FCC Must Be the Cop on the Beat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: February 24, 2010
Contact: Liz Rose, Communications Director, 202-265-1490 x 32

Free Press filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission today urging the agency to protect consumers and promote competition. Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press, made the following statement:

“Years of lobbying and litigation by industry have undermined the intent of Congress to make the FCC the cop on the beat in communications markets. The Commission cannot and should not be prevented from protecting consumers and promoting competition.

“One way or another, the FCC must have the statutory authority to implement the national broadband plan and enact policies that can make broadband better -- like enabling universal broadband service, adopting truth-in-billing requirements, requiring wireless data roaming, encouraging broadband adoption by Americans with disabilities, and preserving openness on the Internet.

“The phone and cable industries present a false choice between the current environment of extreme uncertainty and total government control of the Internet. Our position has always been that there are options in the middle -- clear places where the FCC can act to protect consumers and promote competition, without the doomsday scenarios portrayed by the ISPs.”

Read Free Press' letter here: http://www.freepress.net/files/FCC_Jurisdiction_Letter.pdf

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.