March 2007

Sen John Kerry

"Just as President Roosevelt recognized a responsibility to make electricity available to rural families in his New Deal, and just as President Eisenhower recognized the necessity of a National Highway System that would enable substantial economic growth in the country, it is time for us to make this technology available to the hard-to-reach communities that need it -- rural and urban. In contrast to Roosevelt's sweeping changes, this administration has pledged ubiquitous Broadband access by 2007, but has taken few concrete actions to achieve that goal. On the contrary, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seems intent to inexplicably drag its feet on this measure -- despite broad bipartisan support in the Congress, as indicated by the Senate Commerce Committee's unanimous acceptance of a similar measure last year."

-- Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) "Kerry Introduces Wireless Innovation Act to Spur New Broadband Connections" Jan 10, 2007 (see http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=267392)

Rep Ed Markey

"[E]ven discounting for some of the differences in nations ahead of us, one thing is clear - we are not number 1. America needs a better plan. Unfortunately, we are still at the stage that having any broadband plan at all would represent an improvement."

"[T]he overarching goal of the Subcommittee's agenda is to fashion together a policy blueprint to make broadband service ubiquitous and affordable broadband for every American. Our end goal will be consumer choice, affordability, high bandwidth speeds, full build-out, high quality of service, and an open architecture that supports Internet freedom -- in short, an infrastructure for the 21st Century."

-- Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) Feb 1, 2007 in address to Consumer Federation of America's Consumer Assembly (http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2577&I...)

Today's Quotes 03.12.07

“[Michael] Copps and [Jonathan] Adelstein are like a couple of World War I generals who are sending the troops directly into machine-gun fire. They haven't figured out that technology has changed the equation.:
-- Shaun Sheehan, Tribune Company

"Oh, so they have machine guns now?"
-- FCC Commissioner Michael Copps

Ten Years Ago... Clinton Offers Licensing Deal For Free TV Campaign Time

CLINTON OFFERS LICENSING DEAL FOR FREE TV CAMPAIGN TIME
[SOURCE: New York Times 3/12/1997, AUTHOR: James Bennet]

Digital Transition Wins Approval

DIGITAL TRANSITION WINS APPROVAL
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Ira Teinowitz]

FCC's Martin Pitches Multicast Channel Leasing Proposal

FCC'S MARTIN PITCHES MULTICAST CHANNEL LEASING PROPOSAL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Glen Dickson]

Who Cares About Ownership Rules?

WHO CARES ABOUT OWNERSHIP RULES?
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]

McDowell Questions the Lack of Women and Minorities in Broadcasting

MCDOWELL QUESTIONS THE LACK OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN BROADCASTING
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Glen Dickson and John Eggerton]

Time Warner Cable plugs into consolidation war

TIME WARNER CABLE PLUGS INTO CONSOLIDATION WAR
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Aline van Duyn]