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WASHINGTON, DC – The United States House of Representatives voted to pass the Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement ACT of 2006, also known as the Barton-Rush Bill.
Julia Johnson, a Florida African-American businesswoman and Chairman of the group called the Video Access Alliance, was a central figure and leading proponent of the bill co-sponsored by African-American U.S,. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois.
Mrs. Johnson, and members of the Video Access Alliance, focused on supporting the legislation that would mandate a high-tech and digital highway that will free African-American consumers and entrepreneurs from the shackles of high-cost cable television, lackluster competition among video franchises and unfair opportunities for minority channels on current video platforms.
The Video Access Alliance (VAA) is a national organization whose mission is to educate public policy makers and consumers on the availability of quality, diverse content offerings for cable television, satellite television, telephone company video services and other video distribution platforms.
In their pursuit to influence legislative leaders and public policies considering bringing competition to the cable TV industry, Video Access Alliance hosted a Diversity and Programming Issues Forum in Washington, DC a day before votes were taken by the House of Representatives.
Florida African-American in Congress, Rep. Corrine Brown, Rep. Alcie Hastings and Rep. Kendrick Meek all voted to support the bill that is so important to the African American community.
A sizable audience attended the VAA forum that was hosted by Dr. Randal Pinkett, winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice”. U.S. Senators and Representatives and many Congressional staff members eagerly listened to a variety of new and imaginative content providers showcase their channels and networks and plead their cause for House and Senate assistance in reforming America’s cable TV franchising and distribution laws.
“This issue is extremely important for minority businesses and minority consumers,” said VAA Chairman Julia Johnson. “Blacks and Hispanics spend more on telecommunications and media products and services than non-minorities. Studies indicate minorities have higher penetration rates for digital television. Minorities subscribe to more premium television channels like HBO and Showtime and minorities are the industry’s best pay per view customers. We are high value customers with enormous buying power. ”
Joining Chairman Johnson at the Congressional Forum were representatives from several video content companies, channels and networks that have had difficulty in getting cable companies and other video platforms to assist them in getting on the air.”
African-American Broderick Byers, CEO of “The Employment & Career Channel”, spoke at the VAA
Diversity Forum and said, “Consumers need more and better choices when it comes to what they watch on television. Too few people are making decisions about what the masses of American TV viewers want to see. We need opportunities for distribution of our channels and networks to generate ads and sponsors in order to provide more jobs. Cable companies can charge people what they want to so cable rates increase on a regular basis.”
Doron Gorshein, CEO of “The America Channel”, a channel that includes stories and reports about everyday Americans, said, “The most important thing that Congress can do is to create competition. We have created video products and services that can improve consumer choice, competition, diversity and lower the costs of cable TV and other television platforms.”
Hispanic Information & Telecommunications Network CEO Jose Rodriguez says, “Current video platform companies want minority channels and networks that do get on television to be placed in a digital ghetto. We are being put in a high-numbered tier where members of minority communities have to pay extra to be able to view desired minority channels.”
“Horror videos blow the doors off of other genres,” said Nicolas Saltos, CEO of “The Horror Channel”, “but channels like mine can’t get on television in America. The Horror Channel web site get 600,000 hits a month but we still can’t get on cable. Cable and satellite TV companies want to own you before they put you on television. They want to see you die!”
Ninety-one million people play, watch or purchase tennis products and 60% of all new tennis players are minorities. Minorities are extremely interested and excited about the “Tennis Channel” Director Eric Turpin. “But we still can’t get mass distribution on cable television,” explained Turpin. “Competition from new channels and networks will level the playing field. There are more people from more different age brackets and ethnic groups that play tennis than play golf so why can’t we get a reasonable television deal?”
The final speaker at the Forum on Diversity in Programming was Steve Pruitt. Pruitt and former Congressman J.C. Watts joined investments to launch “The Black Television News Network”. Historically, African Americans have been vilified in on cable TV news. We created this 24 hour black news channel to ensure that African Americans are fairly and accurately portrayed in the news. Pruitt’s take on the limited opportunities for new channels and networks to get on television was that “African-Americans are loyal cable and satellite customers. We buy far more premium channels, pay-per-view and other video products than other Americans if you look at percentages. Without Congressional legislation, we will be left out of the new changes in television and video distribution and we will be short-changed!”
“I support legislation that will increase competition and opportunities for minorities in television,” said Dr. Randal Pinkett. “I applaud Senator Ted Stevens and Congressman Bobby Rush for having the courage to sponsor a bill that will open up cable markets, satellite television and telephone company video platforms to African-American and other communities.”
The Video Access Alliance knows that billions of dollars are spent by minorities for television and video services but Blacks, Hispanics and other consumers have few chances to profit in the television business or to watch the types of video programs that they desire.
“I encourage everyone to join the Video Access Alliance and to support efforts to gain political support for fairness in television and video distribution,” said Julia Johnson. “There is no charge to become a member and we can be contacted via our web site at www.videoaccess alliance.org. If we come together and promote the unique offerings of independent, emerging and minority networks we can perhaps insure that we will participate in the future of digital television, satellite television, telephone company video services and other important video platforms. The world of communications is changing fast and it is crucial for us to be involved in what changes are made.”
The “Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement (COPE)” legislation will soon be considered by the U.S. Senate. African-American and minority voices must be heard on this important issue!
