- Save the Date! On July 10, 2012, OCBO will host a conference on supplier diversity here in the FCC’s main commission meeting room, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. We are inviting major communications companies, internet service providers, and media businesses to the FCC to discuss their supplier diversity programs and to provide tips on how small businesses can best position themselves for lucrative contracts. We will also have representatives from the procurement offices of several federal agencies who will talk about strategies for obtaining federal contracts and what applicants need to do to make sure they are able to qualify. Stay tuned to this web page for updates.
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On June 26, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., the FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities will host a public meeting to review a draft report prepared by a coalition of scholars brought together by University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. The researched was commissioned to examine existing research into the critical information needs of the American public and market-entry barriers into participation in the communication industry. The research will inform the Commission’s 2012 Report to Congress about barriers to participation in the communications industry, also known as the Section 257 Report. At this public meeting the USC-Annenberg Coalition will present their draft findings to the Commission and an independent panel of scholars and industry representatives, this will be followed by an opportunity for public feedback and to inquire about the research results. Click here to view a draft copy of the Executive Summary of the report.
- On May 24, 2012, OCBO Director Thomas Reed attended the Latinos in Information Science Technology Association’s National Emerging Technology Leadership Summit. From 2:35pm to 4:00pm, Mr. Reed will be participating in a panel discussion on “Strategic Leadership in High Technology.” The conference is being held at the Melia Hotel Atlanta, 590 West Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30308, May 23-24.
- On May 9, 2012, OCBO Director Thomas Reed attended the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators (NAPACSL) Conference todiscuss broadband opportunities for small business owners with members of NAPACSL. He was joined by Chairman Julius Genachowski's Senior Legal Advisor, Josh Gottheimer, who discussed broadband adoption and deployment. The conference was held here in DC at the Fairfax Embassy Row Hotel, 2100 Massachusetts Avenue.
- On March 22, 2012, OCBO Director Thomas Reed addressed the inaugural Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) Women of Power National Summit. BWR is an intergenerational women’s empowerment network of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. Mr. Reed briefed BWR on the FCC’s diversity initiatives and the current landscape of broadband policy issues affecting women and minority owned communications businesses.
- On February 15, 2012, OCBO joined the Small Business Administration and the Service Corps of Retired Executives, to host Technology Support for Small Businesses, a FREE one-day educational and networking event for small business leaders. The event, which was held at the Washington DC Convention Center, featured how-to workshops focused on understanding technology, its uses for small businesses, and how to effectively measure its impact. Featured speakers included Senator Ben Cardin, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, and OCBO Director Thomas Reed.
- On February 7, 2012, OCBO Director Thomas Reed was invited to participate in the White House’s Broadband Briefing. Mr. Reed discussed progress on the National Broadband Plan as well as OCBO initiatives related to broadband and small businesses.
- On January 27, 2012, OCBO Director Thomas Reed attended the Minority Media Telecommunications Council's Broadband and Social Justice Summit at the Westin Georgetown Hotel. He was joined by Rick Kaplan, Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Sharon Gillet, Chief of theWireline Communications Bureau, to discuss various broadband related initiatives at the FCC.
- On January 4, 2012, OCBO and the Media Bureau hosted a seminar on "EEO best practices in the broadcast industry". The seminar examined EEO enforcement issues and challenges as applicable to the broadcast and other communications industries. The seminar was held in the FCC's main commission meeting room, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.
- On December 8, 2011, OCBO hosted its third annual "Capitalization Strategies Workshop" for small and diverse businesses involved in the media and telecommunications industries. As a special feature of the workshop, OCBO coordinated one-on-one mentoring sessions for small business participants with financial experts to evaluate strategic plans and funding needs. The workshop was held in the FCC's main commission meeting room, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.
- On December 6, 2011, the newly reconstituted Advisory Committee on Diversity in the Digital Age convened its first meeting to: (1) examine how the FCC can lower barriers to entry for historically disadvantaged groups; (2) explore ways to ensure universal access to and adoption of broadband; and (3) create an environment that enables employment of a diverse workforce within the telecommunications and related industries. PUBLIC NOTICE
- On November 18, 2011, OCBO Director Thomas Reed attended the Annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund Telecommunications & International Affairs Symposium, “A More Perfect Union: Closing the Telecom Gap.” From 10:30am to Noon, Thomas participated in a panel discussion on Broadband and Jobs. The conference was held at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street, NW, Washington DC 20036, from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.
- On October 28, 2011, OCBO Director Thomas Reed addressed the International Black Broadcasters Association at its 12th Annual Black Broadcasters Convention Awards Dinner at the St. Regis Hotel located in downtown Washington, D.C.
Director Thomas A. Reed Remarks - On October 20, 2011, OCBO Attorney Advisor Dan Margolis spoke with current New York Law School students and alumni regarding pursuing careers in media and telecommunications law. The informal panel, assembled by the school's Media Center, gave attendees an opportunity to hear from current practitioners about their career path experiences and to ask questions about how they might pursue similar options.
- On September 23, 2011, OCBO Director Thomas Reed spoke to members of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters at their 35th Annual Fall Broadcast Management Conference. Thomas participated on the Washington Update Panel: What Broadcasters Need to Know about Issues Pending before the FCC and Congress? He was joined on the panel by FCC Legal Advisor Jessica Almond and Josh Cinelli, Media Advisor to Commissioner Michael Copps.
- On September 22, 2011, BMW and Uptown Magazine honored OCBO Director Thomas Reed with an Outstanding Achievement Award, recognizing his exceptional government service and efforts on behalf of the small business community. Rick Wade, former Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff for the Department of Commerce was also honored.
OCBO News and Updates
Bureaus & Offices: Communications Business Opportunities, Office of Commissioner McDowell
