CAP Act Advances

Greetings Members,

In the five months after Wisconsin Representative Tammy Baldwin (D, WI-2) introduced the Community Access Preservation Act in her House Committee on Energy and Commerce (legislation that the Alliance and NATOA proudly played a key role in crafting), the bill has attracted 15 co-sponsors.  As you likely realize, there is much more we have to do before the bill is voted out of committee and sent to the floor of the House.  Right now, participating in the Alliance’s "Pass the CAP Act" campaign is the best way you can help us help you on Capitol Hill.  Visit our website for direct links to the easy to use CAP Act Fax Tool and the CAP Act Toolkit of Materials.  If you’ve already taken one or more of the actions provided at these links, take a look at the list below to see if there’s something more and new you can do.  The fight is still raging!

This bill targets changes to the Cable Act that would help resolve some of the issues facing community media/PEG across the country by:

1. Allowing PEG fees to be used for any PEG-related purposes;
2. Requiring PEG channels to be carried in the same manner as local broadcast channels;
3. Requiring the FCC to study the effect state video franchise laws have had on PEG channels, and requiring operators to provide the greater of the support required under state laws, or the support historically provided for PEG; and
4. Making cable television-related laws and regulations applicable to all landline video providers.

This bill is a part of the Alliance's Board and staff's long-term strategy to strengthen community media in local communities across the United States to ensure that all people have the media and tools to be active participants in their government, educated to think critically and free to express themselves.  It is not a perfect bill and will not achieve all of our goals, or help every access center in the country; however, our legal counsel, Board and our new professional advocate, Gerry Lederer of Miller & Van Eaton all believe that it is an excellent vehicle through which we can begin to build our future.

Now is the time to join together as a community.  What are we asking you to do?

1. Fax your representatives, asking them to sponsor and support the CAP Act.  Be sure to personalize it!
2. Donate to our CAP Campaign.
3. Visit your representatives/senators in their district offices or in DC, and ask for their support.
4. Volunteer to be a state or local coordinator by emailing volunteer@alliancecm.org.
5. Organize your local campaign (samples are available in the toolkit):

• Have your Board and local governments pass a resolution of support;
• Ask local non-profit service organizations, including churches, to write letters on their letterhead or use the CAP Act Fax Tool.  Sending via email is faster and avoids the sluggish Washington DC postal examination.
• Write a letter to the editor or write a guest opinion in your local newspaper.  Meet with its editorial board.
• Use all other means possible to inform your community.  Use your channels, your website, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. (Our hashtag is #alliancecm)
• Schedule our PSA, created by channelAustin, on your channels.  Feel free to customize it and play it often.

Thank you for all you do each day for our community!  Have a question? Call us at 202-393-2650 or email Rob McCausland at rmccausland@alliancecm.org.

In Alliance,

Greg EplerWood
Managing Director