by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
FCC Amends Closed Captioning Rules for Video Programmers – Docket No: 05-23125-133: Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. Petition for Rulemaking; Delete, Delete, Delete Proceedings
From: Mike Wassenaar, President Alliance for Community Media (ACM) & National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA)
In 2016, the ACM asked the FCC to waive closed captioning registration rules for public, educational, and governmental access (PEG) program producers. On August 26, 2026, this request was granted.
The FCC agreed with this decade-long crusade by releasing a Report and Order that amended its registration and certification closed captioning requirements to alleviate obligations for providers of PEG programming and providers of programming carried on nonbroadcast networks. The Report, when published in the Federal Register, will go into effect in 30 days.
In some trade magazines, there have been headlines that say the FCC has lifted captioning requirements for cable channels. This is not in fact the case. What they have done is lifted the registration requirements for video producers on PEG channels that are exempt from FCC captioning rules.
So what this means is, probably at the end of this calendar year, a simple registration process system will be set up for any cable channel in the United States to get a FCC registration number, and then state whether or not they are an exempt channel or not based upon the captioning rules that exist for the FCC.
Individual local government, educational, and nonprofit operated channels are probably exempt from the FCC’s captioning rules that were set in 1998.
The order from 2016 says that there is a deadline for registering and that each cable channel in the United States should keep a point of contact in case there are consumer complaints, which is actually a useful resource if residents are questioning why videos don’t have captions or if they have problems with the captions that the station is providing. This clarity and point of contact speeds up the process of resolving conflict and actually helps residents understand what is going on with local channels and the community.
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-amends-closed-captioning-rules-video-programmers
Statement of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr:
Back in 2016, stakeholders asked the FCC to streamline closed captioning registration and certification requirements for producers that provide programs exclusively to public, educational, and governmental access (PEG) channels. At the time, they raised concerns that requiring volunteers and community groups – such as Cub Scouts or gospel choirs – that were exempt from captioning rules to comply with those underlying obligations was both burdensome and needless. Stakeholders also asked the FCC to relieve program owners from compliance with captioning rules when their programs on linear networks were distributed by MVPDs, since the network already certifies compliance.
In the agency’s Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding, commenters raised these concerns again. And today, 10 years later, we finally take action. We have voted to eliminate these unnecessarily duplicative requirements, saving hundreds of thousands of programmers a total of nearly $2.5 million annually in needless regulatory costs. We’ve concluded from the record that this action would have no negative impact on captioning availability or quality. This item continues the Commission’s work to eliminate outdated rules and minimize duplicative obligations that provide no consumer benefit.
Thank you to staff for their hard work on this item, including Eduard Bartholme, Lisa Edwards, Robert Aldrich, Suzy Rosen Singleton, Michael Scott, Joshua Mendelsohn, and Ike Ofobike, as well as staff from the Offices of Communications Business Opportunities, Economics and Analytics, Enforcement Bureau, General Counsel, and Media Bureau.
Self Implementing Exemptions:
https://www.fcc.gov/general/self-implementing-exemptions-closed-captioning-rules
Closed Captioning Rules Section 79.1(d) of the Commission’s rules contains several exemptions to the closed captioning rules. These are self-implementing exemptions, meaning that a provider does not need to seek Commission approval of the claimed exemption. As such, the Commission does not “certify” that a provider falls within a self-implementing exemption.
If a program or provider does not meet the criteria for one of these self-implementing exemptions and it would be economically burdensome to close caption, Section 79.1(f) outlines the process for seeking an exemption on this basis.
For purposes of determining compliance with Section 79.1, any video programming provider that meets one or more of the following criteria shall be exempt to the extent specified.
(1) Programming subject to contractual captioning restrictions. Video programming that is subject to a contract in effect on or before February 8, 1996, but not any extension or renewal of such contract, for which an obligation to provide closed captioning would constitute a breach of contract.
(2) Video programming or video programming provider for which the captioning requirement has been waived. Any video programming or video programming provider for which the Commission has determined that a requirement for closed captioning is economically burdensome on the basis of a petition for exemption filed in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (f) of this section.
(3) Programming other than English or Spanish language. All programming for which the audio is in a language other than English or Spanish, except that scripted programming that can be captioned using the “electronic news room” technique, is not exempt.
(4) Primarily textual programming. Video programming or portions of video programming for which the content of the soundtrack is displayed visually through text or graphics (e.g., program schedule channels or community bulletin boards).
(5) Programming distributed in the late night hours. Programming that is being distributed to residential households between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time. Video programming distributors providing a channel that consists of a service that is distributed and exhibited for viewing in more than a single time zone shall be exempt from closed captioning that service for any continuous 4 hour time period they may select, commencing not earlier than 12 a.m. local time and ending not later than 7 a.m. local time in any location where that service is intended for viewing. This exemption is to be determined based on the primary reception locations and remains applicable even if the transmission is accessible and distributed or exhibited in other time zones on a secondary basis. Video programming distributors providing service outside of the 48 contiguous states may treat as exempt programming that is exempt under this paragraph when distributed in the contiguous states.
(6) Interstitials, promotional announcements and public service announcements. Interstitial material, promotional announcements, and public service announcements that are 10 minutes or less in duration.
(7) EBS programming. Video programming transmitted by Educational Broadband Service licensee pursuant to Part 27 of this Chapter.
(8) Locally produced and distributed non-news programming with no repeat value. Programming that is locally produced by the video programming distributor, has no repeat value, is of local public interest, is not news programming, and for which the “electronic news room” technique of captioning is unavailable.
(See ¶ 158 of 1997 R&O and ¶¶ 57-61 of 1998 Recon Order.)
(9) Programming on new networks. Programming on a video programming network for the first four years after it begins operation, except that programming on a video programming network that was in operation less than four (4) years on January 1, 1998 is exempt until January 1, 2002.
(10) Primarily non-vocal musical programming. Programming that consists primarily of non-vocal music.
(11) Captioning expense in excess of 2% of gross revenues. No video programming provider shall be required to expend any money to caption any video programming if such expenditure would exceed 2% of the gross revenues received from that channel during the previous calendar year.
(12) Channels producing revenues of under $3,000,000. No video programming provider shall be required to expend any money to caption any channel of video programming producing annual gross revenues of less than $3,000,000 during the previous calendar year other than the obligation to pass through video programming already captioned when received pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.
(13) Locally produced educational programming. Instructional programming that is locally produced by public television stations for use in grades K-12 and post secondary schools.
For the most recent revisions, please visit the eCFR.
Even if a program or a provider is exempt under the Commission’s rules, it may still have obligations under other federal laws to make its video programming accessible to individuals with disabilities. The ADA rules apply to just about everyone and to PEG channels.
