Ownership

Back in 2016, the giant cable company Charter Communications made several promises required by federal regulators as conditions for the approval of a merger deal that would make Charter even more gargantuan. Are you shocked that, now that the merger has long been completed, Charter is asking the Federal Communications Commission to rescind some of those conditions? Me neither. Especially given that the result of any such FCC action would be to allow Charter, which operates its cable and broadband systems under the Spectrum brand, to raise prices on many of its internet users. 

Technology is part of the tug of war between the United States and China. But let me offer some advice: When you hear an American technology executive mention China, put on your hmmmm face. Ditto when you hear a US government official talk about China in the context of technology. US tech companies love to suggest that anything that hurts them somehow opens the door to China’s technology dominance.

The House Commerce Committee advanced seven communications bills and one House resolution to the full House of Representatives.

Digital-native news outlets – those “born on the web” – have seen a wave of cuts since the outbreak of the coronavirus as financial troubles continue to roil the news media. Quartz laid off 80 staffers as its advertising revenue declined by over half. BuzzFeed shut down its divisions in the UK and Australia while furloughing dozens in the United States, and Vox furloughed about 100. The Outline has shut down entirely. Here are key facts about digital-native news organizations. All data predates the current downturn related to the coronavirus:

In comments submitted to the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee as they develop their party platforms for 2020, New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) made recommendations on the following:

It appears the US Justice Department and a group of state attorneys general likely will file antitrust lawsuits against Alphabet Inc.’s Google for an array of anti-competitive practices in its search and 

DISH has completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of Boost Mobile.

The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission issued new Vertical Merger Guidelines that outline how the federal antitrust agencies evaluate the likely competitive impact of mergers and whether those mergers comply with US antitrust law.

Windstream has asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve the transfer of its licenses to a restructured company so it can get out of bankruptcy. The approval will require a limited FCC rule waiver for the two-step restructuring Windstream has set up. The FCC has put that restructuring plan out for comment on whether it should grant the waiver and transfers, with comments due July 9 and replies July 16. The company filed for bankruptcy last February. It has set up the restructuring in two phases.

T-Mobile and Sprint completed their merger on April 1. And now — no surprise to the deal’s opponents — the merged company is already reneging on some of conditions regulators imposed to approve the deal. Most recently T-Mobile has moved to overturn several conditions imposed by the California Public Utilities Commission, including at least one the company specifically promised Atty. Gen.