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the wireless interference issue -- and public relations
``` For more information on the wireless interference issue mentioned on RRE the other day, Steven Hodas suggests you look at the following Web page:
http://wireless.policy.net/wireless/wireless.html
I've also enclosed a message about the issue passed along (but not endorsed) by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
This sounds like a good cause, and indeed it probably even is a good cause. But note that the organization that's sponsoring it, the Wireless Opportunities Coalition, is a creation of a public relations firm called Issue Dynamics Inc, whose largest clients include Bell Atlantic and a lobbying alliance of the US regional phone companies. (To be fair, they also include the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.) I couldn't find this information by searching through the WOC web pages, but you can verify it easily enough by aiming your web client at the underlying index:
http://wireless.policy.net/
(entitled "IDI Index") then click on "Issue Dynamics", read down to the bottom, and click on the IDI logo, which will take you to:
http://idi.net/clients.html
Why is it "idi.net" and not "idi.com"? Never mind. My point is not that these folks are evil or that they have no right to speak. My point is that they are a public relations firm practicing their craft on the Internet. In the future, I expect that ordinary citizens using the Internet will want to inform themselves about who's behind all of those slick web pages.
Public relations and its place in society is a fascinating and important topic, and I encourage everyone to learn more about it. To this end, I've taken the liberty of providing a brief reading list: Edward L. Bernays, The Engineering of Consent, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1955.
Bill Cantor, ed, Experts in Action: Inside Public Relations, New York: Longman, 1984.
Oscar H. Gandy, Jr., Beyond Agenda Setting: Information Subsidies and Public Policy, Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1982.
Jack A. Gottschalk, Crisis Response: Inside Stories on Managing Image Under Siege, Detroit: Visible Ink, 1993.
James E. Grunig and Todd Hunt, Managing Public Relations, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1984.
Elizabeth L. Toth and Robert L. Heath, eds, Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1992.
Finally, let me close with a pertinent quote:
"One practice which I believe should be eliminated is that of the so-called "paper front". A client is advised to finance an "organization" to promote or fight for its cause under the guise of an independent and spontaneous movement. This is a plain public deceit and fraud and of course is a technique developed with consummate skill and in great profusion by the Communists. In a free country any interest with a cause has a right to present its case to the public, to inform and, if possible, to persuade to its heart's content. But that right of free speech also carries the obligation that the source of it will be in the open for all to see. Attempts to fool the public by making it believe an "organization" existing only on paper is really a vociferous group favoring this or that cause have helped to cast a shadow upon the business of public relations counseling. No counsel who wants to preserve his own reputation will ever be a party to the issuance of any public statement by a client unless the source is clearly set forth. Obviously, when a client is involved in a public relations controversy, supporting statements are welcomed from every responsible source. But such statements should be issued by real-live people or organizations and not phoneys."
This quote is from the autobiography of John W. Hill ("The Making of a Public Relations Man", recently republished by NTC Business Books, pages 139-140), who founded one of the largest public relations firms, Hill and Knowlton.
Phil
Encl:
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 12:55:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Stanton McCandlish
[This is just an informational forward, and does not represent official EFF positions or statements in any way. NOTE: I'm not the original author of this so please look at the headers carefully if you mean to reply to him/her. Please pardon the broad cross-post. There are many relevant newsgroups. Please note that followup is set to only three.]
WIRELESS OPPORTUNITIES COALITION
URGENT: IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED, PLEASE POST WIDELY
The Wireless Opportunities Coalition was just formed to protect and promote the opportunities presented by unlicensed wireless telecommunications products and services. Among the products and services you may be familiar with that use this technology are local and wide area wireless computer communications networks, digital cordless telephones, remote meter reading, security and alarm devices, wireless PBX systems, and wireless headphones, speakers and video.
What has prompted us to organize and, with this posting, ask for your help, is an immediate threat to producers, consumers and users of these products and services posed by rules about to be implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
A complete description of the issues is available at our internet site.
You can gopher to
The Coalition is currently made up of companies that produce products that qualify under "Part 15" of the FCC's rules to be marketed without a license but which nonetheless use part of the public airwaves in the 902-928 Mhz frequency band. Those involved in producing Part 15 products are typically highly innovative, entrepreneurial companies. While some larger companies produce Part 15 products, much of the excitement in the industry is from the innovations of various start-up providers of new educational and internet related services.
The FCC is about to adopt rules that will authorize an expanded use of the spectrum shared by the Part 15 products and services by those offering broadband "automatic vehicle monitoring" (AVM) services. This expansion, backed primarily by AirTouch, Inc., will likely result in technical conflicts that make the development and growth of Part 15 products and services very difficult.
We are seeking an FCC rule that requires all commercial users sharing the band to use compatible technologies that would permit the largest number of uses of that spectrum. However, AirTouch and other providers of broadband AVM claim a preference in the spectrum and want to expand their services in a way that would raise serious problems for Part 15 users.
At this point, we are asking your help to simply slow down the process at the FCC in order to allow the issue to be more fully aired and discussed among those in the public who might be most affected. In our view, that includes users of the internet who might be able to get cheaper and easier access through wireless technologies, teachers and educators whose classrooms could more easily be wired and connected with this technology, and consumers who stand to benefit from new, more powerful wireless products.
You can help by contacting the FCC to let them know that you share a concern about the development of this technology. Here is how:
1. Contact the FCC with a message urging them not to act on the Part 15/AVM rulemaking without further opportunity for the public to comment and participate in the proceeding. Note that you were unaware of the issue until just recently and believe that there are public interest issues that need to be more fully aired before a final decision is made.
A direct message to the FCC Chairman with a copy to each Commissioner and two hard copies -- as per the FCC's rules -- to the Secretary IMMEDIATELY is what is most urgently needed.
The Chairman and Commissioners e-mail addresses are as follows:
Chairman Reed Hundt rhundt@fcc.gov Commissioner James Quello gclark@fcc.gov Commissioner Andrew Barrett bettyf@fcc.gov Commissioner Susan Ness sness@fcc.gov Commissioner Rachelle Chong rchong@fcc.gov
The Snail Mail address for the Chairman and Commissioners is Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, Washington, D.C. 20554.
Two hard copies to the Secretary should be mailed to William Caton, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20554. .
A sample letter is provided at our gopher and WWW sites. If you have WWW access and you would like to use the sample letter, we can, with your authorization, have it e-mailed and FAXED for you.
2. After you have an opportunity to review the materials available at our internet site, please consider lending your support to our effort by joining the Coalition. A copy of our Statement of Principles and a membership form can be found at our Internet site. We will put you on the mailing list so you are kept up to date on events. We will also add your name to our materials as they are distributed. Finally, you will be asked periodically to participate in efforts to raise our voices to gain the attention of the decision makers and bureaucrats in Washington.
Sincerely,
Rolf Brauchler rolfb@wireless.policy.net Wireless Opportunities Coalition 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 645 Washington, D.C. 20009 (202) 328-6088
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mech@eff.org
Online Activist ```
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