There’s a process by which you, whether a nonprofit or a local government, can determine whether or not captioning or other assistive technology is an undue burden or changes the nature of your service. But those are ADA standards and questions about implementing ADA has nothing to do with the FCC.
Please contact us if you are in need of any further information:
Mike Wassenaar, President
Alliance for Community Media
mwassenaar@allcommunitymedia.org
David Garb, Legislative Chair
Jersey Access Group
davegarb@paps.net
Calling on Advocates to Respond to FCC’s Proposed Throttling of E-Rate
From: Lisa Peet, Executive Editor for Library Journal; Joseph Wender, Executive Director, The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition; and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Library Journal:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register, calling for a major review of the E-Rate program.
E-Rate, under which eligible schools, libraries, and consortia may apply for discounted telecommunications, internet access, and internal connections services, was established under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It has become a lifeline to libraries of all sizes, across all regions of the United States, serving a widely diverse range of communities—especially rural, small, and Tribal libraries.
The NPRM, originally released by the FCC on June 26, poses questions as to whether E-Rate should be scaled back, narrowed in scope, or terminated entirely, weighing factors that include nationwide increases in connectivity rates over the program’s 30 years and concerns about excessive screen time among young people.
(SHLB) – How the E-Rate Program Works:
E-Rate lowers the cost of the broadband, internet, and internal network services that schools and libraries buy. The support arrives as a discount on those specific purchases.
The discount is based on need. Schools and libraries serving more low-income communities receive larger discounts, ranging from 20% to 90% of eligible costs.
Funding covers only eligible services and equipment, and applicants must run a competitive bidding process to select their providers. The competitive bidding process ensures that cost is the primary factor in applicants’ choice of provider.
E-Rate does not pay for laptops, tablets, software, or digital content. The program supports connectivity and the network that carries it.
The program operates under an annual spending cap, and participants are subject to audits and oversight.
E-Rate supports more than 100,000 schools and roughly 11,000 libraries across the country, providing approximately $3 billion in discounts every year.
Benton Institute – So What Happens If E-Rate Goes Away?
Schools and libraries would have to absorb the full cost of their internet service. For institutions already working with tight budgets, that money has to come from somewhere. That money comes out of staff and program budgets that make a school or library more than a building.
The deepest harms fall on the students who can least afford it since E-Rate discounts are tied to need. Schools and libraries in lower-income communities receive the largest discounts, which is a focus of the universal service program. Pull that funding, and the digital divide between well-resourced districts and struggling ones grows. The communities that depend most on E-Rate are the ones that would suffer the greatest.
The FCC also asks whether E-Rate support should be limited to rural areas. Universal service should not draw a distinction between a disadvantaged child in a rural town and a disadvantaged child in a city. Congress did not write that difference into the law, and there is no reason to invent it now.
It is also worth remembering that E-Rate does not stand alone. It is one of four programs funded through the Universal Service Fund, and those programs reinforce one another. Weakening E-Rate weakens the entire system that brings affordable connections to schools, libraries, rural and urban communities, low-income families, and health care providers. A threat to one is a threat to all.
Library Journal:
The NPRM, originally released by the FCC on June 26, poses questions as to whether E-Rate should be scaled back, narrowed in scope, or terminated entirely, weighing factors that include nationwide increases in connectivity rates over the program’s 30 years, concerns about excessive screen time among young people, and interpretations of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
A companion Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) proposes stricter oversight on third-party consultants and more streamlined administration of the program’s funds.
All libraries, schools, and community stakeholders are strongly urged to respond to the NPRM. Initial comments are due on or before midnight Eastern time on October 13; responses to those comments are due by November 12.
The Jersey Access Group has been representing the interests of municipal and community media in both Trenton and Washington, DC for over 25 years. The Legislative Committee keeps a watchful eye on bills and actions that may affect the interests and needs of our diverse communities. This includes analyzing and addressing emerging developments and changes in the telecommunication industry that could be an issue for our operations, and that of our local municipalities.
JAG’s efforts on behalf of our members and the residents of New Jersey have never been more important!
News & Events
Posted: September 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
Looking Ahead to the 2027 JAG Awards: Time to Start Capturing!
By Connor Cheung, JAG Awards Committee, Chair
With the summer wrapping up and a brand-new production season officially underway, it’s time to turn our attention toward the 2027 JAG Awards.
While May might feel like a long way off, we all know how fast a year moves in local media. Between town council meetings, community events, high school sports games, and creative studio shows, your cameras are already rolling on the exact kind of work that defines our local programming.
Now is the ideal time to start keeping a running tab of your best pieces. We’ve all been there—scrambling through hard drives and archives right before the deadline trying to remember which episode featured that great interview or which game had the buzzer-beater finish. By keeping the awards categories in the back of your mind as you edit throughout the fall and winter, you can save yourself a massive headache down the road. Just flag those standout projects as you go.
We’re also taking the feedback from this past year’s evaluation sheets to heart. The committee is working on streamlining the submission process and ironing out category details to make entering smoother and more straightforward than ever. We want to make sure the focus stays entirely on celebrating the incredible stories you bring to life every single week.
Keep an eye out for updates, category announcements, and official timeline guidelines in the upcoming newsletters. If your station has any special series or new local programming launching this fall, definitely make sure it’s on your radar to submit.
Local access television continues to prove just how essential it is for keeping our neighborhoods connected, informed, and entertained. Keep up the fantastic work out there in the field, start saving those clips, and let’s make the 2027 season our best one yet!
The JAG Awards will be held on May 12, 2027 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Edison, NJ as part of the JAG’s Annual Conference.
Posted: September 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
News from Trenton & Washington, DC and FCC Legislation Changes
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
FCC Amends Closed Captioning Rules for Video Programmers – Docket No: 05-23125-133: Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. Petition for Rulemaking; Delete, Delete, Delete Proceedings
From: Mike Wassenaar, President Alliance for Community Media (ACM) & National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA)
In 2016, the ACM asked the FCC to waive closed captioning registration rules for public, educational, and governmental access (PEG) program producers. On August 26, 2026, this request was granted.
The FCC agreed with this decade-long crusade by releasing a Report and Order that amended its registration and certification closed captioning requirements to alleviate obligations for providers of PEG programming and providers of programming carried on nonbroadcast networks. The Report, when published in the Federal Register, will go into effect in 30 days.
In some trade magazines, there have been headlines that say the FCC has lifted captioning requirements for cable channels. This is not in fact the case. What they have done is lifted the registration requirements for video producers on PEG channels that are exempt from FCC captioning rules.
