House Judiciary Committee member Doug Collins, R-Ga., will be the next Congressional Creative Rights Caucus co-chairman, he said in a statement Thursday. Collins will replace outgoing caucus co-chairman and House IP Judiciary Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, R-N.C., as the caucus’s top Republican. House Judiciary Committee member Judy Chu, D-Calif., will continue as the top Democrat on the caucus. “I’ve admired Congresswoman Chu’s expertise and passion about creative rights issues since I got to Congress two years ago,” said Collins: “If we can start with raising that kind of awareness, I know our legislative goals will fall into place.” Collins is the sponsor of the Songwriter Equity Act (HR-4079) (see 1406190093) and a co-sponsor of the Respecting Senior Performers as Essential Cultural Treasures Act (HR-4772) (see 1410090092). Chu is a co-sponsor of both bills. The Copyright Alliance and SoundExchange are hosting an event at 5 p.m. Monday in Rayburn 2237 to announce Collins’ new position, said a spokeswoman.

House Judiciary Committee member Doug Collins, R-Ga., will be the next Congressional Creative Rights Caucus co-chairman, he said in a statement Thursday. Collins will replace outgoing caucus co-chairman and House IP Judiciary Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, R-N.C., as the caucus’s top Republican. House Judiciary Committee member Judy Chu, D-Calif., will continue as the top Democrat on the caucus. “I’ve admired Congresswoman Chu’s expertise and passion about creative rights issues since I got to Congress two years ago,” said Collins: “If we can start with raising that kind of awareness, I know our legislative goals will fall into place.” Collins is the sponsor of the Songwriter Equity Act (HR-4079) (see 1406190093) and a co-sponsor of the Respecting Senior Performers as Essential Cultural Treasures Act (HR-4772) (see 1410090092). Chu is a co-sponsor of both bills. The Copyright Alliance and SoundExchange are hosting an event at 5 p.m. Monday in Rayburn 2237 to announce Collins’ new position, said a spokeswoman.

Going into more detail about the issues he sees facing a Title II approach than he has said publicly, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told public interest advocates that the agency would have to grapple with its legal authority to impose net neutrality rules on wireless, given a section of the Communications Act that some say prohibits treating mobile as common carriers, said three people who attended the Nov. 10 meeting. Wheeler also raised questions about the impact reclassification would have on privacy, according to the attendees, as well as an issue commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai brought up Friday at a Free State Foundation panel discussion on net neutrality: Would broadband providers have to begin paying into the USF?

Going into more detail about the issues he sees facing a Title II approach than he has said publicly, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told public interest advocates that the agency would have to grapple with its legal authority to impose net neutrality rules on wireless, given a section of the Communications Act that some say prohibits treating mobile as common carriers, said three people who attended the Nov. 10 meeting. Wheeler also raised questions about the impact reclassification would have on privacy, according to the attendees, as well as an issue commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai brought up Friday at a Free State Foundation panel discussion on net neutrality: Would broadband providers have to begin paying into the USF?

A draft NPRM to change the definition of a multichannel video programming distributor to include linear over-the-top video providers will receive broad bipartisan and “bi-industry” support, said FCC Special Counsel for External Affairs Gigi Sohn. The item appeals to broadcasters and cable providers because it will allow more retransmission consent deals and more options for cable companies to provide content, she told the Practising Law Institute's Communications Law in the Digital Age seminar Thursday. Sohn, NAB Executive Vice President Strategic Planning Rick Kaplan, Paul Hastings attorney Sherrese Smith and other panelists also discussed net neutrality, the commission's new rules for joint sales agreements, and the incentive auction.

A draft NPRM to change the definition of a multichannel video programming distributor to include linear over-the-top video providers will receive broad bipartisan and “bi-industry” support, said FCC Special Counsel for External Affairs Gigi Sohn. The item appeals to broadcasters and cable providers because it will allow more retransmission consent deals and more options for cable companies to provide content, she told the Practising Law Institute's Communications Law in the Digital Age seminar Thursday. Sohn, NAB Executive Vice President Strategic Planning Rick Kaplan, Paul Hastings attorney Sherrese Smith and other panelists also discussed net neutrality, the commission's new rules for joint sales agreements, and the incentive auction.

The U.S. government needs to re-evaluate how it conducts its surveillance activities, tech industry officials and privacy advocates told the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board at a PCLOB hearing Wednesday. The panelists said total anonymity isn’t possible, but surveillance programs should be targeted and consumers should have a right to know how the federal government and tech companies collect data. As consumer awareness of such surveillance grows, so will industry’s investment in encryption technologies, they said.

NAB filed comments Wednesday in support of various petitions for reconsideration by broadcasters urging the agency to make sure broadcasters don’t pay a price if they're forcibly relocated if they don’t sell their licenses in the TV incentive auction. Some 31 parties filed recon petitions on the order in September (see 1409170044). CTIA also filed comments Wednesday, opposing some petitions for reconsideration while supporting others.

The U.S. government needs to re-evaluate how it conducts its surveillance activities, tech industry officials and privacy advocates told the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board at a PCLOB hearing Wednesday. The panelists said total anonymity isn’t possible, but surveillance programs should be targeted and consumers should have a right to know how the federal government and tech companies collect data. As consumer awareness of such surveillance grows, so will industry’s investment in encryption technologies, they said.

Attorneys for T-Mobile and Roswell, Georgia, faced tough questions from Supreme Court justices Monday, as the court heard a case on the 1996 Telecom Act and the denial of a permit to build a wireless tower. Justices indicated that the court might hand down a discrete opinion, deciding only the very narrow issue presented by T-Mobile.