Paramount names Office of the CEO Strategic Adviser Andrew Warren as executive vice president and interim CFO, effective June 27, replacing Naveen Chopra, who departs for Roblox … NAB executive committee elects new board members: Joint Board: Collin Jones, Cumulus Media and Westwood One (chair), replacing Perry Sook, Nexstar, who remains as immediate past joint board chair; Radio Board: Chris Ornelas, Beasley Media (chair); Leonard Wheeler, Mel Wheeler Inc. (first vice chair); Allen Power, Salem Media (second vice chair); Eddie Harrell, Urban One (major group representative seat); Television Board: Nick Radziul, Hearst Television (chair); Chris Ripley, Sinclair (first vice chair); RaMona Alexander, WDBD Jackson, Mississippi (second vice chair); Dan York, Cox Media Group (third vice chair); Phil Tahtakran, NBCUniversal, appointed to designated TV network seat.

Two Texas associations this week petitioned the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals asking it to overturn a January declaratory ruling by the FCC in response to the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom previously asked the FCC to reconsider the ruling (see 2502190081), which now-Chairman Brendan Carr had opposed (see 2501160041). Commissioners approved it 3-2 in the final days of the Biden administration.

The FCC on Thursday posted the three items set for votes at the commission’s June 26 meeting, all of which are aimed at cutting regulations. It will consider cutting cable TV rules and an engineering requirement tied to the agency’s broadband data collection, as well as addressing text telephone-based telecom relay service rules.

Democratic lawmakers said at a House Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday that cuts to staffing and budgets at the FCC and FTC threaten efforts to combat robocalls and robotexts. “Republicans are regularly undermining efforts to address these threats, cutting funding and staff from the very entities that protect consumers, all to give giant tax breaks to billionaires who don’t need them,” said ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J.

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is expected in a matter of weeks in the Consumers' Research case challenging the USF contribution factor and the USF generally, even as SCOTUS wades through numerous emergency petitions from the Trump administration, industry experts said Wednesday during a Broadband Breakfast webinar. USF likely needs an overhaul, they added, but that could be difficult if the FCC loses at SCOTUS, which typically issues several high-profile decisions in June.

BEAD's universal connectivity mission is "long overdue," and getting shovels in the ground requires elimination of "unnecessary and burdensome program requirements" imposed by the Biden administration, communications industry groups said in a letter Tuesday to President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Also required is "enabl[ing] the States to move forward quickly with implementation," said the letter from USTelecom, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, NTCA, the Telecommunications Industry Association and WTA. States "should remain in the driver’s seat, empowered to use their expertise in determining the best broadband technology solutions for their residents." While multiple technologies will have a role in BEAD, the program "is a golden opportunity to drive as much fiber infrastructure as feasible into our country, which will help advance your Administration’s important connectivity, AI, and advanced manufacturing goals."

Major communications industry trade associations complained about state broadband regulations in a joint filing at the DOJ in response to a request for comments by the department’s new Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force. Like the FCC’s “Delete” proceeding, the initiative is part of the Trump administration’s push to cut regulation.

USTelecom submitted a letter to the FCC Enforcement Bureau asking for the continuing designation of its Industry Traceback Group as the registered robocall traceback consortium. Letters of intent to serve in the role were due at the FCC on Friday.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ announcement Thursday that he was attending his last commission meeting (see 2505220013) sparked renewed concerns from his supporters on and off Capitol Hill that President Donald Trump will leave his seat vacant instead of naming a party-affiliated successor. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights led another push just before Starks’ announcement for Senate leaders to delay Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty’s confirmation process until the Trump administration commits to keeping the commission staffed with two members not affiliated with the party of the sitting president.

Industry and public interest groups disagreed on a proposed California Public Utilities Commission decision that would set service quality standards for telecom. Their comments about the proposed decision, which Commissioner Darcie Houck wrote in April, were posted Monday (docket 22-03-016).