So what this means is, probably at the end of this calendar year, a simple registration process system will be set up for any cable channel in the United States to get a FCC registration number, and then state whether or not they are an exempt channel or not based upon the captioning rules that exist for the FCC.
Individual local government, educational, and nonprofit operated channels are probably exempt from the FCC’s captioning rules that were set in 1998.
The order from 2016 says that there is a deadline for registering and that each cable channel in the United States should keep a point of contact in case there are consumer complaints, which is actually a useful resource if residents are questioning why videos don’t have captions or if they have problems with the captions that the station is providing. This clarity and point of contact speeds up the process of resolving conflict and actually helps residents understand what is going on with local channels and the community.
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-amends-closed-captioning-rules-video-programmers
Statement of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr:
Back in 2016, stakeholders asked the FCC to streamline closed captioning registration and certification requirements for producers that provide programs exclusively to public, educational, and governmental access (PEG) channels. At the time, they raised concerns that requiring volunteers and community groups – such as Cub Scouts or gospel choirs – that were exempt from captioning rules to comply with those underlying obligations was both burdensome and needless. Stakeholders also asked the FCC to relieve program owners from compliance with captioning rules when their programs on linear networks were distributed by MVPDs, since the network already certifies compliance.
In the agency’s Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding, commenters raised these concerns again. And today, 10 years later, we finally take action. We have voted to eliminate these unnecessarily duplicative requirements, saving hundreds of thousands of programmers a total of nearly $2.5 million annually in needless regulatory costs. We’ve concluded from the record that this action would have no negative impact on captioning availability or quality. This item continues the Commission’s work to eliminate outdated rules and minimize duplicative obligations that provide no consumer benefit.
Thank you to staff for their hard work on this item, including Eduard Bartholme, Lisa Edwards, Robert Aldrich, Suzy Rosen Singleton, Michael Scott, Joshua Mendelsohn, and Ike Ofobike, as well as staff from the Offices of Communications Business Opportunities, Economics and Analytics, Enforcement Bureau, General Counsel, and Media Bureau.
Self Implementing Exemptions:
https://www.fcc.gov/general/self-implementing-exemptions-closed-captioning-rules
Closed Captioning Rules Section 79.1(d) of the Commission’s rules contains several exemptions to the closed captioning rules. These are self-implementing exemptions, meaning that a provider does not need to seek Commission approval of the claimed exemption. As such, the Commission does not “certify” that a provider falls within a self-implementing exemption.
If a program or provider does not meet the criteria for one of these self-implementing exemptions and it would be economically burdensome to close caption, Section 79.1(f) outlines the process for seeking an exemption on this basis.
For purposes of determining compliance with Section 79.1, any video programming provider that meets one or more of the following criteria shall be exempt to the extent specified.
(1) Programming subject to contractual captioning restrictions. Video programming that is subject to a contract in effect on or before February 8, 1996, but not any extension or renewal of such contract, for which an obligation to provide closed captioning would constitute a breach of contract.
(2) Video programming or video programming provider for which the captioning requirement has been waived. Any video programming or video programming provider for which the Commission has determined that a requirement for closed captioning is economically burdensome on the basis of a petition for exemption filed in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (f) of this section.
(3) Programming other than English or Spanish language. All programming for which the audio is in a language other than English or Spanish, except that scripted programming that can be captioned using the “electronic news room” technique, is not exempt.
(4) Primarily textual programming. Video programming or portions of video programming for which the content of the soundtrack is displayed visually through text or graphics (e.g., program schedule channels or community bulletin boards).
(5) Programming distributed in the late night hours. Programming that is being distributed to residential households between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time. Video programming distributors providing a channel that consists of a service that is distributed and exhibited for viewing in more than a single time zone shall be exempt from closed captioning that service for any continuous 4 hour time period they may select, commencing not earlier than 12 a.m. local time and ending not later than 7 a.m. local time in any location where that service is intended for viewing. This exemption is to be determined based on the primary reception locations and remains applicable even if the transmission is accessible and distributed or exhibited in other time zones on a secondary basis. Video programming distributors providing service outside of the 48 contiguous states may treat as exempt programming that is exempt under this paragraph when distributed in the contiguous states.
(6) Interstitials, promotional announcements and public service announcements. Interstitial material, promotional announcements, and public service announcements that are 10 minutes or less in duration.
(7) EBS programming. Video programming transmitted by Educational Broadband Service licensee pursuant to Part 27 of this Chapter.
(8) Locally produced and distributed non-news programming with no repeat value. Programming that is locally produced by the video programming distributor, has no repeat value, is of local public interest, is not news programming, and for which the “electronic news room” technique of captioning is unavailable.
(See ¶ 158 of 1997 R&O and ¶¶ 57-61 of 1998 Recon Order.)
(9) Programming on new networks. Programming on a video programming network for the first four years after it begins operation, except that programming on a video programming network that was in operation less than four (4) years on January 1, 1998 is exempt until January 1, 2002.
(10) Primarily non-vocal musical programming. Programming that consists primarily of non-vocal music.
(11) Captioning expense in excess of 2% of gross revenues. No video programming provider shall be required to expend any money to caption any video programming if such expenditure would exceed 2% of the gross revenues received from that channel during the previous calendar year.
(12) Channels producing revenues of under $3,000,000. No video programming provider shall be required to expend any money to caption any channel of video programming producing annual gross revenues of less than $3,000,000 during the previous calendar year other than the obligation to pass through video programming already captioned when received pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.
(13) Locally produced educational programming. Instructional programming that is locally produced by public television stations for use in grades K-12 and post secondary schools.
For the most recent revisions, please visit the eCFR.
Even if a program or a provider is exempt under the Commission’s rules, it may still have obligations under other federal laws to make its video programming accessible to individuals with disabilities. The ADA rules apply to just about everyone and to PEG channels.
There’s a process by which you, whether a nonprofit or a local government, can determine whether or not captioning or other assistive technology is an undue burden or changes the nature of your service. But those are ADA standards and questions about implementing ADA has nothing to do with the FCC.
Please contact us if you are in need of any further information:
Mike Wassenaar, President
Alliance for Community Media
mwassenaar@allcommunitymedia.org
David Garb, Legislative Chair
Jersey Access Group
davegarb@paps.net
Calling on Advocates to Respond to FCC’s Proposed Throttling of E-Rate
From: Lisa Peet, Executive Editor for Library Journal; Joseph Wender, Executive Director, The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition; and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Library Journal:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register, calling for a major review of the E-Rate program.
E-Rate, under which eligible schools, libraries, and consortia may apply for discounted telecommunications, internet access, and internal connections services, was established under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It has become a lifeline to libraries of all sizes, across all regions of the United States, serving a widely diverse range of communities—especially rural, small, and Tribal libraries.
