The Big Chill: Government and Journalism
May 2010
In a withering criticism of the FCC’s “Future of Media” initiative, former FCC commissioner Glen O. Robinson points out the conceptual flaws of the FCC’s attempt to somehow manage the future of media — and the arrogant, paternalistic attitude that animates it. » Read paper here
Broadcasting & Cable
Cable and phone companies were praising a new bill Tuesday (May 11) that would require the FCC to drive all kinds of data and find all kinds of fact-bases before it takes any steps to assert regulatory authority over broadband, includng reclassifying part of it as a Title II service, as FCC chairman Julius Genachowski last week proposed to do. » Full Story
With the National Cable & Telecommunications Association show in Los Angeles fast approaching, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski talked with B&C about a broad range of topics.... “Preserving a free and open Internet, I am as convinced as ever, is essential to making sure that we have a platform for innovation and competition and expression. And so, the importance of preserving the openness of the Internet is as important as it ever was....” » Full Story
The cable industry weighed in on the FCC's Future of Media inquiry in comments Friday (May 7) and the message was essentially: the future is now. The FCC wants input on what, if anything, the government needs to do to address the impact of cyclical (economic) and secular (Internet) changes to newsgathering and public information. » Full Story
Comcast said Thursday (May 6) it would be willing to explore FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's proposal for a "third way" approach to Internet regulation. Comcast said in a statement that it would work with the commission to determine "if" there was a way to allow the FCC to take limited measure to preserve Internet openness and the broadband plan, but "cast the kind of regulatory cloud that would chill investment and innovation by ISPs." » Full Story
First Amendment attorney Robert Corn-Revere warns the FCC that reclassifying broadband as a Title II common carrier service would be an attempt "to change the level of First Amendment protection for a medium simply by changing its regulatory definition," which he says it has limited, if any, authority to do. He argues that the recent Citizens United decision on corporate political speech offers clues to the High Court's disinclination toward constitutional gerrymandering. » Full Story