The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral argument on an industry coalition's challenge of the FCC's net neutrality order Oct. 31 at 8:30 a.m. ET (see 2408140043). The court will list the assigned judges sitting on the panel two weeks prior to argument, a letter filed Monday said (docket 24-7000).
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s admission that the White House “repeatedly pressured” the company to censor COVID-19 content is part of a broader debate about “freedom” and "authoritarianism,” FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told Fox Business on Tuesday. The White House defended its actions.
Pennsylvania should quickly adopt the FCC’s December changes to pole attachment rules, Verizon and wireless companies said in comments posted Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Some additional work may be needed to adapt the FCC’s rapid-response team, they acknowledged in docket L-2018-3002672. However, energy companies disagreed with the Pennsylvania PUC adopting either the team or a rule requiring reports on pole inspection.
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- While some states hope to have enough broadband equity, access and deployment money to also tackle adoption and affordability issues, not just infrastructure, BEAD project costs may dash those hopes, according to Nokia's Lori Adams. Separately Tuesday at NATOA’s annual local government conference, Joanne Hovis, CTC Technology & Energy president, predicted growing concerns when it becomes clear Western states lack enough BEAD money to reach 100% of locations with adequate infrastructure. Speakers also discussed issues local governments face with small cell deployment permitting.
Low-power television broadcasters and NAB don’t think the FCC should broadly apply online public file requirements to LPTV, said a host of reply comments filed in docket 24-147 by Monday’s deadline. LPTV commenters also called for looser relocation limits and power increase options. In addition, LPTV company Venture Technologies argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against Chevron deference means the FCC must allow more stations to convert to Class A status. “We believe that the FCC’s failure to allow virtually any new Class A stations for more than two decades is inconsistent with the principles established by the recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises et al. v. Raimondo,” Venture said.
ISPs challenging the FCC’s updated data breach notification rules made their case at the 6th U.S. Circuit Appeals Court about why the rule should be overturned. The filing elaborates on their argument that the agency exceeded its Communications Act authorities when it adopted the rule in December. The Ohio Telecom Association (docket 24-3133), the Texas Association of Business (docket 24-3206) and CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom (docket 24-3252) brought the challenge. The 6th Circuit is considered among the most conservative federal circuits.
Former President and current Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump referred to ABC News as “ABC FAKE NEWS” in a post on Truth Social Monday and reportedly called ABC “the single worst network for unfairness” in a campaign appearance the same day. He said ABC “really should be shut out” of hosting presidential debates and suggested he could pull out of his scheduled Sept. 10 debate on the network against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. “Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” the Truth Social post said. While in office and on the campaign trail, Trump has called for FCC action against networks and media outlets over their news content (see 2401170050). Monday, Trump also referenced an incident during the 2016 election where current ABC News contributor Donna Brazile, then Democratic National Committee interim chair, improperly aided Hillary Clinton in a CNN town hall, and reports that Disney executive Dana Walden is a friend of Harris'. “Will panelist Donna Brazil [sic] give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise.” In a later post on Truth Social, Trump also said the “FAKE NEWS MEDIA REMAINS SILENT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE WORST ADMINISTRATION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.” Disney and Harris's campaign didn't comment.
Universal Service Administrative Co. board member Daniel Domenech will resign effective Dec. 31, USAC told the FCC in a letter Friday. Domenech, who serves as the executive director of the American Association of School Administrators and represents schools and libraries eligible for USF support on the board, gave no reason for his decision in a resignation letter. USAC requested that the Wireline Bureau begin a nomination and selection process to fill the seat "in conjunction with the board members whose terms will expire on Dec. 31."
CTIA, USTelecom and the Competitive Carriers Association jointly asked that the FCC delay by three weeks the comment deadlines on a July Further NPRM on the broadband data collection process (see 2408150009). The groups asked that the initial comment deadline be delayed from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7 and the reply comment deadline moved from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5. “The FNPRM raises complex issues … that warrant a robust record from those directly impacted, including member companies of the Joint Petitioners,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-195. “Key subject matter experts at the member companies dedicated to BDC issues are currently preparing the next BDC filing” due on Sept. 3, the groups said: “The intervening Labor Day holiday further reduces the time available to respond to the multitude of system-specific questions asked in the FNPRM. A brief three-week extension is consistent with precedent, in the public interest, and warranted to afford the Joint Petitioners’ member companies sufficient time to develop a complete record.”
A West Virginia task force will consider pole attachment rules related to resolving disputes that delay broadband deployment, the state’s Public Service Commission ordered Friday. The state is considering a pre-complaint dispute resolution mechanism like that of the FCC rapid broadband assessment team, the PSC said in docket 24-0703-T-E-CTV-GI. The task force will also consider requiring utilities and pole owners to share pole inspection information with possible attachers and report periodically to the commission on rule compliance and processing applications. “The Task Force will consider issues and impediments that cause delays in processing requests for access to a utility’s poles, ducts, conduits, or rights-of-way, and recommendations to address those issues and/or impediments,” the order said. Also, the group will “consider processes for expediting pole attachment disputes that may delay broadband deployment projects.”