Here’s something to be thankful for: Tom Wheeler, the new Federal Communications Commission chairman, is saying he’s all about representing the people — and not big industry.

We’ve been waiting a long time for an FCC chairman to say something like this ... and mean it. And it gives us hope that we may now have someone in power who actually cares about protecting the free and open Internet.

In the end, though, it boils down to this: Words are nice, but we want action.

It’s been five years since the full Commission left D.C. in an official capacity to hear how its policies affect real people. And let’s face it: If the FCC listens only to corporate lobbyists, how can it serve the rest of us?

Free Press has fought for the public interest for more than a decade — and we’ve learned that real change in Washington happens when policymakers meet face to face with the people they represent.

We’ve put together a pretty good roadmap of priorities for the FCC. But hey, this isn’t just about what we think the FCC should do — you should weigh in, too.

So let’s make the most of this moment. Let’s get the FCC out of D.C. and into our communities. And let’s speak up for the media we want — the media we deserve.