In comments submitted on June 8, 2009 to the FCC, Randolph May, President of the Free State Foundation, urged the Commission to build flexibility into the development of a national broadband plan in order to preserve "private sector discretion for adaptation and experimentation." May also recommended that the Commission ground the plan in certain fundamental free market-oriented principles that will "facilitate continued progress towards ubiquitous access to, and greater usage of, ever more advanced broadband capabilities." The FSF press release is here and the comments can be read here.
In the commentary "Vaunted StateStat Falls Short of Real Accountability," published in the Baltimore Sun on June 7, 2009, Len Lazarick, Free State Foundation Visiting Fellow, criticized the effectiveness of the performance measurement and management tools of the StateStat program implemented by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, and he urged the adoption of measure to increase the program's accountability. The commentary is here.
Deborah Taylor Tate, Free State Foundation Distinguished Adjunct Senior Fellow, on May 18, 2009 was honored by the International Telecommunication Union by receiving the prestigious World Telecommunication and Information Society Award. Tate, a former member of the Federal Communications Commission, received the award in recognition for her sustained efforts at the FCC to protect children in cyberspace. The FSF press release is here and the ITU press release is here.
In an April 28 opinion in the Fox Television case, U. S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas cited a recent law review article, Charting a New Constitutional Jurisprudence for the Digital Age, by Free State Foundation President Randolph J. May in support of his view that the Court should reconsider decades-old cases that limited the First Amendment rights of broadcasters. Justice Thomas's opinion is here and Mr. May's law review article is here.
In comments submitted on March 20, 2009 to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Rural Utilities Service, Randolph May, President of the Free State Foundation, urged the two agencies, in implementing the broadband funding program "to consider the extent to which free market-oriented principles can be incorporated into the implementing rules and policies." May acknowledged that to some extent it is ironic to speak of free market principles in the context of a large government stimulus program. But he stated: "The point here is not to get hung up debating the ideal way to promote economic recovery, but rather to suggest concrete ways in which the broadband portion of the stimulus package can be carried out most efficiently to achieve maximum impact with the taxpayers' dollars." The comments are here.
The video for the Free State Foundation's February 26 "New Directions in Communications Policy" conference has now been released and may be accessed here.
The agenda for the Free State Foundation's February 26 "New Directions in Communications Policy" conference has been announced, with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and former FCC Chief of Staff Blair Levin slated for keynote roles. In releasing the agenda, Free State Foundation President Randolph May stated: "I am really gratified that we were able to put together a conference in which so many of today's acknowledged communications policy thought leaders are participating. With the extraordinary lineup of speakers, I have no doubt that the forward-looking discussion we will have concerning new directions in communications policy will be impactful." The conference runs from 8:45 AM – 4:15 PM at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street, Washington, DC. Read the full press release here.
Former Federal Communications Commissioner Deborah Tate joined the Free State Foundation as a Distinguished Adjunct Senior Fellow. Tate, an attorney and mediator, served as an FCC Commissioner from January 2006 until January 3, 2009. Tate will contribute scholarly articles and other pieces for publication by FSF and participate in FSF policy conferences and educational seminars. In announcing Tate's appointment, Free State Foundation President Randolph J. May stated: "It is an honor to have someone who has such a long and distinguished career in public service affiliate with the Free State Foundation. Her expertise, experience, and dedication to the development of sound free market-oriented communications policies will enable her to make a valuable contribution to FSF's work." Read the full press release here.
Free State Foundation President Randolph J. May was invited by Legal Times to give President-elect Barack Obama some advice in the nature of "here's what to do if you don't want to trip up" on communications policy. Read Mr. May's article here.
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