Comcast: The Best Grassroots Support Money Can Buy

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February 26, 2008

Comcast: The Best Grassroots Support Money Can Buy

Save the Internet's blog has an entry up about strange goings on at an FCC hearing regarding net neutrality in Boston. When members of the group tried to attend the hearing, they were turned away because all the seats were taken by a group of "concerned citizens" with no particular interest in the proceedings:

"They arrived en masse some 90 minutes before the hearing began and occupied almost every available seat, upon which many promptly fell asleep (picture above).

"One told us that he was 'just getting paid to hold someone's seat.'

"He added that he had no idea what the meeting was about.

"If he was holding someone else's seat, he never gave it up.

"Many of this early crowd had mysteriously matching yellow highlighters stuck in their lapels.

"We also photographed them outside the venue being handed papers by an organizer who had been seen earlier talking with several of the Comcast people at the hearing."

Conde Naste Portfolio has more on the incident:

"Comcast spokewoman Jennifer Khoury said the company paid some people to arrive early and hold places in the queue for local Comcast employees who wanted to attend the hearing.

"Some of those placeholders, however, did more than wait in line: they filled many of the seats at the meeting, according to eyewitnesses. As a result, scores of Comcast critics and other members of the public were denied entry because the room filled up well before the beginning of the hearing.

"Khoury said the company didn't intend to block anyone from attending the hearing. 'Comcast informed our local employees about the hearing and invited them to attend,' she said. 'Some employees did attend, along with many members of the general public.'"

Ars Technica has a thorough report on the actual hearing.