TeleTruth Wisconsin Created to Oppose AT&T's Bill

Wednesday in the Wisconsin Senate Parlor, Teletruth Wisconsin held a press conference to announce its creation and denounce the so-called "video competition" bill. Key initial members include the Center for Media and Democracy, The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, WISPIRG, the Wisconsin Association of PEG Channels and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Senator Fred Risser led off by scorning the increasingly clumsy efforts of astroturf sockpuppet "TV4US" and its master AT&T. Bill opponent Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts also spoke of her surprise in finding herself on TV4US's list of bill supporters, as did Teletruth Wisconsin organizer Cynthia Laitman, Paul Soglin, and several others.

Steve Walters of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quoted Risser:

Misusing the names of private individuals in that way is a "gross misrepresentation" that made the TV4US lobbying effort "totally meaningless."

Wisconsin Radio Network had coverage, as did The Wisconsin State Journal, WMTV and WISC-TV.

Judy Davidoff's story in the Capital Times was the most complete, and I thought had the biggest news of this event: The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin's taking a position with Teletruth Wisconsin against the bill.

"This bill was written behind closed doors by national corporate interests," said Andrea Kaminski, executive director of the League of Women Voters, in an interview. "The process by which it's coming forward has not involved the public. It's making a mockery of the democratic process."

Kaminski also said the bill threatens the viability of public access television stations, which are extremely important public education tools.

"Anything that threatens to gut funding from a public forum such as public access channels we see as a threat to a citizen's right to know," she said.

- Barry Orton

Comments

[John Foust]

I went to my Assembly rep's office and they'd already shredded the TV4US binder. I went to my Senator Fitzgerald's office and leafed through the approximately three-inch thick TV4US binder. Why so thick? One name per page! I found numerous duplicates. I also found three names of trustworthy folks I knew. I called when I returned home. One knew he'd sent in a postcard favoring TV choice, but it was months before the bill was even drafted. Two had no idea how their name got on the list. The names look fishy to me. Some were all upper-case, as if they'd been culled from other mailing lists. Some were obviously entered directly on a web site form, preserved intact with their spelling errors. I saw no indication that the named were supporting specific legislation. In the minority of pages where comments were present, most described some sort of unhappiness with their current video provider - cost, service, channel choice, etc.

[jim guilfoil]

Dear Editors,
In your editorial of this morning you championed for greater market choices for TV users. What you failed to mention was the choice to participate in local city council meetings, local school board meetings, and local public affairs programing, all provided by the PEG(Political, Educational, and Governmental) franchise agreements.
The basis of our democracy is local participation in civic affairs.
For many the use of the PEG channel is their only access to such participation. Here in Monona the agendas for public meetings are posted on the PEG channel web site. This encourages citizens to email their concerns and questions to the local alders, school board members, and make suggestions for local programing,i.e. the senior center, the library, etc.
TV providers, whether cable or satellite or telephone, should be required to supply the PEG channel are part of their responsibilities in using the public air waves, public utilities,etc.
Profit and entertainment are part of the market place for commodities for public consumption, but the public is much more than the consumption of commodities. Public responsibility for good laws and government is so much more necessary for our society than luxury consumption in a market place which often ignores basic necessities.
Please editorialize on civic responsibility as an essential part of our society.

--
Daniel J.(jim) Guilfoil
guilfoil@wisc.edu
5306 Tonyawatha tr.
Monona, Wis. 53716
608 221 8782