Montclair's TV34 Fighting Market Competition Bill In Trenton Today

Sharon Colucci, manager of Montclair's municipal access TV34 station, and other Township officials are headed to Trenton today to fight the "Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act," a bill that would fundamentally change the regulation of phone and cable TV service in New Jersey.

"If passed, this is going to hurt all communities across the state in a big way," said Colucci, who plans to testify today.

The seven-section bill (S2664) cleared the Senate Economic Growth Committee earlier this week. Its Assembly counterpart (A3766) is subject to a hearing before the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming committee today.

Proponents say the bill would allow all cable and TV companies to compete on a more level playing field. They also say it would stop cable companies from refusing service while forcing them to correct billing errors.

But Colucci said that, among other things, the bill would eliminate the requirement that cable companies provide municipalities with access to public, educational, and government (PEG) channels and would also eliminate the requirement that cable companies provide basic service and Internet to municipal buildings and schools at no charge.

"If this passed, the companies will no longer have an obligation to carry the channel and keep it in a place where people can find it," she said.

Colucci said that, as a result, residents and Townships might have to pay exxtra for these channels and services "and towns can't afford this ... this may make it so expensive that no one would be able to carry their local station anymore."

Colucci said municipal access channels help make communities strong.

Operating out of the Municipal Building, Montclair's TV34 provides community related programming, coverage of township council meetings, and public announcements for government, educational, and non-profit organizations.

Meanwhile, Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor of the bill, argues that current regulations are decades-old and are in need of modernization.

And the New Jersey Cable Telecommunications Association Spokesman Mark Nevins told Nj.com that "cable is committed to continuing relationships with school, libraries, and municipal buildings.

"Additionally, cable will continue to look to provide access programming in a meaningful way that fits the needs and demands of today's consumers and reflects the way customers consume video," he said.