tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98237462012-02-03T02:53:47.558-05:00A Crash-Scene Investigation at the Crossroads of Old Media and NewTimothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.comBlogger4911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-47342431479545762052012-01-27T07:09:00.004-05:002012-01-27T07:32:37.549-05:00

By Bill Brown, Free Press' ingenious graphic designer.

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-76987573366556470692012-01-27T07:08:00.001-05:002012-01-27T07:08:58.588-05:00

The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision has already picked a winner in the 2012 elections: TV broadcasters. Companies like CBS Corp, News Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group are already dividing the spoils of an election year that will see unprecedented spending on political ads. More than $12 million was spent on ads during the Iowa Republican caucus. More than $14 million was spent on the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-89143959796432968182012-01-18T07:23:00.002-05:002012-01-18T07:35:28.321-05:00

Wikipedia and Google blacked out? Redditers in an uproar? Thousands of geeks abandoning their cubicles to take to the streets? What's happening here?Today's nationwide protest of Internet blacklist legislation is part of a brewing movement to keep control over the Internet out of the hands of corporations and governments. It's a struggle that puts Internet users before information gatekeepers. At

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-70556292803847451562012-01-04T11:17:00.000-05:002012-01-04T11:18:23.861-05:00

If you flip on a local television station and watch for an hour or so, you're likely to see at least one: a political ad that attacks a local or national candidate.If you live in any of the "battleground states," you'll see many, many more -- up to 12 political ads an hour.Viewers in Iowa fell under a barrage of these ads leading up to Tuesday's caucuses. This on-air onslaught offers the rest of

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-2825574466189478892011-12-08T14:48:00.008-05:002011-12-10T07:10:34.465-05:00

A recent letter to the editor of the New York Times from Verizon Chairman Ivan Seidenberg had me scratching my head today.Seidenberg wrote to rebut a Times Op-Ed by former White House technology adviser Susan Crawford, in which she argues that the United States high-speed Internet marketplace suffers from a lack of competition, a problem that drives broadband prices up and services down for

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-66363205327406902312011-11-20T07:26:00.006-05:002011-11-21T07:49:45.565-05:00

Since the beginning of his crackdown against the Occupy Wall Street movement, Mayor Mike Bloomberg has gone to great lengths to present himself as a champion of the First Amendment. But the free speech rhetoric coming from City Hall hasn't matched the brutal reality experienced by journalists at the front lines of the protest.In the two months since the movement began 25 journalists have been

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-47193380560636680042011-11-09T07:46:00.000-05:002011-11-09T07:47:17.488-05:00

Opponents of the open Internet like to portray its guiding rule, Net Neutrality, as "a government takeover of the Internet." They argue that from the day of its inception the Internet has existed free of regulation — a perfect expression of the marketplace at work. What they don’t understand is that the Internet is a far better expression of democracy, and as such needs rules like Net

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-24809449851913902852011-11-02T07:07:00.005-04:002011-11-02T08:13:46.549-04:00

Justin Bieber is pissed off and you should be, too. What's made Bieber so angry? A bill in Congress that could rip apart the open fabric of the internet and let corporations censor free speech.The "Stop Online Piracy Act" or SOPA gives private entities the power to blacklist websites at will. And it violates the due process rights of the thousands of users who could see their sites disappear

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-19876314310376373932011-10-02T07:08:00.037-04:002011-10-02T11:23:19.806-04:00

Three progressive minds attempt to capture the zeitgeist of the #OccupyWallStreet protests, which have moved with tremendous speed from the margins to the mainstream. For evidence of this look no further than the protest coverage that made the front and editorial pages of today's New York Times. For the first two weeks of these protests the Times' editors for the most part had joined with other

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-60361211208413694512011-09-30T10:59:00.001-04:002011-09-30T10:59:34.151-04:00

As democracy movements worldwide struggle to speak out via the Internet, many here in the U.S. may have overlooked an effort in Congress to undermine this basic freedom.It takes the form of an arcane "resolution of disapproval" now wending its way through the Senate. If it passes, the resolution would void a recent Federal Communications Commission rule that seeks to preserve long-held Internet

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-81280245672770250832011-09-14T07:52:00.008-04:002011-09-15T10:07:29.317-04:00

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the U.S. has sunk to 25th in a global ranking of Internet speeds, just behind Romania.Why? Because our nation's regulators abandoned an earlier commitment to foster competition in the marketplace for Internet access providers.In the years that followed the signing of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, lobbyists working for powerful providers like AT&T,

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-38506795938852077172011-09-13T12:11:00.011-04:002011-09-13T20:56:55.327-04:00

On Monday, the top thinkers in new and old media gathered at Harvard to discuss the state of the media, 50 years after FCC Chairman Newton Minow slammed the nation’s broadcasters for creating a “Vast Wasteland” across the television dial.Though I did not attend the event, MIT’s Ethan Zuckerman did an excellent job of reporting out via Twitter and his blog.What’s remarkable in Ethan’s summary is

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-14243782491933180432011-08-18T07:19:00.007-04:002011-08-18T12:04:11.007-04:00

