Multichannel News

Former CTO at FCC Tapped to be Assistant Directory for Telecom And Cybersecurity at OSTP

US Chief Technology Office Michael Kratsios has tapped Federal Communications Commission veteran Eric Burger to a top network security post.

House Commerce Committee Approves Handful of Broadband Bills

The House Commerce Committee approved a handful of bipartisan broadband and tech-related bills on a variety of topics, from broadband mapping and network security to freeing up spectrum. “Bills being favorably reported for a vote in the full House were: 

Small communities increasingly see municipal broadband as a means to drive economic growth

Municipal broadband networks, an idea that some in the cable business believe looks a lot better on paper than in practice, may be on the verge of a breakthrough.

House Continues Deep Dive into Digital Antitrust and Big Tech

The House Antitrust Subcommittee heard from two major players in the government's review of Big Tech and whether the antitrust laws have kept up with their exponential growth, but not before the legislators had staked out their own positions. Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) pulled no punches, saying that the extreme concentration of online platforms may have some benefits, but they were clearly using their power to set market terms that enrich themselves and make it impossible to compete. He also commented on Google and Fitbit.

FCC Finds for AT&T in Retransmission Negotiation Complaint

The Federal Communications Commission has upheld an AT&T complaint against a number of TV station groups for failure to negotiate retransmission consent in good faith, a move pay-TV operators are hoping adds fuel to their argument for renewal of the satellite compulsory license law that includes that good faith mandate. The FCC didn't fine the stations, but left that big stick in sight, saying it reserved the right to take future enforcement actions, including potential fines or forfeitures (likely levied if the stations did not negotiate in good faith going forward). The complaints wer

Senator Wicker Introduces STELAR Renewal

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) has introduced a clean renewal of the STELAR Act with yet another name, the Satellite Television Access Reauthorization (STAR) Act. STELAR, and if it passes, STAR, provides for a compulsory license allowing satellite operators--Dish and DirecTV--to import distant network affiliated TV station signals to markets that lack them.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer Proposes $135 Billion for Rural Broadband

As part of his just-announced "Partnership with Rural Communities," Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer has proposed a massive rural broadband connectivity program that includes $135 billion in investment and "protecting" municipal and co-op broadband networks. "The modern economy is a knowledge economy," Steyer's plan points out. "Full participation in commerce depends on reliable, fast, affordable access to the Internet.

House Communications Subcommittee Members Lean Toward Public Auction of C-Band in Hearing (Updated)

House Communications Subcommittee members appeared to be clearly favoring a Federal Communications Commission-led public auction of C-Band spectrum rather a private sale.

NTIA Chief to Mobile World Congress: We Are Winning Race to 5G

Diane Rinaldo, acting head of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, says that thanks to government policies that emphasize collaboration with industry, the US, as promised, winning the race to 5G.