[BC] The FCC gets slammed!

[Mike Erickson]

Why should we be surprised?

=Mike Erickson=


On 10/3/07, Dana Puopolo <dpuopolo at usa.net> wrote:
>
> Anyone who doubts that the FCC is corrupt and/or political should check
> this
> out:
>
> "The General Accounting Office has issued a report slamming the FCC for
> leaking information to companies and lobbyists while leaving consumer
> advocates and the public in the dark. The study found lobbyists are given
> ample information on when (and sometimes how) the agency plans to vote,
> while
> consumer advocates get no such insight.
>
> The study notes that timing is everything, and lobbyists given a three
> week
> warning on a vote can determine precisely when to apply lobbying pressure.
> Doling out such information "undermine(s) the fairness and transparency of
> the
> process and constitute(s) a violation of FCC's rules," the GAO said.
> We are recommending that FCC take steps to ensure equal access to
> information
> by making sure that nonpublic information is safeguarded from disclosure,
> and
> to determine what actions FCC should take if a prohibited disclosure is
> made,
> so that all stakeholders have the same information to inform their
> participation in the rulemaking process. FCC took no position on our
> recommendation.
> Of course the GAO has also been complaining for years that the FCC's data
> on
> broadband competition is immensely flawed and the FCC has done little to
> fix
> it. The GAO's latest report also criticized the FCC for using external
> organization data instead of conducting more of their own internal
> studies.
>
> "When the 'corporate insiders' and 'K-Street' crowd have the inside
> track on decisions critical to telecommunications, media, broadband or
> wireless policy, then the public and consumers, are at an inherent
> disadvantage," says Rep. Edward J. Markey, chairman of the House
> Subcommittee
> on Telecommunications and the Internet in a statement.
>
> Last month, while Google and Verizon were battling over 700Mhz broadband
> spectrum, FCC chief Kevin Martin leaked limited parts of the FCC's auction
> plans early, apparently to influence press coverage. According to FCC
> rules,
> the content of agenda items - such as draft proposals - are "nonpublic
> information" and "shall not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any
> person outside the Commission" under penalty of possible termination."
>
> Here's the PDF of the report:
> http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/FCC%20Rulemaking.pdf
>
> -D
>
>
>
>