I have spent most of the week poring over news stories, blogs and commentary on last week’s decision by Bay Area Rapid Transit officials to shut off cellphone service to quash planned protests on its trains and platforms. Opinions are many and range from BART spokesman Linton Johnson, who says constitutional rights end the moment people walk through transit-authority turnstiles, to “X” of the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-67914403521542554112011-07-22T15:00:00.001-04:002011-07-22T15:02:15.717-04:00

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) is reportedly preparing to deliver subpoenas to News Corporation employees and others as part of its expanding investigation into possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.A separate FBI investigation is underway in response to reports that the company may have hacked into the phone messages of victims of the September 11 attacks. (Free Press is

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-32648059228957617942011-07-21T12:53:00.002-04:002011-07-21T12:57:14.321-04:00

Congress may be finally waking up to the obvious: that the massive merger of AT&T with T-Mobile just doesn't make sense.No amount of contributions from AT&T, or visits from AT&T lobbyists, will alter this simple truth.On Wednesday, the Senate's top antitrust official, Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, weighed the facts and wrote a letter urging Attorney General Eric Holder and FCC Chairman Julius

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-88554104363138733502011-07-13T21:57:00.004-04:002011-07-14T07:00:35.416-04:00

The media scandal that's snared Rupert Murdoch and other News Corporation executives in Great Britain has crossed the Atlantic, and could cause more homegrown trouble for the U.S.-based media company.In the past 48 hours, Democratic Sens. Jay Rockefeller, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Boxer and Robert Menendez have called for an investigation of News Corp., saying that the behavior of Murdoch's

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-76829541265946543312011-07-11T09:19:00.013-04:002011-07-11T18:05:05.854-04:00

There are many reasons that the scandal that's engulfing Rupert Murdoch has riveted public attention over the last seven days. It's a story that features all of the classic elements: twists of fate, betrayal, deception, abuse of power, and, even, murder.But beneath Murdoch's meltdown lies a bigger problem, and its one that's not confined to the United Kingdom. It plagues all consolidated news

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-80263908407995473662011-07-07T10:15:00.006-04:002011-07-07T10:32:08.804-04:00

Twitter's #AskObama question selection process was "like panning for gold in the wrong stream," tweeted Economist political writer Will Wilkinson.Wilkinson should know. He was one of the "curators" asked to sift through the feed and select questions for President Obama during Wednesday's live event.According to CNN, the so-called "Twitter Town Hall" was so heavily moderated and filtered that only

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-67147713735860633942011-07-06T07:13:00.021-04:002011-07-06T14:42:57.263-04:00

Question: What would billionaire Mark Zuckerberg lose by refusing Chinese demands that he censor Facebook? What would he and his company gain from being more principled?This came up after reading Christopher Luna's analysis of Google+ as an alternative to Facebook, Zuckerberg's social networking colossus that boasts 750 million users globally.Google+, which launched in beta last week, has been

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-11604250869813626672011-06-28T07:31:00.019-04:002011-06-28T15:50:22.604-04:00

Why are more than 70 House Democrats helping AT&T lie to you?They just signed on to an industry letter that was so riddled with misinformation about AT&T’s proposed merger with T-Mobile it’s shocking that anyone would put their name on it.All told these representatives raked in more than $1.8 million in campaign contributions from AT&T. That money likely helped convince them to look the other way

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-40895285989472377012011-06-03T07:52:00.008-04:002011-06-03T21:23:57.195-04:00

On Tuesday, someone claiming to speak for the underground group Anonymous released a video declaration of war against "the system."The YouTube manifesto is a call to everyone in the online world to get off the couch, pick up their cell phones and laptops and join a revolt against governments and corporations that are intent upon stifling free speech online."It's time to hack the planet. It's time

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-10599379408540089122011-05-14T09:17:00.015-04:002011-05-14T10:57:44.800-04:00

It's fair to say that media and the public have responded with disgust to news that FCC Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker had cut short her public duties to lobby for Comcast, the company whose takeover of NBC Universal she had just approved.Baker's Comcast dash raised the eyebrows of even the most seasoned Beltway insiders -- including those who tend to see public-sector service as the farm

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-87849576778256646452011-05-11T20:00:00.000-04:002011-05-11T20:01:18.868-04:00

Federal Communications Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker will reportedly depart the agency in June to occupy a corner office at Comcast-NBC -- the company whose multi-billion mega-merger she approved just months ago.In so doing she joins a long line of "public servants" who have spun government jobs into gold at the expense of the American people they're supposed to represent.Many have found the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-16822959963624242692011-05-04T06:56:00.005-04:002011-05-04T07:40:31.591-04:00

Do you believe in fairy tales?AT&T wants you to. The phone giant is trying to make everyone believe that its takeover of T-Mobile would be good for jobs, innovation and the economy, while saving you hundreds of dollars on your smartphone.The opposite is true. But that didn't stop AT&T from making these claims in a 381-page FCC filing that was so filled with half-truths and fantasies that the Los

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-41015265969462054222011-04-21T07:31:00.003-04:002011-04-22T05:55:45.327-04:00

Free speech online has come under withering attack from the astroturf lobby -- corporate front groups that are determined to hand control of the Internet to companies like AT&T and Comcast.They've joined the forces of the Tea Party with pro-corporate attack groups like Americans for Prosperity to urge weak members of Congress to betray the public interest by voting to strip the Federal

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-57800245482139717702011-04-03T09:39:00.022-04:002011-04-04T10:21:21.740-04:00

