Who owns, controls, or influences media and telecommunications outlets.
Ownership
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for Nov 2019 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the Open FCC Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Nov 19, 2019:
Technology Companies Target the Cord Cutters
Facebook is getting deeper into the wireless business. It isn’t buying a cellular provider or even licenses to use federally controlled airwaves. Instead, it has built networking technology that equipment makers and internet providers can license free of charge that helps provide home internet connections through wireless service instead of running fiber to each home.
ALA denounces Amazon, Macmillan in response to Congressional inquiry on competition in digital markets
Current practices by content publishers and distributors in digital markets limit libraries’ ability to deliver core services, according to a new report from the American Library Association (ALA).
Mark Zuckerberg and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day on Capitol Hill
Sixty different politicians had five minutes each to grill Zuckerberg about whatever they wanted, and they jumped at the opportunity to try and test him. Congress came across as prepared, serious, and thoughtful. While the hearing was supposed to be about Facebook’s push to create a new digital currency called Libra, about half of the back and forth centered on other topics, from its controversial political ads policy to Facebook’s record on diversity to particular congresspeople’s pet
Will the Sprint and T-Mobile merger create competition?
A Q&A with Benton Senior Fellow Gigi Sohn.
Democratic House Commerce Committee Leaders Seek Answers from FCC on Its Order Ignoring Court's Media Ownership Decision
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr.
Forty-six attorneys general have joined a New York-led antitrust investigation into Facebook
Forty-six attorneys general have joined a New York-led antitrust investigation into Facebook, raising the stakes in a sweeping bipartisan probe of the tech giant that could result in massive changes to its business practices.
Attorney General’s office secures 2,000 jobs, statewide 5G network deployment under agreements with Dish, T-Mobile
Dish Network will locate its new wireless headquarters with at least 2,000 full-time employees in Colorado and T-Mobile will significantly build out a statewide 5G network, particularly in rural areas, under agreements the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced today. The companies agree to pay up to a total of $100 million if they fail to meet these commitments. Because of the substantial benefits that Coloradans will gain from these commitments, the Attorney General’s Office will end its participation in a multistate lawsuit it joined in June to halt the T-Mobile and Sprint merger.
News (Of Sorts) From the FCC
Two stories from the Federal Communications Commission caught our eye this week. One gained lots of headlines. The second is a bit of inside baseball but could turn out to be big news down the line. Both impact the deployment of broadband and closing the digital divide. FCC commissioners have voted to approve T-Mobile's acquisition of Sprint.