The front page of Friday’s Washington Post wasn’t at all objective about the FCC’s imposition of a “net neutrality” regime. The headline was “FCC makes Internet history: PROVIDERS DEEMED PUBLIC UTILITIES / New regulations aim to keep Web fair and open.”
The same thing happened on the cover of the Post’s Express tabloid, where liberal HBO host John Oliver was honored. “Net hero: The FCC’s ruling to protect Internet speeds might have gone the other way if comic John Oliver hadn’t helped spark mass outrage.”
Inside, the headline was “Let’s give credit where credit is due: To Oliver.” The unbylined tribute began:
Prior to June 1, few people knew much about “net neutrality.” Just a mention of the term caused eyes to glass over and attention to be diverted to cute puppy videos.
Then came John Oliver.
The HBO comedian this summer bravely devoted half of his 30-minute satirical news show, Last Week Tonight, to the subject. He explained what net neutrality was (protections for open-access internet) and eviscerated cable companies for wanting to dismantle it....
His joke was “If you want to do something evil, put it inside something boring.”
By the end of the segment, Oliver had succeeded in rallying support for the cause. His rant and subsequent call to action – he encouraged all Internet commenters and trolls to flood the Federal Communications Commission website with comments in support of net neutrality – made an impact. Millions sent in comments.
As if Obama’s FCC wasn’t rigging it? The Express account concluded:
“Oliver and the president,” said an industry official earlier this month, “were probably the two most prominent [turning points].”
The actual Washington Post story by Cecilia Kang and Brian Fung also offered credit to Oliver:
Through the debate, the wonky issue of net neutrality went mainstream, prompting 4 million people to file comments to the FCC, which caused its Web site to temporarily shut down. Late-night comedian John Oliver drew millions of Web users to his satirical breakdown of Wheeler’s earlier, weaker approach. A handful of protesters even sat in the driveway of Wheeler’s home to block him from getting to work and to pressure him to pass tougher rules.
The Kang-Fung piece offered just a few paragraphs of disagreement to ooze into the "Obama's FCC makes history" narrative:
Verizon, for one, criticized the new regulations as “antiquated” and, to make its point, issued a statement on its company blog in the form of Morse code. “FCC’s ‘Throwback Thursday’ Move Imposes 1930s Rules on the Internet,” the headline read.
“Today’s decision by the FCC to encumber broadband Internet services with badly antiquated regulations is a radical step that presages a time of uncertainty for consumers, innovators, and investors,” according to a -company-provided translation of the Morse code.
A conservative counterpoint can by found in "Welcome to the Obamanet" on The Wall Street Journal editorial page on Friday.