Thank god for science. It's now easy to clone oneself, making the saying "being two places at once" more medical reality than sci-fi fantasy.And what better opportunity to avail oneself of this new, new thing than the National Conference for Media Reform. With so much on offer, it's humanly impossible to fit it all in... and that's where your clone can come in handy.My clone -- Let's call him "

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-25995886120772875072011-03-26T05:45:00.002-04:002011-03-26T06:04:32.152-04:00

[Originally published at Foreign Policy in Focus]By Timothy Karr and Clothilde Le CozSpringtime in the Arab world is looking bleaker now that despots in Libya, Bahrain, and Yemen and reactionary elements in Egypt have gained an upper hand against the pro-democracy protesters who have inspired the world. And the Internet, hailed sometimes in excess as a potent tool for these movements, has itself

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-32476496850226626332011-03-22T16:59:00.000-04:002011-03-22T17:00:24.056-04:00

AT&T's plan to take over T-Mobile has set the stage for Washington's high-tech policy battle of 2011.But that's not all that's at stake. This proposed deal paints a dark scenario for the future of all communications -- a future that looks increasingly like a bygone era of monopoly control.If AT&T succeeds, it will form a communications colossus to rival Ma Bell. Two companies, AT&T and Verizon,

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-90041577007364418412011-03-10T08:07:00.000-05:002011-03-10T08:08:14.807-05:00

Late Wednesday, Republican members of a key House Commerce subcommittee decided to give phone and cable companies absolute, unrestricted power over the Internet.By a party-line vote of 15 to 8 they passed a "resolution of disapproval" that would strip the FCC of its ability to protect Internet users -- freeing up companies like Verizon and Comcast to block our right to speak freely and share

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-3281844793377504202011-03-08T18:53:00.009-05:002011-03-09T06:59:43.258-05:00

Here's the debate last month over whether Internet access and social media are tools for fomenting revolution or facilitating crackdowns. There wasn't much of a debate really as we all agreed that it's very complicated. The debate was moderated by Jim Harper, Director of Information Policy Studies at Cato and featured Christopher Preble, Director of Foreign Policy Studies at Cato Institute, Alex

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-18447266627414785842011-03-01T10:59:00.001-05:002011-03-01T10:59:47.317-05:00

On Monday, House Speaker John Boehner (R - AT&T) chose the occasion of his first address outside Washington to take aim at Net Neutrality. While the speaker may have traveled 650 miles to Nashville to deliver this attack, his speech came from the far reaches of the solar system, detached from the space-time continuum that keeps us earthlings rooted to reality."The FCC is creeping further into the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-48684150704614273452011-02-28T10:08:00.006-05:002011-03-05T08:21:45.358-05:00

Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Usher pocketed millions in blood money from the Qaddafi family to perform at lavishly corrupt private parties on the Caribbean island of St. Barts.According to a recent report in the New York Times, Mariah Carey was paid $1 million in 2009 to sing just four songs for Gaddafi's son Seif. One year later Usher and Beyonce received an equally large sum to sing at a New

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-24993844005248244252011-02-16T06:53:00.004-05:002011-02-16T08:03:22.689-05:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday highlighted new U.S. Internet freedom policy that is designed to help democracy movements gain access to open networks and speak out against authoritarian regimes.According to Clinton, the program will provide $25 million in new grants to support "technologists and activists working at the cutting edge of the fight against Internet repression." It

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-19002662301595377992011-02-10T21:22:00.023-05:002011-02-11T09:44:55.842-05:00

Since I broke the story on Jan. 28 that the U.S. company Narus has been selling Internet spying software to Egypt, members of Congress and other government officials have become increasingly alarmed -- and some are even calling for investigations.On Thursday, during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Bill Keating (D-MA) grilled Deputy Secretary of State James

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-24256203928191435322011-02-10T05:48:00.008-05:002011-02-10T09:17:55.860-05:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, January 21, 2010:"...we must find ways to make human rights a reality. Today, we find an urgent need to protect these freedoms on the digital frontiers of the 21st century... The final freedom, one that was probably inherent in what both President and Mrs. Roosevelt thought about and wrote about [the "Four Freedoms"]: the freedom to connect -- the idea that

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-35530783417117272962011-02-02T06:32:00.008-05:002011-02-08T08:06:04.287-05:00

The open Internet's role in popular uprising is now undisputed. Look no further than Egypt, where the Mubarak regime shut down Internet and cell phone communications -- a troubling predictor of the fierce crackdown that followed.What's even more troubling is news that one American company is aiding Egypt's harsh response through sales of technology that makes this repression possible.The

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-46846718945013905902011-01-21T14:15:00.003-05:002011-01-21T14:19:52.737-05:00

Click to view Credit Suisse report on gross profit margins in the broadband sector:

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-38406144816467765272010-12-16T12:18:00.005-05:002010-12-16T12:59:57.151-05:00

Community radio station advocates have fought for 10 years to free up unused spaces on the FM dial for new, local and independent radio stations. Today, Congress is on the cusp of sending the Local Community Radio Act to the president. If signed, this bill would clear the way for hundreds, if not thousands, of new FM (known as LPFM) stations in cities and towns nationwide.But one of the most

