The FCC’s role in encouraging Time Warner Cable and CBS to reach a retransmission consent agreement was likely very minimal, said consumer advocates and cable industry professionals in interviews Tuesday. The agreement disclosed Monday between the companies ended a month-long blackout of CBS programming to Time Warner Cable customers in eight markets. Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn urged media companies on both sides of retrans deals to accept shared responsibility when disputes affect customers (CD Sept 2 Special Report). The resolution shows that the FCC shouldn’t intervene in such disputes, a broadcast attorney said.
The Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee field hearing will feature FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel among its witnesses. The group includes representatives from AT&T, Comcast, CenturyLink, Cox Communications, the Arkansas Educational Television Network, Windstream, SuddenLink, Arkansas Broadcasting Association, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Fast Access for Students, Teachers and Economic Results and Arkansas Research and Educational Optical Network. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., the subcommittee’s chairman, released the list of witnesses Thursday (http://1.usa.gov/1cQzv8e). The hearing will take place in Little Rock’s Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas board room Monday at 9 a.m. CDT. Arkansas “has stepped up when it comes to broadband deployment, but we need to continue the momentum,” Pryor said in a statement. “I'm looking forward to hearing directly from businesses and officials about how we can work together to connect Arkansans to the Internet and all the benefits that come with it.” The subcommittee will approach these witnesses in three panels, said its website (http://1.usa.gov/16f2Rbe).
The Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee field hearing will feature FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel among its witnesses. The group includes representatives from AT&T, Comcast, CenturyLink, Cox Communications, the Arkansas Educational Television Network, Windstream, SuddenLink, Arkansas Broadcasting Association, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Fast Access for Students, Teachers and Economic Results and Arkansas Research and Educational Optical Network. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., the subcommittee’s chairman, released the list of witnesses Thursday (http://1.usa.gov/1cQzv8e). The hearing will take place in Little Rock’s Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas board room Monday at 9 a.m. CDT. Arkansas “has stepped up when it comes to broadband deployment, but we need to continue the momentum,” Pryor said in a statement. “I'm looking forward to hearing directly from businesses and officials about how we can work together to connect Arkansans to the Internet and all the benefits that come with it.” The subcommittee will approach these witnesses in three panels, said its website (http://1.usa.gov/16f2Rbe).
Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn’s affirmation she might consider FCC involvement in the retransmission dispute between Time Warner Cable and CBS could add pressure to the parties to reach a resolution that would restore the broadcaster’s stations to the operator’s lineup, said some consumer advocates and broadcast attorneys in interviews Monday. Clyburn and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel expressed their concern for the affected customers after Friday’s FCC monthly meeting (CD Aug 12 p1). The statement from Clyburn counters the stance that previous chairmen have taken on the commission’s authority to act, said consumer groups that want retrans rules changed. NAB opposed further government involvement in the retrans consent process.
By a 2-1 vote, the FCC adopted an interim prison phone rate cap of 21 cents a minute for debit and pre-paid calls, and 25 cents a minute for collect calls -- reducing the cost of a 15-minute call from as much as $17 to less than $4. “A change has finally come,” said acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn. Rates weren’t made as low as the petitioner sought, and the order had aroused controversy within the agency before it was adopted, with Commissioner Ajit Pai dissenting, as expected (CD Aug 9 p1).
Gary Epstein, head of the FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force, Friday laid out in more detail than before the commission’s next steps on an incentive auction of broadcast TV spectrum. Commissioner Ajit Pai warned that if the FCC doesn’t get repacking rules right, the auction could be a bust.
Gary Epstein, head of the FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force, on Friday laid out in more detail than before the commission’s next steps on an incentive auction of broadcast TV spectrum. Commissioner Ajit Pai warned that if the FCC doesn’t get repacking rules right, the auction could be a bust.
The White House announcement Thursday that Mike O'Rielly would be the nominee as the next Republican member of the FCC, replacing Robert McDowell (CD Aug 2 p1), was welcomed by most industry associations Friday. In a twist, some industry lobbyists told us they now believe the Senate could move more quickly than expected to confirm O'Rielly and Democrat Tom Wheeler, designated to be the next chairman of the agency. Industry officials also said they're hearing that acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn may move the scheduled Sept. 27 FCC meeting to the previous week, which would give her a final meeting as head of the commission and save Wheeler from having to chair a meeting in what could be his first few days at the agency.
The White House announcement Thursday that Mike O'Rielly would be the nominee as the next Republican member of the FCC, replacing Robert McDowell, was welcomed by most industry associations Friday. In a twist, some industry lobbyists told us they now believe the Senate could move more quickly than expected to confirm O'Rielly and Democrat Tom Wheeler, designated to be the next chairman of the agency. Industry officials also said they're hearing that acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn may move the scheduled Sept. 27 FCC meeting to the previous week, which would give her a final meeting as head of the commission and save Wheeler from having to chair a meeting in what could be his first few days at the agency.
The FCC released a lengthy NPRM exploring the future use of 1755-1780 MHz and three other spectrum bands -- 1695-1710, 2020-2025 and 2155-2180 MHz. The NPRM, which circulated before the July 4 holiday (CD July 16 p4), was released Tuesday night. It wraps together into a document that runs 102 pages many of the requests various parties have made on the spectrum as well as various developments from the federal government. It treats all the bands together as Advanced Wireless Services-3 spectrum. The commission approved the NPRM 3-0, though Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai voted to approve in part and concur in part.