McDowell Becomes FCC Member

[Judi Lynn]

McDowell Becomes FCC Member

Todd Shields

MAY 29, 2006 -

The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed Republican Robert McDowell to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission, giving FCC Chair Kevin Martin his first working majority.

With McDowell as a third Republican member of the agency, Martin can more aggressively pursue plans that include pressuring cable companies to offer channels à la carte, and liberalizing media ownership rules. The agency has been at a two-to-two partisan deadlock for most of the time since Martin took office in March 2005.

McDowell, a telephone association executive, cleared the Senate without a recorded vote under a procedure that can be stopped by a single member’s objection.

McDowell is senior vp and assistant general counsel to Comptel, which represents smaller telephone companies and other competitors to the big Bell legacy firms.
(snip/...)

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/networktv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002576773

[Nostradammit]

1. "liberalizing media ownership rules" is the most Orwellian phrase

I think I've ever heard. So now the FCC is completely out of control.

Fuck.

[depakid]

4. And once again, the Democrats JUST DON'T CARE

"McDowell, a telephone association executive, cleared the Senate without a recorded vote under a procedure that can be stopped by a single member’s objection...."

"Martin is eager to loosen the rule barring common ownership of daily newspapers and nearby broadcast stations."

The Senate "leadership" really has gotten to be pathetic. No other words suffice.

[savemefromdumbya]

6. Maybe Democratic senators and reps think this is good?

[lakeguy]

2. i don't like the 3 to 2 advantage but i DO like

the a la carte idea. i don't want to pay for fauxnews, pat robertson or any other wackos i get with my package. i want to let my money do the talkin about the shows i feel are important!

[SoCalDem]

3. Be prepared to lose some of your "pet" channels

I hate having them all lumped together, but that's the reason we get FSTV and Link.. There are probably not enough "viewers" who will choose them, and without enough "cha-ching" coming in, they will be dropped..

[acmejack]

5. It will not work to our advantage one can be sure.

None of these things ever do.

Again the Senate disappoints. I am becoming accustomed to the do nothing Senate, why should they look after the interests of the People? Keep that powder dry, boys!