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-19749626480322163292010-12-01T22:59:00.005-05:002010-12-02T08:46:01.791-05:00

For those keeping score, the phone and cable companies seem generally pleased with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s Net Neutrality proposal.If any questions remain about with whom the chairman has sided in the debate, read on:Time Warner Cable:We would like to commend Chairman Genachowski, and everyone at the Commission, who have worked tirelessly to craft what we believe to be a fair resolution

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-17923723996215031552010-11-23T11:16:00.001-05:002010-11-23T11:18:16.792-05:00

By Michele Combs and Timothy Karr. Originally published at The HillAs he prepares to take on the role of House Speaker, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has pledged to bring a new era of bipartisanship to Congress. "I think the best leaders are very good listeners," said Boehner in October. "Because if you are not listening, you cannot lead."President Obama responded in kind: "Let's go ahead and start

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-24117423971112155752010-11-17T06:52:00.000-05:002010-11-17T06:53:01.362-05:00

Comcast wants you to trust them -- to really, really trust them. That's why the company's top lobbyist, David Cohen, convened what could best be described as a Kumbaya sing-along in Washington on Monday, to declare Net Neutrality an issue over which Washington needn't concern itself any longer. "It's time to put this [Net Neutrality] debate behind us," he told an audience of D.C. insiders at the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-7621415036182769722010-11-11T07:43:00.000-05:002010-11-11T07:44:46.776-05:00

And Why That Poses an Even Bigger Threat to Keith Olbermann Keith Olbermann is back, and for his many fans, including the 300,000 who petitioned MSNBC to reinstate him, it would seem a return to form. But Olbermann's dispute with the brass at MSNBC may only serve as a prelude to more troubled times. MSNBC's parent company, NBC Universal, is likely to be taken over by cable giant Comcast, should

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-48799194213985556662010-11-08T14:36:00.008-05:002010-11-08T15:05:18.557-05:00

From time to time the editors at the Washington Post push out an opinion that doesn’t quite pass its own smell test.As a business, the Washington Post Company owns properties that extend well beyond the newspaper itself. As a prominent newspaper, the Post claims to have built a firewall that protects its editors and their decision making from the interests of this larger entity.But on occasion

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-50498034377061069632010-10-29T06:54:00.000-04:002010-10-29T07:45:38.722-04:00

The high-pitched pundits of Fox News Channel have had their sites aimed at NPR nonstop since the radio network sacked analyst Juan Williams last week for likening all Muslims to terrorists.They've not only tried to turn Williams into some kind of media martyr (though it's hard to feel too sorry for a guy who was unemployed for about 20 minutes before signing a $2 million deal with Fox) but have

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-81507014437387171732010-10-08T13:55:00.001-04:002010-10-08T13:57:05.775-04:00

It's put up or shut up time on Net Neutrality. That’s what Rob Pegoraro wrote in the Washington Post earlier this week.And he’s right.The fate of the open Internet now rests in the hands of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The chairman just needs to muster the courage to do right by the millions of Internet users who demand an Internet of, for, and by the people.Rep. Henry Waxman tried last week

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-73519385582802880822010-09-09T14:03:00.001-04:002010-09-09T14:04:32.634-04:00

AT&T can’t seem to get its story straight on Net Neutrality. For years, company spokespeople had claimed that the issue was a "solution in search of a problem."Over the last week, they’ve unwittingly defined the problem and it is … AT&T.As recently as 2008, Jim Cicconi, AT&T’s top lobbyist, painted threats to an open Internet as a non-issue, and certainly not something requiring intervention by

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-2163862295045560042010-08-18T20:08:00.009-04:002010-10-04T16:49:15.936-04:00

News last week that Google and Verizon's had reached consensus on a "legislative framework" for Net Neutrality was met with near universal disdain. Not only was the deal slammed by those inside and outside of Washington, it cratered from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.The criticism didn't end with the Google-Verizon announcement. It extended to the F.C.C. and its indecisive chairman, Julius

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-55433352980991417322010-08-05T07:11:00.012-04:002010-08-05T08:17:21.248-04:00

In 2009, President Obama nominated Julius Genachowski to chair the Federal Communications Commission with the understanding that he would make protecting Net Neutrality and promoting universal broadband access his top priorities.But the chairman has failed to live up to expectations. His chief of staff is now brokering a deal with corporations that could take control of the Internet out of the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-51242057784669981362010-08-02T07:19:00.004-04:002010-08-02T08:09:23.642-04:00

--Originally published by The Seattle TimesWashington is under siege over Net Neutrality.On the one side, elected officials and regulators have heard from millions of citizens demanding that Washington protect this rule that preserves the Internet’s open architecture.On the other is a lobbying juggernaut that seeks to dismantle online openness so that phone and cable companies can rebuild

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-65139082515941595732010-07-27T08:26:00.000-04:002010-07-27T08:27:56.102-04:00

Over the weekend, Sen. Al Franken (D.-Minn.) made the corporate takeover of our media, and the government's acquiescence to these corporations, frighteningly clear.Franken told more than 2,000 bloggers and organizers attending the Netroots Nation conference in Las Vegas that our media system is at risk everywhere we turn -- from our free speech online to the growing power of companies who own a

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-69638933869174668012010-05-24T06:06:00.006-04:002010-06-01T12:47:14.632-04:00

