Reforming the FCC

A Conference Hosted by Silicon Flatirons, Public Knowledge and the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC March 5, 2010, 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM (Light breakfast and registration at 8:30 AM)

RSVP HERE

Last year, Silicon Flatirons co-hosted events, respectively, with Public Knowledge on FCC reform, and ITIF on innovation economics and new models of governance. This conference is a follow-up and confluence of those two topics: Where do we stand on efforts at FCC reform? And how do new models of governance and standard-setting fit into that reform effort?

The preamble from the www.fcc-reform.org website summarizes the conclusions from the January 2009 conference: “The consensus was clear - the FCC has serious procedural, organizational, and cultural problems that must be addressed by the agency’s incoming leaders as soon as practicable.” While the current FCC leadership is being asked to perform many tasks, the consensus about reform is foundational to the credibility of any actions the agency might take. Accordingly, it is not too early to assess whether and how the new FCC is addressing those procedural, organizational and cultural issues and if the FCC has made progress on reform. These issues will all be addressed in the first panel.

The second panel will explore the purpose and guiding principles of standard-setting for broadband, as well as the specific topics standard-setting and mediating institutions might be well-suited to address.

Welcome 9:00am - 9:15am

• Dale Hatfield
  Executive Director, Silicon Flatirons Center
  Adjunct Professor, University of Colorado
  Former Chief Engineer, Federal Communications Commission

The Present and Future of FCC Reform 9:15am - 10:30am

• Mark Cooper
  Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
  University of Colorado
  Director of Research
  Consumer Federation of America

• Susan Crawford
  Professor of Law
  University of Michigan

• Matthew Hussey
  Telecommunications Legislative Assistant
  Senator Olympia Snowe

• Nick Johnson
  Professor of Law
  University of Iowa
  Former FCC Commissioner

• Mary Beth Richards
  Special Counsel
  Federal Communications Commission

• Austin Schlick
  General Counsel
  Federal Communications Commission

• Moderator: Gigi B. Sohn
  Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
  University of Colorado
  President and Co-founder
  Public Knowledge

Networking Break 10:30am - 11:00am

Regulatory Reforms: Standard-Setting and Mediating Institutions 11:00am - 12:15pm

• Kathryn C. Brown
  Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility
   Verizon

• Paul de Sa
  Chief, Office of Strategic Planning & Anaylsis
  Federal Communications Commission

• Pierre de Vries
  Silicon Flatirons Senior Adjunct Fellow
  University of Colorado

• Kathleen Wallman
  CEO
  Wallman Strategic Consulting

• Rick Whitt
  Washington Telecom and Media Counsel
   Google

• Moderator: Robert Atkinson
  President
  Information Technology and Innovation Foundation