Paul Kapustka's Blog

In the finest when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife tradition, the "survey" (which was paid for by Verizon, as Preston Gralla and others have noted) touted by no less than Senate Commerce Committe chair Ted "Tubes" Stevens finds -- imagine! -- that "an overwhelming majority of American voters favor video choice over onerous “Net Neutrality” regulations."

Well, when you ask questions like this one (from the press release of the "poll"):

Which of the following two items do you think is the most important to you:

-- Delivering the benefits of new TV and video choice so consumers will see increased competition and lower prices for cable TV

OR

-- Enhancing Internet neutrality by barring high speed internet providers from offering specialized services like faster speed and increased security for a fee

You pretty much know the answers you're going to get.

Smackdown score of half a tube for Sen. Stevens' office in its attempt to give this "poll" legitimacy by issuing a press release from the Senator's office.

(For extra credit, find out which ex-Clinton staffer is making money by running the companies who conducted this "bipartisan" effort. Follow the money!)

I continue to be amazed at the amount of money the big telcos are willing to spend on such astroturf efforts, in the belief that they can fool enough of the people enough of the time. What's not surprising is the number of shills ready and willing to take the telco money. It is depressing, though.

UPDATE: For a more in-depth explanation of the politics behind the poll (and how they are able to call it "bipartisan" as if that somehow makes it more believable), read this item on the Huffington Post.

And Jason Miller over at WebProNews shares his outrage.

No sign of any similar debunking from the "mainstream" media, however. Just another sign that if you want depth, nuance and proper analysis, you have to turn to the blogosphere.