Please pick, chose and retweet. Or tweet your own:Historical view on how the Internet is "telecommunications" and why carriers shouldn't muck w/content http://twurl.nl/cyq3zw #NetNeutrality Beck's war on the FCC (and Satan worshippers) Do his followers know they're just being "entertained?" http://twurl.nl/7pa11k #NetNeutrality NYT: Right-wing talking points

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-34264495809175689692010-05-17T16:26:00.008-04:002010-05-17T17:01:07.523-04:00

The supposed controversy surrounding Sunday Night's crowning of Miss America was made to order for Fox News Channel. What better than a story that mixes the Network's love of beauty queens with its penchant for stirring up right-wing anger over issues like gay marriage and immigration.Over the air and on the web, Fox devoted much of its coverage to questioning whether Miss Oklahoma was "

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-84911505012530986212010-05-07T18:14:00.015-04:002010-05-11T06:06:31.220-04:00

Would the right’s lunatic fringe hate Net Neutrality so much, if they actually knew what it was? One can only wonder.'They will control you' -- Glenn Beck on his radio show:We’re not going to lose this country we are losing this country. I don’t think people understand how close we are today. Today the FCC is going to turn the Internet into a public utility, which means they have the power to

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-22015740910400051652010-04-25T09:16:00.021-04:002010-04-25T10:24:10.885-04:00

Two recent videos make a clear cut case for media reform in the digital age, and should be fixtures on the virtual shelf of anyone interested in the issue.They help cut through the misinformation, astroturf and name calling being churned out by the phone and cable lobby. If you're still on the fence about Net Neutrality, watch these.The first, an April 12 presentation by Harvard Law Professor

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-39097044393348376132010-03-17T20:04:00.000-04:002010-03-17T20:05:04.331-04:00

Judging from the back-slapping and high fives over at the FCC, you’d think that America’s Internet was sailing smoothly into the future. Think again.With much fanfare on Tuesday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski delivered the National Broadband Plan to Congress, saying it will help make Internet access faster and cheaper for everyone in the United States. Getting more people connected to

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-89984680661185241012010-03-11T20:29:00.000-05:002010-03-11T20:30:14.819-05:00

Too often in Washington, words speak louder than actions. Tuesday, however, was not one of those times.As lobbyists for the largest Internet providers gushed over a National Broadband Plan designed to deliver fast and affordable Internet services to Americans who are currently priced out of the market, one of the largest providers, Comcast, informed customers that it planned to raise its rates

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-19459579939748471942010-02-26T15:58:00.002-05:002010-02-27T13:36:14.897-05:00

The great thing about the open Internet is that it makes room for amazing sites like, well, this one.The Huffington Post has been successful because it has opened its platform for public debate on issues that are too often ignored by traditional media. And with its largely open publishing platform, it's become a home for people seeking an alternative to the mainstream mouthpieces that dominate

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-17733669632464899432010-02-23T18:57:00.012-05:002010-03-01T17:27:47.520-05:00

The Huffington Post just published an attack on Free Press from Patrick Maines, the president of a corporate front group called the Media Institute.The Institute's sole purpose seems to be to take down anyone who threatens the nation’s media oligarchy ... in this case, cutting down people who support more diverse public media and a more open Internet.Maines: Keeping us safe from "paleoleftists"In

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-89613421941800517102010-01-09T10:23:00.030-05:002010-01-09T12:48:26.787-05:00

There’s some buzz about a recent CNET article by Larry Downes claiming that the Obama administration is backing away from Net Neutrality.Downes knits together a loose set of assumptions to make this case. And the usual suspects have amplified his argument as proof indisputable that Net Neutrality advocates are on the ropes.It took Nancy Scola of The American Prospect to dig up dirt on Downes that

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-85645908206049736132009-11-18T12:48:00.001-05:002009-11-18T12:49:54.575-05:00

Astroturf. You may have heard the word or even seen the fake grassroots in action.Astroturf groups are front operations that take corporate money to promote an industry's policy agenda, covering their tracks behind phony grassroots Web façades.It's a formula for success that works in favor of deep-pocketed corporations. So much so that astroturf has spread over Washington like kudzu, stifling

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-4919656691910388822009-10-24T11:03:00.016-04:002009-10-25T10:03:39.202-04:00

The "Maverick" just played his hand on Net Neutrality, and the cards reveal a man who's outsider image doesn't quite add up.On Thursday, Sen. John McCain introduced legislation to kill the open Internet, the deceptively named "Internet Freedom Act." The bill would stop all FCC efforts to have an open and public discussion about proposed Net Neutrality rules.This comes from a senator who has

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-85848610026787764742009-10-23T07:53:00.001-04:002009-10-23T07:56:42.678-04:00

AT&T has "asked' its employees to fake it in the fight against Net Neutrality.The company’s top policy officer sent a memo to workers on Monday urging them to hide their company affiliation before posting anti-Net Neutrality comments to the Federal Communication Commission’s Web site."We encourage you, your family and friends to join the voices telling the FCC not to regulate the Internet," AT&T

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-68635135262557248482009-10-17T10:53:00.001-04:002009-10-18T09:31:16.260-04:00

