Consensus FCC Reforms for the Next President

I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in the planning and organization of several conferences this fall, including one exciting event, entitled “Consensus FCC Reforms and the Communications Agenda,” which I have organized in my capacity as Assistant Director of the Information Economy Project at George Mason University.

You can read more details about the event at the Information Economy Project web site, but the basic gist is that, in spite of controversies swirling over issues such as Network Neutrality, media ownership and universal service, some policy observers believe that a range of reforms may attract bi-partisan consensus.  These opportunities may be more likely to be realized if identified prior to the November 2008 election.

We’ve been fortunate enough to have a stellar cast of participants, including two former chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission – William Kennard, who served under President Clinton, and Michael Powell, who served under President George W. Bush. Theyll be speaking about substantive issues for consensus, and their discussion will be moderated by Amy Schatz, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

But we’ll also be talking about procedural issues — questions of agency structure, rules, and the day-by-day practices and operations to do much to impact the telecom polity. That panel, which features chief staffers for almost all of the recent FCC chairmen, will be moderated by me.

Here’s the full program:.

8:30 a.m.         Welcome by Thomas W. Hazlett, Professor of Law and Economics, GMU

Panel I:           Improving Procedures at the Federal Communications Commission
8:40 a.m.
Peter Pitsch, chief of staff to Dennis Patrick, FCC Chairman, 1987-1989
Robert Pepper*, former chief, Office of Plans and Policy, FCC, 1989-2005
Ken Robinson, senior legal advisor to Al Sikes, FCC Chairman, 1989-1993
Blair Levin, chief of staff to Reed Hundt, FCC Chairman, 1993-1997
Kathy Brown, chief of staff to William Kennard, FCC Chairman, 1998-2001

Moderator: Drew Clark, Assistant Director, Information Economy Project

Panel II:          A Cross-Partisan Agenda for Telecommunications Policy Reforms
9:45 a.m.
William Kennard, Chairman, FCC, 1997-2001
Michael Powell, Chairman, FCC, 2001-2005

Moderator: Amy Schatz, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

When: Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Where: National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC

Admission is free, but seating is limited. See IEP Web page: http://iep.gmu.edu.
To reserve your spot, please email Drew Clark: iep.gmu@gmail.com.

About the Information Economy Project:
The Information Economy Project at George Mason University sits at the intersection of academic research and public policy, producing peer-reviewed scholarly research, as well as hosting conferences and lectures with prominent thinkers in the Information Economy. The project brings the discipline of law and economics to telecommunications  policy. More information about the project is available at http://iep.gmu.edu.