**[REMARKS OF FCC COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL]{.underline}**

**MEDIA INSTITUTE DINNER**

**WASHINGTON, D.C.**

**October 16, 2006**

Thank you Chairman Wiley, members of the Media Institute and
distinguished guests. My bride, Jennifer, and I thank you for your kind
invitation to speak at this evening's gala honoring Glenn Britt and
Sumner Redstone. Congratulations to you both.

It is somewhat ironic that I was invited to speak here tonight. But
confession is good for the soul. You see, in 1992, I was an advance man
for President George H.W. Bush -- "41" as he is now known. As the 1992
campaign heated up in late summer, I felt that the President wasn't
being fairly treated by "The Media." So, I created a bumper sticker that
became his favorite stump speech prop of that campaign. He carried it
with him everywhere, and it became his rallying cry. The bumper sticker
was bright red and said, "Annoy the Media; Re-elect Bush." Of course,
neither happened. He lost. And the media was delighted \-- delighted to
have a fresh new story to report on in the form of Bill Clinton.
Amusingly, a few months later, after his health care plan was scuttled
and the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia pulled his poll numbers
down, the Clinton White House co-opted my slogan with their own bumper
sticker as they lamented their press coverage. Theirs said: "Annoy the
Media; Support President Clinton."

Either way, it seems that someone is always trying to annoy the media.
Or is it that the media is annoying us? And how should we define "The
Media" these days anyway? But that discussion is for another time. And
besides, Dick Wiley advised me to "keep it light." So, hopefully, I
won't annoy you too much tonight.

> I just started as a FCC commissioner on June 1^st^. The most common
> question I get asked is, "what is your pet issue?" I suppose that I've
> adopted the poor, beleaguered private sector as one of my causes.
> There are times when I think that the private sector needs a foster
> parent at least.
>
> But the overarching issue for me is: freedom. Freedom. The power of
> even the idea of freedom is amazing. In fact, my very first vote as a
> commissioner was to help TV Marti strengthen its ability to broadcast
> messages of freedom and hope into Cuba. Shortly thereafter, Fidel
> Castro got sick.

But, in all seriousness, I trust free people acting within free markets
to make better decisions than those of us in government. For the most
part, government should do all that it can to get out of the way and to
remove barriers to entry. However, there are times when the government
should address market failure so new entrepreneurial ideas have a chance
to compete in the market place and succeed or fail on their own merits
\-- and their own merits alone. Any remedies applied to market failure
should be narrowly-tailored, and sunseted, to maximize freedom for all
market players, especially consumers.

    When it comes to the freedom of all Americans, this Thursday marks
an important event. On October 19^th^, in Virginia we will commemorate
the 225th anniversary of the Americans' victory over the British at
Yorktown.  On that crisp autumn day in 1781, as the vanquished British
troops withdrew from the battlefield, they marched to the tune of \"The
World Turned Upside Down.\" And for the British, the Old World had been
turned upside down. But for freedom and democracy, the New World had
been turned right side up.

    George Washington and his ragtag band of freedom fighters won
largely because of their belief that the dissemination of self-evident
truths could shatter the walls of tyranny. They laid the foundation of a
new nation built upon the twin cornerstones of free markets and free
ideas \-- for all.

    At the heart of the ideals of the fledging United States was a
profound commitment to the freedom of speech \-- the freedom to
communicate. No agency has more of an effect on the preservation and
promotion of this freedom than the Federal Communications Commission.

    With the advent of new technologies, the Old World of communications
has been turned upside down. But these advances have turned the New
World right side up for freedom, democracy and capitalism. The
opportunities that await us over the horizon are boundless. I can't
think of a more exciting time to be serving on the FCC than right now.

But as we enjoy the new fruits brought forth by our hard-won freedoms,
we must remember that with each enumerated freedom comes solemn
responsibility. With each right, an obligation. We must be careful not
to abuse our freedoms. We must remain true to our liberties in the
pursuit of virtue. We all must work within our free society to improve
the human condition.

As the father of two young children with a third on the way, Jennifer
and I think about how "The Media" will shape them. How will what they
see and hear affect their lives? Their personalities? Their values?

Not coincidentally, we may be approaching another crossroads regarding
the regulation of content. Some argue that the market place has failed
to protect children from crude and harmful content and that additional
government intervention is needed. Tonight, I ask that we continue to
work together to strive toward more private sector solutions to this
important challenge. For instance, our recent public/private partnership
on children's television should be applauded. But please keep in mind
that all five members of the FCC -- and their kids \-- are watching. In
the absence of responsible self-regulation, government-mandated
regulation is sure to fill the vacuum that is left behind.

But now I am no longer keeping it light; rather I'm getting a bit heavy.
But before we part ways tonight, let's all pledge to keep the "Spirit of
Yorktown" alive by working together - every day - toward enriching the
lives - and liberty - of all Americans.

Well, hopefully, I haven't annoyed The Media Institute too much tonight.

Again, congratulations to our honorees this evening. And Jennifer and I
thank you for having us over for a wonderful dinner!