February 2024

ESPN, Fox and Warner Team Up to Create Sports-Streaming Platform

ESPN, Fox, and Warner are teaming up to create a supersize sports-streaming service that will offer content from all major leagues, a deal that will reshape the sports and media landscape. The as-yet-unnamed service will be offered directly to consumers, who would be able to stream a host of channels that are heavy in live sports, including ESPN, TNT, Fox, FS1 and ABC, the companies said in a statement. Each of the companies will have one-third ownership of the new service, which is expected to launch in the fall.

FACT SHEET: As Affordable Connectivity Program Hits Milestone of Providing Affordable High-Speed Internet To 23 Million Households Nationwide, Biden-⁠Harris Administration Calls on Congress to Extend Its Funding

As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has made historic progress towards lowering costs—including internet costs—for American families across the country.

FCC Grants Waivers of ECF Service Delivery and Invoice Filing Deadlines

In this Order, we address six requests for waiver filed by Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program applicants (collectively, the Petitioners). Specifically, we waive and extend the service delivery date and/or the invoice filing deadline for the Petitioners who applied for ECF support for equipment, non-recurring services, and recurring services during the first and second application filing windows, recognizing the emergency nature of the ECF program as well as the limited, one-time funding opportunity it presents. Earlier this year, the Wireline Competition Bureau provided ECF first and

Federal Communications Commissioner Simington Speaks to Silicon Flatirons

I’m excited to talk to you about what I think will be an unsettling future reality: the accelerating move from a single Internet and technology market toward one fragmented along national borders due to concerns about digital sovereignty. There was a lot of heady idealism in the early days of the Internet. The internet was a universal, open network where people from around the world could exchange services and ideas basically without restriction.

Federal Communications Commissioner Gomez says connectivity and spectrum are her top priorities

Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez, who joined the agency in September 2023, said that her top priorities for the FCC include setting the stage for vibrant competition and promoting connectivity for every consumer. Key to that connectivity is making spectrum available, which the Commissioner said is an area of top importance.

What’s behind the speculation about a Dish bankruptcy?

There’s a lot of talk in the financial world, speculating that Dish Network will file for bankruptcy. The talk seems to be stemming from the fact that Dish has made some complicated corporate and financial maneuvers in the last few months. In late 2023, EchoStar Corporation acquired Dish Network.

Reminder of February 8, 2024 Enrollment Freeze for the ACP

The Wireline Competition Bureau reminds providers, eligible households, and all other Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) stakeholders of the upcoming enrollment freeze beginning Thursday, February 8, 2024.

News companies reverse course on hard subscriptions

News companies are reversing course on hard subscriptions—once seen as a safer alternative to the volatile ad market—in favor of flexible paywalls, membership programs and more ads. A strategy focused mainly on subscriptions requires upfront spending on premium content. That takes time to pay off—and many publishers don't have the cushion for that in the current ad slowdown. At the same time, many outlets have learned that simply throwing a paywall up over your previously free content doesn't work either. It throttles ad revenue without capturing enough new subscribers.