By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-24-21 For the first time in a decade, bills that would provide greater public access to the courts via the media, including streaming, have cleared an important hurdle. That came at a markup in the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday (June 24). According to Fix the Court, which has been [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-23-21 The House Judiciary Committee Wednesday (June 23) began marking up a host of Big Tech-targeted antitrust bills that tech companies have labeled a threat to freedom of speech and an existential threat to U.S. competitiveness. The package includes over a half dozen bills, including one whose name suggests [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-22-21 Add every state broadcasters’ association to the list of those arguing that a recent court ruling requires the Federal Communications Commission to reform its regulatory-fee process and start levying charges on those who benefit from agency work – and not just those, like broadcasters, that hold FCC licenses. [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-22-21 The FCC has unanimously voted to adopt changes to its rules to allow the importation and shipping of a limited number of 5G communications and other devices before they have secured FCC approval. The Commission had already voted unanimously last December to propose the changes. “Since the 1970s, [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-22-21 The association representing tech giants including Amazon, Facebook and Google, is calling on Congress to delay consideration of antitrust bills aimed squarely at its members. The bill package was introduced less than two weeks ago. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a markup for Wednesday, June 23, at [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-18-21 Cable broadband operators said the FCC should not extend emergency alert system (EAS) warning requirements to Internet service providers or streaming services, arguing that the combination of already required broadcast, cable, and wireless alerts “are more than sufficient to convey timely and relevant emergency and public safety information [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-17-21 The FCC has proposed revising its equipment authorization and competitive bidding rules to better keep untrustworthy entities out of U.S. networks. The Commission voted unanimously at its June 17 public meeting to approve a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and notice of inquiry (NOI) to better protect U.S. [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-16-21 House Republicans have added a third "pillar “to their Big Tech Accountability Platform, this one dealing with China. The other parts of the platform, announced earlier this year, deal with responsibility and power. House Energy & Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) informed her fellow House [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-16-21 A bipartisan bill has been introduced that would prevent the use of private, as well as public, funds to purchase suspect tech for U.S. networks. The FCC, under the direction of Congress, published a list of tech suppliers deemed national security threats and prohibited the use of federal [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 6-16-21 Senate Commerce Committee members Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) have re-introduced a bill that would standardize the definition of high-speed fixed broadband in government subsidy programs. The Broadband Parity Act, which the pair introduced in the last Congress, would tell the FCC to get together [...]