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States House of Representatives voted to pass the Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement ACT of 2006, also known as the Barton-Rush Bill.
Julia Johnson, a Florida African-American businesswoman and Chairman of the group called the Video Access Alliance, was a central figure and leading proponent of the bill co-sponsored by African-American U.S,. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois.
Mrs. Johnson, and members of the Video Access Alliance, focused on supporting the legislation that would mandate a high-tech and digital highway that will free African-American consumers and entrepreneurs from the shackles of high-cost cable television, lackluster competition among video franchises and unfair opportunities for minority channels on current video platforms.
The Video Access Alliance (VAA) is a national organization whose mission is to educate public policy makers and consumers on the availability of quality, diverse content offerings for cable television, satellite television, telephone company video services and other video distribution platforms.
In their pursuit to influence legislative leaders and public policies considering bringing competition to the cable TV industry, Video Access Alliance hosted a Diversity and Programming Issues Forum in Washington, DC a day before votes were taken by the House of Representatives.
Florida African-American in Congress, Rep. Corrine Brown, Rep. Alcie Hastings and Rep. Kendrick Meek all voted to support the bill that is so important to the African American community.
A sizable audience attended the VAA forum that was hosted by Dr. Randal Pinkett, winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice”. U.S. Senators and Representatives and many Congressional staff members eagerly listened to a variety of new and imaginative content providers showcase their channels and networks and plead their cause for House and Senate assistance in reforming America’s cable TV franchising and distribution laws.
“This issue is extremely important for minority businesses and minority consumers,” said VAA Chairman Julia Johnson. “Blacks and Hispanics spend more on telecommunications and media products and services than non-minorities. Studies indicate minorities have higher penetration rates for digital television. Minorities subscribe to more premium television channels like HBO and Showtime and minorities are the industry’s best pay per view customers. We are high value customers with enormous buying power. ”
Joining Chairman Johnson at the Congressional Forum were representatives from several video content companies, channels and networks that have had difficulty in getting cable companies and other video platforms to assist them in getting on the air.”
African-American Broderick Byers, CEO of “The Employment & Career Channel”, spoke at the VAA
Diversity Forum and said, “Consumers need more and better choices when it comes to what they watch on television. Too few people are making decisions about what the masses of American TV viewers want to see. We need opportunities for distribution of our channels and networks to generate ads and sponsors in order to provide more jobs. Cable companies can charge people what they want to so cable rates increase on a regular basis.”
Doron Gorshein, CEO of “The America Channel”, a channel that includes stories and reports about everyday Americans, said, “The most important thing that Congress can do is to create competition. We have created video products and services that can improve consumer choice, competition, diversity and lower the costs of cable TV and other television platforms.”
Hispanic Information & Telecommunications Network CEO Jose Rodriguez says, “Current video platform companies want minority channels and networks that do get on television to be placed in a digital ghetto. We are being put in a high-numbered tier where members of minority communities have to pay extra to be able to view desired minority channels.”
“Horror videos blow the doors off of other genres,” said Nicolas Saltos, CEO of “The Horror Channel”, “but channels like mine can’t get on television in America. The Horror Channel web site get 600,000 hits a month but we still can’t get on cable. Cable and satellite TV companies want to own you before they put you on television. They want to see you die!”
Ninety-one million people play, watch or purchase tennis products and 60% of all new tennis players are minorities. Minorities are extremely interested and excited about the “Tennis Channel” Director Eric Turpin. “But we still can’t get mass distribution on cable television,” explained Turpin. “Competition from new channels and networks will level the playing field. There are more people from more different age brackets and ethnic groups that play tennis than play golf so why can’t we get a reasonable television deal?”
The final speaker at the Forum on Diversity in Programming was Steve Pruitt. Pruitt and former Congressman J.C. Watts joined investments to launch “The Black Television News Network”. Historically, African Americans have been vilified in on cable TV news. We created this 24 hour black news channel to ensure that African Americans are fairly and accurately portrayed in the news. Pruitt’s take on the limited opportunities for new channels and networks to get on television was that “African-Americans are loyal cable and satellite customers. We buy far more premium channels, pay-per-view and other video products than other Americans if you look at percentages. Without Congressional legislation, we will be left out of the new changes in television and video distribution and we will be short-changed!”
“I support legislation that will increase competition and opportunities for minorities in television,” said Dr. Randal Pinkett. “I applaud Senator Ted Stevens and Congressman Bobby Rush for having the courage to sponsor a bill that will open up cable markets, satellite television and telephone company video platforms to African-American and other communities.”
The Video Access Alliance knows that billions of dollars are spent by minorities for television and video services but Blacks, Hispanics and other consumers have few chances to profit in the television business or to watch the types of video programs that they desire.
“I encourage everyone to join the Video Access Alliance and to support efforts to gain political support for fairness in television and video distribution,” said Julia Johnson. “There is no charge to become a member and we can be contacted via our web site at www.videoaccess alliance.org. If we come together and promote the unique offerings of independent, emerging and minority networks we can perhaps insure that we will participate in the future of digital television, satellite television, telephone company video services and other important video platforms. The world of communications is changing fast and it is crucial for us to be involved in what changes are made.”
The “Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement (COPE)” legislation will soon be considered by the U.S. Senate. African-American and minority voices must be heard on this important issue!
