Kerry leads new Comm./Tech Subcommittee Senator has been critical of media consolidation, Fairness Doctrine's demise
John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 2/12/2009 9:59:00 AM MT <http://www.multichannel.com/article/174081-Kerry_Leads_New_Communications_Tech_Subcommittee.php>http://www.multichannel.com/article/174081-Kerry_Leads_New_Communications_Tech_Subcommittee.php As expected, Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller has created a new Communications and Technology Subcommittee, and had named frequent media critic John Kerry (D-Mass.) to head it up. The ranking member on the committee will be John Ensign (R-Nev,) Rockefeller at one time was expected to head up the subcommittee, but when committee chairman Daniel Inouye decided to move to Appropriations, Rockefeller took that spot. Kerry would likely not have been the media's top pick for oversight of their industry. Kerry is on the record as critical of the <http://www.multichannel.com/common/jumplink.php?target=(http%3A%2F%2Fwww.broadcastingcable.com%2Farticle%2F109418-Kerry_Wants_Fairness_Doctrine_Reimposed.php%3Fq%3DJohn%2BKerry%2Bfairness)>demise of the FCC's fairness doctrine, calling that demise one of the "most profound changes in the balance of the media," he said in a 2007 radio interview, adding that conservatives have been able to "squeeze down and squeeze out opinion of opposing views. I think it has been a very important transition in the imbalance of our public dialog." He also has been critical of media consolidation and pushed the FCC to allow unlicensed devices in TV white spaces, something broadcasters fought hard against. Kerry teamed with then-Senator Barack Obama to try and block the FCC's relaxation of the <http://www.multichannel.com/common/jumplink.php?target=(http%3A%2F%2Fwww.broadcastingcable.com%2Farticle%2F97688-Kerry_Obama_Continue_Push_vs_Dec_18_Vote.php%3Fq%3DJohn%2BKerry%2B%2Bownership).>newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership ban. Kerry is also a fan of codifying network neutrality principles, something cable and phone networks would prefer evolved along with their industry. Kerry is also planning to out a laser-like focus on developing a broadband strategy, which in <http://www.multichannel.com/common/jumplink.php?target=http%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fop-eds%2Fwe-must-make-good-on-the-promise-of-access-to-broadband-for-everyone-2009-02-11.html)>acommentary for The Hill, he contrasted with the "laissez faire" approach of the Bush administration. That means higher speeds, public-private partnerships, as well as an open, transparent Internet. <http://www.multichannel.com/article/174081-Kerry_Leads_New_Communications_Tech_Subcommittee.php> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [email protected] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
