Web site raises opposition to FCC cable franchise rules
A collection of organizations, including the Washington-based National League of Cities (NLC), has opened a Web site dedicated to information on telecommunications reform. The Web site’s creator, the Telecommunications Advocacy Coalition (TAC), is opposed to pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations that could remove local control over cable franchises.
Along with NLC, TAC is comprised of the Washington-based National Association of Counties, the Government Finance Officers Association, and the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. The group claims its Web site, www.thetruthontelecomreform.org, is intended to combat lobbying and “multi-million dollar misinformation campaigns” by the telecom industry in favor of reform, such as the FCC regulations. “The coalition’s goals are to ensure access to the latest telecommunications technology for a fair price for all of their constituents,” says a statement from the coalition. The FCC approved the new regulations on Dec. 20 but has not yet released the final order.