Attacks on the Internet, TV and radio: call now!

Well, if there was any doubt that there's serious threats to you being able to use your Internet, television or radio however you damn well please, this post should hopefully clear things up and provide you with some actions you can take.

First off, we've got a vote on Internet Freedom (a.k.a. Net Neutrality) that has us one vote away from the whole idea of letting the telcos run your Internet life getting scrapped in committee. What sweet bliss that would be -- Christy at Firedoglake has handily posted the numbers of Senators who are "on the bubble" to call:

John McCain (AZ): (202) 224-2235; Fax: (202) 228-2862

Trent Lott (MS): (202) 224-6253; Fax: (202) 224-2262

Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX): 202-224-5922; 202-224-0776 (FAX)

Olympia J. Snowe (ME): (202) 224-5344; FAX (202) 224-1946

Gordon H. Smith (OR): 202.224.3753; Fax: 202.228.3997

George Allen (VA): (202) 224-4024; Fax: (202) 224-5432

Bill Nelson (FL): 202-224-5274; Fax: 202-228-2183

Maria Cantwell (WA): 202-224-3441; 202-228-0514 - FAX

Frank R. Lautenberg (NJ): (202) 224-3224; Fax: (202) 228-4054

E. Benjamin Nelson (NE): Tel: (202) 224-6551; Fax: (202) 228-0012

Mark Pryor (AR): (202) 224-2353; Fax: (202) 228-0908

Now, we're off to save your television and radio rights...

There's this goofy little idea that's been floating around the FCC called the "broadcast flag." It's something that doesn't get much press time because it's not as sexy as your Internet connection, but it could severely hamper your ability to TiVo things, skip ads and make recordings from the radio. Cory Doctorow has a brilliant summary of what the broadcast flag is here, and reminisces about the music and movie industries other freak-outs over the years:

The entertainment companies don't like tools that give you more control. The movie studios boycotted TV because they thought it would clean out the movie theaters. Then they complained that the remote control would make it too easy to skip commercials. Then they freaked out over the VCR, saying it was the "Boston Strangler" of the American film industry and accusing the Japanese (i.e., Sony) of deliberately sabotaging the American economy by targeting the made-in-America film industry with their infernal VCRs. They're not fond of video-capture cards, sued into bankruptcy a personal video recorder company (like TiVo)...and the list goes on and on.

On to the Broadcast Flag. The Broadcast Flag says that if you want to build a device that can receive, pass along, or record a digital TV signal, you'll need to show that it won't disrupt the current entertainment company business. That's a test that the remote control, the VCR, the capture card, and the PVR all would have failed.

Why the call to attention today? There's an amendment in committee, of course, and the EFF is asking that while you're on the phone trying to save your Internet, you try to save your TV and radio, too:

If you're in the states listed below, call your Senator NOW, and ask him or her to support the Sununu amendment to remove both TV and audio flags (he also has an amendment to modify the audio flag, so be clear you want to kick out both flags). If your Senator is a Republican, emphasize the danger of giving the FCC extra regulatory powers. If your Senator is a Democrat, emphasize how bad this is for consumer rights. Either way, tell them that entertainment industry powergrabs have no place in a telecom reform bill, and they need to be kept out.

Chairman Ted Stevens (AK), (202) 224-3004

John McCain (AZ), (202) 224-2235

Conrad Burns (MT), Main: 202-224-2644

Trent Lott (MS), (202) 224-6253

Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), (202) 224-5922

Gordon H. Smith (OR), (202) 224 3753

John Ensign (NV), (202) 224-6244

George Allen (VA), (202) 224-4024

John E. Sununu (NH), (202) 224-2841

Jim DeMint (SC), (202) 224-6121

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