The NPRM, originally released by the FCC on June 26, poses questions as to whether E-Rate should be scaled back, narrowed in scope, or terminated entirely, weighing factors that include nationwide increases in connectivity rates over the program’s 30 years and concerns about excessive screen time among young people.
(SHLB) – How the E-Rate Program Works:
E-Rate lowers the cost of the broadband, internet, and internal network services that schools and libraries buy. The support arrives as a discount on those specific purchases.
The discount is based on need. Schools and libraries serving more low-income communities receive larger discounts, ranging from 20% to 90% of eligible costs.
Funding covers only eligible services and equipment, and applicants must run a competitive bidding process to select their providers. The competitive bidding process ensures that cost is the primary factor in applicants’ choice of provider.
E-Rate does not pay for laptops, tablets, software, or digital content. The program supports connectivity and the network that carries it.
The program operates under an annual spending cap, and participants are subject to audits and oversight.
E-Rate supports more than 100,000 schools and roughly 11,000 libraries across the country, providing approximately $3 billion in discounts every year.
Benton Institute – So What Happens If E-Rate Goes Away?
Schools and libraries would have to absorb the full cost of their internet service. For institutions already working with tight budgets, that money has to come from somewhere. That money comes out of staff and program budgets that make a school or library more than a building.
The deepest harms fall on the students who can least afford it since E-Rate discounts are tied to need. Schools and libraries in lower-income communities receive the largest discounts, which is a focus of the universal service program. Pull that funding, and the digital divide between well-resourced districts and struggling ones grows. The communities that depend most on E-Rate are the ones that would suffer the greatest.
The FCC also asks whether E-Rate support should be limited to rural areas. Universal service should not draw a distinction between a disadvantaged child in a rural town and a disadvantaged child in a city. Congress did not write that difference into the law, and there is no reason to invent it now.
It is also worth remembering that E-Rate does not stand alone. It is one of four programs funded through the Universal Service Fund, and those programs reinforce one another. Weakening E-Rate weakens the entire system that brings affordable connections to schools, libraries, rural and urban communities, low-income families, and health care providers. A threat to one is a threat to all.
Library Journal:
The NPRM, originally released by the FCC on June 26, poses questions as to whether E-Rate should be scaled back, narrowed in scope, or terminated entirely, weighing factors that include nationwide increases in connectivity rates over the program’s 30 years, concerns about excessive screen time among young people, and interpretations of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
A companion Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) proposes stricter oversight on third-party consultants and more streamlined administration of the program’s funds.
All libraries, schools, and community stakeholders are strongly urged to respond to the NPRM. Initial comments are due on or before midnight Eastern time on October 13; responses to those comments are due by November 12.
The Jersey Access Group has been representing the interests of municipal and community media in both Trenton and Washington, DC for over 25 years. The Legislative Committee keeps a watchful eye on bills and actions that may affect the interests and needs of our diverse communities. This includes analyzing and addressing emerging developments and changes in the telecommunication industry that could be an issue for our operations, and that of our local municipalities.
JAG’s efforts on behalf of our members and the residents of New Jersey have never been more important!
Posted: September 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
Are We Losing Our Community’s Video History?
by John C. Morley, Video Producer and Engineer
Walk into almost any community television station that has been operating for several decades, and there is a good chance you will find pieces of the community’s history stored somewhere inside. Shelves may contain videotapes with handwritten labels, cabinets may hold DVDs and other recording media, and hard drives or servers may contain years of locally produced programming. Some stations may even have recordings stored on formats newer staff have never worked with, and equipment that has not been powered on in years.
When those programs were originally produced, few people were probably thinking about their historical significance. The crew may have been covering a council meeting, recording a school concert, interviewing a local official, televising a parade, documenting a community celebration, or simply producing another episode of a local program. As the years pass, however, those seemingly routine recordings can become something much more important. They become a visual record of the people, places, events, and conversations that helped shape a community.
The challenge facing community television stations today is not simply deciding whether that history is worth preserving. It is determining whether we will still be able to access it when someone wants to see it years from now.
Yesterday’s Programming Becomes Tomorrow’s History
Community television stations have documented countless moments that may not exist anywhere else. Local government meetings, elections, school events, interviews, sporting events, dedications, parades, community celebrations, and conversations with longtime residents can all become part of a town’s historical record. Unlike material produced by major broadcasters, much of this footage may never have been duplicated or preserved by another organization.
A recording that seemed ordinary in 1996 can take on an entirely different significance thirty years later. Buildings visible in the background may have changed or disappeared, businesses may have closed, community leaders appearing on camera may no longer be with us, and children participating in a school program may now be raising families of their own. Even the way a downtown area looked, how residents discussed an important issue, or how a community celebrated a milestone can provide future generations with a perspective that written records and photographs alone cannot always capture.
This is one of the unique contributions community television makes to the places it serves. We are not only producing programming for today’s viewers. Whether we realize it at the time or not, we are also creating a visual record that may become increasingly valuable as the years pass.
Having the Recording Does Not Mean We Can Still Play It
Preserving that history becomes more complicated because television technology never stops changing. A station that has operated for several decades may have accumulated material on VHS, S-VHS, Hi8, MiniDV, DVCAM, DVDs, and a variety of digital recording and storage systems. Some formats once standard in television production are now rarely encountered outside archives and older facilities.
The recording itself may still sit safely on a shelf, but that does not guarantee the station can play it. Machines wear out, belts and mechanical components deteriorate, replacement parts become difficult to obtain, and manufacturers eventually discontinue support. At the same time, engineers and technicians who spent years working with older equipment retire, taking valuable knowledge about those systems with them.
This creates an interesting preservation problem. Stations are not only working against the physical aging of their media. They may also be working against the disappearance of the equipment and expertise necessary to access it. A shelf containing hundreds of tapes may seem like a substantial archive. Still, its value changes dramatically if no functioning machine can play those recordings.
Digital Does Not Automatically Mean Preserved
Digitizing older material is an important part of protecting an archive, but converting a recording into a digital file does not guarantee that it will remain available forever. Digital storage introduces its own set of challenges, and community stations should avoid assuming that once something has been copied to a hard drive or server, the preservation job is complete.
Hard drives fail, servers are replaced, files become corrupted, and material can be accidentally deleted. Storage systems are reorganized as technology changes, and files can be moved without anyone documenting where they went. A station may also discover years later that important programming exists only on an aging storage device that has not been tested recently.
For that reason, an important distinction exists between storing video and preserving video. Effective preservation requires stations to think about where important files are located, whether reliable additional copies exist, how those copies are maintained, and how material will be migrated as storage technology continues to evolve. No historically important collection should depend entirely on one aging hard drive, one server, or one physical location.
