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Michael Powell and the EchoStar-DirecTV deal
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 23:01:35 -0400
I agree with Gerry. Djf ------ Forwarded Message From: Gerry Faulhaber <gerry-faulhaber () mchsi com> Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 22:51:49 -0400 To: dave () farber net Subject: Michael Powell and the EchoStar-DirecTV deal Dave-- I have read plenty of IPers trashing Michael Powell, chair of the FCC, as a Republican lackey for big business and a market fanatic, etc., etc. Two days ago, the FCC voted 4-0 to decline to approve the EchoStar-DirecTV deal, effectively killing it. This is the first time the FCC has denied a merger in decades, and it acted before the Justice Department. Powell's statement (available at the FCC's website http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2002/db1010/DOC-227263A2.pd f) is very strong, very anti-monopoly. In an era where there is much public and Congressional pressure on Powell and the FCC to "do something" to fix the telecoms meltdown (such as support consolidation), this is an act of courage: he did the right thing when it was hard to do. I am very surprised that no IPer has commented on this important issue. The merger was one of the biggest stories of this year in communications, and represented a real threat to developing competitive markets in video delivery. And yet IPers have been silent on what I view as a courageous home run on the part of the FCC, and Michael Powell in particular. I'd be interested in anyone's views as to why this was treated as a non-event by IPers. Gerald Faulhaber Business and Public Policy Department Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Philadephia, PA 19104 ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Michael Powell and the EchoStar-DirecTV deal Dave Farber (Oct 12)