Page 314 - Battleground The Media Volume 1 and 2

Net Neutral ty |

On December 28, 2006, AT&T officials agreed to adhere to Net Neutrality
provisions if allowed to complete an $85 billion merger with BellSouth. The
SavetheInternet.com Coalition called this “a victory we can hang our hats on.”

a viCTory wiTh hisToriC ProPorTions

Regardless of the side one is on concerning this issue, one thing is for sure:
the outcome is bound to shape our communications system well into the future.
Shortly before AT&T agreed to abide by Net Neutrality provisions, remarks
made by Geov Parrish of WorkingforChange.com, indicated the serious and
contentious nature of the struggle: “Name the last time a lobby with that much
power and money was stymied in its top legislative priority by a citizen
movement . . . Offhand, I can’t think of any examples at all. And this during the
most corrupt, lobbyist-pliant Congress in recent American history” (see http://
www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=21498).
In keeping with past success, SavetheInternet.com launched the latest man-
ifestation of the campaign with an online video called “Save The Internet: Inde-
pendence Day.” The video outlines how everyday Internet users and grass-roots
organizations can save Internet freedom. “Save The Internet: Independence
Day” quickly made its way around the net through users sharing the video with
friends and family. Also crucial to the circulation of this video are independent
media outlets and bloggers, who are also threatened by a non-neutral Internet.

making nET nEuTraLiTy Law anD morE

In 2007, the SavetheInternet.com coalition began pushing Congress to make
Net Neutrality law. Using their (now award winning) “Independence Day” video,
the coalition began campaigning for a faster, more open, and accessible Inter-
net. On January 8, senators Byron L. Dorgan (D-S.D.) and Olympia J. Snowe
(R-Maine) sponsored the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2007, which
would protect Net Neutrality.
On June 11, 2007, at the SavetheInternet “Party for the Future” celebration of
Net Neutrality victories, the SavetheInternet.com Coalition unveiled the “Inter-
net Freedom Declaration of 2007.” The Declaration sets forth a plan not just for
winning Net Neutrality in Congress, but establishing faster, universal, and af-
fordable broadband for everyone. The declaration calls for “World Class Quality
through Competition,” “An Open and Neutral Network,” and “Universal Afford-
able Access.” The declaration is a big step in media reform, changing the terms
of debate from defending against further media deregulation, to demanding a
truly public media infrastructure.
In March 2007, SavetheInternet.com supporters rallied for “in-district”
meetings with members of Congress and their staff. The rallies resulted in sev-
eral members pledging to support Net Neutrality legislation when it came to a
vote in Congress.
On March 15, 2007, all five FCC Commissioners were brought before the
House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet to testify about