Political wrangling is holding Super Wi-Fi spectrum hostage. The House has tacked on amendments to its payroll tax bill that spell big trouble for the FCC and spectrum use. And a new bill in the Illinois legislature would allow people to record on-duty police in public without permission.

The Detroit Digital Justice Coalition, in partnership with Michigan State University, has been awarded $2 million in federal stimulus funds to help create a media-based economy in the city. And a team of professors at Rice University is pioneering a project to use “white spaces” to bring high-speed Internet to their community.

The FCC voted to open white spaces for public use and unlicensed devices. And the Supreme Court takes on the FCC v. Fox “fleeting expletives” case.

Public interest groups and tech innovators are cheering an FCC report that may clear the way for using empty TV channels to connect millions of people to the Internet. And dozens of small, independent magazines have been forced to shut down their operations.