roundtable: Public Interest Groups Opposing Telecom Measures

roundtable: Public Interest Groups Opposing Telecom Measures

Public Interest Groups Opposing Telecom Measures

Vigdor Schreibman - FINS (fins@access.digex.net)
Wed, 2 Aug 1995 10:17:16 -0400 (EDT) 

Date: Wed, 2 Aug 1995 10:17:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins@access.digex.net>
To: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins@access.digex.net>
Subject: Public Interest Groups Opposing Telecom Measures
Message-Id: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950802100538.1612D-100000@access2.digex.net>


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FINS SPECIAL REPORT                                           August 2, 1995
============================================================================

PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS OPPOSING TELECOM MEASURES
Special Plea to the Internet Community

Washington, DC--A coalition of public interest groups has issued a special
plea to the Internet Community asking that they "urge their Congressional
Representatives to vote against 'The Communications Act of 1995,' H.R.
1555." The bill is expected to come to the House floor sometime 
Wednesday evening, according to the Republican Cloak Room.

  The public interest coalition opposing the bill is comprised of: the
Center for Media Education; Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility; Consumer Federation of America; Media Access Project; 
People for the American Way; and Taxpayer Assets Project.  Anthony E.
Wright, Coordinator, Future of Media Project, Center for Media Education
<aewright@cme.org>, is coordinating the effort. 

  The group claims that the bill now before the House [HR 1555], the
"Telecommunications Act of 1995, "will have a profound impact on every
citizen, affecting our nation's economy, culture, and democracy.
Individuals will see the repercussion in their cable, phone and online
service rates, in what media choices they will and will not have, and in
the very shape of the 'information highway.'"  In spite of the profound
impact of the bill, public interest advocates claim that, "the legislation
has been crafted out of public view, through the lobbying efforts of
telephone, cable, broadcast, newspaper, publishing, online services,
consumer electronic, entertainment and other companies. In fact, 
Congress received over $40 million in the last ten years in campaign 
contribution from these companies, according to a recent Common Cause 
study. "

Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins@access.digex.net>

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