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Media Reform: Saving the Internet

Submitted by Jesse Russell on Sat, 2007-01-13 08:34. Current | Technology | Net Neutrality

Network neutrality was a major topic for Dane101.com in 2006. We posted a series of entries attempting to convince the local media and Wisconsin politicians to take a position or explain their position. The issue died on the floor of the Senate last year giving Senator Herb Kohl a temporary reprieve from having to publicly take a position and let us know if he is with Wisconsin small business or the mammoth telecommunication companies. (Notice to Kohl, we aren't done). Internet equality also received a two year reprieve after AT&T, facing a ground swell of public anger, was forced to make an important concession in order to merge with BellSouth - essentially rebuilding the Death Star once known as Ma Bell. The concession was that for two years AT&T would respect the basic principles behind network neutrality. Tim Wu, who coined the phrase "network neutrality" wrote at length about what this agreement means. During this weekend's National Conference on Media Reform in Memphis, Wu joined a panel called "Saving the Internet."

The panel laid out at length how the victory came to pass and what the future holds in the ongoing struggle to preserve a fair and equal internet. The panel included Moveon.org's Adam Green, MyDD.com's Matt Stoller, viral community activist Scott Goodstein, and the Save the Internet coalition's Aslyn White. Dane101 took the opportunity to speak with Save the Internet folks to make sure we can keep the fire hot under Kohl until we know his position. Below we have video from Wu, Green, and Stoller (in that order)that helps lay out what network neutrality means and how the fight has been fought.