News

Sprint hired a lobbying firm with close ties to President Donald Trump’s administration on Sept. 1, adding to Sprint’s stable of federal lobbyists as it nears a deal to merge with wireless rival T-Mobile, according to disclosures filed with Congress this week.

Sinclair is controversial for its size — it’s often been compared to the radio conglomerate Clear Channel — its unabashedly right-wing politics (which it pushes in the “must-run” segments it forces all its stations to air) — and its close connections to the Trump White House.

Everyone seems to have a beef with Big Tech these days. Now we can add internet advocacy groups to the list.

Advocacy group Free Press says the FCC’s draft on the state of U.S. wireless competition leaves out key historical context.

WASHINGTON — Reuters reported on Friday that T-Mobile and Sprint are close to agreeing to merger terms. The merger, if approved, would join the third- and fourth-largest U.S. wireless companies.

While the Lifeline program was a crucial step toward providing low-income Americans with internet access, it’s also become the target of uproarious criticism.

WASHINGTON — In filings this week about the FCC’s forthcoming wireless-competition report, Free Press called out Chairman Ajit Pai for misrepresenting the state of broadband investment following the agency’s 2015 Net Neutrality ruling.

Net Neutrality advocates are planning two days of protest in Washington, D.C., this month as they fight plans to defang regulations designed to protect the open internet.

ProPublica is launching a “PAC” to scrutinize campaign ads on Facebook.

The author of a GAO report critical of the FCC’s Lifeline program said the Commission’s 2016 reforms may resolve some concerns of waste, fraud and abuse. Free Press Deputy Director Jessica Gonzalez called the report “outdated” and “sensationalized.”