By Somerville Media Center

The FCC is trying to threaten the future of community media and this is how you can help!

The Federal Communications Commission is continuing its assault on local communities and local media. They have announced two agenda items for its September 26th meeting that will cripple city and county budgets and perhaps defund franchise fees (this is how SMC and thousands of others alike are funded!)

The impact?

Cities and counties will lose billions (with a B) in potential revenue as more and more telecommunications go wireless. The future will be foreclosed for communities that want to support local media and digital inclusion with those fees (or even just pave their roads!). Once the order is issued, the cable industry will want relief from franchise fees as well. This will increase the political pressure to change the Cable Act in Congress. (Source: The Alliance for Community Media)

More information and how you can help is found online here:
http://www.somervillemedia.org/federaassaultonlocalmedia/

**Contact your local, state and Federal lawmakers! Ask them to oppose the FCC’s “Small Cell Order” and “In Kind Offset Rule.”**

This video was produced at Somerville Media Center.