March 2009

Rural Mobile Broadband Alliance Launched

A new initiative focused on the communications needs of rural Americans, the Rural Mobile Broadband Alliance (RuMBA USA), was launched to provide a single, clear and significant voice to government agencies that will be involved in choosing grant recipients in the recently enacted stimulus package. The agencies involved are the National Telecommunications and Infrastructure Administration (NTIA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS). RuMBA USA will seek to ensure that rural communities are offered the same affordable wireless broadband services available to urban and suburban areas, and equal access to wireless E-911 Phase II (location-based) coverage. The initiative was born out of a strong desire, by several broadband solutions providers to get the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to work efficiently for the communities the Obama administration is seeking to help in rural and remote areas. The Alliance is spearheaded by Texas Hill Country resident and community activist, Luisa Handem, a charismatic communications executive and founding PR Director of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum - a similar initiative undertaken in the late 1990s to create the de facto standard for transmitting data over wireless devices.

O'Leary To Lead MPAA's Lobby Team

Michael O'Leary, who once served as counsel to then-Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del), is being promoted from senior vice president to executive vice president of government relations at the Motion Picture Association of America. O'Leary will oversee all federal and state legislative and regulatory strategies and work with CEO Dan Glickman on government policy priorities. MPAA also announced that Greg Frazier, who worked in the Clinton administration, will become executive vice president and chief policy officer. He will be responsible for the association's annual operating plan and coordinating its implementation across departments.

Innovation Alliance Names Exec Director

As lawmakers and lobbyist prepare to do battle over legislation that would make sweeping changes to the U.S. patent system, one group backed by small and mid-sized companies hoping to influence the process has hired an executive director to coordinate its efforts in the 111th Congress. The Innovation Alliance announced Friday that it had brought on Brian Pomper, former international trade counsel for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus. After leaving Capitol Hill, he co-founded consulting firm where he worked with clients on international trade and intellectual property.

Brenner Leaving NCTA

After more than 16 years of fighting cable's legal battles, Dan Brenner, the longtime legal counsel for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, is leaving to join Hogan & Hartson, a Washington telecommunications, media, and entertainment law practice. Brenner led the NCTA's biggest legal battles during a time of major regulatory challenges as cable transformed from a one-way antennae service to a full-service provider of voice, video and data, and the industry's regulatory issues exploded. A familiar face at cable trade shows and panels, Brenner said he thought it was time for a change, coinciding with a new administration. NCTA president & CEO Kyle McSlarrow says Brenner will continue to consult for NCTA and provide guidance on a variety of regulatory issues.

Updated: Media Lobbying -- The New Era

The arrival of the Obama administration was greeted with cautious optimism and relief in many quarters of the media industry. After a Bush presidency that offered a two-headed approach to policy—thanks to the administration and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin often pushing different agendas during Martin's three years in charge—an Obama White House seemed to promise greater certainty. But at least one government edict has provided media execs with something of a landscape hurdle: the administration's stricter view of lobbying.

A chart of lobbying expenses for CBS, Comcast, NBC Universal, News Corp., Time Warner, Viacom and Walt Disney Co.

Benton

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