Legislators give community media advocates a warm reception

(Source: WCM Newsletter) Legislators and staff gave WCM members a warm reception at the capitol at our first-ever Legislative Day on October 4.  WCM provided legislators with our three policy priorities:  Program listings in the Electronic Program Guide so viewers can see what is on community TV and record shows; HD-level quality transmission, so audiences are not discouraged from viewing our programs; and a small dedicated fee for community TV – 0.25% of a customer’s video bill or about 25 cents per subscriber per month to support the production of local programming as a local option instituted by a city ordinance.  Both Republican and Democratic legislators were particularly interested in legislation covering carriage on the Electronic Program Guide and improving the quality of transmisison.

Thank you to the following members for participating in Legislative Day:

Andy Radig, Oshkosh; Branden Bodendorfer, Marshfield;Karen Huismann and Ellen Pincus, Watertown (pictured below); Dave Dickinson, Wausau; John Kelly and Drew Douglas, Trempealeau County; Ryan VanLanduyt, Rice Lake; Tom Loucks, Jesse Austin and David Ballerstein, Wisconsin Rapids; Jesse Wilson, Columbus; Scott Mealiff, Sheboygan; Jeff Robbins, Mara Trusty, and Lisa Wolf, Sun Prairie; Jason Rimkus, Kenosha; Alan Luckett and Tina Breeze Wahlers, Janesville; Deb Brunett, Merrill; Melissa Minkoff, Madison WYOU; Mike Ryan and Padrick Dunn, West Bend (pictured above).

Attendees also enjoyed the tours to Wisconsin Eye, Madison CityChannel and the Madison Public Library’s Media Lab.

This is a very exciting time
and it’s important to keep
the momentum going.

If you met with your legislator or a staff person, Please be sure to follow up with a thank you note and an invitation to visit your studio.  If you feel comfortable, call staff and ask if you can talk with them more about WCM’s priorities.  Closer to home, talk with your superiors about our legislative priorities and get their support.  Finally, please keep Mary Cardona in the loop about your interactions: did you get a good reception?  Is there interest?  Is there no interest?  Let us know!  Tell us a story about why our legislative priorities are important.  (See this story about the unreadable blurry type on NewEye Media – that’s why we need HD.)

WCM will also be following up with you and your legislators.

For ease of access, here are our Position Papers once again and the legislator lists that will help you coordinate your advocacy with other media centers:

Proposal 1:  Electronic Program Guide Carriage
Proposal 2:  HD transmission
Proposal 3:  Local option PEG fee
Advocate to Update Community TV (summary of all 3 proposals)
About WCM

Legislator List 1 (priority due to committee assignments and leadership roles;10-3-update)

Legislator List 2 (other legislators representing our members;10-3 update)