Washington, D.C. April 7, 2011 - Today, the House of Representatives will vote on a resolution designed to repeal the network neutrality rules that the Federal Communications Commission announced in December. The rules, as drafted, are designed to protect consumers from unfair and discriminatory practices by Internet service providers. The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is strongly in favor of network neutrality rules as a way of ensuring that Latinos have an outlet through which to share their own stories without having to bypass the traditional media gatekeepers. For that reason, NHMC strongly opposes repeal of the rules, which would greatly harm the Latino community and significantly weaken the FCC's authority to enact programs to increase the deployment and adoption of broadband in communities that traditionally have a low rate of broadband usage.
"The rules on the table are not perfect, but they provide a platform from which to grow. Not only that, but a number of key players, including many of the broadband providers, have expressed that they can live with these rules. To strike them down would be an enormous mistake and would undo years of work and compromise," said Alex Nogales, President & CEO of NHMC.
###
]]>
