Broadcasting&Cable

Limited-government groups want the Federal Communications Commission to limit the mandates in its enforcement of children's programming legislation dating from the early 1990s, while a prominent kids TV group sees it slightly differently, while agreeing changes are needed.

In advance of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint merger, the Communications Workers of America called on the companies to commit to protecting workers' rights and not eliminating jobs, and threatened to oppose the deal if they won't make that commitment. CWA conceded that the CEO of T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom, Tim Höttges, has said that the merger will create and repatriate jobs. But it wants that in a "binding" form at the Federal Communications Commission, which is vetting the deal along with the Department of Justice.

The attorneys general of Illinois, Iowa (stations from both states are involved in the deal) and Rhode Island have petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to deny the Sinclair-Tribune merger, which would give Sinclair over 200 TV stations.