Knowing What You Have Is Part of Preservation
Imagine receiving a request for an interview that your station recorded fifteen years ago. Someone remembers the program, knows approximately when it aired, and believes the station still has a copy. Would someone working at the station today know where to begin looking for it?
This is where cataloging becomes as important as storage. A station may possess thousands of hours of valuable programming, but that archive becomes considerably less useful when nobody can determine what the files or recordings contain. Names such as PROGRAM001, FINALVIDEO2, or MEETING_OLD might have made sense to the person who created them, but they provide very little information to someone searching the archive years later.
A useful archive should provide enough information for future staff members to understand what they are looking at without relying on the memory of the person who originally recorded it. Program titles, recording dates, locations, names of people appearing in the program, event descriptions, original media formats, and storage locations can all make material easier to identify and retrieve. Consistent naming conventions and a searchable inventory can make an enormous difference without requiring a sophisticated archival system.
Deciding What Deserves Priority
For stations with decades of programming, preserving everything at once may be unrealistic. Limited staff, budgets, equipment, and time mean that some form of prioritization may be necessary. The first goal should be to understand what the station has and identify which recordings face the greatest risk of becoming inaccessible.
Historically significant local events, government proceedings, interviews with community leaders and longtime residents, major anniversaries, original local programming, and footage documenting places that have substantially changed may deserve particular attention. Stations should also consider the physical condition of their media and whether the equipment required to play a particular format is becoming difficult to maintain.
Prioritization does not mean deciding that everything else is unimportant. It offers a practical way to start a project that might otherwise feel overwhelming. Saving the most vulnerable and irreplaceable material first can protect key parts of the collection while a broader preservation strategy develops.
Preservation Does Not Have to Happen Overnight
Community television stations already have demanding responsibilities. Programs need to be produced, government meetings need to be covered, equipment needs to be maintained, schedules need to be managed, and staff and volunteers often accomplish a remarkable amount with limited resources. Understandably, an archive project can remain on the list of things everyone intends to address someday.
The problem is that waiting carries its own risk. Legacy equipment continues to age, older media may deteriorate, and institutional knowledge can disappear when longtime employees or volunteers leave. An unlabeled recording becomes much more difficult to identify when the person who produced it is no longer available to explain what it contains.
A preservation effort does not have to begin with an enormous investment or an attempt to digitize decades of programming at once. Stations can start by identifying the formats in their archives, determining which playback equipment remains operational, and inventorying the material currently being stored. From there, consistent naming and cataloging procedures can help identify historically significant recordings and prioritize media at greatest risk. As material is migrated, maintaining reliable copies in more than one location can help ensure that today’s work protects those recordings for the future.
Preserving More Than Television Programs
Community television has always been closely connected to the communities it serves, which is precisely why these archives can become so important. A council meeting, parade, school event, interview, dedication, election program, or community celebration may initially be seen as just another production on the station schedule. Decades later, that same recording may provide a glimpse into a community that can no longer be recreated.
Technology will continue to change. Cameras will be replaced, servers will be upgraded, storage systems will evolve, and recording formats that seem permanent today will eventually give way to something new. That progression is inevitable, but losing the history captured through those technologies does not have to be.
Perhaps this is a good time for every community television station to take another look at the shelves, cabinets, servers, drives, and storage areas that have accumulated over the years. There may be far more than old television programs sitting there. Pieces of a community’s history may exist nowhere else.
The question worth asking is not only what we have saved from the past, but what we are holding today that our community will wish we had preserved twenty years from now.
Posted: August 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
Who Has the Password?
by John C. Morley, Video Producer and Engineer
Years ago, protecting a television station meant locking the doors, securing the equipment, and ensuring only authorized personnel had access to the control room. Today, another part of the station needs just as much protection: its digital assets.
Community television stations may have more online accounts than people realize. YouTube channels, social media accounts, websites, streaming platforms, cloud storage, email accounts, scheduling systems, remote access tools, and equipment management systems may all require usernames and passwords.
The question every station should be able to answer is simple: Who has the password?
When One Person Knows Everything
In smaller organizations, it is common for one employee, volunteer, contractor, or technically knowledgeable person to set up many of the station’s accounts. Over time, that person may become the only individual who knows how everything is accessed.
That arrangement may work perfectly for years. Then the person retires, leaves the organization, becomes unavailable, or forgets how an account was configured.
Suddenly, something as simple as updating a website, accessing a YouTube channel, or changing a streaming configuration can become a major problem.
Stations should know which accounts they have, who has authorized access to them, and how to recover access if necessary. Just as importantly, the station itself should maintain ownership of important accounts rather than relying entirely on an individual’s personal email address or phone number.
Stop Sharing Passwords
One password shared among several people may seem convenient, but it creates unnecessary risk.
Whenever possible, systems should provide individual accounts for each authorized user. This makes it easier to add or remove access without changing credentials for everyone.
It also provides accountability. If several people use the same username and password, determining who made a change can become difficult.
Passwords should also be unique. Using the same password across email, social media, streaming services, and other systems means that a compromised account could expose several others.
Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication, commonly called MFA, adds another layer of security beyond a password.
If someone obtains a password, MFA can help prevent them from accessing the account without an additional verification step.
However, stations should also think about who controls that verification method. If an account sends every verification code to one employee’s personal phone, what happens when that employee leaves?
Whenever possible, recovery information and authentication methods should remain under organizational control. Backup recovery methods should also be reviewed so the station does not accidentally lock itself out of an important account.
Do Not Forget the Equipment
Digital security does not end with websites and social media.
Modern broadcast equipment is increasingly connected to networks. PTZ cameras, video switchers, encoders, streaming systems, servers, network-attached storage, automation systems, and other devices may have their own administrative passwords.
Default passwords should be changed, and administrative access should be limited to people who actually need it.
Stations should also document important configuration information. If a device fails and has to be replaced, having the necessary information available can save considerable time.
What Happens When Someone Leaves?
This is where having a documented process becomes important.
When an employee, contractor, intern, or volunteer who had access to station systems leaves, their access should be reviewed promptly. Accounts may need to be disabled, passwords may need to be changed, and shared access should be examined.
Waiting until there is a problem is not a good security strategy.
The same principle applies when someone new joins the station. Give people access to what they need to perform their responsibilities rather than automatically providing access to everything.
Final Thoughts
Stations should also periodically review their accounts, even when nobody has left. An annual or semiannual review can uncover old accounts, outdated recovery information, unnecessary access, or services the station no longer uses.
Community television has changed tremendously, and station security has changed with it. Cameras, switchers, servers, streaming platforms, websites, social media, and cloud services have created incredible opportunities, but they have also created more digital assets that stations must manage responsibly.
