Federal and state response to the COVID-19 pandemic sped adoption of telehealth technologies, said panelists at a Brookings Institution webinar. Quick support from Congress, the FCC and Department of Health & Human Services allowed patients to access clinical care via broadband, smartphones and telephone during social distancing, speakers said. The FCC announced it granted $11.9 million, totaling $24.9 million to date. This fifth round in the $200 million program includes grants to 26 healthcare providers, five in Texas, five in California, and three in Pennsylvania.
COVID-19 is affecting local small business advertising and sports revenue, but won’t hurt political ads, said Fox, Nexstar and Sinclair on Q1 calls. All predicted big drops for the next quarter, saying their companies have the scale to weather recession. “We’ve seen a surge of viewership in local news and across our sites,” said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley. Also Wednesday, The FCC announced Sinclair agreed to a $48 million penalty to resolve investigations related to its failed purchase of Tribune, sponsorship identification violations, and good faith negotiation violations (see 2005060063).
Several top Senate Armed Services Committee members appeared to side Wednesday with DOD officials on the department’s concerns with FCC OK of Ligado’s L-band plan. Others voiced skepticism about some Pentagon claims. Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and others have been exploring legislative options to intervene (see 2004230001). Ligado, which wasn’t represented at the hearing, defended its plan and the approval order.
Sinclair agreed to a $48 million civil penalty as part of settling an FCC probe of the company's since-killed takeover of Tribune Media, the agency announced (see 2005060061) Wednesday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the agency isn't revoking Sinclair's licenses after staff investigated various allegations. That fit with expectations as staffers were reviewing lack of candor that potentially occurred during the pendency of Sinclair/Tribune (see 1906270068).
Chief Justice John Roberts said the Telephone Consumer Protection Act is a popular law the Supreme Court doesn’t want to undermine, as it heard argument in a case Wednesday with broad implications for the statute (see 2001130044). Other justices said similar, and experts don't expect the entire regime to be overturned. The court heard the case via teleconference, with justices calling in remotely because of COVID-19. Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants involves an AAPC challenge of a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, which declared a 2015 government debt collection exemption unconstitutional and severed the provision from the remainder of the TCPA.
Broadcasters, public safety groups and wireless mic makers raised concerns about proposals to allow TV white spaces (TVWS) devices to operate with higher power in less-congested areas, in comments on an FCC NPRM. Commissioners approved the notice 5-0 in February (see 2002280055). CTA, public interest groups and Microsoft urged the FCC to approve the proposal. Initial comments were due Monday in docket 20-36.
The Senate Intelligence Committee will vote “as soon as possible” to advance the nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to be national intelligence director, Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., said during Tuesday’s hearing. Fielding questions from supportive Republicans and skeptical Democrats, Ratcliffe vowed to run an apolitical office free of outside political influence, while highlighting threats from China in the race for 5G.
Wiley’s Joshua Turner said a case argued in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February on FCC wireless infrastructure orders will be easy for judges to decide in favor of the FCC, in an FCBA discussion Tuesday. Best Best’s Joe Van Eaton, who argued the case on behalf of Portland, Oregon, and other cities, expects the court to reject the FCC’s approach. The FCC declined to send a speaker. Judges heard the case in February (see 2002100054) and Turner represented industry there.
The Disaster Distress Helpline had a big jump in traffic attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, though other emergency helplines haven't had increases, administrators told us. The pandemic could intensify a push for implementation of 988 as the nationwide three-digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline because of the need for an easy-to-remember accessible service, said Vibrant Emotional Health President Kim Williams. Lawmakers are pushing for Capitol Hill leaders to include the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (HR-4194/S-2661) in the next COVID-19 stimulus legislative package.
Administrators at historically black colleges and universities asked for a continuing federal funding program to support campus IT infrastructure and students' access to home broadband as COVID-19 uncertainty continues. They spoke Monday during an FCC webinar hosted by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks (see 2004300012). "COVID-19 does not see race, but it has complicated inequities," including in the digital divide, Starks said. "We cannot afford to lose momentum in educating our communities."