Protect Internet Freedom Names Executive Director

Protect Internet Freedom, a group formed to push back on new network neutrality rules, federal preemption of state laws limiting municipal broadband buildouts and more, has named Drew Johnson national director.

He will serve as chief spokesman as well as direct day-to-day operations for the group's campaigns, targeted at the Obama Administration and what it sees as its effort to "take over the Internet."

Johnson is the founder of The Beacon Center of Tennessee, a free-market think tank in Nashville. He is also a former print journalists with Chattanooga Times Free Press and Washington Times, as well as a  former policy analyst with the National Taxpayers Union.

“The incremental government takeover of the Internet is one of the greatest challenges of our time,” Johnson said in a statement.  “Americans are rightly concerned about net neutrality, data privacy, online free speech and the growth of municipal controlled broadband.  I look forward to being at the forefront of these issues and challenging Washington’s power grab of the Internet and preserve it as a free and open place for ideas and commerce.”

Among the group's backers is John Ramsey, chair of conservative Liberty for All Super PAC.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.