Every station should periodically ask a few simple questions: What digital accounts do we have? Who can access them? Is multi-factor authentication enabled? Can we recover the accounts if someone leaves? Are important credentials and configurations properly documented?
These are relatively simple questions, but answering them before something goes wrong can save a station considerable time, frustration, and potentially money.
If the answer to “Who has the password?” is only one person’s name, it may be time to take a closer look.
About the Author
John has worked with technology and media for over 30 years. If your community television station has questions about technology, security, networking, or production infrastructure, he welcomes the opportunity to connect and share ideas.
Posted: August 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
News from Trenton & Washington, DC and FCC Legislation Changes
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Reminder: ADA Title II Web and Mobility Access Compliance with the WCAG 2.1 Level AA Rules – Quickly Approaching
Starting April 24, 2027, any video published on government websites (or anywhere on the web) must include closed captioning. This new rule applies to local governments serving more than 50,000 people who provide online communications held to a minimum WCAG standard, but will extend to all government websites with less than 50,000 residents starting April 24, 2028.
This rule requires captioning for all online VOD and livestreamed content, and adding a descriptive audio track for pre-recorded video that will also be aired online.
Organizations should determine the costs for compliance with the new rule and plan either to meet the standards or to make the case that compliance with one or more elements presents an undue burden. In either case, decision makers with local government need to be involved.
Regardless of the Federal Government’s enforcement of the ADA, these rules can be enforced through private legal action; so, local governments and non-profits would be subject to legal liability if they fail to act appropriately.
Organizations are not exempt from ADA requirements. All non-profits and local governments need to assess the costs of providing effective communication for constituents. Solutions must be based on what constituents need. Exceptions can be made if that service fundamentally changes what the organization does or if it presents an undue economic burden. Guidelines are at https://www.ada.gov/resources/effective-communication/.
If you provide captions, but they are not transmitted by a cable operator on your channels, tell the FCC as this is against the law. Email dro@fcc.org or use the link https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/closed-captioning-television.
Mike Wassenaar and the ACM have shared a slideshow, titled Accessibility Rules Every PEG Channel Should Understand, that highlights everything you need to know about these rules and lists key takeaways about disability access for you to share with your channels and services.
DANGER! Still Floating Around in the Halls of Congress
The American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289)
Last November, a dangerous bill passed out of the Congressional House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, titled the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289).
H.R. 2289 gives conglomerate telecommunication companies de-facto power over local zoning laws. It provides no public safety protections for construction of “deemed granted” facilities. Sites will be constructed without any further action by the government, without notice to the local government. It strips local governments of the ability to ensure public safety, manage traffic, protect existing utilities and workers, and maintain fair competition, while imposing no reciprocal obligations on providers.
It empowers providers to install facilities where they choose regardless of local zoning—thus eliminating the ability of local government to balance providers’ and neighbors’ interests.
Not only will local authorities have no control of the rights-of-way, but the franchise fees generated by them as well. Cable franchise renewals would be eliminated—thereby removing the ability of state or local communities to enforce franchise obligations such as build-out, customer service, and PEG. Municipalities will lose hundreds of thousand dollars annually and local programming that provides transparency to the local residents.
In an effort to make our leadership aware of the implications of this act, the Jersey Access Group created the following videos about it:
The first one, is a 3-minute video which details the harmful points of H.R. 2289.
1-Minute Overview of this Act.
CG Version – “Alternating the Future of Our Stations – HR 2289”.
If you have not done so already, please forward both these videos to your local, state, and federal lawmakers to make everyone aware and informed of the dangers of H.R. 2289 to your local municipalities. Also, please consider airing them on your television channels and other means of communication to make the members of your community informed as well.
Please contact us if you are in need of any further information on these two stories.
David Garb, Legislative Chair
Jersey Access Group
davegarb@paps.net
Doug Seidel, President
Jersey Access Group
dseidel@piscatawaynj.org
Bob Duthaler, Former President
Jersey Access Group
bduthaler@jagonline.org
Mike Wassenaar, President
Alliance for Community Media
mwassenaar@allcommunitymedia.org
Posted: August 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
One Operator. A Much Smarter Production.
By Yervant Keshishian, Technical Director and Sales Engineer, Varto Technologies
What JAG members will see at Varto Technologies on September 30
Live-production gear can do more than ever. That does not mean it is always easier to run. The meeting still has to start on time. A remote guest may need to join. A presenter may step away from the podium. Cameras, graphics, recording, and streaming all have to stay on track, often with one person running the show.
When JAG returns to Varto Technologies on September 30, we will put several newer tools together and show how they can take some of the routine work off the operator’s plate. The point is not to automate every decision. It is to give the operator more time to watch the production and make the decisions that matter.
Let the camera help
PTZ cameras have already changed the way many council chambers, studios, and meeting spaces are produced. Tracking and framing tools take that a step further.
Using our Panasonic UE100 cameras with Panasonic’s software-based tracking tools, we will demonstrate how a camera can follow a presenter as they move and maintain a useful shot. We will also talk about setup and where an operator still needs to step in. Good tracking does not replace the operator. It gives the operator a usable shot while attention is needed somewhere else.
Build controls around the job
Starting a meeting can mean recalling camera presets, preparing graphics, checking the remote guest, starting the recording and confirming the stream. Those actions may be spread across several systems.
A programmable surface such as Stream Deck, paired with tools like Companion and Central Control, can bring the most useful functions into one clearly labeled place. Instead of hunting through several interfaces, the operator can see buttons for familiar tasks such as Meeting Start, Remote Guest, Public Comment, Break, and Meeting End.
We will show several examples at work in a live TriCaster production. This is not about creating one magic button that runs the show. It is about cutting down the repetitive clicks and giving the operator a cleaner way to work.
Bring remote guests into the production
Remote participation is changing too. Supported Zoom Rooms workflows can make participants and shared content available as NDI sources on the production network. On September 30, a remote participant will join over NDI and take a place alongside cameras, graphics, and other content in the TriCaster environment.
That is a cleaner way to think about remote contribution rather than treating the Zoom computer as a separate box with its own capture hardware and improvised routing. We will bring these ideas together in a live demonstration and leave time for questions. Members are welcome to stay afterward, get hands-on with the systems, and continue the conversation.
Posted: July 29, 2026 by Doug Seidel
When Live Broadcasts Go Wrong
by John C. Morley, Independent Producer
Most people assume that when they watch a live television program, community meeting, sporting event, or livestream, everything unfolds exactly as planned. In reality, every live production carries a level of uncertainty. Equipment can fail, unexpected situations can arise, and people can make mistakes. The difference between an amateur production and a professional one is often not whether something goes wrong, but how quickly and calmly the production team responds.
