When a public figure makes a statement violating Twitter rules, the platform doesn’t remove the post in order to allow public discussion and scrutiny, which was the case with President Donald Trump’s recent comments about looting (see 2006160059), Director-Global Public Policy Strategy and Development Nick Pickles told House Intelligence Committee Democrats Thursday.
TV stations are starting to see a gradual improvement in advertising, but the future remains uncertain, said broadcast executives and S&P Global Market Intelligence analyst Robin Flynn during a teleconferenced 2020 Kagan Media Summit Thursday. The second day of the COVID-19 version of the summit is set for June 25.
There’s “emerging consensus” the next Senate-side COVID-19 aid bill will include funding to bolster E-rate and other broadband initiatives, Incompas CEO Chip Pickering said Thursday. Some GOP lawmakers voiced growing interest in including broadband funding in coming pandemic legislation since House passage last month of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). President Donald Trump’s administration recently narrowed the scope of their desires for a fourth major aid measure (see 2006050058).
A fiber outage caused nationwide problems on T-Mobile’s network Monday, but only about 20% of customers were affected, said President-Technology Neville Ray at a Wells Fargo virtual conference Thursday. “We’re very sorry for the occurrence,” he said: “We have to do better.” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai also spoke, but that wasn't streamed (see 2006160058).
Some 800 ISPs suspended broadband data caps during the FCC's Keep Americans Connected pledge. In many cases, they'll be back after KAC expires at month's end, experts said in interviews. Data caps aren't directly part of the commitment. The agency did urge ISPs to "relax" them. Providers including AT&T and Comcast opted to provide unlimited data through the pledge. Asked what happens after June 30, they and numerous other major providers, plus the FCC, didn't comment Thursday.
Ligado's L-band terrestrial wireless plan had the backing of NTIA's technical staff and the DOD Chief Information Office, and NTIA's opposition seemingly was political, said Ligado in a letter Thursday to House and Senate Commerce Committee members. Defense emailed us that the entire DOD is opposed to the Ligado plan. "The Executive Branch’s views are publicly available in the FCC’s docketed proceeding," NTIA said.
A California proposal to require 72-hour backup power at many cellsites would help in wildfires and public safety power shutoffs, local government officials told us this week. The California Public Utilities Commission may vote July 16 on a proposed decision giving wireless providers 12 months to deploy generators in tier 2 and 3 high-fire-threat districts (see 2006110071). Generators that last days are better than batteries that last hours, and localities don't mind giving some leeway to industry in places where deploying is difficult, the local officials said.
Telecom, media and technology companies eager to respond to the Black Lives Matter protests should do more than release statements, experts told us this and last week: Companies should reflect on their own cultures to ensure hiring, retention and promotion practices align with values they espouse.
It appears there are enough votes for the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance bipartisan, Section 230 legislation for combating child exploitation, Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told us Wednesday (see 2003110070). If Earn It Act (see 2003050066) co-sponsor Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is in favor, Graham will move to a vote: “I think we’ve got the votes, and I’m going to sit down with Sen. Blumenthal right after we do the policing [legislation] stuff, and if he’s ready to go, I’m ready to go.”
Former Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and current Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel are considered among front-runners to take the FCC chair if Joe Biden is elected president in November. Industry officials cautioned in interviews this and last week that when the White House changes hands, the selection is usually a surprise and someone with ties to the new president. Biden also knows a lot of people after decades in Washington.