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ACTION ALERT! Publiv Access under attack!

Here are three quick and simple tasks for NYC residents to do to help preserve Public Access TV and MNN. Please take a brief moment to send the following three letters to our officials!

Copy & Paste the link below to gain access to form letters and SIGN ON!
http://mnn.org/saveaccess/index.html

National legislation is being proposed that would have a serious and negative impact on Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Access TV throughout the country including Manhattan Neighborhood Network. This legislation is being pushed by telephone companies who want to offer competing services to the cable companies but do not want to give back to the communities any of the benefits the cable companies must currently provide (like Public Access TV and services).

In this first round of the struggle, there are three Bills pending before the Senate and House of Representatives that could seriously undermine or even end PEG TV – including MNN. These Bills could end MNN's funding for the creation of programming, for training, and for access to equipment and studios. They could strip MNN of channel space on cable TV, and impair free and democratic public communication in Manhattan and at every other access TV center around the country.

We need to defeat these Bills, and we need to be vigilant about future legislation that would harm community media in America.

1. Write letters to NY House Representatives
Sign on to these letters to our elected Congresspeople asking them to stop HR3146!

2. Write letters to NY Senators
Sign on to these letters to our elected Senators asking them to stop S1504 and S1349!

3. Write a letter to the Mayor
Send a letter to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg calling on his office to oppose S1504, HR3146 and S1349!

Tell Congress to oppose Senate Bills S.1349 and S.1504, and House Bill H.R.3146!

Under the guise of public choice and increased competition, three telecommunications bills that are detrimental to the public have been introduced into the 109th Congress of the United States. Ultimately, these bills will nationalize franchising, preventing state and city governments from meeting local community needs. Financial and technical support, critical to the creation of local programs, will be eliminated. Existing Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) access facilities will be placed at risk and universal service commitments to rural and low-income communities will be undermined. Effective local enforcement of franchise issues will be transferred to federal bureaucracies and courts. Please take action to help keep franchise agreements under local control.