Computer Companies Praise FCC Smackdown

Computer and Communications Industry Association Happy with Senate’s Vote

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/16/2008 2:10:00 PM

The Computer and Communications Industry Association -- which includes Microsoft, Google, T-Mobile USA and Yahoo -- Friday praised the Senate for voting to block the Federal Communications Commission's newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule change.

So why do computer companies want to block the rule?

"As we see the convergence going on," CCIA president and CEO Ed Black said, "we're talking about communications channels. It is all coming together. CBS just bought CNET. It is something we have watched and worked with Sen. [Byron] Dorgan's [D-N.D.] people in the past. The reality is that we really do like diversity and competition, and too much consolidation doesn't make sense."

He added, “It looks like CBS is trying to become a major player in the Web world. What happens in that part of the industry is more and more relevant to me.”