Press Release
Pittsburgh Hosts FCC Hearing on Future of the Internet
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- On Monday, all five Federal Communications Commissioners will meet face-to-face with the public at a hearing at Carnegie Mellon University to discuss broadband and the digital future.
WHAT: FCC Hearing on the Future of the Internet
DATE: Monday, July 21, 2008
TIME: 4 p.m. ET
WHERE: Carnegie Mellon University, McConomy Auditorium, University Center, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa.
WHO: FCC Commissioners; Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.); Mark Cuban, chairman and co-founder of HDNet; legal scholars and technology experts from Carnegie Mellon University; public interest advocates; labor unions; small business owners; wireless innovators; policy analysts; and representatives from YouTube and AT&T
Watch the live Webcast of the hearing at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/#jul21
Listen to live audio of the hearing at WRCT-FM 88.3 or on the Web at http://wrct.org
High-speed Internet, or "broadband," is becoming a crucial public necessity -- with almost limitless social, economic and educational potential. Technology plays a key role in almost every domestic political issue. But America's growing digital divide has cost the United States its claim to global Internet leadership. The consequences of America's failure to remain competitive are severe, and the need to address the problem is urgent.
"The Internet increasingly affects every aspect of our economy, our political process and our private lives," Congressman Doyle said today. "As vice chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, I have been working to ensure that federal telecom policy truly benefits American consumers. That's why I appreciate the FCC's willingness to hold field hearings in cities like Pittsburgh where it can get a real feel for what Americans want their digital future to look like."
The Census Bureau estimates that less than 50 percent of homes in Pennsylvania are subscribed to broadband.
"It is unacceptable that the country that invented the Internet still has so many communities stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide," said Timothy Karr, campaign director of Free Press. "Until we make it a national priority to bring affordable, high-speed Internet to all Americans, the situation will only get worse. This forum is an important opportunity for Pennsylvanians to weigh in on how to get our digital future back on track."
The hearing will feature two expert panels, followed by an "open microphone" session for the public to offer testimony on a first-come, first-served basis.
Read the FCC's official announcement and agenda: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-283761A1.pdf
For the latest information on the hearing, visit http://www.savetheinternet.com/=pittsburgh
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The SavetheInternet.com Coalition is a grassroots, nonpartisan alliance of hundreds of groups, thousands of bloggers, and more than 1.6 million concerned Americans who have joined together to protect Internet freedom and Network Neutrality. No corporation or political party funds the coalition. Statements by the SavetheInternet.com Coalition are not necessarily endorsed by every participating organization. Learn more at www.SavetheInternet.com
WHAT: FCC Hearing on the Future of the Internet
DATE: Monday, July 21, 2008
TIME: 4 p.m. ET
WHERE: Carnegie Mellon University, McConomy Auditorium, University Center, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa.
WHO: FCC Commissioners; Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.); Mark Cuban, chairman and co-founder of HDNet; legal scholars and technology experts from Carnegie Mellon University; public interest advocates; labor unions; small business owners; wireless innovators; policy analysts; and representatives from YouTube and AT&T
Watch the live Webcast of the hearing at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/#jul21
Listen to live audio of the hearing at WRCT-FM 88.3 or on the Web at http://wrct.org
High-speed Internet, or "broadband," is becoming a crucial public necessity -- with almost limitless social, economic and educational potential. Technology plays a key role in almost every domestic political issue. But America's growing digital divide has cost the United States its claim to global Internet leadership. The consequences of America's failure to remain competitive are severe, and the need to address the problem is urgent.
"The Internet increasingly affects every aspect of our economy, our political process and our private lives," Congressman Doyle said today. "As vice chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, I have been working to ensure that federal telecom policy truly benefits American consumers. That's why I appreciate the FCC's willingness to hold field hearings in cities like Pittsburgh where it can get a real feel for what Americans want their digital future to look like."
The Census Bureau estimates that less than 50 percent of homes in Pennsylvania are subscribed to broadband.
"It is unacceptable that the country that invented the Internet still has so many communities stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide," said Timothy Karr, campaign director of Free Press. "Until we make it a national priority to bring affordable, high-speed Internet to all Americans, the situation will only get worse. This forum is an important opportunity for Pennsylvanians to weigh in on how to get our digital future back on track."
The hearing will feature two expert panels, followed by an "open microphone" session for the public to offer testimony on a first-come, first-served basis.
Read the FCC's official announcement and agenda: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-283761A1.pdf
For the latest information on the hearing, visit http://www.savetheinternet.com/=pittsburgh
###
The SavetheInternet.com Coalition is a grassroots, nonpartisan alliance of hundreds of groups, thousands of bloggers, and more than 1.6 million concerned Americans who have joined together to protect Internet freedom and Network Neutrality. No corporation or political party funds the coalition. Statements by the SavetheInternet.com Coalition are not necessarily endorsed by every participating organization. Learn more at www.SavetheInternet.com
