In an op-ed in Current this week, leaders of local community access TV criticized the FCC’s vote last week to deregulate local cable franchise fees that they say could threaten the future of PEG (public, educational, governmental) channels.

In the column, Ernesto Aguilar, program director for the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, and Mike Wassenaar, president/CEO for the Alliance for Community Media, said the FCC’s move could “devastate” PEG stations, adding that current trends in media consolidation and a decreased public trust in the media are proof enough that access to local news and information is more vital than ever.

“PEG stations supported through the fees have widely been considered a hallmark of media localism,” the writers said. “For the elderly, working people, students and everyone, PEG channels have been a window into the intricacies of City Hall, the classroom of a town’s college and the insightful, creative journalism and storytelling offered on public-access television.”

A local PEG channel’s airing of candidate forums and public meetings can help spur public interest in elections, especially in rural communities that don’t have local broadcast affiliates, they said, citing numerous examples of PEG channel programming that have helped “reignite waning interest” in local elections.

“Now multiply that success to 1,500 channels across the country,” they wrote. “All of these affected cities are at risk because of the FCC order, which treats local communities with contempt.”

The op-ed is available here. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concluded that contractors were to blame for the collapse of the tower of KOZK-TV Fordland, Mo,(Ozarks Public Television) back in April. That is according to Current, which covers noncommercial TV and radio issues, per an OSHA report it obtained via a FOIA request.

The accident killed the head of one of the two engineering firms hired to reinforce the tower, Tower Consultants Inc. and Steve Lemay LLC. Lemay, who was contracted by TCI to do the structural reinforcements, was killed and three of his workers injured when the 1,891 ft. tower collapsed. 

[Read: 'The Most Dangerous Job in America']

OSHA concluded that removing bolts on diagonal braces during the reinforcing process compromised the structure, that Lemay used undersized equipment, and that TCI failed to approve the design of a temporary frame prior to replacing a diagonal, as it was required to do.

The station was being repacked from channel 23 to channel 16, according to the National Association of Broadcasters, and was in the FCC's first phase of stations needing to move to new channels, which must be completed by the end of November.

The reinforcement was required for the tower to comply with wind and ice loads.

NAB has expressed concerns about safety with so much tower work needed to meet the repack deadlines.