FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said last week that artists, songwriters and independent music producers “know better than most” why it is necessary to have “fair rules of the road.”
Advocating network neutrality at a Future of Music Coalition policy summit in Washington, D.C., the FCC chairman said with “a free and open Internet,” musicians won't need big-time, star-power leverage over record labels, publishing companies, commercial radio stations or particular retailers to get their music to the public.
“Net neutrality permits independent artists and independent labels to compete on an equal technological playing field with the biggest companies in the space,” he said. “That’s the American way — letting Internet users, the broadest group possible of ordinary people, decide who wins and loses.”
Genachowski said he is planning to unveil his net neutrality proposal on Oct. 22 at the FCC’s public meeting. The other two Democrats on the commission have pledged their support, while the Republicans have expressed reservations.
