WASHINGTON D.C. - Two key speakers have been added to a Progress & Freedom Congressional Seminar this Friday, May 20. Mike Godwin of Public Knowledge and consumer electronics attorney Lawrence Sidman will join in the discussion at "The Future of The Broadcast Flag: Implications for Congress, the FCC and the DTV Transition." Both Congress and the FCC face tough questions related to the broadcast flag, now that the rule has been thrown out by a federal court. Godwin and Sidman will join former FCC General Counsel John Rogovin, MPAA Executive Vice President Fritz Attaway and James Burger of Dow Lohnes. PFF Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Patrick Ross will moderate. The event runs from 12:00 - 2 p.m. in the Longworth House Office Building, Room 1537.

Public Knowledge was a petitioner in the broadcast flag case and secured a unanimous decision May 6. Senior technology counsel for Public Knowledge, Godwin served nine years as Staff Counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In 1991-1992 he chaired a committee of the Massachusetts Computer Crime Commission, developing policy recommendations for Governor William Weld. Godwin is a Policy Fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, and has also worked as a computer consultant and a journalist. Godwin served as co-counsel in the U.S. Supreme Court case Reno v. ACLU.

Sidman, a partner with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, represents companies central to the flag debate such as Philips and Thomson, makers of TVs and personal video recorders. He previously was a partner at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. Before that he was Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance of the House Commerce Committee, then chaired by Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Sidman participated actively in the legislative process culminating in both the 1992 Cable Act and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and in numerous FCC rulemaking proceedings implementing those laws.

Those interested in attending the PFF Congressional Seminar "The Future of The Broadcast Flag: Implications for Congress, the FCC and the DTV Transition" should register online. Lunch will be served. Media questions should be directed to Patrick Ross at 202-289-8928 or pross@pff.org. Other questions should be directed to Richard Zielinski at 202-289-8928 or rzielinski@pff.org.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.