O'Rielly: I'm Not Holding Up Title II Order Release
FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly is not happy with what he says is the suggestion that his lengthy dissent in the Title II decision could be a reason for delaying the public release of the order's language. The Feb. 26 vote was 3-2 along straight party lines to reclassify ISPs as telecoms subject to some Title II common carrier regs.
At a press conference following the vote to reclassify ISPs as telecoms, FCC officials would not put a timetable on its release, saying that per a D.C. Appeals court decision — the same court that will likely be reviewing a legal challenge to the new rules — the FCC is required to "engage the arguments raised before it," including dissenting opinions. FCC general counsel said the FCC will do that "as quickly as we can." Both O'Rielly and Pai had multi-page, multi-part dissents (O'Rielly's was nine pages—but a longer version is on the way, he signaled).
In addition, earlier in the week at a network neutrality hearing in advance of the vote, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), ranking member of the Energy & Commerce Committee, said he was sure the chairman would put out the order language as soon as he could after the vote and called on the other commissioners to help make that happen, though at the time it was unclear what he meant.
For the full story go to Multichannel.com.
Broadcasting & Cable Newsletter
The smarter way to stay on top of broadcasting and cable industry. Sign up below
Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.