• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, January 9, 2012

In a letter to ICANN Chairman Stephen Crocker, Association of National Advertisers President-CEO Bob Liodice proposed alternative ways to address the ad industry's concerns about its new top-level demand expansion program, which is set to begin accepting applications for new top-level domains on Thursday.

The letter proposes the following:

* Concurrently, all NGOs, IGOs and commercial stakeholders concerned about protecting their brands will be given the opportunity to have those brands registered, without cost, on a temporary “Do Not Sell” list to be maintained by ICANN during the first application round.

* ANA will assemble a team from the interested constituencies to work with ICANN leadership during the first application round to develop proposals for addressing deficiencies that have been identified in ICANN’s program. If this group achieves consensus with respect to any proposals, those proposals will be voted on by the ICANN Board.

* At the end of the first application round, should the parties continue to disagree, the temporary “Do-Not-Sell” list will sunset, and all parties will be free to pursue their legal and equitable rights without prejudice.

“This is an eminently reasonable and simple proposal,” stated Liodice, adding, "It reflects the serious concerns publicly expressed by numerous constituencies."