News

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Comcast filed documents at the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to approve its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable. If the deal is approved, Comcast will become the dominant cable company for two-thirds of the country and it will control over half of the nation’s next-generation broadband customers.

WASHINGTON — In testimony before the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood will speak out in favor of consumer safeguards that promote diversity and choice in America’s video marketplace.

WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission moved for the first time in three decades to roll back media consolidation.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Free Press and 41 freedom of speech, open government, journalism and public interest groups sent a letter urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler to reclassify broadband access services to protect freedom of expression online.

WASHINGTON — In testimony before Congress on Wednesday, Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood will speak out against a House bill that would strip the Federal Communications Commission of its ability to crack down against serious and ongoing violations of its local television-station multiple ownership rule.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that the agency will take a closer look at television station “sharing arrangements.” These agreements allow a single conglomerate to control multiple stations in the same market, skirting FCC rules that are supposed to preserve independence and diversity on the airwaves.

WASHINGTON — Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood will testify before Congress today that the little competition that exists in the U.S. wireless market is a result of smart intervention from antitrust authorities and the Federal Communications Commission.

On Sunday, Netflix reached an interconnection agreement with Comcast to ensure its videos would be streamed directly to consumers. The deal ends the standoff that had led to poor performance of Netflix offerings to Comcast customers. The Wall Street Journal reported that the deal involved Netflix paying Comcast to deliver traffic onto its network.

On Thursday, the Justice Department sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission noting that broadcast-television station-sharing arrangements harm competition and deserve a far closer degree of scrutiny.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission announced it will seek input on whether the agency has the authority to prevent phone and cable companies from blocking or otherwise discriminating against content online.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s statement is the agency’s response to a Jan. 14 federal appeals court ruling that recognized the importance of Net Neutrality protections but struck down the FCC’s flawed legal theory for adopting those rules.