funding. Since 2005, PEG access channels have suffered severe setbacks as a result of these statewide franchising laws passed in 23 states. These laws took away a local community\u2019s ability to negotiate with cable operators, resulting in six states -\u00a0 Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Missouri -\u00a0 losing all funding for PEG channels in 2012.\u00a0 In addition, in 2007, the FCC ruled, subject to some important exceptions, that PEG franchise fees could only be used for facilities and equipment, and not for operating expenses.\u00a0 As a result, many communities are closing PEG facilities because, while they have equipment, there are no funds to operate them.   \u00a0  The CAP Act amends the Cable Act to ensure that PEG fees can be used for any purpose, including paying employee salaries.\u00a0 The legislation reaffirms that cable operators must deliver PEG channels to subscribers without additional charges, and via channel placement with the same quality, accessibility and functionality as provided to local television broadcast stations.\u00a0 Finally, it requires operators to provide the support required under state laws, or the support historically provided for PEG, or up to 2 percent of gross revenue, whichever is greater.\u00a0 The CAP Act costs nothing, will address the severe challenges faced by PEG access channels and local community media, and will save thousands of jobs across the country.  \u00a0  \u201cCongress, through the cable acts of 1984 and 1992, intended to make sure that local communities could have PEG access channels and funding in return for the cable operators\u2019 use of public rights-of-way,\u201d said John Rocco, President, American Community Television. This legislation will restore what Congress intended and helps to secure a local community\u2019s ability to use these channels to communicate.\u00a0 We want to thank Senator Baldwin and Senator Markey for working together to save these channels.\u201d  \u00a0  \u201cWisconsin needs the CAP Act,\u201d said Mary Cardona, Executive Director of Wisconsin Community Media. \u201cIn 2007, state franchise legislation eliminated PEG funding. Since then, citizen-produced local programming has withered while local governments strive to retain coverage of local affairs.\u00a0 Some key public access centers in the state have closed their doors.\u00a0 The CAP Act will restore support for the community programming residents want.\u00a0 The continuing erosion of community television services in the state has been of great concern to Wisconsin Community Media and we could not be more thrilled at the re-introduction of the CAP Act by Senators Baldwin and Markey.\u201d  \u00a0  \u201cIn a time when religious programming face increasing challenges to its voice being given an equal platform, PEG channels offer a venue for these programs to be accessed,\u201d said Bishop John C. Wester, Diocese of Salt Lake City and chair of the USCCB Committee on Communications. \u201cThis is of particular importance for the elderly, disabled or homebound who long to remain connected to their religious communities but are unable to take part in their religious or community activities.\u201d  \u00a0  The CAP Act is supported by the Alliance for Community Media (ACM), American Community Television, The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), The National League of Cities, The United States Conference of Mayors, Americans for the Arts, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221042654/http://www.baldwin.senate.gov/press-releases/us-senators-tammy-baldwin-and-edward-markey-preserve-public-access-to-local-television-channels-ensure-diversity-of-programming"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.640412025153637, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}