House Democrats voiced skepticism that no jobs would be lost as a result of the Comcast-NBC Universal deal, during a wide-ranging hearing Thursday before the Judiciary Committee. Members also grilled the companies’ executives on independent programming and diversity in programming and corporate leadership. Republicans seemed more amenable to the deal, though some sought assurances that Comcast would more forcefully address intellectual property issues.
House Democrats voiced skepticism that no jobs would be lost as a result of the Comcast-NBC Universal deal, during a wide-ranging hearing Thursday before the Judiciary Committee. Members also grilled the companies’ executives on independent programming and diversity in programming and corporate leadership. Republicans seemed more amenable to the deal, though some sought assurances that Comcast would more forcefully address intellectual property issues.
PHILADELPHIA -- Janet Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl show “wardrobe malfunction” is still causing judicial grief. During oral argument in CBS v. FCC, a panel of judges on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seemed frustrated by a Supreme Court ruling in another indecency case that forced them to reassess their earlier decision against the agency’s indecency policy. “The judges made pretty plain … that they think they were right the first time,” said Andrew Schwartzman, Media Access Project CEO and a lawyer for an amicus party to the case. “But they are reluctant to adhere to their prior ruling in light of the Supreme Court’s decision” in Fox v. FCC which focused on indecent “fleeting words” (CD April 29 p2), he said.
The FTC and the FCC are looking for ways help the news industry fund local civic journalism but have to be careful not to pick fixes that run counter to technology such as the Internet, said Susan DeSanti, the FTC’s director of policy planning. At a Georgetown Center of Business and Public Policy event, DeSanti and other speakers discussed whether bundling news with other Web content such as sports or entertainment could help sustain civic journalism. “In general the Internet unbundles things,” DeSanti said. “Don’t fight the technology. Try to find a solution that works with it.” She said she was speaking for herself only.
Large and small companies and advocacy groups made late ex parte filings even as an FCC rulemaking notice on ex parte procedures was circulating. A review of more than 1,000 filings posted online by the commission Nov. 1 to Feb. 12 on a variety of issues found that this is a continuing practice. The rulemaking is set for a Thursday vote (CD Feb 10 p5).
The FTC and the FCC are looking for ways help the news industry fund local civic journalism but have to be careful not to pick fixes that run counter to technology such as the Internet, said Susan DeSanti, the FTC’s director of policy planning. At a Georgetown Center of Business and Public Policy event, DeSanti and other speakers discussed whether bundling news with other Web content such as sports or entertainment could help sustain civic journalism. “In general the Internet unbundles things,” DeSanti said. “Don’t fight the technology. Try to find a solution that works with it.” She said she was speaking for herself only.
CEA President Gary Shapiro on Thursday generally hailed Google’s plans to build and test ultra-high-speed broadband networks. Google announced the plans on its policy blog Wednesday.
Google plans to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks, the company said on its policy blog Wednesday. As part of the National Broadband Plan, the FCC “should build ultra high-speed broadband networks as testbeds in several communities across the country” to help the industry “learn how to bring faster and better broadband access to more people,” the company said.
Google plans to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks, the company said on its policy blog Wednesday. As part of the National Broadband Plan, the FCC “should build ultra high-speed broadband networks as testbeds in several communities across the country” to help the industry “learn how to bring faster and better broadband access to more people,” the company said.
A revised draft rulemaking on ex parte filings would require a filing any time an FCC member, aide or bureau staffer is lobbied regarding a proceeding, commission officials said. The current rules require documentation when someone from outside the FCC covers ground not included in previous filings, such as comments on proceedings. Ex parte filings are often but not always made in these situations (CD Sept 14 p1), the officials said. The documents sometimes are so brief that they don’t reveal what was discussed.