Localities Take Defense of PEG Arrangements to Commissioners
Local government officials met FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Media Bureau staffers and aides to the regular commissioners about the benefits of public, educational and government programming and to tackle what they said was "flawed" NCTA analyses, according to a docket…
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05-311 posting Thursday. They said congressional intent was clear that nonmonetary payments aren't franchise fees and the FCC must assess what effect saying that in-kind contributions count as franchise fees, credited against the statutory cap, would have on existing franchises. They also said it's not relevant whether PEG channels are operational or capital costs and ultimately they're voluntary commitments and not impositions. At the meeting were representatives of the Association of Washington Cities, Washington State Association of Counties, Colorado Communications and Utility Alliance, Washington localities of Thurston County and Everett, Kent, Lacey, Olympia, Seattle and Tumwater, and the Rainier Communications Commission. NCTA didn't comment.