When I saw this item, I thought to myself: "Imagine the ridicule which would shower down on a Republican or conservative presidential administration if they did something so obviously childish and clumsy." But since a Democratic administration is involved, it will more than likely get scant attention or be totally ignored.
What I'm referring to is the White House's inclusion of an artifical "buffering" clip during the first three or so seconds before President Obama's two-minute message advocating regulating the Internet as if it's a public utility. Video follows the jump:
Obviously, the buffering is part of the video, and not an indication of any kind of connection problem.
Here is most of the White House's official statement:
An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life. By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known.
“Net neutrality” has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation — but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted. We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas. That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.
When I was a candidate for this office, I made clear my commitment to a free and open Internet, and my commitment remains as strong as ever. Four years ago, the FCC tried to implement rules that would protect net neutrality with little to no impact on the telecommunications companies that make important investments in our economy. After the rules were challenged, the court reviewing the rules agreed with the FCC that net neutrality was essential for preserving an environment that encourages new investment in the network, new online services and content, and everything else that makes up the Internet as we now know it. Unfortunately, the court ultimately struck down the rules — not because it disagreed with the need to protect net neutrality, but because it believed the FCC had taken the wrong legal approach.
The FCC is an independent agency, and ultimately this decision is theirs alone. I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online.
John Eggerton's coverage of the fake buffering at Multichannel News is perhaps indavertently ironic:
Not sure that was the wisest idea. Where were the adults in the room?
My guess is I am not the only one who noticed. OK, I know I am not because someone called me to register their opinion that that was bush league. "Why? It seems so silly and fraudulent to falsely create that message," he said. The White House press office had not responded to an e-mail for comment--their preferred medium of communications--at press time.
"Bush league" indeed — except our President is Obama.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
