Remarks of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler at the 32nd Annual Everett Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture

In 2014, opportunity for all requires broadband for all. So what should we be doing to advance the public interest and ensure that all Americans are enjoying the benefits of high-speed broadband? Let me answer that question of what we should do by telling you some of the things I believe, and how the [Federal Communications] Commission is acting on those beliefs.

First, I believe that advancing the public interest starts with facilitating dynamic technological change to ensure the US has world-class communications networks. We need to facilitate change by promoting the world’s best innovation infrastructure. We need faster, affordable networks in more places…. facilities ownership is less critical to diverse voices than ever before. Yes, we will continue to push for diversity in ownership. But, just as important in the Internet Age, we need to exploit our new networks for ownership diversity and content diversity. So I believe we need to embrace and facilitate the changes made possible by broadband revolution.

While network technologies have changed, the principles that define the relationship between those who build and own our communications networks and those who use them have not. Advancing the public interest requires ensuring that our networks reflect our civic values…. While our principles remain constant in the face of change, our policies to protect those principles cannot. I believe that to serve the public interest government oversight must evolve to reflect changes in technology. Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, we must transition [Everett Parker’s] fight to the new communications technology. The fight for the diversity of viewpoints and the protection of fundamental democratic values has leapt to the Internet. The opportunity the Internet offers for making everyone a publisher with their own outlet to the world -- literally the world -- is the greatest advance in democratic values in history. But it only works if the Internet remains open.


Remarks of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler at the 32nd Annual Everett Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture