Introducing the new STATEWIDE LETTER PORTAL to support the TEAM-NY bill (a revised version of the Community Media Reinvestment Act)
Take Action Now:
If you live in New York State, it’s urgent that you use the portal to send a message of support for this bill! This legislation will not only secure dedicated funding for Community Media in every City, Town, and Village in New York, but it will also generate an equal amount of revenue for the General Fund of each town. This new funding is crucial to offset the loss of revenue from declining cable franchise fees, which have long supported local budgets.
How Can You Help?
Simply use the portal and our easy template to write a letter! Enter your address and zip code, and your message (which you can personalize with your own opening paragraph) will be sent directly to your local legislators, key sponsors, and committees that can advance the bill.
Why is This Important?
It is critical to get this bill included in the NY State budget, as it would generate an additional $270 million for New York State from streaming media services. As highlighted in the article “REVENUE STREAMS” below, 30 other states are already taxing digital media—so why not New York? By lending your voice, you can help increase municipal revenue and ensure that hyper-local community media continues to thrive, especially in underserved areas. The bill also supports the expansion of broadband into sparsely populated regions that traditional cable hasn’t reached.
Instructions for Using Portal:
- Visit the advocacy portal
- Enter your street address and zip code
- Click “GO” to proceed
- Enter your personal message in the framed box in the letter
- Copy and paste your personal message from the first letter to the framed box in the second letter
- Review the information and confirm your support
- Input your contact details
- Click “SEND” to submit your support letter to elected officials
Click HERE to read a one-page summary of the bill and make your voice heard!
**Link disabled until the bill is revised**
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NEW YORK STATE!
To get a perspective of how important Community Media is, and to get an understanding of what needs to be done to ensure that it has the funds to continue on, we invite you to download the
RESEARCH PAPER from this website entitled:
REVENUE STREAMS:
HARNESSING DIGITAL MEDIA COMMERCE TO REINVEST IN NEW YORK’S TOWN AND CITIES
by Lee Shaker & Antoine Haywood.
View or download REVENUE STREAMS!
Click HERE to see an UPDATED REVENUE PROJECTION TABLE just compiled in 2024, along with an updated explanatory letter from the author of “REVENUE STREAMS”, Dr. Lee Shaker.
Advocacy for the COMMUNITY MEDIA!
Anybody from New York State is encouraged to go to the online letter portal and send a letter supporting the bill to your local legislators. Say who you are and why you want to see this bill passed immediately!
SAVE COMMUNITY MEDIA! SUPPORT LOCAL VOICES!
THANK YOU!
Erica Bradley
Chairman of the Alliance for Community Media of New York
ABOUT US:
Residents of New York State deserve and need access to technology & media education to fully participate in democracy in a digital age. Public Educational & Governmental Access Television (PEG Access) allows us to share information that impacts our communities, connects us with our elected leaders, and provides an important democratic forum.
The Alliance for Community Media New York is the NY State Chapter of the Alliance for Community Media (ACM). The ACM is a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to advance democratic ideals by ensuring that people have access to electronic media, and by promoting effective communication through community uses of media. ACMNY is part of the Northeast region of the Alliance. ACM-NE includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Rhode Island.
The Empire State has a population of more than 19 million people in 62 counties, 62 cities, 553 villages and 932 towns. We look forward to working together with all, as we provide information, advocacy, and media resources to our communities in this great State.
THE ANNUAL ACM NATIONAL CONFERENCE – TBA
June 2025
Click HERE for more information.
To become an ACM Member to get reduced rates and other perks:
https://www.allcommunitymedia.org/ACM/Membership/ACM/Membership/Join/Join_ACM.aspx?hkey=fea57558-abcf-484f-8ea3-6230134954c3
and simply join at the $50 Supporter level to get a membership number. Or your access center can join as an organizational member. Individual (voting) Member is $200.