Communications Lobby Spending Dropped 8 Percent January-June
Spending on communications lobbying dropped 8 percent in the first half of 2009 from a year earlier to $183 million. The industry fell to fourth place, its lowest position in several years, behind the health care, energy and finance industries, according to information from CQ’s Political Moneyline. The spending was back down close to the $173 million spent in 2007. First-half spending on communications lobbying was $93 million in 2005 and $122 million in 2006. Since 2004, communications had increased its spending about as fast as other industries.
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The rankings of businesses within communications haven’t changed much the past five years, CQ reports show. Telephone companies have had the biggest outlays by far, $26 million in the first half of 2009. They have spending almost that much since 2006. In the first half of 2005, phone companies fell slightly behind the computer software manufacturing, $15.1 million to $15.5 million.
The lobbying issues of the computer business haven’t changed much over the past five years. They have centered on spyware, privacy and cybersecurity legislation. The software lobby includes Microsoft, IBM and the Business Software Alliance. Other communications industries among the top 10 in spending have been broadcasting, cable, software manufacturers, online services, semiconductors and communications equipment makers.
Google is emerging as a major lobbying presence, although its spending is still far less than that of incumbent phone companies. In the first half of 2009, Google spent $1.8 million, compared with $8.1 million for AT&T and $6.8 million for Verizon. Google’s spending has increased year by year as the company has expanded. It spent nothing in the first half of 2005 and $465,000 in the same period in 2006; $580,000 in 2007; and $1.3 million in 2008. Google filed a detailed semiannual report for 2009 listing its range of concerns, which spanned issues related to the Google Book Search deal, IP, copyright, online privacy and behavioral advertising to health IT, the electric grid, global Internet freedom and cloud computing. The firm also spent $825,000 in the first half of 2009 on seven boutique lobbying shops that handled specific issues.
The cellular and Internet industries showed slight declines in spending in the first half of 2009. The recession and slow start to the congressional year could account for some of the drop. Cellular industry spending may pick up in the second half of the year as it pushes for tax relief and spectrum inventory legislation, industry officials said. Last year, the lobbying issues listed on wireless industry reports included spectrum auction issues related to the DTV transition, the AWS auction and E-911.