It’s been a few days, so let’s talk internet!

First up, we’d like to thank all of you who have taken the time to write a comment in the FCC’s Open Internet proceedings. And guess what? The Commission actually pushed back the submissions deadline for reply comments to April 8, so if you you haven’t yet filed, you can use our musician/fan/indie label-friendly comments tool to do so.

As we love reminding you all, keeping the internet open as a platform for everyone — musicians included — is one of the major policy issues of our time. By filing a comment, you can be a part of this historic proceeding.

Speaking of net neutrality, check out this trailer to a new documentary about the open internet, music and free speech, Barbershop Punk. The film, by Georgia Sugimura Archer and Kristin Armfield, features discussions with Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Dischord Records), Damian Kulash of OK Go, Henry Rollins, Janeane Garofalo, John Perry Barlow, U.S. Representatives Chip Pickering and Marsha Blackburn, DJ Jim Ladd, Clinton White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry, Michelle Combs of the Christian Coalition, Songwriters Guild President Rick Carnes, NARAL’s Ted Miller, former FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein and… and… Future of Music Coalition’s own Michael Bracy!

If you’re heading to Austin for South by Southwest, you can catch a screening there. (The first showing is actually tonight at 9:30, but there’s another showing on Thursday, March 18 at 2:45 P.M.).

Here is the movie description from the official Barbershop Punk site:

Is “The Man” controlling the vertical, the horizontal, and the channel you’ll be on?

In a privatized American Internet, is big business “Big Brother” or does the free market protect and serve the needs of the average citizen with its invisible hand? With the simple act of swapping files, barbershop quartet baritone Robb Topolski finds himself at ground zero of a landmark case that will affect the rights of every American citizen.

Following one man’s personal quest to defend what he believes to be his inalienable rights, Barbershop Punk examines the critical issues surrounding the future of the American internet and what it takes to challenge the status quo.

Oh, and if you happen to be at SXSW, we’d love to see you. FMC staff and board will be all over Austin, appearing in a wide range of discussions and even some shows. Here’s one that we’re particularly excited about:

Creative Capitol: Music, Culture and Policy under Obama
Thursday, March 18
3:30 PM
 15

The 2009 inauguration of Obama — plus Democratic majorities in Congress — meant a shift in the power dynamic in Washington, DC. How are creative industries faring so far in this administration? Top staffers will discuss the key music-technology-policy issues on Capitol Hill and at the FCC, and how musicians are engaging.

Michael Bracy Policy Director, Future of Music Coalition
Rachel Goslins President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanites
Austin Schlick General Counsel, Federal Communications Commission
Tim Tuten Hideout/Department of Education
Christine Varney Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Department of Justice

Check out our official SXSW page for more details.