An FCC for the Internet Age: Reform and Standard-Setting

Silicon Flatirons, Public Knowledge and ITIF
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
March 5, 2010
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
http://www.silicon-flatirons.org/events.php?id=792

Last year, Silicon Flatirons co-hosted events, respectively, with Public Knowledge on FCC reform, and ITIF on innovation economics and new models of governance. This conference is a follow-up and confluence of those two topics: Where do we stand on efforts at FCC reform? And how do new models of governance and standard-setting fit into that reform effort?

The preamble from the www.fcc-reform.org website summarizes the conclusions from the January 2009 conference: "The consensus was clear - the FCC has serious procedural, organizational, and cultural problems that must be addressed by the agency's incoming leaders as soon as practicable." While the current FCC leadership is being asked to perform many tasks, the consensus about reform is foundational to the credibility of any actions the agency might take. Accordingly, it is not too early to assess whether and how the new FCC is addressing those procedural, organizational and cultural issues and if the FCC has made progress on reform. These issues will all be addressed in the first panel.

The second panel will explore the purpose and guiding principles of standard-setting for broadband, as well as the specific topics standard-setting and mediating institutions might be well-suited to address.

Welcome
8:30am - 8:45am

Overview Presentation: The Possibility of FCC Reform
8:45am - 9:15am

Julius Genachowski (invited)
FCC Chairman

The Present and Future of FCC Reform
9:15am - 10:15am

Mark Cooper
Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
University of Colorado
Director of Research
Consumer Federation of America

Susan Crawford
Professor of Law
University of Michigan

Matthew Hussey
Telecommunications Legislative Assistant
Senator Olympia Snowe

Nick Johnson
Professor of Law
University of Iowa School
Former FCC Commissioner

Mary Beth Richards
FCC

Austin Schlick
FCC

Moderator

Gigi Sohn
Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
University of Colorado
President and Co-founder
Public Knowledge

Networking Break
10:15am - 10:30am

Overview Presentation: Standard-setting and Co-Regulation
10:30am - 11:00am

Larry Strickling (invited)
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
U.S. Department of Commerce

Regulatory Reforms: Standard-Setting and Mediating Institutions
11:00am - 12:30pm

Kathryn C. Brown
Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility
Verizon

Paul de Sa
FCC

Pierre de Vries
Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
University of Colorado

Kathleen Wallman
CEO
Wallman Strategic Consulting

Rick Whitt
Washington Telecom and Media Counsel
Google
Moderator

Robert Atkinson
President
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation