The Independent Film & Television Alliance has urged the Federal Communications Commission to keep an open and robust Internet from turning into private controlled networks exempt from anticompetitive safeguards. In its comments filed in response to the FCC’s further Notice of Inquiry on Broadband Policy the global trade association of the independent motion picture and television programming industry reiterated how seriously it takes the issue of open access to new media platforms. IFTA has previously filed in response to the Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Preserving the Open Internet Broadband Industry Practices. “For independent film and television producers the Internet offers tremendous promise as a medium of distribution and a vehicle that may change the nature of the creative arts themselves ” the IFTA filing said. “The only way to ensure that the promise is fulfilled is through access to an open and robust Internet with diverse sources of content and applications.” IFTA further asserted that media consolidation – vertical integration of content suppliers and the distribution channels by which the public accesses content – has limited the opportunities for independent content on today’s existing broadcast and cable platforms and that “the Internet must not become a similar segregated marketplace.” If left unchecked IFTA said “Broadband providers will have (and act on) significant incentives to enhance their private networks with content from affiliated or exclusive suppliers to the detriment of non-managed networks in order to move the customers to private service offerings which generate higher returns. The transfer of resources and investment to specialized services will not only erode the value of public broadband Internet as an effective distribution platform but could permanently close off these private networks for independent content.” The Independent Film & Television Alliance www.ifta-online.org
