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WASHINGTON — Consumer groups today urged Congress to reject any proposals that would require automatic cable distribution of every channel local broadcasters choose to provide following the digital television transition, known as “multicast must carry.” When broadcasters are forced to switch from analog signals to digital signals, they will be able to produce up to six channels of programming for

NEW YORK — Free Press Campaign Director Timothy Karr made the following remarks today at a rally outside Verizon headquarters in Manhattan:

High-speed Internet service is no longer a luxury. As it becomes a necessity for all Americans, control of this vital service has fallen into the hands of fewer and fewer corporations.

WASHINGTON – Despite a rosy picture painted by the Federal Communications Commission, America’s access to affordable, high-speed Internet lags far behind the rest of the digital world.

WASHINGTON — Consumer groups today urged the Federal Communications Commission to establish tough new limits to keep big cable companies from growing even larger.

WASHINGTON — Ten public interest groups today released a letter they have delivered to each member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board of directors and to new CPB President Patricia Harrison.

WASHINGTON — Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, today renewed its call for Kenneth Tomlinson to resign as chair of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Ninth Circuit ruling in the Brand X case on administrative procedure grounds (i.e. Chevron deference to the agency) should be a wake up call to Congress on both procedural and policy grounds.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today ruled on two critical cases, NCTA v. Brand X and MGM v. Grokster, both of which could have a profound impact on future of the Internet. Free Press joined amici curiae briefs in both cases.

Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON — In a 284 to 140 vote today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bipartisan amendment restoring $100 million in funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. More than 80 Republicans broke rank and supported the amendment introduced by Reps. David Obey (D-Wis.), Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Jim Leach (R-Iowa).

Washington — For the first time, groups representing local governments, the high tech industry, and consumer organizations have banded together to promote community broadband choices and the right of communities to provide broadband internet services to their citizens.