mediageek

Category: net neutrality / free the internet!

  • Headlines from the 1-26-07 radioshow: The FCC to Face up the Senate Commerce Committee

    From the January 26, 2007 edition of the mediageek radioshow [listen now]: On February 1st, the Republican dominated Federal communications Commission will have its first hearing in front of a Democratic-controlled Senate Commerce Committee. Commissioners are certain to hear about the current media ownership rules review, in addition to network neutrality. In particular, network neutrality…

  • Uncommon Candor

    I’m sitting in a session on the FCC featuring current Democratic commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps, with former commissioner Gloria Tristani as moderator. I’m very impressed with the degree of candor that Commissioners Copps and Adelstein have expressed at this conference in mulitple sessions, on topics ranging from payola to the BellSouth/AT&T merger. These…

  • Live at the National Conference for Media Reform

    Although I gave no warning on the blog (I did mention it on the last two radioshows), I am here in rainy, but warm, Memphis, TN, for the 3rd National Conference for Media Reform. I got in last night and attended the Save the Internet coalition Party for the Future at the Gibson Guitar Factory.…

  • Back in the Saddle, Bill Moyers Rocks Net Neutrality

    My vacation was too hectic to be relaxing (although I didn’t mind being in Italy and Spain instead of Central Illinois), and I had to hit the ground running when I got back in town. But I’m starting to get my bearings again. I meant to blog in advance of Bill Moyers on America which…

  • Federal Consolidation Commissioner

    It isn’t enough to drag his feet on obligations to inform and engage the public on the media ownership proceeding. Now FCC Chair Kevin Martin is ready to sign off on the proposed AT&T – BellSouth merger without imposing a single condition. While he may have a bit more political savvy than his predecessor, Martin…

  • Hitting the Congresscritters at Home for Net Neutrality

    SavetheInternet details actions in 25 cities where folks hit up their Senators to urge support for network neutrality. Apparently there was success in New York, with Sen. Charles Schumer announcing support for net neutrality, and Iowa, where Sen. Tom Harkin did likewise. Now, both those guys are Democrats, which in the Senate, at least, have…

  • DirecTV-DishNetwork Spectrum Deal Fails. What Does that Mean for a Merger?

    On the Aug. 4 edition of the radioshow I reported on a deal between the nation’s only two direct-broadcast satellite TV providers to cooperatively bid on wireless spectrum during the FCC’s auction. Now that deal is off , with the two companies pulling out of the auction, probably because the prices got too rich for…

  • You Get What You Pay For

    Well, not necessarily YOU exactly, unless you happen to have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to congresspeople this year. But if YOU are AT&T, then you’ve gotten a pretty good return on the $1.7 million you’ve donated to federal candidates this year. 67% of AT&T’s donations have gone to Republicans, and as a result…

  • Taking a Peek under the Astroturf

    Common Cause has been keeping tabs on the faux-grassroots Astroturf groups like Hands off the Internet and TV4US.org which have been lobbying on behalf of the big telcos with the smokescreen that there’s enormous public support for a national cable franchise and against network neutrality. Now Common Cause has released a new report compiling dossiers…

  • radioshow news headline: SENATE TELECOMM BILL STILL GOING NOWHERE

    From the Aug. 4, 2006 edition of the mediageek radioshow: The Senate Telecomm bill which would create a national cable franchise is no closer to a vote than it has been all Summer. One factor holding up the bill are Democrat threats of a hold or filibuster. Majority leader Bill Frist won’t let the bill…