Telecom firms' donations to minority groups criticized as FCC considers network neutrality rules

Some leading minority advocacy groups long have supported AT&T Inc., Comcast Corp. and other major telecommunications firms in the industry's efforts to win approvals for mergers, get rid of old regulations and avoid new government rules. And the telecom firms, in turn, have poured millions of dollars of donations and in-kind services, including volunteer help from the carriers' executive suites, into charitable groups in the communities they serve.

Consumer and public advocates used to whisper about the possibility of conflicts of interest, but now they are openly critical as the battle heats up over proposed federal regulations over net neutrality, the principle that Internet service providers should not restrict content, programs and other uses on their networks. Key minority groups are backing the carriers' efforts to thwart the net neutrality proposals, which would, for instance, prohibit carriers from charging more to give some residential and corporate customers priority in delivering online content.

"When you give national civil rights groups millions of private dollars, there's no firewall strong enough to keep that money out of their policy," said Malkia Cyril, executive director of the Center for Media Justice. Cyril and other consumer and public advocates have been buoyed by comments from Federal Communications Commission member Mignon L. Clyburn, a prominent African American and daughter of Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC). She said in a speech in January that she was surprised that most statements and filings by "some of the leading groups representing people of color have been silent on this make-or-break issue" of net neutrality.