Pearl Jam censorship linked To Net Neutrality Fight

[Nomad559]

FCC Commissioner: Pearl Jam censorship linked To Net Neutrality Fight

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070817-fcc-commissioner-pearl-jam-censorship-linked-to-net-neutrality-fight.html
FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, fire-breathing advocate of network neutrality regulation and opponent of media consolidation, has taken a stand on AT&T's now infamous censorship of Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder's anti-Bush remarks at Lollapalooza. In an interview with OpenLeft.com's Matt Stoller, Copps supported the idea that there's a link between AT&T's deletion of Vedder's political comments from a webcast of the concert and the network neutrality fight that's brewing in the halls of Congress.

"Events like this are connected to the larger issue of network neutrality, so it is very very important," Copps said in response to a question about whether or not AT&T's censorship of Vedder has any implications for network neutrality. He went on to say, "So when something like the episode occurs with Pearl Jam that you're referencing that ought to concern all of us... because if you can do it for one group, you can do it to any group and say 'Well, it's not intentional,' and things like that. But nobody should have that power to do that and then be able to exercise distributive control over the distribution and control over the content too.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. I have been slugging it out...

Over ar broadbandreports.com over this issue, regarding PJ. Of course, BBR is stiff with industry shills and astroturfers who were arguing that AT&T have the right to do anything they damn well please.

I know a little about this situation and the practices in the music business. I worked in the biz for 27 years, I was a tour manager for some of that, and I also worked for Don Law, the big promoter on Boston, for a time. No way in hell would any manager, but especially Kelly Curtis(PJ's Manager), allow any contract to be signed and executed that gave anyone the right to censor PJ's political speech. Period. Kelly is a tenacious and protective advocate for PJ. Incredibly so.

How do I know this? Well, for a lot of reasons. Kelly's rep as a pitbull for the band and it's interests, to be sure. The band's independence is also well known. They would not abide this. Also, I was hired as tour manager for "MotherLoveBone" the night that the lead singer died from a morphine OD. I was at dinner, in Seattle, with the rest of the band, when he was at home, shooting up and going into a coma from cerebral edema. I spent a real good amount of time with Kelly, talking about a lot of things, taking his temperature and getting to know how he thinks and what he wanted.

Mother Love Bone became Pearl Jam when they reformed, adding Eddie and Mike.

[sarcasmo]

2. Pearl Jam on the cutting edge yet again fighting censorship on the net.

Long Live Eddie. F$$K AT&T.