123 Volume 4 Issue 2 Fall, 2018 News from Wisconsin’s local public, education and government access TV centers. Community Media Centers Produce and Air Election Coverage FCC action threatens the existence of community access channels in WI Community Access Television is under an unprecedented attack from the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC, chaired by Ajit Pai, is Election season is here again and your local community television centers have been busy covering forums, hosting studio considering ways to whittle away the public interest obligations cable companies have under federal law by charging cities for anything that does interviews, explaining the referendums and encouraging everyone to vote. Here’s just some of the coverage cable subscribers have not earn the companies revenue. City expenses will go up, cable company expenses will go down, and cable subscribers will pay the same price for been able to see. cable but without the Public, Education, and Government (PEG) access channels that air locally-produced programs. The community access channels will disappear because many cities will no longer be able to afford to equip, staff, and pay for them. For nearly 50 years, communities have been given the use of one or more PEG “access” channels on cable systems for programming of local interest – government meetings, issue debates, local music shows, community events, school sports and more. Knowing that cities have many serious priorities, federal law has also provided two ways to fund these channels so that cities can afford to produce programming for them and train the public to do so, too. Now, the FCC wants cities to pay cable companies for these channels with the franchise fees the law requires cable companies to pay cities for the use of city streets – the same fees cities use to fund community television and other city services. The other fee available under federal law to pay for PEG facilities and equipment has been outlawed in Wisconsin (2007 Act 42). A comment period is now open on the FCC’s Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (MB Docket No. 05-311). If the FCC is successful in reinterpreting the law in this unprecedented way, Wisconsin cities will face an unwelcome choice: keep the community PEG access channels and find another source of money to fund production of programming or return the channels to the cable company. If the PEG channels are returned, there will be no local programming on cable anymore. WCM is very concerned about the future of access television here in Wisconsin. If you like being able to see your community on Cable TV, go to www.wisconsincommunitymedia.com for more information and to learn what you can do. Sun Prairie Media Center broadcast many live WCM member media centers cover the 2018 elections radio remotes at disaster Wisconsin Community Media has collected coverage from around the state and put it all on our new YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/WCMYouTubeVideos relief fundraisers, this Click PLAYLISTS on our YouTube homepage to see all the interviews we talk about here unless otherwise noted. one at the Nitty Gritty, a Sun Prairie restaurant, EAU CLAIRE candidate for the 44th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Deb which donated 50% of its Valley Media Works, Eau Claire’s community TV station, recently Kolste running unopposed; candidates for the 45th Assembly District, sales that day. Mark partnered with the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce, WQOW, and Democratic incumbent Mark Spreitzer and Libertarian Reese Gonwa, community radio The Leader-Telegram to present coverage of a State Assembly and Wood; and Democratic Senator Janis Ringhand, who represents volunteer producer Senate candidate forum. The station also invited the candidates to do Senate District 15, running unopposed. Janesville JATV also covered (right) poses with a guest brief 15-minute individual interviews. Interviews were conducted with an October 29 debate between candidates for U. S. Representative wearing a red Sun Prairie Democratic candidate for Assembly District 67, Wren Keturi; Paul Ryan’s seat, Congressional District 1, between Democrat Randy Strong t-shirt. Democratic candidate for Assembly District 68, Wendy Sue Johnson; Bryce and Republican Brian Stile. The debate was sponsored Assembly District 91 candidates Democrat Jodi Emerson and WCLO and WSAW and hosted by University of Wisconsin Republican Echo Reardon; Democratic candidate for Assembly Whitewater Rock County Campus. The forum was broadcast live on District 93 Charlene Warner; Republican candidate for Senate radio and played later on JATV Charter/Spectrum cable channel 994. District 31 Mel Pittman; and Democratic candidate for Senate District 23 Chris Kapsner. JEFFERSON Jefferson JPEG