Friday, February 10, 2012

Nothing 'Neutral' About This Debate

October 19, 2009

More than 20 CEOs and founders of major Internet and technology companies wrote to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on Monday in support of his controversial plan to begin considering new rules aimed at preserving and promoting consumers' unfettered access to Web content. The letter from executives for Google, Facebook, Sony, Amazon, eBay, Twitter and other tech titans comes as the FCC prepares to vote Thursday on a proposal to expand and fortify its so-called neutrality regulations.

"An open Internet fuels a competitive and efficient marketplace, where consumers make the ultimate choices about which products succeed and which fail. This allows businesses of all sizes, from the smallest startup to larger corporations, to compete, yielding maximum economic growth and opportunity," they wrote. Lobbying on the topic reached a fevered pitch last week with Senate Commerce ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison signaling she might pursue legislation to block new rules if Genachowski doesn't modify his proposal to reflect her concerns.

Also last week, 18 GOP senators -- including John McCain of Arizona, a former chairman of the Commerce Committee -- insisted in a separate document that the FCC's proposed revisions "will be counterproductive and risk harming the great advancements in broadband speed and deployment that we have witnessed." Yet another letter from 70 House Democrats urged Genachowski to "carefully consider the full range of potential consequences that government action may have on network investment."

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Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.


Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.