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Valenti to Step Down; Tauzin May Head MPAA
The Importance of writes "The New York Post is reporting that Jack Valenti is stepping down as head of the MPAA, probably by the end of the year. Rep. Billy Tauzin (R - LA) will be taking over. After 37 years as head of the MPAA, at least Valenti is going out on a high note, with most of Hollywood ticked off at him for the screener ban. bIPlog comments on Valenti's apparent agelessness." The Post article quotes Tauzin's office as denying that such an offer has even been made, but acknowledging that one might be in the works.
Note to all slashdot users: Update your etc/hate files with the new name
Maybe the RIAA made him a better offer.
Pete Carr Owner Chatmag.com
I, for one, welcome our new media overlord.
With the entertainment industry firmly entwined with the political structure, what can possible go wrong?
"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
I could have egg on my face in a couple weeks
:-)
Sounds like an open invitation to me!
from the Entertainment industry.
In 2004, (so far) 10,400 dollars.
In 2002 He took just over 99,000 dollars
Looks to me like he's working for them already...or more accurately has been bought.
Wait .. everything we know about vampires is from Hollywood movies .. we are so screwed!
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
If you're not familiar with Tauzin, just check out his top contributors. Which industry gave more to his 2000 campaign than any other? "TV/Movies/Music." Your hopes are dashed, I'm afraid.
:)
BTW, is it just me or does every story submitted by "The Importance of" wind up on the front page
"BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
There is an article on him here.
Looks promising!:
"The defining difference between Billy Tauzin and [former chairman] Tom Bliley is a preference for change vs. a preference for the status quo," says Jeffrey Eisenach
If he's working for them, he's not giving them much time on your methodology given:
1 Health Professionals $89,500
2 Electric Utilities $59,283
3 Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $39,000
4 Oil & Gas $22,530
5 Retail Sales $19,500
6 Telecom Services & Equipment $13,500
7 Securities & Investment $11,500
8 TV/Movies/Music $10,500
His funding bias has shifted from TV//Movies/Music in 2000 far in favour to utilities/health/pharma (in 2002 also)... which is interesting.
--
FreeNET user? Comfortable with the adverse selection?
Billy Tauzin is ALREADY a lobbyist shill for big media and telecom. Moving him from Congress to MPAA would mean that 1: he doesn't get to legislate (at least not directly) any more, and 2: he doesn't get paid by my taxes any more.
p.s. Reason #3 to hate Congressman Tauzin: sponsored "anti-spam" legislation that was ghost-written by the DMA.
Tauzin proposed a bill requiring all TV broadcasters to switch to 100% digital signals with copy protection, just over a year ago.
In July 2002, Billy and his friend Fritz Disney Hollings urged the FCC commissioner to "mandate the implementation of the Broadcast Flag under FCC rules" - which according to a story here just days ago is pretty much a done deal.
The financial support (on the books) may have quit in 2000, but he's still been busy trying to get digital TV, broadcast flags, and copy protection forced down consumers'^W our throats. Looks like the MPAA is finally rewarding him for his efforts...
"BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
Billy Tauzin has been securely in the hands of the MPAA for years now, so this doesn't come as a huge surprise. At least now he won't be around to pass terrible bills any longer!
For those that don't remember, the link above is referring to the Tauzin-Dingell bill, which was the infamous bill to allow companies like Verizon to prevent sharing their lines with other companies offering DSL, like Covad, etc.
I'm more than happy to see Billy Tauzin leave as a congressman, but I have no doubts that the tactics currently employed by the MPAA won't change with Valenti leaving.
I do not follow US politic very much, but isn't there a conflict of interrest in between a politcian with an official function, and being the ehad of a firm, *and* proposing law which directly impact your firm ? If he become head of MPAA should not he give up every official place or position he might have ?
C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
visit randi.org
I visited Tauzin's official House of Representatives website, at http://www.house.gov/tauzin/. At the bottom is a Search button, with a select list to choose how many search results you want to receive. I decided to search for "MPAA" and see if he'd mentioned them in any of his recent press releases.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any results. Not because he's trying to hide anything, but because there's nowhere to enter a search term! The "Search" button is sitting there with no way to enter what you're searching for. Brilliant, if only Google had come up with this idea!
Thank you, Rep. Tauzin, for demonstrating your vast knowledge of the digital world. You should fit right in at the MPAA.
"BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
"Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss"
Ever heard of Tauzin-Dingell? He co-sponsored that bill, one that would allow the Bells to provide broadband over their networks in a monopoly-like fashion.
He favors DRM and other similar schemes.
His voting record on issues pertaining to the revocation of our rights is troubling - ACLU voting guide
He used to be a Democrat, then he switched to the Republican party.
I've seen the guy on C-SPAN, CNN, FAUX, etc. for years. Other than his attempts to act as if he knows what's going on in the "tech" world he is just another sleazy politician. The same garbage debate tactics and fallacies that almost all of his kind use.
Anti-social? My code is just platform-specific.
Like him or not, the MPAA is behind a lot of your favourite movies. Don't hate the man or the group, hate their antiquated. protectionist distribution system.
Trolling is a art,
... read "Tarzan" and think, "wow that's a great idea!" =)
Those are pretty minor contributions so far. Look, let's be realistic about the way it works. If you have some agenda to make a politician look like a crook, sure you'll say he's been bought. But that isn't true, and let's be fair (it will help your cause more, too).
If a tech-friendly candidate (say, Sonny Perdue of Georgia, who just withdrew GA DMV records from MATRIX) was running for office, and you contributed to him, have you 'bought' him? No, you've donated to help a candidate win who you know will help you. The same way that your donation to EFF will help defend fair use exemptions in copyright law. You're not buying their opinion, you're helping them because you two are trying to accomplish the same thing.
This has a practical implication, too. If we pretend to ourselves that MPAA friendly leaders like Sen Feinstein and Rep Tauzin are only 'doing it for the money', it might make us feel better, but won't be helpful. There are genuine principles being held by the IP holders.
Unless we can understand and address their concerns, and show how other principles override, we're in a shouting match. One we won't win. The people who vote based on this issue, for the most part, are people whose jobs are at stake. There are far more IP consumers than producers, but for consumers, it's not a compelling, overriding issue the way national security or the economy is.
"Could appointing a Reoublican harm the MPAA's relationship with the Democratic party?"
He was a (typical Southern) Democrat when he was first elected. He switched parties in the middle of the 90's.
He's less a member of the Republican Party and more a member of the "Whichever Way the Wind Is Blowing" party.