Is Hilary Rosen a sign of things to come?

We all love us some Huffpo. The #1 Technorati blog. I don’t even know if blog is the right term for this news site.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut (That’s a long but) they just hired a new political director. No, not a politician or journalist. They hired a former CEO of the RIAA. Hilary Rosen, whose time at the RIAA included:

The dismantling of the Napster and Audiogalaxy Internet file-trading services.

Passage of the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Initiating the Grokster lawsuit on which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the record industry

Passage of the Performance Rights Act creating a public performance right for the first time for sound recordings

Passage of the Record Rental Act providing additional rental protection for sound recordings

Passage of numerous trade treaties providing increased protection for US intellectual property abroad

So now you can blame her for DRM AND watering down the Huffpo. Why do I think she’ll do that?

Well, does Rosen seem like the kind of person who sticks up for individuals? Or fights corporatism and for a free press? Not really.

Arianna Huffington said in a Wired interview that having Rosen on staff would help with political connections.

Now, back to the buuuuuuuuuuuuut. Isn’t that what CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC and FOX do? Trade in impartiality and fairness for contacts? Water down their coverage for easier leads? I hope the Huffpo remains an independent source for news. It would be a terrible thing to waste.

PS-email them at info@huffingtonpost.com