News

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said that he generally supports data caps and tiered broadband pricing plans. The chairman’s comments came during an interview at the Cable Show with former FCC Chairman Michael Powell, now the top lobbyist with the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the National Association of Broadcasters filed a petition with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the Federal Communications Commission’s April order requiring broadcasters to put their political file information online.

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, Comcast announced plans to raise its data caps from 250 GB per month to 300 GB in some areas. The company said it would also impose new overage charges on customers who exceed those caps.

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, media giant Media General announced that it would sell its 63 newspapers to Berkshire Hathaway for $142 million.

WASHINGTON — According to press reports, Sen. Jim DeMint and Rep. Doug Lamborn are circulating letters in the Senate and House to drum up a new round of opposition to public media. The letters propose cutting all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its nearly 1,300 local stations, arguing that the $445 million CPB budget is an “enormous” cost to taxpayers.

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Free Press sent a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller that praises the senator for requesting that British authorities share any information they have uncovered about violations of United States law during their investigation of News Corp. and its subsidiaries.

WASHINGTON – On Monday, the Senate confirmed Ajit Pai and Jessica Rosenworcel as the newest members of the Federal Communications Commission.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, nine leading free speech and digital rights groups called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to focus attention on the alarming number of arrests of people documenting Occupy protests.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order directing Comcast to stop denying Bloomberg placement in Comcast’s “news” neighborhoods. The ruling is in response to Bloomberg’s complaint filed last June.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Ars Technica reported that Sony Vice President and General Manager Michael Aragon expressed concern about Comcast’s discriminatory data cap policies. Aragon said that Sony is having second thoughts about starting its own online video service.