The Nashville Feed

This past weekend I attended The National Conference for Media Reform in Memphis. This gathering brought together media professionals from all over the country to explore the state of today’s media. The consensus that we arrived at is that the state of today’s media is not good. Sure, if you are one of the six companies that control most of the television, radio, magazines, newspapers and Internet access the state of the media is just fuckin’ peachy. For a democracy that depends on a variety of voices, the state of the media is downright pissy.

There was much too much information circulated at this conference for me to put into one little blog. Therefore, I’ll simplify and write a quick blurb on one of the most important subjects: Net Neutrality.
Perhaps you are not fully aware of what Net Neutrality is. Don’t think that you are ignorant or get down on yourself in anyway. I didn’t have a full understanding of it before last Friday either. I could offer a lengthy written explanation that would probably do more to bore you than to inform you. It’s probably easier for you to get the concept from a ninja. Watch this:

The corporate overlords that control our Internet access intend to seize the web from our needy little hands. They are horrible, horrible people that cannot stand a media that exists outside of their control. Fat profits are to be had, and they must have them!

They already have taken broadcast television, cable television, radio, newspapers, and magazines from us.

All we have left is the Internet! It is the only mode the average Joe has left to reach the world. And now the fat bastards want to take that, too.
AT&T and Bellsouth recently merged with every intention of monopolizing, then seizing control of your Internet access. The language of the merger approval would have granted them the ability to charge websites to be seen by AT&T’s subscribers. If a site like YouTube did not pay to be carried by AT&T, you would be stuck watching MSNBC video (or some other site that had paid the fee). Think of a system similar to cable TV. The cost would likely prohibit you, me, and The Misanthropic Bitch from being heard. Even the great MmmDave would have to pull this site NashvilleFeed.com from your eyes when AT&T’s bills began rolling in.

Fortunately, a grassroots campaign and one brave FCC Commissioner stopped it. Well, they didn’t stop it. They delayed it. They bought us two years. AT&T is already putting together their campaign to seize control in 2008. But there is a possibility that we (meaning you, me, The Misanthropic Bitch, MmmDave, and everyone else that enjoys a free and open Internet) can pull the rug out from under them.

The Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2006 has been introduced by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). This act would protect Net Neutrality before AT&T and other greedy bastards can steal it away.

You can help by adding your name to the petition at SavetheInternet.com. That link is also along the right margin of this page.
Save the Internet has put together a remarkable coalition.

Imagine getting all of these people in a room together. The Christian Coalition and a site called Jesus Christ Monkey Balls. The Yoga Wellness Center and Gun Owners of America. Video Gamers and Librarians. The World Pantheists Movement and the United Church of Christ. And now the Nashville Feed.

Noticeably missing from the list are porn sites. Perhaps they are not allowed to add themselves to the list. I have a bit of a problem with that. Save the Internet should not censor while trying to fight censorship. I’m sure that sites like PornoTube.com are also concerned about one corporation’s ability to determine what is carried on their Internet.

If nothing else, wouldn’t you hate to lose the porn that the Internet is so well known for? Perhaps not. Perhaps you are above that. Admittedly, there is a great deal of crap on the Internet. But this is our crap. And we have to fight to keep our crap, goddammit! We’ll decide whether or not we want to visit crap. AT&T is not allowed a say in this decision.

Resources:

• Save the Internet
• Free Press
• Ask a Ninja
• The Misanthropic Bitch
• Porno Tube

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Technorati Tags: net neutrality, grassroots, at&t, media consolidation

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