FCC Commissioner Clyburn Calls for Public Hearings on Comcast-NBC Merger Outside The Beltway

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Trish Nelson

FCC Commissioner Clyburn Calls for Public Hearings Outside the Beltway

In remarks at the Free Press policy summit on Tuesday, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn called for public hearings on the proposed Comcast-NBC merger.

“It is crucial that we hear from people about what is most important to them, and to chat with them about why we make the decisions we do,” Clyburn said. “That two-way communication is essential to good governance. What value will hearings outside the Beltway bring? First and foremost, they will force the Commission to interact and see up-close how Americans feel about the merger.”


Free Press seems pleased about the development and delivered this statement:

“We applaud Commissioner Clyburn for supporting public inclusion in the FCC’s merger review process. Ultimately, the impact of a deal between Comcast and NBCU will be felt by consumers at the local level. The communities that will be most affected by the proposed merger must have a chance to weigh in and have their voices heard by the Commissioners.

“If the merger is approved, this new media giant would combine the largest residential provider of cable television and internet access, a major television network, 26 broadcast television stations, 17 cable network properties, several local sports media properties, as well as a Hollywood movie studio and production houses.”


The deadline for public comments  to the FCC is June 21.

See article at Freepress.net      Link to video of Commissioner Clyburn’s remarks.

Commissioner Clyburn's call for public hearings is remarkable, for two reasons, one because there has been a fair amount of angst on the left because at first glance she seems to some bloggers (based on innuendo, rumor, and a paucity of information) no better than a Bush appointee (I don't think anyone actually said that, but that is how some have been making it sound).  Secondly, it is remarkable because the call for public hearings took place at the Free Press Summit and Free Press, as you know, is a grassroots media reform organization that is devoted to preserving the free and open internet. 

The worries are mostly centered around the fact that she is the daughter of Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) who voted against a net neutrality amendment in 2006. 

Just for fun, and to offer some perspective, I've included here some comments and links to posts by bloggers who have been speculating wildly over the possibility that Commissioner Clyburn is a corporate shill.  After some review, I conclude that these fears were probably premature, if not groundless, and to be fair, some of the comments were made last year, shortly after her nomination was announced.  Here are the links and a few of the comments if you'd like to check out the hyperbole and decide for yourself.

Mignon Clyburn Will Kill Net Neutrality

According to to Sascha Meinrath, ““The dominant feeling is that she is extremely tight with the telecom incumbents…”  but according to Chris Bowers at Op-Ed News, “She is virtually unknown by knowledgeable telecom people.”  Both were concerned about her net-neutrality credentials.

Is President Obama Placing Net Neutrality At Risk?

Mignon Clyburn as FCC commissioner… A Disaster for the Public Interest?

Pretty inflammatory rhetoric.  As a fellow progressive, I have to sympathize – we've been so traumatized by all the corruption and right-wing nuttiness, the only person we trust anymore is well…. I can't really think of anyone.  But it seems to me that much of the blogger criticism was apparently a knee-jerk reaction based on a lack of information.  There was a high frequency of statements being prefaced with phrases like these:  What I had heard…if this is true…the dominant feeling is…just about everyone I've talked with… 

I like what Marv Ammori (who I met while on on a panel at the 2007 National Media Reform Conference – on the topic:  How To File a License Challenge Against Your Local Television Station) has to say about it:

So who is Mignon Clyburn and does she support Obama’s technology agenda?

“We have to assume that the Obama administration asked Ms. Clyburn if she agreed with Obama’s agenda.  And that she said yes.  I’m confident in the administration’s ability to vet candidates (with some notable faltering, but still, I think they’ve learned their lessons).”


Another calm, rational article here:

The Underestimated Mignon Clyburn

“So far, she’s proven her critics wrong on one crucial vote on net neutrality.”

Chairman Clyburn:  “What troubled me coming to D.C. were the assumptions about who I was and what I was going to do,” Clyburn said during an interview Tuesday at her office. “That was unfair.”

Read her remarks at the Free Press Summit

You can file a public comment on the Comcast Merger and other topics.

Other Topics: 

 – In the Matter of Preserving the Open Internet Broadband Industry Practices. (33,000 comments)

 – Examination of the Future of Media and Information Needs of Communities in a Digital Age/Comment on the availability to communities of local news and information (1,050)

 – National Broadband Plan Notice of Inquiry/Comment on development of a national broadband plan that seeks to ensure access to broadband for all Americans (208)

 – A rulemaking to change FCC Ex Parte procedures/Comment on making the Commission's decision-making processes more open, transparent, fair, and effective (13)

 – Low Power FM/Comment on Options for Expanding, Strengthening Community Radio (you can still get firsties on this – so far 0 comments)

This entry was posted in Main Page. Bookmark the permalink.