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"It's
how we, the people, see and govern ourselves," explained Gloria
Tristani on the importance of public, education and government (PEG)
access channels to Americans. Tristani, an FCC Commissioner from1997
to 2001, was the keynote speaker at the Alliance for Community Media's
(ACM) biennial Central States Regional Conference on November 9. Access
Fort Wayne, housed in the newly renovated Main Library of the Allen
County Public Library system, hosted the conference. Access Fort Wayne
runs the city's three PEG access TV channels, PEG studios and a
computer training center.
Tristani included PEG access channels as part of the three areas where
the current FCC is doing the greatest disservice to the American
people: video franchising changes including the latest FCC order that
caps PEG support, net neutrality, and media consolidation. The recent
revelations about Comcast's blocking of certain internet traffic,
including BitTorrent and gnutella filesharing, and IBM's Lotus Notes,
"should send clear alarm bells that net neutrality laws are needed,"
said Tristani.
"The FCC seems poised to act like the Grinch this holiday season," said
Tristani on Chairman Kevin Martin's push to further relax media
ownership limits before December 18, despite polling that shows 70% of
Americans are against it. Tristani urged support of new bi-partisan
legislation, "The Media Ownership Act of 2007," to delay the FCC and
allow adequate time for public input, introduced that day by U.S.
Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Trent Lott (R-MS). "The FCC should
finish broadcast localism," according to Tristani, "The public record
is absolutely devoid of any evidence broadcasters are serving local
communities."
Tristani positioned PEG access channels as "an antidote to media
consolidation" that helps fill the public interest void in media.
There is cause for hope, said Tristani, "Media activists are daily
making their voices heard on PEG....PEG access channels -- despite
funding channels -- are staying true to their mission."
A popular speaker on the conference circuit in 2007, Tristani was also
the keynote luncheon speaker at the "Summit on Media Violence and Its
Impact on Children" held in Indianapolis by the National League of
Cities in April.
Originally published in The Right of Way newsletter by Public Access of Indianapolis, Inc.
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