covered a candidate forum on October 24 at the HUDSON Jefferson Fort Community Credit Union. Participants were District 33 Watch recent episodes of the Western Wisconsin Journal produced candidates, Republican incumbent Cody Horlacher and Democrat by the River Channel, the Hudson – North Hudson community Brandon White; District 38 candidates vying for an open seat, television channel, for interviews with candidates for office including Republican Barbara Dittrich and Democrat Melissa Winker; and Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District Margaret District 43 candidate Republican Gabriel Szerlong. Incumbent Engebretson; Democratic candidate for State Treasurer Sarah Representative Vruwink was unable to attend. The Fort Atkinson, Godlewski; Assembly District 30 candidates Republican incumbent Jefferson and Watertown Chambers of Commerce and the American Shannon Zimmerman and Democrat Barry Hammerback; and Association of University Women, in cooperation with WFAW 940AM Libertarian candidate for Governor Phil Anderson. and the Daily Jefferson County Union sponsored the event. JANESVILLE LAKE MILLS Janesville JATV covered the YWCA Rock County candidate forum on Lake Mills TV recorded a candidate forum about public education October 16. The forum features candidates for the 31st Assembly hosted by Citizen Advocates for Public Education. Invited to the forum District, Democrat Brittany Keyes and Republican incumbent Amy were candidates for State Senate District 13, Democrat Michelle Loudenbeck; candidates for the 43rd Assembly District, incumbent Zahn and incumbent Republican Senator Scott Fitzgerald and Democrat Don Vruwink and Republican Gabriel Szerlong; candidates for the open seat for State Assembly District 38 Republican Barbara Dittrich and Democrat Melissa Winker. The Quarterly is produced by Wisconsin Community Media. Find YOUR community media center at www.wisconsincommunitymedia.com. Contact Mary Cardona, Executive Director & Editor at 608-215-5594 or at [email protected]. Strong Media Centers. Strong Communities. 45 MARSHFIELD STEVENS POINT Marshfield Community Television invited candidates for office into its Stevens Point Community TV covered live an information session studio to discuss their views. Three candidates for Assembly District 86 sponsored by the League of Women Voters in the Stevens Point area came in: Republican incumbent John Spiros, Democrat Nancy on the referendums on the November 6 ballot. The forum was Stencil and Independent Michael Tauschek. MCTV also did simulcast on Charter Channel 984 and WSNP-LP 105.9 FM. interviews with candidates for the open 68th Assembly District seat, Democrat Chris Kapsner and Republican Kathy Bernier, and TREMPEALEAU COUNTY interviews with the candidates for Wood County Sheriff, Republican On October 16, Trempealeau County Community Television covered Sean Becker and Democrat John Hiller. a University of Wisconsin – Extension forum with the candidates for Assembly District 92, Senate District 31, the Sheriff’s race and the Marshfield Community TV also interviewed several candidates for District Attorney’s race. In addition, Steve Toft, a Republican statewide office: Secretary of State candidate Republican Jay running for Congressman Ron Kind’s seat was at the forum. Schroeder and Democratic incumbent Doug La Follette; candidates for Governor, Independent Maggie Turnbull and Green TCCTV always invites all candidates for office into its studio to talk in Party candidate Arnie Enz, and Attorney General candidate longer format programs, allowing them to expand on their positions. Democrat Josh Kaul. Several candidates have taken advantage of this opportunity: Democrat Rob Grover and Republican incumbent Treig OSHKOSH Pronschinske both running for Assembly District 92; Democrat Jeff Oshkosh Media co-hosted a live candidate forum with the League of Smith and Republican Mel Pittman running for Senate District 31; Women Voters of Winnebago County on Thursday, October 11 at Sheriff candidates Brett Semingson and Kevin Deeren and Oshkosh City Hall. The forum featured candidates for Wisconsin’s 53rd candidates for Congress, Congressman Ron Kind and Republican Assembly District, Republican incumbent Michael Schraa and Steve Toft. Democratic challenger Joe Lavrenz. WATERTOWN Oshkosh Media also partnered with the Oshkosh Public Library to On October 31, the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce held a cover a series of informational sessions at the library called “Informed candidate forum at the Veterans Center with Assembly District 39 Electorate.” These four sessions covered the History of Political Republican incumbent Mark Born and his challenger, Democrat Rhetoric, Tech for Voters, a discussion on the Winnebago County Elisha Barudin and State Senate District 13 candidates Republican