February 12, 1998 New Forum on Regulation and Public Policy Announced

The SDSU International Communications Council, (formerly the San Diego-Baja Communications Council) today announced a new Forum on Regulation and Public Policy for government, industry and academic leaders to debate and discuss trends in regulation and public policy, to understand how such trends will affect the marketplace, and where possible, develop regional consensus to assist the policymaking process.

The first meeting of the new forum will take place at 7:30 a.m., February 18, at Pacific Bell's headquarters, at 525 B Street, Suite 1700, downtown San Diego, at which time the Honorable Patricia Eckert, former President of the California Public Utilities Commission, will talk about "The New Regulatory Mosaic." John Eger, Professor of Communications and Public Policy at SDSU, and President of the Council, explained "Communications is now so pervasive affecting every sector of our economy and society, that regulations and new policies affecting these changes seem to be developing at a very rapid rate at the local, state, national and international level. It seems odd, I know, because of all the efforts to deregulate telecommunications and privatize at the international level. But the fact is that a new regulatory mosaic is in the making."

Stephen Weber, President of SDSU, expressed his commitment to this new university-wide effort to reach out broadly to the community to talk about these important trends in telecommunications and public policy. He expressed his hope and expectation that this new forum bringing industry, government and academe together, should serve to help us understand not only where we are, but importantly where we are going, and to forge a new vision of the greater San Diego community in what has become a global knowledge-based economy and society.

The International Communications Council is an outgrowth of a program launched by SDSU over ten years ago. Originally intended as a vehicle for senior executives in the broadcast, newspaper, telephone, cable and related industries to share trends in technology and public policy, the Council has grown in essentiality and importance. It recently was an important vehicle assisting Mayor Golding in launching her City of the Future initiative. The current membership, which includes a broad array of executives from both industry and government, has expressed its interest in focusing on the shifting locus and magnitude of new regulations and public policies caused by the convergence of telecommunications, and the rapid growth of the Internet as an integral part of life and work in the 21st Century.

In addition to Patricia Eckert, the former PUC president, Senator Steve Peace, Chairman of the Committee on Energy, Telecommunications and Utilities, will be addressing the Forum on March 20, and Mike Nelson, aide to Vice President Gore and currently Director of New Technology at the Federal Communications Commission will address the Forum April 20. For more information, contact Chairman Ed Quinn (619) 237-6211, Secretary/Treasurer Joyce Gattas (619) 594-1343, or Cindy Hicks, at (619) 594-6933.