Local-access television

From Freepedia

Local access TV, or public access TV, is enjoyed in many communities as one of the purest forms of democracy. Enabling legislation by Congress in 1984 and 1992 provided a funding mechanism that allows communities to charge a 5 percent tax on cable carriers' revenues, with that money earmarked to fund public access TV. However, in Ashland, Wis., a citizens group has run into what was probably an unanticipated problem. You, in the enabling legislation, if no citizens group came forward to start an access channel immediately, the city government was still allowed to institute the tax, collect it and do as they pleased with it. In Ashland, the city council did so, placing the resulting funds into the general revenue fund. Having fed at that trough for awhile, the council is loath to give it up, even though the intent of Congress clearly earmarked that funding for public access. I am currently researching court cases defining any precedents and if anyone has any information, contact me at evansasman@yahoo.com.