A VC - Latest Comments in This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Defcon_5 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 01:11:52 -0000

YES! The abject secrecy has to be the first to go. It perpetuates the corporate-lobbyist-old DC rut.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Tom_Nocera — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:53:40 -0000

One more point regarding Julius Genachowski's selection, if I may. (Since it is reported that he reads this blog, and might one day read the comments.)

The airwaves belong to the public. Past FCC rule changes regarding local ownership requirements of broadcast licenses for both radio and TV stations must be reviewed and then modified in ways that will bring about a return to local ownership. When it comes to the powerful influence of the broadcast media having the ownership centralized and controlled by a scant handful of very powerful corporate entities does not foster true diversity and limits the public's choices for information. Therefore, concentrated ownership of broadcast licenses runs contrary to traditional American values. Thanks for having the courage to take action that will result in the return to local ownership of America's airwaves.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Tom Nocera — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:11:40 -0000

The selection of Julius Genachowski to head the FCC appears to be one of the best decisions made by President-elect Obama, thus far. Thank you, Fred, for sharing your 10 reasons for being pleased with the decision. The enthusiasm you have expressed is contagious and, well, powerful as shit.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

vruz — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:39:08 -0000

it's awesome news indeed. I hope he's actually *smarter* than shit.
Shit is exactly what we got during the Bush years.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

JayR — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:21:37 -0000

... and that I grew to like. :)

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

JayR — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:20:13 -0000

Hard to say, Jackson. I left that school in 1973. And one of the missions of that school was to keep us from being exposed to the kind of music that you like.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

rc — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:39:44 -0000

I wonder how much more of Obama's picks are recycled Clintonian administration members. I wonder if this will have an effect on the 'radical new change' Obama is supposed to bring to office. I suspect we will see the same policies with a different salesman.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:38:16 -0000

Well then I¹ll have to figure out how to help make that happen

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

kenroy george — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:23:34 -0000

definitely smiling right now.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Mike — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:49:55 -0000

So your saying that the FLINTSTONES will no longer be running the Internet that Al Gore created. Cool!

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Candres — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:52:04 -0000

As someone familiar with the kronyism of the previous FCC chair, (although somewhat pleased that he became a bit more pragmatic at the end) I applaud this change! Kevin Martin was married to Dick Cheney's public affairs advisor and has the dubious honor of being dragged over the coals by William Safire, a very conservative columnist for consolidating media channels to the 'five families'. "That's why I march uncomfortably alongside Code Pink Women for Peace, the National Rifle Association, under the banner of localism, competition, and diversity of views." -- William Safire 5/25/2003

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Aruni S. Gunasegaram — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:42:38 -0000

Yay! That's awesome. I'm crossing my fingers that Obama can lead all of this talent he's assembling and do it well. Managing mediocre performers is different than managing a team of all stars. They still need management and to be held accountable or as we've seen even the very smart guys/gals can go wayward.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

jackson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:29:44 -0000

If I was working, I'd be all up in your, uh, stuff.......

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Karen E — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:28:06 -0000

Great points, KM. While we're on the subject of appointees, how about some actual Arabs advising Obama on the Middle East? Move beyond ludicrousness, Barack! See Roger Cohen's Dream Team article NYT 1/11.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Guest — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:59:00 -0000

Not exactly the same feeling probably, but I too felt something similar when Steven Chu was nominated for Energy Secretary. Imagine that, a supersmart physicist for Energy Secretary!

On second thought, though, how pathetic shape this country is, if we have to celebrate that smart people will be in charge? Isn't this supposed to be the default option?

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Guest — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:49:13 -0000

coincidentally, in the past eight years FCCs only function appeared to be controlling the airwaves for the F-word (or Janet Jackson's wardrobe...)

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Druce Vertes — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:35:23 -0000

I seem to remember his goofball writings for the Columbia Spectator... since they must have overlapped I wonder if he's the only guy who knew Obama back then LOL ... sounds like he will make a great pick...

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Debs — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:12:35 -0000

Fred -thanks for posting! Julius rocks! Smart "gets it" great connector and innovator - good stuff all around!

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:37:29 -0000

now we're talking.

jay, jackson has some questions you might be able to answer about him

http://www.avc.com/a_vc/200...

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Tom Evslin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:59:16 -0000

Thanks, Fred.

If he comes even close to meeting your expectations, the delay won't matter at all in the long run.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:48:29 -0000

Great post tom. Small delay is key.

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:44:15 -0000

I listed ten reasons

One of them is because he¹s been a VC

A few others are because he¹s been in the internet tech business

The rest are not ³he¹s just like me²

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:42:22 -0000

I don¹t know him that well, but the next time I see him or talk to him (no
idea when that will be), I¹ll ask for a blog and a twitter account for the
FCC

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

fredwilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:41:15 -0000

I don¹t know. I¹ll see if I can find out

Re: This News Made Me Smile A Mile Wide

Tom Evslin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:24:03 -0000

Supporting the white spaces/open spectrum experiment is a key test for the new administration and the new chair. As reader Jeff Ski Kinsey pointed out in his comment, recommending postponing the cutover from analog TV and thus delaying the use of both the white spaces and the recently auctioned 700Mhz spectrum is not an auspicious start for the new administration in telecommunications - but that will be trivial if the new chairman can do all that must be done to give us a competitive telecommunications industry and enable us to regain the lead in connectivity and connectivity-based innovation.

more at http://blog.tomevslin.com/2...