Every now and then Democrats in Washington forget whom they really work for.Friday was one such day as several dozen Democratic representatives buckled to phone and cable lobbyists and signed on to a letter designed to sow doubt about Net Neutrality.Too often, in complicated matters of communications policy, members will take industry lobbyists at their word and sign on to whatever is foisted

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-77526196260583185972009-10-16T20:50:00.001-04:002009-10-16T20:52:03.255-04:00

How do we rid Washington of astroturf? It's a blight that's spread over the Capitol like kudzu, smothering genuine public debate under a tangle of misinformation. Sporting names like "Tea Party Patriots," "Energy Citizens" and "Americans for Broadband," astroturf groups have pocketed millions from industry to prop up the status quo and denounce an overhaul of health care, curbs to carbon

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-80802253738586709542009-10-07T20:34:00.007-04:002009-10-09T23:21:08.710-04:00

Today, I'm especially proud of the work that I do.You too can be a part of our sinister plot by becoming a member of the Free Press Action Fund.UPDATE: This pretty much says it all:The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cBend It Like Beckwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorMichael Moore

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-37161155012549454462009-10-06T05:37:00.001-04:002009-10-06T05:39:59.958-04:00

A Washington Post blog post published Monday hits on one central reason for making Net Neutrality the law.In "Protecting Free Speech in the Digital Age, " guest blogger Dawn Nunziato says that free expression on the Internet is too important to be subject to the whims of powerful phone and cable companies -- companies that have already demonstrated their willingness to block new ideas and

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-38627376596880029712009-09-22T03:10:00.001-04:002009-09-22T05:56:59.863-04:00

The fight for Net Neutrality took a big step forward on Monday with the chair of the Federal Communications Commission announcing plans to expand the rules to protect a free and open Internet.In a speech at the Brookings Institution, Julius Genachowski said the FCC must be a "smart cop on the beat” preserving Net Neutrality against increased efforts by providers to block services and applications

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-63914954196391072022009-09-17T04:33:00.001-04:002009-09-17T04:34:19.519-04:00

Can you smell the fear? Switch on cable news or tune in to talk radio and it comes wafting in. Fox News Channel's Glenn Beck has bottled his own scent. Lou Dobbs' fear gives off a distinct undertone of racial intolerance. And Rush Limbaugh takes to the air to spread an odor that's designed to make Americans angry at, well, other Americans. It's a fear that's laced with paranoia, stoked by

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-39463386456510016872009-09-02T08:03:00.012-04:002009-09-02T09:51:36.944-04:00

Click on the image below to begin your roadside tour of telco talking points.Follow this link to reveal the money behind the Astroturf spin.

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-9161817240761984402009-08-29T09:05:00.002-04:002009-08-29T10:34:47.515-04:00

The New York Times gets Net Neutrality right again, and again, and again. In their fourth editorial in support of Net Neutrality the newspaper’s editors write:"A good bill that would guarantee so-called net neutrality has been introduced in the House. Congress should pass it, and the Obama administration should use its considerable power to make net neutrality the law. " Why? According to the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-43950040385737044332009-08-19T19:10:00.009-04:002009-08-20T07:32:38.715-04:00

If you haven't been paying attention to the rise of Astroturf in Washington, in the media and at your local town hall meeting, now's the time to tune in. Astroturf front groups have been everywhere this summer -- spreading misinformation about health care reform, carbon emission caps and financial regulation.Astroturf shills, notably FreedomWorks' Dick Armey and Americans for Prosperity's Tim

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-29795750173585650752009-08-18T09:27:00.001-04:002009-08-18T09:27:38.906-04:00

"U.S. carriers are some of the most backward, unscrupulous and anti-customer companies in the nation," writes Mike Elgan of IDG News Service. And he tells us why in a list of the 10 best reasons to hate your mobile network provider.While Elgan’s reasons for hating the telcos may come as little surprise to visitors of FreeMyPhone, many are worth repeating here:1. Carriers overcharge shamelessly.

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-18983857251243028432009-08-06T08:29:00.001-04:002009-08-06T08:29:53.048-04:00

On Friday, Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) marched across Independence Avenue and up the steps of the Capitol Building to introduce a bill that could stand as the First Amendment of the Internet age.The Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009 establishes the basic rules of the road for an open Internet. And its arrival couldn't be more timely.We are amid the greatest

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-15294548689003164322009-08-02T07:21:00.003-04:002009-08-02T07:27:27.704-04:00

The Federal Communications Commission's plan to investigate the blocking of Google Voice over the iPhone signals the agency's new resolve to address public concerns about carrier control over an exploding mobile phone marketplace.And the move couldn't have come soon enough. As millions of users are opting to upgrade to Internet-enabled "smart phones," carriers have begun blocking access to

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-58319399328104054322009-07-14T17:20:00.000-04:002009-07-14T17:22:03.551-04:00

Co-authored with Ben ScottMignon Clyburn, Barack Obama's choice to fill a vacant Democratic seat at the Federal Communications Commission, will face a confirmation hearing Wednesday in the Senate Commerce Committee. As the third Democrat on the five-member commission, Clyburn would cast a deciding vote for President Obama's bold technology agenda. And yet, Clyburn's nomination has met with a

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-69397894918107118992009-07-14T17:18:00.002-04:002009-07-14T17:20:22.153-04:00

