Genachowski Asks OSP for Commissionwide Data Review in 60 Days
Chairman Julius Genachowski asked for a wide-ranging review of the kinds of information that the FCC relies on, as he seeks to revamp how the commission makes decisions (CD July 22 p1). The “top-to-bottom review of the agency’s systems and processes for data collection, analysis, and dissemination” should be completed within 60 days, he wrote Paul de Sa Wednesday, de Sa’s first day as chief of the Office of Strategic Planning. (See separate report in this issue.)
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OSP should brief the chairman’s office on the answers to Genachowski’s 20 questions, he wrote. Communications lawyers said the request may lead to better data collection. Telecom groups supported the review. It wasn’t clear whether results of the review, to be done “in consultation” with other bureaus, offices and Mary Beth Richards, special counsel for FCC reform, will be made public. A commission spokeswoman said she couldn’t comment right away.
“The review should uncover opportunities to improve the Commission’s data capabilities” and conclude whether more information should be gathered and if current reporting requirements can be scrapped or made more efficient, Genachowski wrote. “For each Bureau and Office, what are the significant data collected by the FCC?” He asked how the commission finds outside sources of information, including commercially available data sets. “How are the Bureaus and Offices organized around data” and “what are the limitations or resource constraints?”
The letter also asked about agencies outside the FCC, including whether the General Accountability Office has reviewed the commission’s data capabilities. “Does the FCC make regular efforts to gather best practices from other data collection agencies,” such as the Census, labor statistics and transportation statistics bureaus, Genachowski asked. “What efforts have been made to partner or coordinate with other agencies on data gathering and analysis? What are the opportunities for further coordination?”
“Data is going to be a very big thing with this chairman and with the new commission, in part because of concerns in recent years the commission has not really grounded its actions in data analysis,” said cable and telecom lawyer To- Quyen Truong. “OSP is going to have a prominent role in getting data and analyzing the data, and I think to some extent that is reflected in the new appointment to that office.” The commission could use more-accurate data to produce annual video-pricing reports that reflect what subscribers pay, not just list prices on rate cards, said cable lawyer Dan Brenner. “They're on the right track in trying to examine real data and what people actually pay for things, because so much of what is offered by cable is actually offered by a bundle,” he said. “If it’s not accurate to begin with, whatever policy assumptions you make from there are going to be lacking.” Spokesmen for the American Cable Association and the NCTA had no comment on Genachowski’s letter.
“This kind of periodic review sounds like a healthy and constructive idea,” since USTelecom supports “fact-based decisions,” said a spokesman for the group. Assistant General Counsel Mary Albert of CompTel said, “To the extent that the FCC relies on market or technological data to make decisions or set policy, it is critically important that the data be accurate and up-to-date … We are pleased that the chairman plans to improve the data collection process.”