(WisBusiness) FRI News Summary — 21 Nov. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— Viasystems Milwaukee Inc. has notified the state about 238 permanent layoffs resulting from the planned January closure of a manufacturing and distribution facility in Oak Creek.

See the company’s filing with the state:
http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/081120viasystems.pdf

— PSC commissioners on Thursday turned down an AT&T request to close the docket on the commission’s annual review of the AT&T’s basic local exchange service.

PSC Commissioner Eric Callisto argued that because, “AT&T continues to lose market share, and AT&T continued to raise rates as expected. … staff can monitor these issues and [this issue] does not warrant an annual report,” so the agency could close the docket.

PSC Chair Mark Meyer successfully argued to keep the docket open and require an annual review of AT&T “because in 2005 I was part of the group that presented the petition, so that other providers would enter the market and AT&T would lose market share,” as part of the agency deregulation of that portion of the telecommunications market.

“The arguments haven’t changed,” Meyer asserted, “ in 2005 AT&T was the largest provider in Wisconsin. Since then they’ve lost market share, but they are still the largest provider.”

Commisisoner Lauren Azar agreed with Meyer and Callisto agreed to extend the report on AT&T conditional on the telephone utility hiking rates by June 30, 2009.

— PSC commissioners also instructed staff to begin a review of the “Emergency Economic Stablilization Act of 2008” as it affects Wisconsin utilities. The bill contains “The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008” which contains hundreds of provisions designed to reduce carbon emissions, encourage alternative energy production, set rebates and tax incentives designed to reduce the cost of developing “green” technologies, and it is the hope of Public Service commissioners that the Act will “reduce the cost of providing utility service.”

Approved on a voice vote, the action directs PSC staff to develop a comprehensive means of determining how Wisconsin’s major utilities can adopt the “EESA 2008” provisions, which include tax incentives related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, according to PSC staff.

— This year’s Thanksgiving meal will cost $2.72 more than last year, with higher prices for potatoes, cranberries, and processed foods according to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. All items surveyed saw increases with the exception of carrots and peas.

In the Farm Bureau’s 17th annual informal survey for the traditional holiday meal for a family of eight, the cost of this year’s feast is $42.37, compared to $39.66 for last year’s meal. The Farm Bureau conducted the survey of 14-food-items of the traditional Thanksgiving meal in 25 communities across Wisconsin.

See details:
http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=142060

— Joe Plasterer knows “new media.” He helped develop Sonic Foundry’s first $1 million account, MediaSite, and he hasn’t stopped thinking about other innovative ways to crack media markets.

Desktop Media Channels, Plasterer’s latest idea, may be the solution to reaching potential and current customers as segmented audiences and changing media channels pose a continually complex and ever-changing problem. According to Plasterer, Desktop Media Channels also offer communication with “the 20 percent of consumers that do 80 percent of your business, similar to a VIP pass for passionate fans at a concert.”

Read more about Brainfruit, the company behind Desktop Media Channels:
http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=142106

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