« PEOPLEREPORT30A | Main | Tech Goodies On Budget Day »
The Grilling Of Kevin Martin
For months, Democratic lawmakers have hinted that Republican FC Chairman Kevin Martin would face a grilling from them, and this week they delivered.
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing that featured all five FCC members as witnesses, Martin was hit with a barrage of questions about his stance on the AT&T-BellSouth merger, his commitments to promoting an open Internet, and whether he suppressed internal reports on media diversity that differ from his regulatory views on the subject.
Martin responded to crtiticism that he might not stand by certain conditions on the AT&T deal by clarifying that his previous statement on the issue meant he would not apply those rules industry-wide. He also has denied spiking any reports on media diversity.
The hearing, the first on communications matters in the new Congress, signals closer scrutiny ahead for the agency.
Other subjects in the news this week included U.S. broadband policy, a proposal to strength the universal service fund for expanding communications services, and a planned increase in science funding for fiscal 2007. Listen to the podcast for details.
Posted by Technology Daily on February 2, 2007 07:29 AM | Permalink
