The completion of a bankruptcy restructuring by iHeartMedia Wednesday is expected to be followed by a sale or public offering for the broadcaster and improved health for the radio industry as a whole but isn’t expected to lead to iHeart binge-buying stations, radio attorneys, consultants and analysts told us. The restructuring process reduced iHeart’s debt by more than $10 billion, it said in a news release Monday. “The perception (and reality) that iHeart is now an independently functioning company out from under the scrutiny of bankruptcy court will greatly improve its image and the image of radio, too,” emailed media broker Robert Heymann, from the Chicago office of Media Services Group. The FCC OK'd the restructuring plan last week (see 1904240054).
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., will be “very helpful” for striking consensus (see 1904300195) on a privacy bill that can gain the support of a “huge,” bicameral majority, Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us. His comment came after a committee hearing with consumer advocates and a top EU data privacy enforcer, who offered legislators advice on legislative specifics.
T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray contends AT&T and Verizon were too quick to launch 5G in high-band spectrum (see 1904250065). Experts told us now that Ray highlighted a growing realization that millimeter-wave spectrum will be only part of 5G, though the first to launch. They said AT&T and Verizon are likely learning a lot from their early work, which could give them advantages later on as 5G becomes more widespread across the U.S.
Even revised broadband deployment numbers still show a narrowing digital divide, with notable broadband deployments particularly in rural areas, the FCC said Wednesday. Some skeptics and critics of the initial report (see 1903060034) seemed partly mollified about the new data, though not pleased with the pace of deployment. "The new data doesn't change the ... fundamental conclusion: we are closing the digital divide," Chairman Ajit Pai said.
Satellite groups sought changes to export controls related to a Trump administration effort to revive the National Space Council, in comments that were due Friday. The Aerospace Industries Association asked the Commerce Department for more time before space-related export control regulations, to allow for "open discussions with the government." AIA lacks an "industry consensus" on multiple changes being considered. The association said a member-company asked that Commerce “evaluate” the list and “expand the list of parts and components that do not pose a threat to National Security and Regional Stability.”
Groups representing the hearing impaired urged FCC changes in industry’s wireless resiliency cooperative framework to ensure they get emergency warnings they can easily access. Some industry groups said the agency shouldn't impose new mandates and should rely on a voluntary approach, which they said is working. Two groups representing smaller carriers highlighted roaming concerns. The Public Safety Bureau sought feedback on how well the framework, first agreed to by the largest carriers in 2016, is working now (see 1904010047). Comments were posted Tuesday in docket 11-60.
President Donald Trump agreed at Tuesday's meeting with top Democrats to pursue $2 trillion in spending on broadband and other infrastructure projects. Democratic leaders later cautioned that any forward momentum will depend on further talks with the administration and congressional Republicans. Democratic leaders first announced plans to meet with Trump earlier this month in a bid to revive interest in enacting a comprehensive bill (see 1904110068). Trump sought in his February State of the Union for Congress to “unite for a great rebuilding of America's crumbling infrastructure” (see 1902060002). In 2018, he called for a bill “that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment” that relied heavily on public-private partnerships (see 1803290046).
Broadcasters, diversity groups and organizations opposed to media consolidation squared off in many combinations in docket 18-349 Tuesday. Monday night was the deadline for comments on the FCC 2018 quadrennial review.
State legislators advanced bills challenging national policy reversals on ISP privacy and net neutrality. A Maine legislative panel Tuesday cleared LD-946 prohibiting state broadband providers from using, sharing or selling access to state customer data without expressed consent. Rhode Island senators that day passed SB-40 to limit state contracts to ISPs that follow net neutrality principles.
The voluntary approach to privacy, including IoT devices, has failed, and it’s time for government intervention to address this “crisis,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Tuesday, citing progress on legislation. During a Senate Security Subcommittee hearing, industry officials urged legislators to pass comprehensive privacy legislation. A National Institute of Standards and Technology official noted his agency is developing a federal baseline for core cyber capabilities of IoT devices.