After Barack Obama ran for president promising change and openness, and making a point of refusing to accept lobbyists’ contributions, the president-elect’s transition team secretly held a meeting with broadcasting lobbyists to discuss the digital TV changeover.
The unannounced meeting was held Friday in Washington. Among those present were National Association of Broadcasters president David Rehr, National Cable & Telecommunications Association president Kyle McSlarrow and Washington representatives for Fox and ABC, among others.
The meeting was held as the transition team’s Web site continues to proclaim that the incoming administration will not be beholden to industry lobbyists, quoting a Nov. 10 Des Moines speech by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.
“I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over,” he said in the speech. “I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists – and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president.”
The meeting with lobbyists from the broadcasting industry featured members of the Obama transition team talking about expectations and hopes for the digital TV changeover set for Feb. 17. It was chaired by Tom Wheeler, who heads the transition’s Science, Tech, Space and Arts Team.
Wheeler is a former president of the NCTA and also headed the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. He is currently on leave from his post as managing director of Core Capital Partners, a venture capital firm.
The meeting was first reported by TVNewsday and confirmed by some participants or their spokesmen.
At the meeting, Obama transition officials asked that media companies do more to help viewers confused about the digital transition, including setting up more call centers to answer questions.
The upcoming transition to digital television is a boon for the wireless industry as some of the freed-up spectrum in the 700 MHZ band was auctioned off earlier this year by the FCC. The auction raised more than $19 billion and was dominated by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility, who have said they plan to use the new spectrum to deploy Long Term Evolution technology beginning as soon as next year.
Obama transition officials didn’t return phone calls or e-mails asking about the meeting.
Just this week, the House Energy & Commerce Committee issued a report ripping Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin for secrecy in running the FCC.
A major criticism:
“Important commission matters have not been handled in an open and transparent manner, thereby raising suspicions both inside and outside the commission that some parties are not being treated fairly,” the report said.
Ira Teinowitz is a reporter for TV Week, a sister publication to RCR Wireless News. Both publications are owned by Crain Communications Inc.
