The man that we always count on to put place democracy front and center of everything. You know so well that since citizens united, the last two election cycles that have set records for money spent, including hundreds of millions of dollars from undisclosed sources, the bulk of this socalled dark money spend iingy outside groups that hide their donors go toward negative tv ads. We all know that. Would you recommend changes to the Communications Act to ensure that voters are informed about who exactly is behind these anonymous tv ads . And is there anything in your view that the fcc can do on its own without congressional intervention . I would recommend them enforcing the statute that we already have. If you take a close look at section 317, which has to do with sponsorship identification and which goes back even before the teleCommunications Act of 1934 was written, goes back to 1927, ensuring that listeners and viewers more recently know by whom they are trying to be persuaded wheth
Extensive period of review and there would have to be some sort of high level determination as to why a different decision were to be made, is that the way it would work . Yeah. Under Administrative Law even with deference, the agency has to provide a reasoned explanation for its change in policy. It would require a notice and comment proceeding which is open. I wouldnt the suggestion has been made that somehow it would lead to instant clarity. It would lead to another three to fouryear period of conflict and litigation. Chairman copps . I would say it wouldnt take forever to compile that record. I, and a lot of other people i know, would be happy to contribute to the rationale for that sort of action. Its not really starting. A lot of that information is out there with just a route not taken and now we need to go back and look at it. And the fccs reclassification would be considered arbitrary and cap rishs unless there was a period of comment and refreshing the record and some sort of
Now, thats a problem that the fcc really does need to think about in conjunction with the industry that michael represents so ably and in particular, not to touch too many other buttons, the recent increases in the prices of the content have a disproportional impact in Rural America. They are taking a lot of money out of the wallets of the people in those areas and those are same areas where broadband is expensive so as people pay more for broadcast content and cable channel content, they have less available to purchase broadband. This is a problem thats real. And existing right now. It gives me a chance to pass the solution over to chairman powell. Congressman, i think you make a couple of important points that we should put top of mind which is the challenge of reaching that last 5 to 7 is because under Traditional Market fundamentals theyre uneconomic and if theyre uneconomic the only way to cure something is change the economic equation. This is why i had no problem understanding a
Chairman, thank you. Speaking of cops on the beat, well now go to michael copps, served as acting chairman of the federal Communications Commission from january to june of 2009, and served as commissioner from 2001 to 2011. Prior to joining the commission, commissioner copps worked right here on capitol hill, and the u. S. Department of commerce. Commissioner copps, chairman copps, thank you for being with us, and we look forward to your comments to round out our panel. Thank you chairman walden, chairman upton, miss eshoo and mr. Waxman, vice chairman, former chairman, all the members of the committee, im delighted to be here. Were here today to review whether the Communications Act needs to be updated or otherwise reformed. Ive heard some say that simply because the act is old it must be obsolete. That no matter how well it has served us an act written 18 years ago cannot have relevance in todays altered world. As someone only a little younger than the original act of 19 34r, i would
Christine lagarde speaking at the National Press club. Ago the first pie in years crossed the oceans to a new world. A promise of a land where a man house, builts own his own children in freedom. In one of the great River Valleys of america, something went wrong. Centuries later, the descendents of the pioneers were neglected people. Living in a real and land. This was one of the early new deal projects. It is a concept that have been under consideration for some years before Franklin Roosevelt became president. The cirencester was looking to help improve the quality of life in the Tennessee River ballet to from control, generate electrical power and improve the lives of the People Living here. Is one of the poorest regions in this country. It is a serious attempt at areas. G the social this weekend, and look at the history and literary life of chattanooga tennessee, today at me. A panel of four rural fcc chairman talk about the impact of last tuesdays court ruling. Before theed commer