Is the FCC Relevant?

LA Times asks "Is there any role for the Federal Communications Commission in the 21st century? All this week, Glenn Reynolds and Robert McChesney debate the future of media." One says No. One says yes as public servants. Ed Driscoll pops in with a No as well (here). There are thoses that think media and information are abundant. Not true for the 30% of the US without broadband or the people without a computer. According to the Pew Report, even those with broadband don't spend much time online. And blogs are really for bloggers - and for the most part it is NOT journalism. Other than auctioning off all available spectrum and censoring TV content, what is the FCC suppose to do? Well, in the Iowa RLEC fight with the Big Boys, it should have stepped in and settled it already -- IF consumers were its biggest priority. But it isn't. Big Business is. Look how often Kevin Martin is a keynote at the Industry shows. If he was concerned about consumers, he would be doing things to improve media and communications for the masses, not the special interests.