FCC: not just incompetent, but also tainted?

[agamemnus]

Before I believed that the FCC and others were just incompetent. Perhaps that is too simplistic.

As if it wasn't enough that local politics was poisoned like this... now we have clear evidence of mutual back-scratching in the federal system.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Comc...ist/1305149281:

Comcast-NBC merger-favoring FCC commish now a lobbyist:

The merger of NBC and Comcast had its opponents when it was first announced in December 2009, however the FCC later found it to be acceptable and approved the merger the following year. Now one of those FCC commissioners behind the approval is the combined company's newest hire.

Republican Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker was one of the most vocal critics of placing any conditions on the deal, and said it could "bring exciting benefits to consumers that outweigh potential harms." Four months later, Comcast/NBCUniversal's Washington office has a new senior vice president of government affairs.

Baker's hiring is sure to raise concerns that her judgement in the decision to approve the mega merger may have been clouded somewhat. Obviously, Comcast/NBCUniversal attempted to put the best spin possible on the seemingly controversial hire.

"Commissioner Baker is one of the nation's leading authorities on communications policy and we're thrilled she's agreed to head the government relations operations for NBCUniversal," president Kyle McSlarrow said in a statement. He highlighted her Washington connections as reasons for her hire. FCC Commissioner Atwell Baker Obviously, groups that had railed against the merger are similarly speaking out against Baker's hire as well. Media interest group Free Press pointed out that as late as two months ago, Baker was saying that the merger approval process took too long, and called the move "business as usual in Washington."

"The continuously revolving door at the FCC continues to erode any prospects for good public policy," Free Press president and CEO Craig Aaron said in a statement. "We hope -- but won't hold our breath -- that her replacement will be someone who is not just greasing the way for their next industry job."

Baker was appointed by President Obama in June 2009. She is the second commissioner to announce his or her resignation from the FCC -- Commissioner Michael Copps is set to leave at the end of the year after 10 years -- but certainly is not the first [in] Washington to take a position like this.

Former Senator Chris Dodd had repeatedly said that he would not take a job as a lobbyist following his departure from the US Senate. His new job? Chairman and CEO of the MPAA, a major entertainment lobbying group.

Of course, being chairman and CEO of MPAA is not quite being a lobbyist, but 50% of the MPAA is a lobbying organization nowadays, so...

[Crowheart]

Just playing devils advocate, but if you're hiring someone to work in government relations, wouldn't a person who has connections and insider experience/knowledge of that agency, be just the kind of person you're looking for?

[Khendraja'aro]

Just playing devils advocate, but if you're hiring someone to work in government relations, wouldn't a person who has connections and insider experience/knowledge of that agency, be just the kind of person you're looking for?

Well, if that actually were the reason that might hold some water. But, please, the government guy who approved a beneficial deal for a company being hired by just that company a few months later?

If that's not fishy in your book then I don't know what is.

[Crowheart]

Oh, it definitely seems fishy, no doubt about it.

But, again devils advocate, couldn't the quickness of the hiring be why it's actually legit?
They had to know the flags would go up and people will be looking at this closely.

[Loki]

Well, if that actually were the reason that might hold some water. But, please, the government guy who approved a beneficial deal for a company being hired by just that company a few months later?

If that's not fishy in your book then I don't know what is.

Kind of like Schroeder working for Gazprom...

[agamemnus]

Kind of like Schroeder working for Gazprom...

Hmm, I'm not sure it's quite the same thing. Or maybe it is.

Firstly, (major difference here) Gazprom is very closely tied to Russia's government, while Comcast isn't.

An undersea gas line just to bypass some countries .... that are potentially hostile to Russia... it might be heavily in Germany's interest to keep the juice flowing even if there's a dispute between the smaller former Soviet bloc countries and Russia...

[Khendraja'aro]

Kind of like Schroeder working for Gazprom...

Well, he did receive flak for that one as well, so I don't quite see the point?

[Loki]

Well, he did receive flak for that one as well, so I don't quite see the point?

The difference being that Schroeder was the leader of your country, and therefore had far more authority than an individual Senator.

[Khendraja'aro]

The difference being that Schroeder was the leader of your country, and therefore had far more authority than an individual Senator.

You're obviously trying to say something. However, I'm unable to find the point you're trying to make unless I'm choosing the idiotic ones - or the trolling ones.

[agamemnus]

Derp! This was SOOOO unexpected...

A number of prominent ISPs have joined forces with movie and music studios in an effort to curtail online "piracy."

The new agreement - signed by AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner and Verizon - will see ISPs issue copyright alerts to notify Internet users when their accounts are supposedly being "misused."

...

"Every year, content theft costs the U.S. economy more than 373,000 jobs, $16 billion in lost earnings, and $3 billion in lost federal, state and local government tax revenue," the NCTA whined in an official statement.

WOW 373,000 jobs..

http://www.tgdaily.com/business-and-...racy-crackdown

[Ominous Gamer]

Pretty sure that this far into it, everyone understands whatever numbers these groups claim are complete bullshit, pulled solely out of their asses.

[Dreadnaught]

I wonder what their definition of "theft" is.

Methinks they just tallied everyone who isn't employed in making CDs anymore.