I’m a big believer in a free and open internet. I’m also wary of unchecked corporatism. Yesterday, many people who share my views were rejoicing as Ajit Pai, the FCC Chairman, stepped down. As Pai left his role, journalists published a bunch of hit pieces about Pai and the last several years of the FCC’s work. Despite having plenty of sympathies with the journalists, I was rubbed the wrong way.
Vice’s article was emblematic of what bothered me. The article’s title started with: “Gigantic Asshole Ajit Pai Is Officially Gone.” Vice went on to give a long list of everything it could construe as a failure of Pai’s FCC term. Not an ounce of effort was put into expressing anything positive.
I would love to see journalists shedding more light on the FCC’s actions. However, I’m concerned with how popular media outlets’ coverage of the FCC gets mixed up with broader political conflicts. We should keep what happened yesterday in mind if the same media outlets that published hit pieces yesterday are only willing to say positive things about the Biden-era FCC and the next FCC chairperson.
If you have suggestions for where to turn for nuanced commentary on the FCC, please chime in with a comment!
Ajit Pai was a Verizon wireless executive and wireless industry and Trump administration puppet . He was pro corporation/pro Rich anti open source. The Sprint/Tmobile merger happened under his watch while the Att/Tmobile merger didn’t under the Obama administration. He was a sellout from the getgo. A mercenary fox in the hen house not out there for the public good but to advance his own career and fortunes, which he did. Sure he objected to some of his boss’s excesses but he knew who was signing his paycheck. Ajit Pai deserves no respect and all can be said is good bye and good riddance to him and EVERYONE from his for the rich , by the rich and of the rich administration.
Hey, thanks for the comment. Gives me a good opportunity to clarify my view here. Overall, I was not a big fan of the Pai FCC. I expect I’ll be much happier with the behavior of the new, Rosenworcel-led FCC.
I wasn’t a fan of the T-Mobile Sprint merger. I wasn’t a fan of some moves against a free & open internet. I just don’t think my legitimate gripes should cloud my judgement about other aspects of the Pai-led FCC. E.g., the Pai-led FCC really did open up a hell of a lot of spectrum for more productive uses.