Save Net Neutrality!

Save Net Neutrality!

"A thorough explanation of the consequences of legislation currently considered by a Congress "under extreme pressure by telecom lobbies" to "set up toll booths on the Internet.... leav[ing] the rest of the [non-corporate] Internet community running slowly or not at all.""

"The issue in question is whether Congress should preserve a concept called "net neutrality." Net neutrality is the Internet's First Amendment; it's a principle that guarantees that all Web sites and online features have unfettered access to the Internet regardless of the size of their bank accounts."

Transition to Digital TV

Drew Clark, Senior Writer at Technology Daily, was on Washington Journal on 7/16/2005

This link might work or search the archives but I think it eventually becomes unavailable.

Very Large Numbers of Americans Hold Negative Opinions about the News Outlets

"The public continues to express skepticism toward news outlets and those who run them.
More than half (53%) agree with the statement"I often don't trust what news organizations are saying."
Nearly as many (48%) believe people who decide on news content are "out of touch." link to PDF:
people-press.org/reports/pdf/215.pdf

the power of television to inform the public

"Roughly three-quarters of Americans state that they get their information from broadcast or cable television.  No other source of information—not newspapers, magazines, or the Internet—comes close to the power of television to inform the public." from -Be A Witness Overview of Research and Methodology.

The contemplated FCC action could result in the biggest special interest windfall, at the expense of American taxpayers, in history.

Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and Michael Calabrese, director of the Spectrum Policy Program at the New America Foundation, warn us of "another harmful move being contemplated by the [ FCC ] commission." Their article is a warning that the FCC plans to sell off our airwaves, "We're talking about privatizing the airwaves, a public resource worth hundreds of billions of dollars in both market value and future federal revenue." - from their article "Don't privatize our airwaves A FEW LUCKY INDUSTRIES WOULD REAP HUGE PROFITS" By Norman Ornstein and Michael Calabrese.

"These airwaves are owned by the public. For more than 75 years broadcasters, cellular phone companies and other commercial service providers have acquired exclusive access to scarce spectrum space only under temporary, renewable licenses; in return, they serve the public interest." They warn the FCC plan "confers a massive and undeserved financial windfall -- up to $500 billion -- on a few lucky industries."

FAQ

Is this like the public access on cable TV?

No. These new channels will be broadcast quality productions utilizing professional camera and sound people with technical expertise equal to that found on the major network TV. The public will use the services to reach their fellow Americans, the technical employees at the stations will enable them to do so.

Do the broadcasters now pay to use our airwaves?

No. The broadcast licenses are given to the TV and radio broadcasters for free on the condition that they serve the public interest.

The general public must compete on equal footing with powerful interests.

Another example of the relationship between Big Media and Big Government:
"... coverage of a different sort is taking place in the ABC "Government Affairs" suite, as the network apparently uses its plum position and its press passes to lobby lawmakers on the convention floor." Watching the watchers

The general public must compete on equal footing with powerful interests. We now have a historic opportunity, a powerful solution to the problem of giving citizens equal political power with major corporations. We now have a historic opportunity to secure our rights to equal political participation. We now have a historic opportunity to effectively use our political power, armed with information as easily found as we find commercials. We now have a historic opportunity to broadcast news and information selected by ourselves with maximum distribution of power presented through mass communication. We must establish a Fair Media to take advantage of this opportunity. If we allow all of our airwaves to be sold off we will have lost our chance since it will be next to impossible to pry those airwaves out of corporate hands after they grab them.