For viewers, a live broadcast may appear effortless. Behind the scenes, however, a team of professionals constantly monitors every camera, microphone, graphic, video source, and audio feed. Their job is not only to produce a quality program but also to anticipate problems before the audience ever notices them.
Preparation Is the First Line of Defense
Long before a live broadcast begins, production teams spend time preparing for situations they hope never occur. Equipment is tested, microphones are checked, batteries are replaced, graphics are reviewed, cameras are positioned, and communication systems are verified.
Many production crews rely on detailed checklists before every broadcast. While these may seem routine, they help prevent small oversights from becoming major problems during a live production.
Even with careful preparation, live television remains unpredictable.
Audio Problems Can Happen at Any Time
Many production professionals will tell you that audio problems are among the most serious issues that can occur during a broadcast.
A microphone battery may suddenly fail. A cable could become disconnected. Wireless interference might appear without warning. A remote guest may experience internet latency or lose their audio completely.
When this happens, the audio engineer must react immediately. Backup microphones may be activated, audio channels adjusted, or alternate sources brought online. In many cases, viewers never realize there was a problem because the correction happens within seconds.
Cameras Do Not Always Cooperate
Camera issues can occur without warning.
A camera operator may lose sight of a moving subject. A PTZ camera could fail to respond to commands. A video cable may become disconnected, or a signal may suddenly disappear.
Rather than interrupting the broadcast, the director switches to another camera while the issue is resolved behind the scenes. Good productions are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing multiple cameras to cover the same area whenever possible.
Graphics and Video Mistakes
Graphics operators work under constant time pressure.
Names, titles, sponsor information, presentation slides, and prerecorded videos all need to appear at precisely the right moment.
Occasionally, a graphic may contain an error, the wrong title could be displayed, or a video may not start as expected. When this happens, production teams quickly remove the incorrect element, correct the issue, and continue the broadcast with as little disruption as possible.
The audience often remembers the content rather than the brief mistake.
Human Error Is Part of Live Production
No matter how advanced technology becomes, people remain at the center of every production.
A director may accidentally select the wrong camera. A microphone may remain muted. Someone may speak before they realize they are live. A presenter might skip part of the script or unexpectedly change the order of a presentation.
Professional crews understand that mistakes happen. Rather than assigning blame during the broadcast, they focus on solving the problem first. Discussions about improvement come after the production has ended.
Teamwork Makes the Difference
One of the greatest strengths of any production team is communication.
Directors, camera operators, audio engineers, graphics specialists, producers, and technical directors work together continuously throughout the broadcast. Headsets deliver instructions instantly, allowing everyone to react together when unexpected situations arise.
Every member of the team plays an important role, and every position contributes to the success of the final production.
Viewers Rarely Notice the Recovery
One of the true signs of a successful live production is that viewers never realize something went wrong.
They see smooth camera transitions, hear clear audio, and continue watching without interruption. Behind the scenes, however, a production team may have already solved several unexpected challenges before the audience had time to notice.
That ability comes from experience, preparation, communication, and teamwork.
Final Thoughts
Live broadcasting will never be completely predictable, and that is part of what makes it both challenging and rewarding.
Technology continues to improve, but equipment can still fail, and unexpected situations will always occur. What separates professional productions is not perfection. It is preparation, adaptability, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
The next time you watch a live broadcast, remember that while everything may appear effortless on your screen, an experienced production team is working together behind the scenes to ensure the program continues smoothly, even when things do not go according to plan.
Posted: July 29, 2026 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight: Metuchen Media — Technology Grows Your Station
By Brandon Uhlig, Director of Communications, Metuchen Media
My Metuchen Media Journey
I’m the Director of Communications for the Borough of Metuchen and current studio head of Metuchen Media. I assumed this position in July 2018, after eight years leading operations at ESN-TV, the Edison Schools Network. When I began, I was already relatively familiar with Metuchen, since I had been working just a mile or two down the road. I was excited at the prospect of leading an already successful production facility into the future.
Along with my co-worker Stephanie, I continued the established operations for the first few weeks while I got my feet under me. But, just a few short months later— as things were beginning to click and ideas were starting to blossom—there was a shakeup. Staff cuts turned us into a one-person operation.
Changes bring rebranding and new focus.
That change lit a fire under me, and I decided to redirect METV (as it was known as at the time). I rebranded the station as Metuchen Media and began to concentrate production and distribution to a web and social media-based platform.
Apart from the continuation of Borough Council and Board of Education public meeting simulcasts; I began to add a new element of storytelling to Metuchen Media’s portfolio. Short, exciting and emotionally driven profiles of Metuchen residents and town-wide events.
New tools make a big difference in capabilities and quality.
I took a cinematic approach to the visual capture. Wanting to shoot in a 24fps, high-contrast, dynamic format; I decided to get my hands on a Blackmagic URSA G2 Mini-Pro. I’ve always shot still images with a Canon 5D Mark III, so the URSA G2 was a natural fit since they both use lenses with an EF mount. This saved thousands that would have been relegated to purchasing new lenses if I had gone in a different direction.
The URSA G2 is a dream of a camera that inserted a defined cinematic element, but the camera itself tends to be a bit heavy and cumbersome. I needed something a more manageable and fluid since I was still shooting on my own.
My experience with various DJI drones had me take notice of their catalogue. When they released the Ronin 4D, I decided to give it a shot, and it completely changed everything. The shock absorbing three axis gimbal is nearly flawless and added a certain personality to the camera. This helped take Metuchen Media productions to the next level.
Leveraging new platforms to tell new stories.
The profiles I produced with these cameras perfectly aligned themselves to the social media format. A brief, aggressively shot, and snappily edited emotional piece that could catch the eye of a viewer in the first few frames, before they had a chance to scroll past.
These stories were about exceptional local students, artists, town events and much more. I posted these pieces on any platform I could reach, and the response from the community was immediate and positive. So much so that Metuchen Media has earned three NYNATAS Emmy Nominations since 2019, along with a bunch of Telly and JAG awards that I’m extremely proud of.
Keeping up with Metuchen’s award-winning changes.
Metuchen, as a town, began a bit of a renaissance in 2016 after the creation of the Metuchen Downtown Alliance (MDA). I’ve worked directly with them and their marketing team since I began here nearly a decade ago. They’ve enjoyed substantial growth and notoriety in recent years, and many Metuchen Media productions have supported their image throughout the surrounding area.
This notoriety came to a crescendo in 2023, when Metuchen and the MDA were recognized as the Great American Main Street Award winner. Metuchen Media has been mentioned as a significant element in that recognition since our vision and presentation generated so much interest in the town.
