FCBA Sticks With All but 1 Event Amid Coronavirus; FTC, DOJ Mum on M&A Events
FCBA postponed one program and is sticking with all others for now. The coronavirus prompted conferences and other gatherings to go virtual or be put off (see 2003050069). Thursday's FCBA International Telecom Committee brown bag lunch with wireless and international…
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aides to FCC members will be rescheduled for a date to be determined soon, the event webpage said. "Due to the availability and limitations of the FCC staff, we’ve decided it best to reschedule," emailed FCBA Executive Director Kerry Loughney. She told us Friday she hopes the group's "other events will move forward." The commission last week suspended "until further notice any FCC involvement in non-critical large gatherings that involve participants from across the country and/or around the world." See our news bulletin. The agency didn't comment now. Many are watching whether the FCC sends commissioners and staffers to the NAB Show next month (see 2003060047). FCBA lists eight future events through next month that haven't been postponed. The organization livestreamed a Friday program on Congressional Budget Office scoring of FCC spectrum auctions (see 2003060053) for commission staff, in addition to holding it in person as had been planned. Brattle Group principal Coleman Bazelon, who led the presentation, said FCC staff who had registered to attend “were told that they’re not supposed to go to public gatherings anymore.” Bazelon noted he went to the agency’s headquarters Wednesday and was asked both about his travel during the previous two weeks and “if I was planning to” travel to any locations where coronavirus outbreaks have occurred. DOJ and the FTC had scheduled a Wednesday event on their draft vertical mergers and acquisitions guidelines, and another March 18. There has been no word on whether those gatherings would occur, and the agencies didn't comment. We filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the FTC Friday seeking such details.