WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Public policy surrounding the issue of net neutrality has sparked fierce debate about the future of the Internet. NAB Show will address this topic in a highly-anticipated Super Session titled "World Without Rules: Is This the End of the Open Internet?," Tuesday, April 8 at 4:00 p.m. in Las Vegas. Featuring top opinion leaders and experts on the issue of net neutrality, the panel will address how proposed regulations governing access to the Internet will affect content providers, ISPs and content creators.
NAB Show is the world's largest annual event for professionals who create, manage and distribute entertainment across all platforms.
Opinion leaders on both sides of the issue will debate the merits and drawbacks of the FCC's proposed rules, which would prohibit ISPs from blocking websites, force them to disclose how they manage traffic and prevent them from favoring some kinds of traffic over others. If the FCC's pending rules do not move forward, ISPs may move into the same legal category as phone companies, which are treated more like utilities and face stricter regulations.
Amy Schatz, senior editor, Tech Policy for Re/code will moderate the panel, which includes Jessica Gonzalez, executive vice president and general counsel at the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC); Robert McDowell, visiting fellow at The Hudson Institute and a former Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Pantelis Michalopoulos, partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP; and Berin Szoka, president of TechFreedom.
Amy Schatz is senior editor, Tech Policy for Re/code, which was previously known as AllThingsD.com before it spun off from the Wall Street Journal. She covers the FCC, privacy and legislative issues. She covered tech issues for the Wall Street Journal's Washington bureau from 2004 to early 2014.
Jessica J. Gonzalez is the executive vice president and general counsel of the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), a media advocacy and civil rights organization focused on the Latino community. She has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, the FCC and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Gonzalez sits on the FCC's Diversity and Open Internet advisory committees.
Robert McDowell served as FCC Commissioner until 2013. His second nomination in 2009 made him the first Republican appointed to an independent agency by President Obama. His leadership at the FCC produced policies affecting the Internet, wireless technologies, broadband competition, and television, radio and satellite services. McDowell also served as an official member of U.S. diplomatic delegations working on treaty negotiations governing global spectrum and telecom policies. He has worked to promote economic expansion, investment, innovation, competition and consumer choice.
Pantelis Michalopoulos heads the Telecom, Internet & Media Group at Steptoe & Johnson LLP's Washington, D.C. office. He represents telecommunications, wireless and satellite companies before the FCC and the Copyright Office. He represented the Internet industry in the net neutrality case.
Berin Szoka is the president and founder of TechFreedom. Previously, he was a senior fellow and the director of the Center for Internet Freedom at The Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF). Before joining PFF, he was an associate in the Communications Practice Group at Latham & Watkins LLP, where he advised clients on regulations affecting the Internet and telecommunications industries.
About NAB Show
NAB Show, held April 5-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, is the world's largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. With more than 93,000 attendees from 156 countries and 1,550+ exhibitors, NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for digital media and entertainment. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms and countless nationalities, NAB Show is home to the solutions that transcend traditional broadcasting and embrace content delivery to new screens in new ways. Complete details are available at www.nabshow.com.
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About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
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