Pai Unveils New FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity, Digital Empowerment

getting mixed reviews. “This Committee will be charged with providing recommendations to the FCC on empowering all Americans,” Pai said. “For example, the Committee could help the FCC promote diversity in the communications industry by assisting in the establishment of an incubator program and could identify ways to combat digital redlining.” The FCC’s original Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age operated 2003-2013 and was hugely successful, said Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council President Kim Keenan. “By chartering a new advisory committee on diversity, and expanding its jurisdiction to encompass closing the digital divide, Chairman Pai has brought the FCC back to its historic and nonpartisan public interest mission,” Keenan emailed. “MMTC is especially pleased that the new committee will be charged with the tasks of developing a media incubator program as well as providing solutions to the vexing moral issue of telecom redlining. This is a defining step toward closing the digital divide for every American.” But former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps slammed the new committee. “It is unnecessary and harmful for Chairman Pai to replace the FCC's Diversity Advisory Committee, which for years drew on the expertise of diversity experts to generate valuable and vetted proposals to advance important diversity initiatives,” Copps said in a statement. “Commission leadership from both parties too-often ignored that committee's proposals. But instead of reconstituting that committee and finally acting on its many extant recommendations, Chairman Pai has chosen to ignore it and create a new committee which will take months or longer to organize, meet, and come up with proposals.” Copps said that based on the Trump administration's record so far, Pai likely will appoint members who have an industry focus. “Shameful,” said Copps, now an adviser at Common Cause. "It is decades beyond time for serious action to help minorities and women in media ownership. Pai's announcement is a serious step backwards.” But Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said she would work with the new committee. “While no single initiative will solve the digital and opportunities divide, I believe that the formation of this Committee is the first of many steps the FCC can take to ensure all Americans have access to robust and affordable communications services," Clyburn said. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., a new member of the Commerce Committee, said a problem exists. “I noted lack of diversity in tech to @AjitPaiFCC," Cortez Masto tweeted. “Glad @FCC is addressing the issue and hope it's not just all talk.”