News

WASHINGTON –– Late Friday night before the holiday weekend, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it plans to vote on an order requiring television broadcasters to put their public inspection files online, including important political advertising records. The item was listed in the agency’s tentative agenda for its April 27th open meeting.

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the Media Access Project announced that it will suspend operations in May.

WASHINGTON — A House subcommittee is scheduled to vote later today on the Global Online Freedom Act, a bill that seeks to prevent U.S. companies from helping repressive regimes censor and spy on their citizens. The legislation would also require Internet providers and search engines to disclose their policies for cooperating with censorship requests from “Internet restricting countries.”

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration released a long-awaited report that explores options to repurpose some frequencies currently used by the government for wireless broadband use.

WASHINGTON — On Monday, Comcast confirmed that it will not count the video content that its customers view through an Xbox 360 against their monthly 250 GB data caps.

WASHINGTON — On Monday, several members of Congress proposed amendments to the so-called FCC Reform Act (H.R. 3309) that is moving through the House of Representatives. All amendments are subject to the House Rules Committee’s approval to determine if they will be attached to the bill. Decisions on the amendments are expected to be made by 5 p.m. today.

WASHINGTON — Free Press Policy Adviser Joel Kelsey will testify Wednesday on behalf of Free Press before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday at its open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission opened a proceeding to consider interference claims and interoperability requirements for the Lower 700 MHz spectrum band. Congress and the FCC reclaimed these airwaves from TV broadcasters and then auctioned them off to mobile providers in 2008.

WASHINGTON – On Monday evening, the Federal Communications Commission released two decisions to implement the Local Community Radio Act passed by Congress in December 2010. These orders clear space for Low Power FM stations to provide opportunities for community radio in every market, and they propose rules for beginning to license such LPFM stations.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would require Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks to submit more detailed materials into the record about their proposed spectrum deal and joint marketing agreements.