MPAA Calls Us Liars

Dear Matthew,

We really must have hit a nerve.

Here we were, doing our jobs to make sake sure the public knows what Hollywood is trying to do to your television sets — disable them and force you to buy new ones if you want to access their content — when the MPAA decides to go on record calling PK Legal Director Harold Feld a liar.

Rather than address the merits of our argument, in a filing with the FCC, the MPAA said that Harold’s video “contains statements that are simply and irrefutably untrue.” Actually, they say it several times. And make it the “first and foremost” point.

We understand why the MPAA is so upset. They’re used to getting what they want here in Washington. They don’t have too many people willing to stand up to the lawyers and political favors Hollywood money buys. So when someone actually speaks truth to them — and makes the Federal Communications Commission listen — well, as we said, it strikes a nerve.

Their attempt to discredit us is simply unacceptable. We are a small organization with a bare-bones staff that operates to make sure you have a voice in communications and copyright policy issues. If Public Knowledge didn’t exist, no one in the public interest community would be telling you what the MPAA is up to.

And we’re glad to speak truth to the MPAA. We can stand insults, and the usual Hollywood threat that “you’ll never work in this town again!” doesn’t bother us.

Most of all, we’re glad that we can make your voice heard at the FCC, in Congress, and everywhere else that lobbyists try to cut their sweetheart deals. But we can’t do it without your support.

When Hollywood starts making personal attacks, you know you’ve hit a nerve. Help us keep speaking truth to power. Support Public Knowledge.

Thank You,

Gigi B. Sohn
President and Co-Founder
Public Knowledge