Net Neutrality

NPR's decision to fire news analyst Juan Williams unleashed an attack on all federal funding for public media by a handful of politicians and commentators. But what the public really needs is to defend – not defund – public media. And members of the disability community in the Bay Area spoke out for Net Neutrality in a letter to the FCC.

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Defending, Not Defunding, Public Media

The U.S. Postal Service's recent proposal to hike postal rates has small print publications and news outlets worried for their future. And a deal between Google and Verizon could mark the beginning of the end of the Internet as we know it.

The National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution in support of Net Neutrality and the efforts of the FCC to reestablish its authority to regulate the broadband industry. Finland declared broadband access a legal right for its citizens. And The DISH satellite network is suing the FCC over a legal requirement to carry HD public broadcasting.

The FCC opened a new proceeding for public comment on restoring its authority to regulate broadband providers, but have been holding secret meetings with phone and cable companies to discuss a legislative compromise. And public interest and consumer groups filed a petition to deny the Comcast-NBC merger.

Summer 2009 has been the season of Astroturf. And the best way to combat it is to expose these phony grassroots organizations at every turn. August is typically quiet in Washington, D.C., but statistics have been loud and clear in illustrating the impact of government media policy on communities across America.

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Summer of 2009: The Season of Astroturf