What more can be said about the Internet's role in the popular uprising that has shaken the Iranian regime since its widely contested election? The power of open social networks is undisputed. The Internet's three favorite offspring -- Twitter, Facebook and YouTube -- have been heralded by mainstream media as flag-bearers for a new era of citizen journalism and activism.But the open Internet's

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-12598255546450616602009-06-23T09:06:00.002-04:002009-06-23T09:09:03.152-04:00

Do you want to get the new iPhone?If so, you're in for a disappointment. If not, you should be worried anyway.Apple just released the new iPhone in a hail of hype, promising that it would be "the Internet in your pocket." If only. The smart phone's groundbreaking technology has been hijacked by AT&T. In a move reminiscent of old Ma Bell, the telephone giant has struck an exclusive agreement with

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-6873620595555986742009-06-17T09:25:00.015-04:002009-06-17T21:27:12.195-04:00

David Neiwert of Crooks & Liars reports on a chilling double-murder allegedly committed by members of the "Minutemen" the loose-knit organization of armed citizens who "guard" our borders.The killings are chilling enough -- as evidenced by the 911 recording of the mother as she witnessed the execution of her 9-year-old daughter and husband. But what's even more infuriating is the way many

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-4271902935740044492009-06-08T20:57:00.003-04:002009-06-08T21:28:19.630-04:00

The machine was in full today as it seemed half of the city's police and fire departments took time off from protecting and serving to pass out glossies of Peter Cammarano. Some donned blue (the Cammarano campaign T-shirt that is) while others had their Hoboken Police and Fire Department baseball caps, decals and shirts on show. It's a formidable force for the campaign, though some officers

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-55424187077611799102009-06-03T21:58:00.005-04:002009-06-03T22:12:00.920-04:00

Mainland China has banned MediaCitizen, according to local browser tests in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Not certain how I triggered the Great Firewall, but pleased nonetheless.You can still read from Hongkong though!

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-67881972593146631892009-05-20T20:54:00.001-04:002009-05-20T23:03:31.072-04:00

If the history of Internet policy were a movie, it would feature the public tied to the tracks before an onrushing train of corporate lobbyists. The villain, however, is not just the powerful phone and cable companies these lobbyists represent, but the politicians who tightened the knots and then stood smugly by as our interests were crushed.So how do we change this unhappy ending to one where

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-28385818873136983732009-05-16T17:59:00.061-04:002009-05-18T09:35:29.110-04:00

It's hard to empathize with struggling newspapers when those running them continue to suffer from the short-sightedness that got their industry into a mess.The editors at the Washington Post put on a display of such backward thinking on Saturday, when they published an op-ed by two lawyers from the influential D.C. firm Baker Hostetler. In writing this op-ed, the lawyers hide certain conflicts of

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-44393594273702752672009-04-27T19:12:00.006-04:002009-04-27T19:32:38.212-04:00

Last week, conservative factions within the Republican National Committee circulated an e-mail urging party leadership to brand as a "socialist" anyone who advocates even moderate changes to the government's role in society. It's clear that the overlords at Fox News Channel already got that memo and decided to ratchet the volume up a notch -- to 11.According to Politico, RNC member James Bopp Jr.

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-1647569622020865522009-03-23T21:47:00.008-04:002009-03-24T03:09:24.658-04:00

Buried deep in President Barack Obama's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act is a line that should bring a smile to your face -- and a scowl to the faces of phone and cable industry lobbyists.It says that billions of dollars directed to connect more Americans to broadband must be spent on services that meet "nondiscrimination and network interconnection obligations." What this really means is

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-65064093903033710262009-03-12T20:49:00.000-04:002009-03-12T20:50:14.665-04:00

Every now and then comes something that is a perfect expression of what the Internet is about.The latest, if you haven't already heard, comes via Kutiman, an Israeli Web impresario who mashed and mixed video clips of amateur YouTube musicians to create a near-flawless overture to the Twittering masses.ThruYOU, his resulting record (if you can call it that), has taken the Web by storm, garnering

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-17182762197527497492009-03-04T14:14:00.001-05:002009-03-04T14:14:42.841-05:00

As anticipated, Julius Genachowski has been tapped by President Barack Obama to head the Federal Communications Commission.The move is another indication that incoming leadership in Washington will move decisively to protect the free flowing Internet from those seeking to become gatekeepers to new media. It also fulfills Obama's promise made on the campaign trail to appoint an FCC chair who

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-63182411255025988492009-02-26T15:34:00.000-05:002009-02-26T15:35:14.838-05:00

Ever get the feeling that a terrible Celine Dion song is stalking you via the radio? Every time you scan the dial there it is taunting your heart to "go on and on... forever."You're not being paranoid. Commercial radio stations everywhere have been swallowed up by a handful of giant corporations, playlists have shrunk, and local and independent acts have been drowned out, as Big Radio soaks

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-17061058112052666692009-02-21T07:03:00.010-05:002009-02-21T08:04:02.676-05:00

I spoke on/moderated these from last July:This one on big, bad telcos with Cindy Cohn of EFF, Michael Kieschnick of Credo Active, Nancy Keenan of NARAL Pro-Choice America and Matt Stoller of OpenLeft.com:This one on "inside-outside" organizing with Adam Green of Moveon.org, Liz Rose of the ACLU, Andre Banks of ColorofChange, Joan McCarter of DailyKos and my colleague Craig Aaron (moderator):

