Better Broadband Better Lives

FCC Meets in Closed Door Session with Telecom Lobbyists

in FCC/Net Neutrality by

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission held a closed door meeting with major stakeholders to possibly come to a deal on broadband regulation. In a move which looks to be directly opposed to the Obama administration’s promise of increased government transparency, the FCC will not make the meeting open to the public.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that that high level staffers will meet with Verizon, AT&T, Google, and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association along with other lobbyists. Notably absent from this group are any consumer rights organizations such as Consumers Union, Free Press, New America or Public Knowledge.

“We’re going to have a whole series of stakeholder meetings,” FCC Chief of Staff Edward Lazarus said to the WSJ after the meeting.

It is important to note that congress will also be holding closed door meetings about these issues; however they have announced that statements will be released on the topics discussed.

Tags:

Rahul Gaitonde has been writing for BroadbandBreakfast.com since the fall of 2009, and in May of 2010 he became Deputy Editor. He was a fellow at George Mason University’s Long Term Governance Project, a researcher at the International Center for Applied Studies in Information Technology and worked at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. He holds a Masters of Public Policy from George Mason University, where his research focused on the economic and social benefits of broadband expansion. He has written extensively about Universal Service Fund reform, the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and the Broadband Data Improvement Act

3 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

*

Latest from FCC

Go to Top