Tom's boss is watching every freakin' move.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is being told by President Obama and Senate-President Leahy that it needs to up its net-neutrality game. And now the grayest lady in the fourth estate has joined in the act.

In IT Blogwatch, bloggers break out the popcorn, despite glitches when streaming the movie.

Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment.

Andrew Rosenthal and his NYT chums are in an opinionated mood:

The F.C.C. is trying to decide whether [ISPs] should be able to strike deals with powerful firms like Netflix and Amazon for faster delivery of videos and other data. [But] Small and young businesses will not be able to compete...if they have to pay fees...to get content to users in a timely manner. … But Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the F.C.C. who was appointed by Mr. Obama, has proposed troubling rules that...would effectively allow [ISPs] to divide the Internet into fast and slow lanes. The commission [should] reclassify broadband Internet service as a telecommunications service, which would allow regulators to prohibit [ISPs] from engaging in unjust or unreasonable discrimination against content. MORE

A fearless Brian Fung ignores who owns his organ:

Citing recent statements by President Obama, the Times argues that Internet providers should not be allowed to charge...for faster access...a policy known as "paid prioritzation." … Obama said earlier this month that "you don’t want to start getting a differentiation in how accessible the Internet is to different users. You want to leave it open so the next Google and the next Facebook can succeed." ... It wasn't long ago that net neutrality was an obscure issue for the courts. Now it's...a presidential matter. MORE

And it's also a matter for other branches, notes Alex Wilhelm:

Senator Patrick Leahy recently called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to host round-table discussions...outside of Washington. ... The FCC should heed the senator’s call and follow through … The issue of net neutrality is no small matter, and it has attracted mainstream attention. ... Soliciting feedback inside of Washington isn’t a bad idea. But [neither is] picking up a few in-person comments outside the Beltway. MORE

So Shaun Nichols elaborates:

Leahy – who serves as Senate President Pro Tempore and is also on the Senate's Judiciary, Appropriations and Agriculture Committees – said he held a public roundtable in his home state and received valuable insight from business owners and residents. … "Vermonters are not alone, as over a million people from across the country have submitted comments to the commission,"...Leahy writes. "Most of them will not be able to come to Washington...but their voices are more important than industry lobbyists and members of Congress." MORE

Meanwhile, Erin Mershon, Alex Byers, Katy Bachman and Brooks Boliek tag-team to bring you this suspiciously-timely tidbit:

Comcast is still hard at work making the case for its $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. [It] wants regulators to know it really, really supports the Open Internet. … “The truth about net neutrality,” the latest of a series of ads the company has run promoting the merger...in the Washington Post and other DC-area pubs [is] a sort of manifesto. ... Comcast has been stressing that it will abide by net neutrality rules. … Comcast has spared no expense on an its “Together is better” ad campaign inside the Beltway...since it announced the deal early this year. MORE

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