While the FCC is expected to approve proposed net neutrality rules Thursday, discussions were continuing there on some significant details in the order reclassifying broadband. A change apparently sought by Commissioner Mignon Clyburn to remove a specific legal relationship between edge providers and ISPs appears to be out, said a commission official Wednesday. Neither Clyburn nor the agency would comment.
Wiley Rein hires Leo Fitzsimon, ex-Nokia, as consulting counsel, Communications Practice ... Copyright Office moves Catherine Rowland to senior adviser, register of copyrights ... American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers promotes John Johnson to senior vice president-licensing ... National Conference of State Legislatures hires Jon Adame, who graduated from University of Colorado's law school, as director, Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee ... Transaction Network Services hires Joe Lueckenhoff, ex-executive consultant, as executive vice president-general manager, running Telecommunication Services Division ... Starz promotes Alison Hoffman to executive vice president-marketing.
Assessment of the knowledge of and engagement with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition by Senate Commerce Committee members is likely to produce the substance of Wednesday’s related hearing, Internet governance experts said in interviews. Some experts told us that Congress should be wary of becoming too involved in the IANA transition; others said more hearings with ICANN stakeholders -- rather than ICANN and NTIA’s leadership -- should follow. Scheduled to testify at the hearing are ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling and attorney David Gross of Wiley Rein on behalf of the Internet Governance Coalition (IGC) (see 1502230048).
Former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell said the FCC’s net neutrality order, slated for a vote Thursday, will inevitably lead to rate regulation regardless of claims otherwise. ISPs and other companies also will face unprecedented oversight from the FCC as a result of the order, expected to reclassify mobile and fixed broadband as a common carrier service, McDowell said Tuesday at a Hudson Institute event. McDowell voted against the 2010 net neutrality order as a member of the FCC and is now at Wiley Rein.
The Internet Governance Coalition (IGC) supports NTIA’s criteria for the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition, plus the agency’s stipulation that the IANA functions not be handed over to an intergovernmental organization, said attorney David Gross of Wiley Rein in prepared testimony for Wednesday’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the IANA transition, which was advanced to us Monday. Gross is testifying on behalf of the IGC, which includes Amazon, Cisco, Google and Verizon as members. The IGC believes a “thriving Internet depends on a governance structure that is open, transparent, and representative of all stakeholders,” said Gross. “By allowing for the careful transition of the IANA to a bottom-up multistakeholder entity, the United States has affirmed its commitment to the multistakeholder model,” he said. “If the principles NTIA identified for the transition are met -- which is a critical condition for this process to work -- the United States will also succeed in maintaining the freedom, openness, security, and stability of the network we have all enjoyed since its inception.” ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade and NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling are also testifying Wednesday.
Broadcasters supported the FCC-proposed change for stations to disclose material terms of station contests online instead of on-air (see 1411060048), with minor changes suggested, in comments posted Friday in docket 14-226. Broadcasters called it in interviews a rare proceeding where everyone agrees. The commission should decrease its proposed number of times a broadcaster is required to mention a website with contest rules, Entercom and Hubbard Broadcasting said. The NPRM was released Nov. 21 and approved unanimously.
The Senate Commerce Committee plans a hearing on the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition Wednesday at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell, a committee news release said Thursday. The witnesses will be ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling and international communications lawyer David Gross of Wiley Rein. “Concerns remain that the loss of U.S. involvement over the [IANA functions] could empower foreign powers -- acting through intergovernmental institutions or other surrogates -- to gain increased control over critical Internet functions,” the committee said. “The hearing will examine the potential benefits and preparedness of non-governmental actors to protect Internet governance functions from attempted interference by foreign governments.” Chehade has lauded ICANN's recent conference in Singapore as a step forward on ICANN’s accountability proposal process (see 1502180034).
Viacom promotes Tom Gorke to executive vice president-sales and business development, Viacom Media Networks and BET Networks, new position ... 21st Century Fox promotes Missy Halperin to executive vice president-talent relations, Fox Broadcasting Co. ... McBee Strategic Consulting hires Clare Adams, ex-Intel Security, as director-advocacy group, working on cybersecurity ... Disney hires Kary McHoul, ex-consultant to Fine Bros., as senior vice president-programming & development unscripted, ABC Family, new position ... Kathleen Kirby, Wiley Rein, elected to American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law governing board ... FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee adds North Dakota State Rep. Blair Thoreson, a Republican, and Karen Jackson, Virginia secretary of technology.
Industry observers who have watched closely as the FCC moves to revised net neutrality rules and the reclassification of fixed and mobile broadband as a common-carrier service say there are unknowns that remain. The broad parameters have been known for some time, including treating wireless largely the same as wireline. With FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler set to circulate proposed rules to other commissioners Thursday, observers said there are unanswered questions, among them how exactly forbearance will look. Other big questions include how the rules will address the unique need for wireless carriers to manage their networks.
Wiley Rein re-elects: Peter Shields to another three-year term as managing partner and Dorthula Powell-Woodson and Daniel Standish to the executive committee, which now adds as new members Kevin Anderson, Jan Witold Baran, Timothy Brightbill and Kathleen Kirby ... Nexstar extends contract of President-CEO Perry Sook through Jan. 15, 2019, after the last deal was to expire in 2016, and he also is chairman ... AT&T hires Jill Singer, ex-Deep Water Point, as vice president-national security, AT&T Government Solutions ... IDT adds to board Ken Kannappan, Plantronics.