NCCCMC

Funding for both rural broadband and the CMCs comes solely from the video
franchise revenues. No additional revenue is required from the telco, cable
or satellite companies.

In fact, the telecom industries have the most to gain from the economic
development, innovation, broadband adoption, job-training and small business
incubation activity that will be stimulated by both the rural broadband
and CMC components.

The Community Media Center (CMC) concept is exemplified by Asheville's URTV
public access facility and its private-sector support
group, the Media Arts Project

As you may know, both URTV and The MAP are keystones of western North
Carolina's HUB Project, under the "Technology Cluster: Multimedia" focus area
(Mack Pearsall is also on the HUB board):

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050408/SPECIAL/50409010&theme=WNCAGENDA

Here's a recent Asheville Citizen-Times clip on URTV (note the section
entitled "Media Making Jobs"):
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770210049

Likewise, here's a recent Citizen-Times cip on the importance of digital media
training for local students and the good-paying jobs they are landing:

http://www.citizentimes.com/archive/article/?id=47372

Herb, the success of the Community Media Center concept should not be limited
to Asheville, and that's the aim of CMC funding in SB-1068: to direct video
franchise revenue to any locale in North Carolina that wants to pursue the CMC
economic development and job training model.

With passage of SB-1068, North Carolina will be the first state in the nation
to embrace and fund the Community Media Center (CMC) economic development
model. As with the Google/YouTube facility in Lenoir, SB-1068 will put North
Carolina in the forefront of "digital media-friendly" places to do business.

I hope we can count on AT&T's support for SB-1068. Please let me know if you
have any questions.

1. Numerous public policy initiatives authorized and/or endorsed by the N.C.
General Assembly -- such as The Rural Prosperity Task Force, "Vision 2030" from
the N.C. Board of Science and Technology, and "Choices for a New Century" from
the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center -- indentify digital media economic
development as critical for creating new jobs and business start-ups for the
21st century.

2. These initiatives include the creation of the N.C. Film Commission, the N.C.
Rural Internet Access Authority, and now the E-NC Authority.

3. North Carolina is currently behind its cohort states like Virginia, Ohio and
Michigan in Community Media Centers derived from -- and supported by -- local
cable franchise revenue. Each of those states has between 15 and 20 CMCs
supported by PEG funding. North Carolina has only five CMCs supported by PEG
funding. http://www.communitymedia.se/cat/linksus.htm

4. If North Carolina requires this reinvestment, the Digital Media Economy
will be stimulated, producing more economic activity, jobs and business
development for North Carolina -- and more business for the telco and
cable companies. This is "win-win" public policy. END