Fast Net News, DSL Prime, DOCSIS Report

I was called a "Net pioneer" by several reporters because I was one of the signers of the On-Advancing-the-Open-Internet-by-Distinguishing-it-from-Specialized-Services statement. I'm nothing of the sort, of course, but I was proud to sign alongside true pioneers like David Reed, Bruce Perens, and Steve Wozniak. AT&T introduced a "managed services" exemption into the BellSouth merger agreement in 2006, a loophole big enough for 500 video channels to evade any neutrality regulations. The word from Wired and some D.C. reporters is that Genachowski has caved on this one, giving the Bells enough loopholes  that the coming neutrality rules will be nice rhetoric but Verizon or AT&T can easily bypass any rules. For better or worse. 

     MSNBC has just censured Joe Scarborough for making political contributions to Republicans and Keith Olbermann, for giving some money to Democrats. The network believes contributions should be prohibited because they imply a reporter might be biased. I think that's hogwash. Being human implies that a reporter is biased and pretending otherwise is deceitful. I've come to know many reporters doing this gig and nearly all the best have strong personal opinions. 

     I have a strong pro-consumer bias and don't pretend otherwise. It's my job as a reporter to write the truth despite my bias and it's up to the reader to judge whether I remain able to write the truth. If I could have afforded it, I would have generously contributed to the campaigns of Barack Obama and others. I've given (modest) donation to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and others.  I've signed this FCC petition and filed when I feel strongly on an issue. 

      Any reporter or news organization that thinks they have no bias is probably mistaken. I just don't pretend.