State net neutrality actions show a strong public rebuke of the FCC December order that took effect Monday (see 1806110054), consumer advocates said on a National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) webinar Wednesday. But a Montana commissioner and broadband industry officials dismissed efforts as politically driven and probably not effective. A Rhode Island net neutrality bill cleared a key Senate committee Tuesday and lawmakers could pass restrictions on state ISP contracts by the end of next week, said sponsor state Sen. Louis DiPalma (D) in an interview. California lawmakers plan more hearings next week.
Whether DOJ will appeal a U.S. District Court rejection of its attempt to block AT&T's $108.7 billion buy of Time Warner isn't clear, with antitrust and law experts split. "DOJ would be crazy to appeal Judge [Richard] Leon's decision," emailed Nebraska College of Law assistant professor Gus Hurwitz. But, Larry Downes, Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy project director, said Justice is more likely than not to pursue an appeal, even one it thinks it can't win, because that gives Justice leverage it trying to force the companies to agree to conditions that would mitigate anti-competitive worries.
Whether DOJ will appeal a U.S. District Court rejection of its attempt to block AT&T's $108.7 billion buy of Time Warner isn't clear, with antitrust and law experts split. "DOJ would be crazy to appeal Judge [Richard] Leon's decision," emailed Nebraska College of Law assistant professor Gus Hurwitz. But, Larry Downes, Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy project director, said Justice is more likely than not to pursue an appeal, even one it thinks it can't win, because that gives Justice leverage it trying to force the companies to agree to conditions that would mitigate anti-competitive worries.
Whether DOJ will appeal a U.S. District Court rejection of its attempt to block AT&T's $108.7 billion buy of Time Warner isn't clear, with antitrust and law experts split. "DOJ would be crazy to appeal Judge [Richard] Leon's decision," emailed Nebraska College of Law assistant professor Gus Hurwitz. But, Larry Downes, Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy project director, said Justice is more likely than not to pursue an appeal, even one it thinks it can't win, because that gives Justice leverage it trying to force the companies to agree to conditions that would mitigate anti-competitive worries.
Recent state enforcement activity for digital advertising transparency means Congress could potentially pass S-1989, the Honest Ads Act (see 1805080054) this year, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. It’s “fascinating” Google announced last week it won’t run political ads in Washington state in response to a lawsuit from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, said the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member at Tuesday's Open Markets Institute (OMI) event.
Recent state enforcement activity for digital advertising transparency means Congress could potentially pass S-1989, the Honest Ads Act (see 1805080054) this year, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. It’s “fascinating” Google announced last week it won’t run political ads in Washington state in response to a lawsuit from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, said the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member at Tuesday's Open Markets Institute (OMI) event.
Recent state enforcement activity for digital advertising transparency means Congress could potentially pass S-1989, the Honest Ads Act (see 1805080054) this year, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. It’s “fascinating” Google announced last week it won’t run political ads in Washington state in response to a lawsuit from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, said the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member at Tuesday's Open Markets Institute (OMI) event.
Congress is unlikely to overhaul Team Telecom executive branch reviews of foreign takeovers of U.S. communications assets as part of pending Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act bills (HR-4311/S-2098), said Harris Wiltshire expert Kent Bressie at an FCBA event Monday. Noting FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly suggested lawmakers consider such Team Telecom process changes in FIRRMA (see 1805150068 and 1804260029), Bressie said it doesn't appear practical to do so in a bill focused on changes to the broader Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.
The FCC Media Bureau Audio Division dismissed and denied objections to 994 FM translator applications said a letter listed in Friday’s Daily Digest. The objections were raised by Prometheus Radio Project, the Center for International Media Action and Common Frequency. The groups have filed “an undated Informal Objection to virtually every FM translator application pending” since May, the letter said. The objections are based on the argument that the Local Community Radio Act requires the FCC to ensure that equal numbers of licenses are available for low-power FM, FM translators and FM boosters in all markets, and said the FCC hasn’t acted to ensure the availability of LPFM licenses in its recent series of FM translator windows. The objections are “overbroad” and don’t include enough factual basis, the division said. “We reject Objectors’ conclusion that equality of status as secondary services necessarily implies that the Commission must ensure that all remaining available spectrum in all markets is equally apportioned,” staff said. “The consistent application of our codified FM translator and LPFM licensing rules does not constitute ‘bias’ against LPFM applications,” they said. “It merely reflects the fact that the applications in these two services are not similarly situated.” A Prometheus appeal of translator siting rules that it also saw as a threat to LPFM also was recently rejected (see 1805220073).
Federal law enforcement arresting former Senate Intelligence Committee Security Director James Wolfe on charges he lied to FBI agents about his contact with three reporters, including via encrypted messaging apps, drew widespread condemnation from journalists Friday. Radio Television Digital News Association Executive Director Dan Shelley said the officials “declared open season on journalists in their attempts to stop leaks of sensitive information.” Society of Professional Journalists National President Rebecca Baker said DOJ’s seizure of reporters’ records creates “a chilling effect between sources and journalists that prevents anyone concerned with the actions of their government from raising concerns.” The National Press Club and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers said they are seeking a meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The real victims are members of the American public who benefit from the information made possible by the work of reporters -- work that has been jeopardized by overly intrusive efforts to stop leaks,” said NPC President Andrea Edney. Wolfe disclosed he had a romantic relationship with one of the reporters but denied he disclosed information to another, but phone and email records reveal Wolfe “exchanged tens of thousands of electronic communications” with that reporter, said DOJ's indictment in U.S. District Court in Washington. The charges against Wolfe “do not appear to include anything related to the mishandling of classified information,” but Senate Intelligence “takes this matter extremely seriously,” said committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement. "We trust the justice system to act appropriately and ensure due process as this case unfolds.”