News

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.

WASHINGTON – Occupy Wall Street organizers and activists have planned a day of protests for this Tuesday, and Free Press is calling on local, state and federal policymakers to ensure that the rights of all people to record and document these activities are protected.

WASHINGTON — According to press reports Monday, the popular website Hulu will move to an authentication system similar to the “TV Everywhere” model large cable providers like Comcast favor. Hulu will now allow only those with a cable TV subscription to access its broadband video content.

WASHINGTON – On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission voted to require television broadcasters to make their public and political files available online. Stations are already required by law to maintain these files, but up until now they were available only in paper form.

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, in an unexpected evening vote, the House of Representatives voted 248-168 to pass the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), the controversial bill that would give the government and companies virtually unlimited power to track people online.