SAVE THE PUBLIC AIRWAYS FROM CORPORATE MARAUDERS!

If you believe Public Access TV is worth defending, this page shows you how to take action by writing to both your Congressional House Representatives and your Senators. There are three pieces of legislation pending in Washington that could DESTROY PUBLIC ACCESS TV under the familiar right-wing smoke and mirrors of deregulating to create new business opportunities.

Here's an OVERVIEW of the three bills.

This is the first one, S. 1504--HERE.

Find the status of the S. 1349 HERE. Talking points HERE.

Find the status of HR 3146 HERE. Talking points HERE.

Find your State Representatives' and Senators' email or mailing addresses HERE.

****A SAMPLE ACTION LETTER FOLLOWS--COPY AND PASTE IF DESIRED.***

HR3146 Letter in Opposition

[Your Name Here]

[Your Address Here]

Dear [Your House Representative Here]

I am writing to ask you to oppose HR 3146. This bill, mislabeled the "Video Choice Act of
2005" takes resources from the local community and creates a subsidy for an already healthy private telecommunications sector. The bill does not achieve the goal of increasing competition and consumer choice. And the bill will strip local authorities of their ability to meet the needs of local communities.

HR 3146 puts local public, educational and governmental access facilities at risk, strips local governments of regulatory power, deprives cities of just compensation for use of public rights-of-way (NYC alone would lose close to $100 million annually), eliminates support for public infrastructure and forcescommunities to take customer service issues to the FCC--instead of seeking resolution from local authorities.

This legislation fast tracks telephone companies into the video services business while undermining the cable regulatory framework that provides needed protections and benefits for the public. I urge you to oppose HR 3146 and to insist that no legislation be allowed to eliminate resources for public access television stations. These stations provide training, facilities and local, commercial-free television to the public.

Sincerely,