WGAE Responds to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s “Remarks on Preserving Internet Freedom and Openness”

We look forward to reading the draft proposal Chairman Genachowski has distributed to the rest of the Commissioners.  The statement he issued today articulates important principles but does not present specifics.  We support codification of the net neutrality principles.  We oppose a plan that would permit ISPs or other providers to charge consumers for access to “fast lanes” which would distribute content more quickly and with better quality.  That would, by its nature, make it more difficult for independent content creators, including many of our members, to reach audiences.  It would favor content from deep-pocketed producers (e.g., the same multinational conglomerates that now decide what gets made and distributed on television and in movie theaters).  We also oppose any similar discriminatory mechanism that would be applied to mobile devices.  If the Chairman’s proposal includes these elements, we respectfully dissent.