House Communications Subcommittee members formally began a new chapter Thursday in their yearslong debate over net neutrality legislation. They used a hearing to stake out largely familiar positions on use of Communications Act Title II as a legal basis for FCC rules. Leading subcommittee Democrats strongly supported restoration of the rescinded Title II-backed 2015 rules. Some lawmakers have been exploring potential legislation that would put into statute broad contours of the now-rescinded rules (see 1901100001).
Spotify's buy of two podcast-related companies is part of a strategy to become “the world’s leading audio platform,” said CEO Daniel Ek on the company’s Wednesday Q4 webcast. The company said earlier in the day it's buying podcast content producer Gimlet Media, and Anchor, a podcast technology company with creation, publishing and monetization services. Spotify Chief Financial Officer Barry McCarthy said future SEC filings will include prices: “I don’t want the transactions we’re closing to bleed over into deals we may be negotiating.”
ANNAPOLIS -- Maryland shouldn’t wait for courts to rule on net neutrality before moving ahead with a law to restrict procurement to companies that follow such rules, Maryland Del. Kirill Reznik (D) told us Wednesday after the House Economic Affairs panel heard testimony on his net neutrality and ISP privacy bill (HB-141). Telecom and cable industry witnesses advised the state to wait at least until a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which heard argument last week on the FCC net neutrality order (see 1902010046). A House Communications Subcommittee hearing is Thursday (see 1902060036).
The Senate Commerce Committee is eyeing a potential privacy hearing, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told us Wednesday. The hearing, to be held potentially in late February or early March, depends on resolving overlapping jurisdictional issues with the Banking Committee, said Kennedy, a privacy-minded lawmaker who sits on Banking but not Commerce. It’s unclear what witnesses Commerce might try to gather for a possible hearing, Kennedy said. Commerce and Banking didn’t comment.
Net neutrality advocates are encouraged by oral argument on the FCC's deregulation before a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Friday (see 1902010046). Challengers got some traction with arguments against reversal of Communications Act Title II broadband classification, net neutrality regulation repeal, transparency rule authority, public safety treatment and state pre-emption, the advocates suggested at a Public Knowledge event Wednesday (webcast). They mostly cited the comments and questions of Judge Patricia Millett, and to some extent, of Judge Robert Wilkins, on Mozilla v. FCC, No. 18-1051.
The Mobile World Congress plans an emergency meeting later this month of executive members to discuss the threat from Chinese equipment suppliers Huawei and ZTE, said Travis Russell, Oracle director-cybersecurity, at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event Wednesday: “Be watching post-Barcelona and there probably will be an announcement coming out of the GSMA.” FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel sought to renew the term for the agency's cybersecurity advisory body.
A Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on 5G was dominated by lawmakers' concerns about the national security threat from China in its race against the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is believed to be considering actions aimed at boosting U.S. competitiveness in 5G and other technologies, communications lobbyists told us. Trump barely mentioned tech during Tuesday night's State of the Union, matching officials' expectations (see 1901180032). Concerns about 5G security were also the focus of a Center for Strategic and International Studies event (see 1902060056).
Neomi Rao told the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday she would uphold the Chevron regime, if confirmed to the D.C. Circuit. “Chevron is a precedent of the Supreme Court, and yes, I would follow it,” Rao, President Donald Trump’s pick to replace now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh, told lawmakers during a confirmation hearing.
The C-Band Alliance and a panel of critics of its midband clearing plan clashed on efficacy of a government-run spectrum auction and whether the FCC has ever allowed similar private spectrum sales, at New America event Tuesday. It was the "most unbalanced panel in the history of panels,” said CBA Head-Advocacy and Government Relations Preston Padden.
NTIA received more than 50 comments on a national spectrum strategy. They mostly stake out well-developed positions expressed elsewhere. Industry officials told us the comments at least provide a baseline for the administration as it plows into creating the plan.