News

WASHINGTON — Free Press, coordinator of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition, is calling for congressional hearings to address growing public outrage over phone company censorship policies. Last week, Verizon made headlines with its decision to ban text messages from NARAL Pro-Choice America.

WASHINGTON — Today’s New York Times reports that Verizon censored a text message from the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). The phone company is claiming that the incident was the result of “dusty internal policy.”

WASHINGTON — In testimony before the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship today, Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott will call on lawmakers to confront the lack of broadband competition that is hurting America’s small businesses in the global marketplace.

WASHINGTON — Today, in response to a complaint filed in 2006 by Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy, the Federal Communications Commission announced its intention to fine Comcast for airing a video news release (VNR) for “Nelson’s Rescue Sleep” on its CN8 news channel without identifying the sponsor.

WASHINGTON — Three leading members of Congress endorsed FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein’s call for an independent, nonpartisan task force to address the disgracefully low levels of media ownership by people of color.

CHICAGO — More than 800 people filled the headquarters of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition on Thursday night, testifying for over seven hours before the Federal Communications Commission about the negative impacts of runaway media consolidation.

CHICAGO — This week, hundreds will attend a Federal Communications Commission hearing to tell all five commissioners how media consolidation has negatively impacted Chicago’s diverse communities.

WHAT: FCC Hearing on Media Ownership
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, 4-11 p.m.
WHO: FCC Commissioners, local leaders, media representatives and concerned citizens

WASHINGTON — Public interest advocates are seeking to uncover whether industry lobbyists or White House politics unduly influenced a recent Justice Department filing against Net Neutrality — the longstanding principle that prevents phone and cable companies from discriminating against Web sites and services.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Broadcasters has announced its intention to derail efforts to use valuable but unused broadcast airwaves — known as ‘white spaces’ — for unlicensed, wireless broadband. Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott issued the following statement:

CHICAGO — The Federal Communications Commission will hold its fifth official media ownership hearing on Sept. 20 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters on Chicago’s South Side. The hearing will offer Chicago residents a rare opportunity to voice concerns to all five FCC commissioners about the nation’s lack of diverse media owners.