On September 30, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to repeal its sports blackout rules. The outcome is a forgone conclusion - the FCC will repeal the rules.

Where There Is...

One of the most controversial issues the Federal Communications Commission will face this fall is whether it can and should preempt (i.e., invalidate) state laws that restrict their municipalities from constructing and operating their own broadband networks. This post does not address the wisdom of these projects, but rather whether the FCC has the legal authority to preempt those state laws.

With both the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission reviewing Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable, many elected officials are weighing in on the potential benefits and pitfalls of the deal. Comcast has noted that nearly 70 mayors and more than 60 additional state and local officials have gone on record as proponents of the proposed merger.

Although news about Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable started to percolate this week (and there will be much more next week – we promise), we reach back today to look at a small action taken by the Federal Communications Commission earlier this month that could lead to a loud debate down the road.