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-75477777866032409502009-02-10T09:19:00.001-05:002009-02-10T09:19:47.358-05:00

News Flash. Huffington Post wasn't the first new media blog to be formally called upon at a presidential news conference. President George W. Bush and his press secretaries often looked for right-wing blogger Jeff Gannon (aka James D. Guckert) as safe quarter in the White House press room. Gannon prided himself as "a conservative journalist embedded with the liberal Washington press corps" and

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-73168556846041353732009-02-06T20:13:00.000-05:002009-02-06T20:14:15.977-05:00

Should it be a surprise that a guy who doesn't know how to send e-mail can't grasp why the Internet is important?Sen. John McCain -- known to have never gone online -- led the charge on Capitol Hill this week to strip the Internet from President Obama's economic stimulus package. McCain joins media blowhards Rush Limbaugh and Lou Dobbs, who in their latest crusade against reality think that

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-14146215358670128772009-01-29T17:50:00.005-05:002009-01-29T21:48:11.861-05:00

Cox Communications, the nation's third-largest cable company, on Tuesday unveiled a plan to monitor and slow Internet content it deems unimportant. With this news, Cox joins the ranks of other Internet providers willing to tempt legal fate by getting between customers and their access to the free-flowing Web. Comcast -- which the FCC sanctioned last year for just this type of interference – had

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-4312884455995189582009-01-22T15:14:00.001-05:002009-01-22T15:14:31.661-05:00

Change has come to America. Well, sort of. On "K" Street - home to Washington's most powerful corporate lobbyists - it's business as usual.Nowhere is this more evident than in the scrum of lobbyists gathering around President Obama's economic stimulus package. Hearings started yesterday in the House Appropriations Committee and they're already lining the halls outside chambers. Without a strong

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-53090121641627953572009-01-21T13:55:00.022-05:002009-01-22T07:42:28.333-05:00

A quote caught my attention on this first full day of the Obama Administration. It’s from a story on America’s economic stimulus package.Our new president plans to set aside $6 billion to connect more Americans to the Internet. And his broadband plan is now on a fast track through Congress. (A House hearing is scheduled for today).If done right, the plan could help close the digital divide,

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-547117049961803982009-01-13T18:40:00.000-05:002009-01-13T18:41:53.161-05:00

President-elect Barack Obama is due to tap Net Neutrality supporter Julius Genachowski to become chair of the Federal Communications Commission.Genachowski is one of the principal architects of Obama’s pro-Neutrality tech and media platform, which was partially unveiled during a November 2007 event, at which Obama pledged to "ensure a free and full exchange of information" and "take a backseat to

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-323635393910068142009-01-09T05:31:00.000-05:002009-01-09T05:32:03.756-05:00

President-elect Barack Obama this morning delivered his first major speech of the new year, pledging to "put the American Dream within reach of the American people."A core component of Obama's economic recovery plan is "expanding broadband lines across America" to give everyone the chance to get online. Historically, presidents have turned to public works projects to jolt new life into flagging

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-66837760465747336412008-12-16T08:15:00.001-05:002008-12-16T08:16:18.671-05:00

We are now on the cusp of making history for an open Internet. But don't tell that to the Wall Street Journal, which today published an article that portrayed the movement for Net Neutrality as losing steam. Say what? Obama: 'Backseat to no one'In addition to the millions of Americans who have taken a stand in support of Net Neutrality, we have an incoming president who has pledged to "take a

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-22353449757503728002008-12-10T20:36:00.000-05:002008-12-10T20:37:10.304-05:00

In a Saturday morning YouTube address, President-elect Barack Obama gave the nation a first glimpse at his administration's stimulus plan - and connecting everyone to the Internet was a main route on his roadmap to economic recovery. "Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they'll get that chance when I'm President," he said. "

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-26897863039711043482008-12-08T04:29:00.008-05:002008-12-08T06:24:16.740-05:00

Follows are my opening comments for our first InternetforEveryone.org town hall meeting, which occurred on Saturday, December 6 in Los Angeles: Thank you all for coming in out of the Los Angeles sun today. I grew up in rain-soaked Seattle so seeing this bright, warm city in December is always an inspiration for me.We’ve invited you here today to join us in an important conversation about the

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-72632319291717085902008-12-03T21:01:00.005-05:002008-12-03T21:14:46.547-05:00

The Denver Post today urged a new Federal Communications Commission to get its mind off of "buttocks" and onto more serious issues like Net Neutrality. The editorial board was referring to a case now before the U.S. Court of Appeals, in which the agency’s top legal minds are trying to determine whether some bare cheeks featured on a 2003 episode of "NYPD Blue" warrant indecency fines for ABC."

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9823746.post-13480765384523216462008-11-18T08:10:00.001-05:002008-11-18T08:12:50.602-05:00

There's been heavy traffic over the Net Neutrality wires since the November 4 Election of Barack Hussein Obama, and it's not just because the president-elect was so outspoken in support of the principle while on the campaign trail.There has been a sea change in Washington since then, as the wonks, tech pundits and lobbyists align themselves with new leadership and the likelihood that Net

Timothy Karrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428218526755405762noreply@blogger.com0