News

WASHINGTON – As part of its 2010 review of media ownership rules, the Federal Communications Commission will hold a public hearing on the impact of media consolidation and technological innovation on journalism on Friday, May 21, at Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif.

WASHINGTON – Public interest groups from across the political spectrum are urging the Federal Communications Commission to take steps to protect consumers in retransmission disputes between broadcasters and cable companies.

WASHINGTON — Media Access Project (MAP), the Institute for Public Representation (IPR), and a coalition of public interest organizations including Free Press filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit today, stating that the Federal Communications Commission’s 2008 decision to significantly weaken its media ownership rules was unreasonable and against the law.

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) introduced a bill that would block the FCC’s recent proposal for light touch oversight of Internet providers, a proposal that would protect Internet users and ensure that the agency could carry out key parts of the National Broadband Plan.

WASHINGTON – In remarks at the Free Press policy summit on Tuesday, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn called for public hearings on the proposed Comcast-NBC merger, stressing the importance of a conversation with communities.

WASHINGTON – AT&T front group Americans for Prosperity announced a $1.4 million advertising plan to try to convince Americans that the Federal Communications Commission is plotting to “take over the Internet.”

WASHINGTON — Remarks by Josh Silver, president and CEO of Free Press, at the Free Press Summit: Ideas to Action in Washington, D.C.:

WASHINGTON — Remarks by S. Derek Turner, research director at Free Press, at the Free Press Summit: Ideas to Action in Washington, D.C.:

WASHINGTON — Remarks by Joe Torres, government relations manager of Free Press, at the Free Press Summit: Ideas to Action in Washington, D.C.: Last year, a Washington Post profile of FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn stated that she had never spent more than two consecutive weeks outside of South Carolina prior to moving to D.C. to join the Commission.

WASHINGTON — A new policy paper from Free Press called New Public Media: A Plan for Action presents a series of creative policies and proposes reforms to support quality news reporting in local communities and to build a world-class noncommercial media system in America.