MAP Announces Reorganization
Posted: Wednesday December 10, 2008
December 8, 2008
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, President and CEO of Media Access Project (MAP), today announced that MAP will undergo a reorganization. The plan is designed to enable MAP to take advantage of the new political climate and to adapt to the forthcoming departure of MAP’s Senior Vice President, Harold Feld.
“Change is in the air,” Schwartzman said. “MAP is reinventing itself to continue its leadership in the public interest community – today and for the future.”
MAP is a thirty-six year old non-profit public interest telecommunications law firm which serves as communications counsel to civil rights, civil liberties, consumer and other citizens groups and functions as a thought leader in media and technology policy issues.
After more than 30 years as MAP’s CEO, Schwartzman has decided to devote his full attention to legal and policy issues. He will serve as MAP’s Legal and Policy Director. Schwartzman has asked MAP’s board to hire a new CEO to manage operations, planning and development. As part of the reorganization, Associate Director Parul Desai will have an enhanced role in MAP’s operations. “The board and I see this as an opportunity to focus MAP’s resources for best return on investment,” said Schwartzman. “We are very excited about the prospects.”
The reorganization will also facilitate MAP’s adjustment to the departure of Feld, who has served at MAP for 10 years, heading up its work on spectrum policy, internet freedom and other high-tech issues. Feld will continue full-time at MAP through the end of January, 2009, although he may still continue to consult for MAP on special projects. He recently signed a book contract with Ig Publishing, and intends to focus on his writing as he considers how best to continue to serve the public interest.
“Replacing Harold will be the toughest part of the challenge MAP faces,” Schwartzman said. “He is a brilliant analyst and advocate. His work on issues such as Internet freedom and opening access to spectrum has been a major element of MAP’s success in recent years.”
Among MAP’s major pending cases are a challenge to the FCC’s deregulation of broadcast ownership rules and the defense of an FCC ruling that Comcast for unlawfully blocked customers’ Internet access.
“Needless to say, the coming of a new Administration enables MAP to go on the offensive for the first time in eight years,” Schwartzman added. “This is an opportunity to take concrete steps to combat media consolidation, promote diversity in media ownership and programming, obtain more authorizations for community-based low power radio and, of course, seek network neutrality on the Internet.”