Wisconsin Public Television's "Here and Now" Features "Video Competition" Bill, Illinois Beetles, Invasive Species

Tonight's "Here and Now," on Wisconsin Public Television, leads its show tonight (Friday; 7 pm and again Sunday 10:30 am or watch it here) with the "Video Competition" bill. The rest of the show featured contaminated firewood from Illinois, invasive species on the Great Lakes, and a commentary regarding the tragedy at Virginia Tech.  A pattern here?

Yesterday Andy Moore called and chatted about the video bill, then asked if I would tape a segment for the show.  I agreed and when asked, suggested Thad Nation of TV4us as an advocate for the  legislation.

A couple hours before the 3 pm taping today, Andy emailed me that the taping would be with Sen. Jeff Plale live in the Milwaukee studio.  OK. Guess I better put on a tie.  I grab my clipping of the April 24 Capital Times editorial with Sen. Plale's picture and the headline: "Foul Smell of Campaign Cash," stuff it into my AB 207/SB 107 key document folder to have with me in the studio.

The taping flashes by, and Sen. Plale, Fred Freyberg and I bat around the bill for a few minutes on TV. Sen. Plale had no tie. I successfully resist waving the clipping after Sen. Plale parried Fred's obligatory question about AT&T contributions and the bill. It was all very civil.  Maybe we explained a few things to the audience; maybe we confused them further. TV4us never came up, so I failed to use "sockpuppet" on television.

At the end, pressed for time, I blurted out the key thing I wanted to say:  the Public Service Commission has expertise already on staff to do real oversight of video services.  The  DFI, which largely handles banking, has no one on staff who could even identify which of the wires on the nearest pole was electric, which was telephone, and which was cable TV.  And that's the point of this bill.

I also wanted to go over details of the real costs of DATCP's authority under the current version of the bill, and argue that state taxpayers will wind up footing over a million dollars of consumer protection once  satellite services are included in their mandate. No time.  Maybe I'll get into it on Public Radio Monday morning 7:30 am-8 am on Joy Cardin's show.

- Barry Orton

Comments

[jim guilfoil]

Barry,
Why hasn't the PEG issue been central to the debate. Surely there must be politicians who respresent areas where municipalities are in the need of the PEG services. Broadband coverage of local governmental, educational meetings are essential to contemporary information networks. Democracy without good information and discussion by those most affected by political decisions becomes a toy for the lobbyists and those who can afford them.
Money and choices get the headlines, while the bases for such acquisition get lost in the pursuit of power and wealth.

[Barry Orton]

Jim,

PEG isn't central to the debate because the debate has been framed by AT&T as about money that will be saved if the legislation passes. It is faith-based reliance on the power of the marketplace to lower prices and increase service regardless of experience or facts.

Actually, the Wisconsin PEG community has been very active and mostly successful in protecting its interests regarding this bill. There is one remaining issue, which involves the discontinuation of funding for PEG operations in Ashwaubanon, Stevens Point, West Allis, Sheboygan, and Wausau. See the Wisconsin Association of PEG Access Channels (www. wapconline.com) for more info.