A Week of Outrage Over FCC Closed-Door Meetings
By Megan Tady, June 29, 2010
Last week, outraged bloggers and the public flogged the Federal Communications Commission after The Wall Street Journal reported that the agency had held "closed-door meetings" with industry executives to broker a deal on Net Neutrality.
The FCC’s actions indicated that large corporations would have their say about Net Neutrality while consumers and the public interest community would be ignored. Net Neutrality is the principle that protects free speech online, and prevents Internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T from blocking or controlling Internet traffic.
In case you missed it, here’s a recap of the backlash the meeting generated among bloggers and public interest groups:
The Fate of the Internet. Decided in a Back Room
Tim Karr, SavetheInternet.com
FCC in the Backroom with AT&T
Joan McCarter, DailyKos
Back Room Net Neutrality Deal? Reform Groups Up in Arms
Matthew Lasar, Ars Technica
FCC Takes the Heat for Meeting with Big Business in Private to Decide the Fate of the Internet
Jason Rosenbaum, FireDogLake
FCC Takes Beating Over Closed Door Net Neutrality Meeting
Broadband Reports
FCC Blasted Again Over Closed-Door Internet Meetings
Daily Finance
Consumer Advocates Condemn FCC’s Secret Neutrality Meetings
MediaPost
FCC Meets in Closed Door Session with Telecom Lobbyists
Broadband Breakfast
Free Press also responded with a full-page ad in the Washington Post last week criticizing the FCC for holding secret meetings with industry giants.
If the closed-door meetings at the FCC leave you feeling a little uneasy about the future of the Internet, you are not alone. The public doesn’t want Internet policy to be dictated by industry lobbyists. You can take action to demand that President Obama's FCC includes the public in policymaking and the process is transparent. We must continue to generate momentum so that President Obama does not waver on his pledge to "take a back seat to no one" in his support for Net Neutrality.
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.
Megan Tady
Megan Tady is a blogger, video producer and freelance writer who previously served as the Free Press communications coordinator. She blogs at SavetheInternet.com and SavetheNews.org. Follow her on Twitter @MegTady.
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Comments
Have you no shame?
How can SaveTheInternet/FreePress honestly be outraged about industry closed door meetings with the FCC when FreePress and SaveTheInternet members have been in 30 similar closed door meetings with the FCC in the last six months per FCC logs?
Your organization only opens itself to ridicule, derision and failure when it argues for high-road "principles" in such a low-road un-principled manner.
SaveTheInternet/FreePress' shameless double standards are in full view for everyone to see.
Scott Cleland
Chairman of NetCompetition.org
An eforum supported by broadband interests
Pesky secret meetings
Hi Megan!
Couldn't agree more. These closed door meetings are making us all feel uneasy about the future of the Internet. Just wanted to add a few more headlines that you probably "forgot":
“Free Press is leading the fight...They’re basically fighting behind closed doors.” ROBERT MCCHESNEY, THE MEDIA REVOLUTION THAT WILL BEGIN THE WORLD AGAIN, FEBRUARY 4, 2010
"Free Press and the Left Have Had At Least 30 ‘Behind Closed Door’ ‘Sellout’ Meetings with the FCC since January", SETON MOTLEY, BIG GOVERNMENT, JUNE 28, 2010
"According to a White House meetings list posted online at socrata.com, representatives of Free Press and Public Knowledge, as well as Google and Skype and the Open Internet Coalition–of which Free Press and Pubilc Knowledge are members–were all at a meeting with Crawford on Oct. 20, 2009...That was only two days before the FCC issued its notice of proposed rulemaking to expand and codify its network neutrality guidelines." JOHN EGGERTON, BROADCASTING & CABLE, JUNE 24, 2010
"Closed Door FCC Meetings Continue" - "Industry sources say FP [Free Press] is still taking part in those very meetings through the Open Internet Coalition, of which it is a member. Others point out it was Free Press that hit up the White House at the end of 2009 to meet with key administration officials ahead of the FCC’s initial inquiry on net neutrality." POLITICO - JUNE 24, 2010
"...A delegation from the Open Internet Coalition [Free Press is a member] met advisers to President Barack Obama on May 3, Markham Erickson, executive director of the Washington-based group, said yesterday in an interview." TODD SHIELDS, BLOOMBERG, MAY 5, 2010
Free Press is leading the
Free Press is leading the fight...They’re basically fighting behind closed doors.” ROBERT MCCHESNEY, THE MEDIA REVOLUTION THAT WILL BEGIN THE WORLD AGAIN, FEBRUARY 4, 2010
"Free Press and the Left Have Had At Least 30 ‘Behind Closed Door’ ‘Sellout’ Meetings with the FCC since January", SETON MOTLEY, BIG GOVERNMENT, JUNE 28, 2010
"According to a White House meetings list posted gay cams online at socrata.com, representatives of Free Press and Public Knowledge, as well as Google and Skype and the Open Internet Coalition–of which Free Press and Pubilc Knowledge are members–were all at a meeting with Crawford on Oct. 20, 2009...That was only two days before the FCC issued its notice of proposed rulemaking to expand and codify its network neutrality guidelines." JOHN EGGERTON, BROADCASTING & CABLE, JUNE 24, 2010
Well said!