Save Access

Among the 200+ amendments to Senate Bill S.2686 is at least one good one: TITLE XI: LOCAL COMMUNITY RADIO ACT. Our friends at Prometheus Radio are asking that you contact your Senators and ask them to support this amendment.

Low Power Today! Emergency Opportunity to Expand Low Power FM Radio!

Hello Intrepid Rabble Rousers for Community Radio, and Greetings from the Prometheus Radio Project!

June 21, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Craig Aaron, StopBigMedia.com, (202) 265-1490 x 25

Public Interest Groups Respond to New FCC Ownership Rules

StopBigMedia.com Rallies Public Opposition to Greater Media Consolidation

WASHINGTON - A diverse alliance of consumer, civil rights, labor and media reform groups today raised serious concerns about the Federal Communications Commission's latest attempt to change longstanding rules on local media ownership. Urging greater public involvement in the debate over the future of the media, the groups launched a new campaign and Web site at www.StopBigMedia.com.

Broadcast Flag resurfaced in one amendment to S.2686. This is a significant 'fair use' issue. Learn more at EFF and Public Knowledge.

from: People to People Net

Broadcast Flag, reloaded

from: Publish.Com

Senate Committee Chairman Says 'No' to Net Neutrality
By Wayne Rash
June 22, 2006

Updated: Sen. Ted Stevens says he does not want net neutrality legislation to be part of the telecom bill being considered by the Senate.

WASHINGTON—Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, told eWEEK on June 22 that he does not want any sort of net neutrality legislation to be part of the telecom bill currently being debated by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

A nice rundown of the Senate Commerce Committee markup session on Thursday

from: Kathy Gill

Live Blogging: Senate and Net Neutrality

1.45 pm Pacific - Final

I'm listening (Real audio feed, which died for a five minute period) to a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee mark up session, which began at 2 pm eastern, for SB 2686. This is the third draft of the bill.

from: TV Week

June 22, 2006
Senator Delays Battle Over Telephone-TV Bill
Stevens Warns Not to Add Internet Provision to Debate

By Ira Teinowitz

The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee said a bill that would ease the way for phone companies to get into the pay-TV business may be in danger if unrelated provisions on Internet regulation are attached.

Note: A pity the US media can't seem to discuss net neutrality as clearly as this piece from the UK

from: The Register

Net neutrality has ruined the web

By Thomas C Greene in Washington

Published Thursday 22nd June 2006 07:53 GMT

Comment I thought I knew something about networking, but according to an animated cartoon (http://www.internetofthefuture.org/) by telco lobbyists, I've been laboring under numerous misconceptions. For example, I'd always believed it possible to increase both capacity and bandwidth without the kind of traffic discrimination that the telcos would like to introduce. Apparently, that's wrong.

from: Xchange magazine

Senate Committee to Take Up Telecom Bill Again Next Week

By Kelly M. Teal
Posted on: 06/22/2006

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will meet again on Tuesday to continue hashing out which amendments will be attached to the Communications, Consumers’ Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006, before the bill goes to the Senate floor.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed S.2686 in a 15 to 7 vote. Stevens will now need to submit the Bill to a full Senate vote.

from: Tom Paine

Cable Without Complaint?

Is there one person in this country who’s happy with their cable TV service provider? Cable television companies have long resembled the old Lily Tomlin skit from Saturday Night Live: “We don't care. We don't have to. We're the Phone Company.”