Casting a Wide Net

Stanford University law professor Lawrence Lessig, author of four books about the Internet and its impact on society, is an obvious get for a congressional hearing on "The Future of the Internet," set to unfold today under the aegis of the Senate commerce committee.

Justine Bateman, best known for her role as Mallory on the sitcom "Family Ties," is less so. Nonetheless, the actress, who also is a writer and producer, is slated to be among the witnesses, and to share her concerns about the way creative content is developed and how it will be distributed in years to come.

Bateman is a Screen Actors Guild board member and has recurring roles on "Men in Trees" and "Desperate Housewives." Joining her on the panel will be Patric Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America West, who -- before, during and after the recent Hollywood writers' strike -- has given deep thought to how creative material is distributed online. (A goal of the successful strike was to make sure writers received residuals for programming that appeared on the Internet.)

The hearing will focus on developing applications, consumer expectations, network management and discrimination, and how open the Internet should be.

Also expected to testify: Michele Combs, vice president of communications for the Christian Coalition of America; Kyle McSlarrow, president of the National Cable and Telecommunication Association; and Robert Hahn of the American Enterprise Institute.

-- Garance Franke-Ruta