By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-15-21 The FCC's Office of Economics and Analytics has issued a working paper giving the next FCC something to think about when it decides whether to allow mergers that reduce the number of station owners in a market. It is expected to be the last such working paper issued [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-14-21 The House Republican Steering Committee has picked eight new Republicans to joint the House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has principal jurisdiction over communications issues and the FCC. One of those will fill the slot of retiring former Republican ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.). New ranking member Cathy [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-13-21 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he has some issues with the permanent bans on President Trump's Twitter and Facebook accounts. In response to a question on his last press call, the chairman said he recognized the country was going through difficult times "and these are difficult questions to [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-12-21 Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and a baker's dozen Democratic members of the California congressional delegation have called on attorney general nominee Merrick Garland to make net neutrality one of his first orders of business in the new post. Garland has been a judge on the U.S. Court of [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-9-21 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who is exiting the Commission Jan. 20, said his reforms of the agency since taking over in 2017 have fundamentally changed the FCC for the better. In a virtual address to the Free State Foundation, Pai took something of a victory lap, outlining the [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-8-21 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he is not planning on issuing a rulemaking on Section 230 before he exits the Commission Jan. 20. He also said of the violence at the Capitol this week that it was a "terrible mistake" for the president to suggest the results of [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-6-21 If Democrats have their way, and holding majorities in the House and Senate and with their team in the White House, the careening of net neutrality rules between the courts and FCC could stop, but with legislation that establishes broadband access as a Title II service subject to [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-5-21 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai drew a sharp distinction between how the previous Democratic administration treated China and the current one when it comes to communications equipment and networks. That came in remarks at "A Conversation with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai" web event at the Center for Strategic and [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 1-4-21 The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau is seeking input on how to hand out over $3 billion in new broadband benefits created by Congress in the recently passed package of appropriations and COVID-19 aid funds. The $3.2-billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program was created to help low-income households access the [...]

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 12-30-20 Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) signaled Dec. 30 that the Senate would not be voting on the House-passed Bill (H.R. 9051) providing $2,000 COVID-19 relief check – a figure suggested by President Trump – essentially adding the poison pill of Sec. 230 to any vote on such relief, something Democrats [...]