Regulations

            After reviewing the information on the FCC website, I began to wonder what was not being said.  According the FCC (2010), they “regulate interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.”  The FCC is directed by five commissioners who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.  The president also selects one to serve as chairman.  The current chairman, Tom Wheeler, has a background in all types of communications and telecommunications over the years.  Each additional member has experience in some type of media over the years.  However, their bios do not give much away other than their accomplishments, their length of terms and positions on different areas of communication.

            Ajit Pai, a Republican, focuses on creating a regulatory environment in which competition and innovation will flourish, thus benefitting consumers.  Even though he stands for private companies, he does take a stand against the government controlling the information released to the public.  “The government has no place pressuring media organization into covering certain stories.”  (Pai, 2014).  Many Americans are not aware of what they want to watch, or how the stories truly impact them.  “News organization often disagree about what Americans need to know,” states Pai.  As a Republican, Pai, still stands for private firms developing new methods for consumers, yet refuses to accept a government controlled media. 

            The policies and rulings are determined by majority rule.  The FCC is 3 Democrats vs. 2 Republicans, although each will have their own reasoning behind their voting.  At the moment it seems the policies and ruling still seems a little guided.  Tom Wheeler, who was appointed by President Obama, seems to be losing favor when it comes to net neutrality. “The president said an open Internet will allow for "the next Google or the next Facebook" to enter the arena, and succeed. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has said that he, too, opposes paid prioritization -- but critics argue that his proposal will create just that.”  (Alman, 2014).

            In truth, each member has their own positions on what they wish to accomplished and are influenced by their background, political positions and finical invests.  It is hard to state clearly where the end result will be without carefully monitoring their rulings and policy making.  We will not realize who benefits from those policies until it is too late.

References

Alman, A. (2014, August 6). Bold Obama Stand Shakes Up Net Neutrality Debate. Retrieved August 7, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/06/obama-net-neutrality_n_5655862.html

Federal Communications Commission. (2010, November 15). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Retrieved from http://www.fcc.gov/

Pai, A. (2014, February 10). The FCC Wades Into the Newsroom Why is the agency studying 'perceived station bias' and asking about coverage choices? Retrieved August 6, 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304680904579366903828260732

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