Hollywood Creatives Call for Net Neutrality

Two leaders of Hollywood's creative community today called upon the Senate to guarantee that the Internet remains a neutral and free-flowing medium for independent writers, producers and filmmakers.

In testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee, Patric Verrone of the Writers Guild of America West said that the recent vertical integration and consolidation of power in the movie industry has left independent writers and producers with few to no options.

Neutrality Means Content is King

Verrone: We Need Clear Net Neutrality Rules

"The axiom in Hollywood is that 'content is king' but those who control access to the king, control the kingdom," Verrone told senators. "That control is in the hands of neither the consumer nor the content creators, but the distributors."

The Internet now faces a similar threat - a point that was made very clear to Verrone during the recent writers strike.

"When traditional media is in the hands of the same corporations that employ you, it's hard to get your message out. We had four thousand attend rallies that got less -- and later -- coverage on the local news than a dog wedding."

To maintain contact with one another, guild members used the Internet - creating protest sites and viral videos that got their message across to millions. Through these "the public saw the crucial role writers play in media creation," Verrone said.

"The policy decision that triggered the consolidation of old media has not yet been made for new media," Verrone concluded. "In an industry filled with oxymorons from jumbo shrimp to Hollywood accounting, we must win the fight for neutrality."

Neutrality Will Restore Innovation and Creativity

Bateman: Net Neutrality Would Ensure a Level Playing Field

According to actor and producer Justine Bateman, the demise of this creativity in Hollywood was directly proportional to the increase in consolidation of the industry.

"In entertainment, I believe we are on the verge of a creative renaissance," Bateman told senators. "The Internet is the new grid upon which this renaissance can rest, because unfortunately the business grid of TV and film today cannot support that."

Bateman, who is known to many as Alex P. Keaton's kid sister Mallory in the 1980s sit-com Family Ties, said, "Net Neutrality will allow for we creators to continue owning and controlling our content ... with this innovation comes competition. Net Neutrality would insure a level playing field for that."

"We need to establish clear Net Neutrality rules to ensure that the Internet remains a level playing field for all. We dethrone the gatekeepers and once more make content king," Verrone added.

"The Internet Freedom and Preservation Act ensures that future, and we support it."