Strange bedfellows.(Brief Article)

Multichannel News, February, 2006 by Bartash, Jeffry

"Groups such as Public Knowledge and Consumers Union say there might be a need for Congress to create a national law that makes it easier for phone companies to offer a cable-like TV service. Only thing is, they want a lot of conditions attached to a federal franchising law, some of which the phone companies undoubtedly oppose.

The likely result is that a federal franchising bill will probably languish in Congress until at least next year. Elections are coming up in November and lawmakers in both parties are wary of stepping on the authority of thousands of cities and towns." JEFFRY BARTASH, MarketWatch SUBMISSIONS SEND CONTRIBUTIONS TO: Kent Gibbons Multichannel News 360 Park Ave. South, NewYork, N.Y. 10010 kgibbons@reedbusiness.com