As with every other PEG station throughout the state, the COVID lockdowns changed just about everything. With so many residents altering their daily lives, even several years after the event, we’ve had to expand our public meeting broadcasts.
The future of Metuchen and Metuchen Media.
Originally, Metuchen Media only broadcasted Brough Council and BOE meetings. That has now expanded to include Zoning and Planning Board meetings, along with the occasional committee meetings if a hot button topic is being discussed. That added demand, and the aging of our existing system, forced us to upgrade our live switch to a Tricaster 2 Elite system.
For those who utilize this behemoth, you’re familiar with its reliability and performance. Without it, Metuchen Media would be scrambling on a weekly basis just to fulfil our basic promise to the residents of Metuchen, informing them of the goings on at Borough Hall. After a few years, and many changes to our output, Metuchen Media finds itself at another crossroad. The public’s way of consuming information is changing again and to stay relevant, we need to pivot. That’s a challenge I’m up for, and I’m excited to see where the future takes Metuchen Media, and the rest of us who work diligently in this industry we all love.
Posted: July 29, 2026 by Doug Seidel
Legislative Update July 2026: News from Trenton & Washington and FCC Legislation Changes
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Update on the opposition to The American Broadband Deployment Act (H.R. 2289)
For many months, we have kept everyone informed about the American Broadband Deployment Act (H.R. 2289). If passed, this act would give telecommunication conglomerates de facto power over local zoning laws without providing public safety protections for construction of “deemed granted” facilities. Sites will be constructed without any further action by or notice to the local government.
From NATOA (The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors):
At last month’s U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting, a resolution was adopted that urges Congress to reject the American Broadband Deployment Act by warning that the legislation would limit local oversight of broadband deployment and public rights-of-way.
They approved Resolution No. 39, expressing strong opposition to the American Broadband Deployment Act, H.R. 2289 and related Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposals that the conference says would preempt local authority over public rights-of-way, zoning, and telecommunications infrastructure.
This Annual Meeting is one of two major meetings of the United States Conference of Mayors each year. The primary purpose of this meeting is to adopt policy resolutions that guide the organization’s advocacy work.
2026 Resolutions of the USCM in the fields of Technology and Innovation include:
A Resolution Expressing Strong Opposition to Federal Preemption of Local Authority for the Benefit of the Telecommunications Industry, Resolution Number 39.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors strongly opposes H.R. 2289 and urges all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to oppose the legislation or any similar preemption proposal as an unnecessary and unconstitutional taking of local property rights.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors thanks Representative Pallone for his leadership in support of local control and opposition to H.R. 2289 and all those members, Democrat and Republican, that stood with Mr. Pallone in protecting local governments’ police powers and property rights.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors reaffirms its opposition to the proposed actions in the FCC’s two broadband dockets, and calls on the Commissions to refrain from taking actions, the authority for which was not delegated by Congress to the Commissions, and even were the power delegated, the actions proposed by the Commissions would result in an unconditional taking of local governments’ rights.
Sponsored by: Brian Wahler (Piscataway, NJ); Angela Birney (Redmond, WA); Connie Boesen (Des Moines, IA); J. Christian Bollwage (Elizabeth, NJ); Leirion Gaylor Baird (Lincoln, NE); Anne Marie Graham-Hudak (Charter Township of Canton, MI); Christina Muryn (Findlay, OH); Michael Owens (Mableton, GA); Satya Rhodes-Conway (Madison, WI); Daniel Rickenmann (Columbia, SC); Jim Ross (Arlington, TX); Keith Wilson (Portland, OR) and Michelle Wu (Boston, MA)
Representative Thomas Kean Jr’s explanation for his lengthy absence.
For many months, constituents of New Jersey’s 7th District (as well as the entire state) wondered what had happened to Representative Tom Kean Jr. He was absent for countless votes with no explanation on his whereabouts. On July 1, we learned the reason behind his absence when Rep. Kean returned and addressed everyone on the House floor with the following speech:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep gratitude for the patience, the kindness, the prayers, and the concern that have been shown to me and my family over the course of the last several months.
This is not an easy speech for me to give. I am a private person by nature, and I have spent most of my life talking about the people that I represent, the issues facing our communities, and the work that continues to be done. Talking about myself has never come naturally, but I believe that I owe an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s 7th District, to my colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people for my absence.
Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay. I was given the diagnosis of depression.
Now, when people hear the word depression, many people think simply means feeling sad. But depression is so much more than that. It is physical. It is emotional. And until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.
The doctors recommended that I remain in the hospital to address my illness. They explained to me that this would be the fastest way to recovery. And to be honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t think that I had time for it. I had responsibilities to my family. I had responsibilities to my constituents. I had responsibilities to this institution.
And like many people, I believed that I could simply push through. But I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendations. Again, not believing that would result in a long-term stay. I began to understand not only my diagnosis, but how long depression had been affecting my life.
When I first informed the public that I was dealing with a medical issue, I was still trying to understand what was happening myself. When I said I hope to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it. Those were the best estimates that the doctors could provide.
But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time.
Today, I am grateful that I listened to my doctors. And I am grateful for the exceptional care that I have received from doctors, nurses, and support staff. I am grateful that I accepted help.
Because today I stand before you healthier, stronger, and excited to return to the work that I love. I’ve always been a supporter of mental health care. During my time in the New Jersey legislature, I worked to advance mental health parity. I believed in the cause then, and I understand it in a far more personal way now.
This experience has given me a deeper appreciation for the millions of Americans who face these challenges each and every day. Many do so quietly. Many do so alone. Many do so while carrying burdens that the rest of us never see.
And to them, I would say, asking for help is not a weakness. It is a strength. To my constituents, Thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for your prayers. And thank you for allowing me the honor of serving you.
I also want to thank my staff, who worked tirelessly to ensure that our office continued serving constituents every day during my absence. And most importantly, I want to thank my family, whose love whose support and whose faith carried me through some very difficult days.
This is not a partisan issue. It touches every community, every family, and every corner of this country. If sharing my story encourages even one person to seek help, if it gives one family the courage to have a difficult conversation, or if it reminds one person that recovery is possible, then this moment will have been worthwhile.
I am grateful to be back with the full support of my doctors. I’m grateful to be healthy. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of New Jersey’s 7th congressional district. Thank you. May God bless the people of New Jersey and may God bless the United States of America.”
Depression affects a person’s whole body and mind. It can drain your energy and make daily tasks difficult. Sleep and eating habits can change and it can cause real physical aches. We at JAG welcome Rep. Kean back to Congress and extend our wishes and support for his recovery.