Commissioner Geoffrey Starks lent support to a call from House Commerce Committee Vice Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., for the FCC to begin collecting data on the broadcast workforce's racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Such information could “empower” the agency to improve its oversight of the industry, Clarke and Van Hollen wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Friday. The lawmakers said they were concerned the FCC hadn't been collecting the diversity information since 2004, when it first considered reinstating Form 395-B, saying the absence of that data “limited” the agency's ability to “evaluate” potential discrimination by broadcasters. “When Congress codified Form 395-B collection, our hope was that this data could empower the FCC to better evaluate its [equal employment opportunity] rules, while also providing policymakers and researchers with valuable insights regarding diversity in broadcasting,” Van Hollen and Clarke said. "Over time, the importance of these objectives has only increased.” They requested a “detailed summary of your reasoning, as well as an explanation regarding why you chose not to refresh the record” on the form's reinstatement given the FCC's current reconsideration of the issue (see 1904290176). Starks and fellow Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel were pushing for the FCC to consider EEO enforcement amid February approval of an item eliminating midterm EEO reports (see 1902140053). “For 20 years, the FCC has ignored a statutory mandate to collect broadcast workforce diversity data,” Starks tweeted Friday. “I proposed steps to conclude a 15-year-old EEO rulemaking and was inexplicably denied. I’ll keep asking.”
The FCC is looking at revoking Communications Act Section 214 certifications of China Unicom and China Telecom, Chairman Ajit Pai said after the commissioners’ meeting Thursday. Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny China Mobile’s long-standing Section 214 application. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, as expected (see 1905060057), said the FCC is going too little to shore up 5G security.
Commissioners disagreed on the significance of an NPRM reallocating the 1675-1680 MHz band for 5G, approved 5-0 at Thursday's meeting. Ligado, which wants to combine the spectrum with other bands it controls, has pushed for the NPRM, but still has work to do before it can make 40 MHz available for 5G. The company is hoping for FCC action this summer on its broader license modification proposal, officials said. The band must be shared with weather satellites.
The FCC is looking at revoking Communications Act Section 214 certifications of China Unicom and China Telecom, Chairman Ajit Pai said after the commissioners’ meeting Thursday. Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny China Mobile’s long-standing Section 214 application. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, as expected (see 1905060057), said the FCC is going too little to shore up 5G security.
NTIA Administrator David Redl resigned Thursday, prompting speculation among communications sector officials and lobbyists about his reasons for leaving. Most were confident Redl's departure won't hinder NTIA's ongoing work, though they also believe the agency is probably unlikely to have another permanent head before the 2020 election. Redl had led the agency for about 18 months. The Senate confirmed him in November 2017 (see 1711070084).
NTIA Administrator David Redl resigned Thursday, prompting speculation among communications sector officials and lobbyists about his reasons for leaving. Most were confident Redl's departure won't hinder NTIA's ongoing work, though they also believe the agency is probably unlikely to have another permanent head before the 2020 election. Redl had led the agency for about 18 months. The Senate confirmed him in November 2017 (see 1711070084).
An equal employment opportunity enforcement item listed as circulated to FCC commissioners’ offices is the draft Further NPRM on EEO enforcement announced by Chairman Ajit Pai during the FCC’s February approval of an item eliminating midterm EEO reports (see 1902140053), FCC officials told us Monday. Pai promised the FNRPM as a compromise in response to a request from Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks; it was the latter’s first full-length meeting as a commissioner. Though Starks and Rosenworcel sought a 30-day turnaround, Pai promised it within 90 days of EEO order adoption. Pai said then the FNPRM would seek broad comment on the agency’s EEO enforcement, while Starks and Rosenworcel hoped for comments on the agency’s collection of EEO data. Starks and Rosenworcel said in February the agency should take the final steps to begin collecting data on workforce diversity and resolve a 15-year-old open proceeding. In the midterm report EEO order, the FNPRM was described as seeking comment on the FCC’s “track record” on EEO enforcement and “how the agency can make improvements to EEO compliance and enforcement.”
New Jersey’s failure to spend money tagged for 911 to upgrade an aging backbone network is delaying potentially life-saving next-generation features, local government officials said in interviews. Some counties years ago upgraded local systems and equipment to be NG-911 capable. They can’t use them to their full potential until the state modernizes its network integrating local public safety answering points (PSAPs). New Jersey probably would have enough money for upgrades if it stopped moving 911 fee revenue, they said.
New Jersey’s failure to spend money tagged for 911 to upgrade an aging backbone network is delaying potentially life-saving next-generation features, local government officials said in interviews. Some counties years ago upgraded local systems and equipment to be NG-911 capable. They can’t use them to their full potential until the state modernizes its network integrating local public safety answering points (PSAPs). New Jersey probably would have enough money for upgrades if it stopped moving 911 fee revenue, they said.
Public safety issues rarely dominate the agenda of any FCC chairmen, as in 2004 when one of the biggest focuses of then-Chairman Michael Powell was the 800 MHz rebanding, aimed at protecting safety users from interference. Four years later, then-Chairman Kevin Martin pushed through a failed plan to reallocate the 700 MHz D block for public safety. The main contender, Frontline, dropped its pursuit of the band, which went unsold at auction but now is part of FirstNet. Every chairman since has focused on a few public safety issues.