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 […]
Archive | telecomm
Federal Consolidation Commissioner
By Paul on September 23, 2006 in media ownership & consolidation, net neutrality / free the internet!, networks, telecomm, The FCC
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 […]
You Get What You Pay For
By Paul on August 16, 2006 in examining the mainstream, just politics, net neutrality / free the internet!, telecomm
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
By Paul on August 11, 2006 in media ownership & consolidation, net neutrality / free the internet!, networks, telecomm
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 […]