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Lawmakers Press FCC On AT$T's Public Program Offerings

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:59:17 -0400

Lawmakers Press FCC On AT&T's Public Program Offerings
9-17-08 2:10 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Members of a powerful House committee are pressing the Federal Communications Commission to put a stop to how AT&T Inc. (T) offers public and educational programming on its fledgling paid TV service.

More Verminators!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:56:27 -0400

from: Riedel Communications

More Verminators!

On the eve of a Congressional hearing regarding what has happened to Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels since the passage of statewide or state issued franchise legislation, it is heartening to note that the cable and telecom industries (and the FCC) have severely overplayed their hand. Tomorrow, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government will hear a laundry list of harms done to PEG in what appears to be an industry-wide effort to bury and destroy these local channels. An effort that was spawned by the FCC’s First and Second Report and Order on Video Franchising and the nineteen states that passed the state legislation. These harms come at a time when Congress and the American people are acutely sensitive to media consolidation and the loss of localism.

FCC approves new method for tracking broadband's reach

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:29:50 -0400

from: CNet

FCC approves new method for tracking broadband's reach
Submitted by jonathan on Thu, 2008-03-20 04:56.

by Anne Broache, CNet

As expected, federal regulators on Wednesday voted to overhaul the way they measure how widely broadband is available across the United States.

For years, the Federal Communications Commission has been drawing up reports on the state of U.S. Internet access availability based on methodology that considers 200 kilobits per second (Kbps) service to be "high speed"--and such access to be widely available even in ZIP codes that may, in reality, house only one connection.

When Capacity Is Never Enough

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:24:07 -0400

from: MultiChannel News

COVER STORY: When Capacity Is Never Enough
The Cautionary Tale Of Video Downloads
By Tom Steinert-Threlkeld -- Multichannel News, 3/22/2008 5:34:00 AM

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bit is a bit is a bit. An electronic packet of data is a packet is a packet. Unless you look inside to see what it contains.

FCC Black Tuesday: This place is hell; silent protest planned

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:09:47 -0400

from: Ars Technica

FCC insider: This place is hell; silent protest planned

By Matthew Lasar | Published: March 16, 2008 - 05:19PM CT

A Federal Communications Commission employee called me on Friday and said that this Tuesday, the third anniversary of Kevin Martin's tenure as Chair of the FCC, at least some staff will arrive at work dressed in black. A "silent but expressive protest" is what they're calling the move. What for? I asked. "Because this place is hell," came the reply.

Congress dons rubber glove, prepares probe of FCC chairman

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:35:28 -0400

from: Ars Technica

Congress dons rubber glove, prepares probe of FCC chairman

By Matthew Lasar | Published: March 13, 2008 - 05:11AM CT
Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin has two weeks to deliver a truckload of written records to Congress related to over a dozen hot-button FCC issues and policies. They're being demanded by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-MI), who sent Martin the request letter today, cosigned by Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the ranking Republican on the Committee.

Eliot Spitzer and the FCC

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:00:52 -0400

from: All Voices

Eliot Spitzer and the FCC
by Matthew Lasar San Francisco
Mar 11, 6:36 PM

The news media is having a great day with the revelation that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer paid for sex with prostitutes. Behind the scenes, corporate criminals are breaking out the champagne. As Attorney General of the Empire State, Eliot Spitzer championed the consumer and feasted on white collar crooks. Not only that, Spitzer's zeal often forced those around him in government to do their jobs better, whether they wanted to or not.

Martin Side Stepped Forced FCC Exit

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:25:35 -0400

from: Broadband Reports

Martin Side Stepped Forced FCC Exit
As the cable industry faces potential lose-lose FCC situation
05:20PM Tuesday Mar 11 2008 by Karl

FCC boss Kevin Martin has recently been accused of making the cable industry his personal whipping boy. Some of that is legitimate criticism, given he frequently hammers the cable industry for things the phone companies are also doing (note his attack on cable astroturfing while ignoring similar tactics by the phone industry). But some decisions are (his a la carte, indecency pushes in particular) Martin's attempt to appeal to "family values" groups with one eye on a post-FCC North Carolina political career.

Martin: Expect Comcast Broadband Ruling Before July

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 08:59:40 -0400

from: MultiChannel News

Martin: Expect Comcast Broadband Ruling Before July
Resolution Of Peer-To-Peer Complaints To Set “Important Precedent”
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 3/7/2008 1:19:00 PM

Washington – Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin, speaking at Stanford Law School on Friday, said he’s hoping the agency rules by June 30 on a complaint filed against Comcast over its broadband management practices.

FCC: Martin Disrupts Tate-Adelstein Deal

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:21:32 -0500

from: MultiChannel News

Martin Disrupts Tate-Adelstein Deal: Sources
FCC Chairman Scuttled Pact Over Putting His Resignation In Writing
Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 3/5/2008 5:05:00 PM

WASHINGTON -- Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin scuttled a deal between the White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) designed to award new terms to incumbent FCC commissioners, Republican Deborah Taylor Tate and Democrat Jonathan Adelstein, according to individuals familiar with the details.

Small Cable Ops Ask FCC for Blanket Exemption on Dual Carriage

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:17:06 -0500

from: Broadcasting and Cable

Small Cable Ops Ask FCC for Blanket Exemption on Dual Carriage
American Cable Association Files with Federal Communications Commission
By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/3/2008 11:37:00 AM

After months of public lobbying for less onerous digital-must-carry requirements, the American Cable Association filed with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to formally exempt the smallest and most bandwidth-starved cable systems from carrying both analog and digital versions of broadcasters’ signals.

In Comcast vs. Verizon, Comcast is Down Two Counts

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:50:02 -0500

from: Drew Clark

In Comcast vs. Verizon, Comcast is Down Two Counts
February 27th, 2008 · No Comments

By Drew Clark

Dominance in the broadband market is a battle of both technology and politics. Right now Comcast, America’s leading cable company, is losing on both counts.

They're Back! Prometheus Asks Court to Vacate Ownership-Rule Change

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:02:58 -0500

from: Broadcasting and Cable

They're Back! Prometheus Asks Court to Vacate Ownership-Rule Change
Group Says Decision Was Arbitrary and Capricious and Beyond the FCC's Authority
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/26/2008 4:27:00 PM

As promised, anti-media consolidation activists asked a federal court to throw out the Federal Communications Commission's recent media-ownership decision.

Why Comcast Paying Folks to Attend FCC Hearing Is Wrong.

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:55:31 -0500

Note: We hear it's common practice for corporations and lobbyists to hire line waiters and seat warmers for Congressional hearings too - this is why you only see suits in the front rows of major hearings. Apparently democracy has a price . . .

from: Wet Machine

For the Clueless Among Us: Why Comcast Paying Folks to Attend FCC Hearing Is Wrong. I can't believe I actually need to explain this.

FCC En Banc: Annals of the Battle for the Last Mile

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:28:10 -0500

from: Media - Space - Place - Network

FCC En Banc: Annals of the Battle for the Last Mile
February 26th, 2008
Fred Johnson

Harvard Law School was “Markey Country” today as Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey defended net neutrality in his opening remarks before the FCC’s Public En Banc Hearing on broadband network management practices in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Markey declared the US “no country for old bandwidth” and hung around to observe, with the rest of us, the FCC, “en banc” and securely enclosed in Harvard space droning through a tedious day of testimony and q&a, comfortably surrounded by an audience packed with polite but bored Comcast employees trained to provide applause on cue.