As Congress considers a major rewrite of telecommunications legislation, CAN TV examines what is at stake for local communities if the telephone industry is successful in eliminating local video franchising.

The program will air on Sunday, October 22 at 6 p.m. on CAN TV19.

Media in the 21st Century questions the telephone industry’s claim that a national franchise would speed up competition for video service and lower prices. The program explores the dangers of this legislation to the public interest, including threats to public, educational and governmental (PEG) access centers and lack of build-out requirements that would make services available to everyone.

Chicago journalist Mara Tapp interviews Libby Beaty, executive director of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), representing the communications needs and interests of local governments.

"The telecommunications companies want a special deal," says Beaty. "They want to be subsidized to be able to compete with the cable operators in a faster manner. We’d like to see these services in our communities, but it has to be done in the fairest and most efficient manner for every community’s purposes."

CAN TV provides coverage of events relevant to the local community and gives every Chicagoan a voice on cable television by providing video training, facilities, equipment, and channel time for Chicago residents and nonprofit groups. CAN TV’s five local, noncommercial cable channels CAN TV19, 21, 27, 36 and 42 reach more than one million viewers in the city of Chicago. For more information call (312) 738-1400 or visit www.cantv.org.