BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017
Follow all the #netneutrality news https://www.benton.org/taxonomy/term/57
NET NEUTRALITY
Open Internet Process: Then and Now - FCC press release
John Oliver urges Internet users to save net neutrality: 'We need all of you'
Statement by FCC CIO on Denial-of-Service Attack on FCC Comment System - press release
The Truth About Net Neutrality and Infrastructure Investment - Public Knowledge analysis
The Antidote to Authoritarianism - The Atlantic op-ed
What is net neutrality? The answer matters more than ever [links to Guardian, The]
Scott Cleland op-ed: HBO’s John Oliver needs a 'net neutrality' reality check [links to Hill, The]
Net neutrality protestors leave messages on doors in FCC chairman's neighborhood [links to Benton summary]
Trump's FCC chief is right to roll back net neutrality rule - The Hill op-ed [links to Benton summary]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Showcasing the Inaugural Charles Benton Next Generation Engagement Award Winners
NTIA Celebrates Vital Role of Digital Inclusion Programs - press release [links to Benton summary]
Sprint, i-wireless kill joint venture agreement, will continue separately with Lifeline [links to Benton summary]
Governor Cooper's (D-NC) Strong Proposal for Broadband Expansion - press release [links to Benton summary]
Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Briefing: Overview [links to Federal Communications Commission]
Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Briefing: Wireline Infrastructure Item [links to Federal Communications Commission]
Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Briefing: Wireless Infrastructure Item [links to Federal Communications Commission]
OWNERSHIP
Sinclair to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus debt
Trump’s new rules will let Sinclair gobble up Tribune
Could Sinclair launch a Fox News rival?
Public Knowledge Responds to Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Plan to Acquire Tribune Media [links to Public Knowledge]
Rep Eshoo and Others: FCC Should Hold 'RT' to Transparency Standards [links to Benton summary]
The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data - The Economist [links to Benton summary]
Here’s why your cable company wants to be your wireless carrier [links to Verge, The]
Public Knowledge Responds to Comcast, Charter Anti-Competitive Wireless Deal [links to Public Knowledge]
Unnamed suitor gatecrashes AT&T’s Straight Path deal with $3.1 billion bid [links to Financial Times]
SECURITY/PRIVACY
Supreme Court asked to rule if cops need warrant for cell-site data [links to Benton summary]
What a billboard means for your Internet privacy [links to Benton summary]
CBO Scores the MAIN STREET Cybersecurity Act of 2017 - research [links to Benton summary]
Five key players for President Trump on cybersecurity [links to Hill, The]
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Comcast and Charter Communications Forge Wireless Alliance
Why a Cable Deal is Bad for the Phone Industry - analysis
AEI: Why free data should be an essential part of health care [links to American Enterprise Institute]
FCC Hears Both Sides on Mobile Competitiveness [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
NAB to FCC: Spectrum Auction Petition Opponents Off Base [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
T-Mobile presses FCC to change 3.5 GHz framework to better align with 5G global requirements [links to Fierce]
JOURNALISM
America’s growing news deserts - CJR op-ed [links to Benton summary]
In search of a local news solution - CJR editorial [links to Benton summary]
ProPublica: How We’re Learning To Do Journalism Differently in the Age of Trump [links to ProPublica]
Op-Ed: A Journalism Collaboration Lifts Up the Voices of New Brunswick's Working Poor [links to Free Press]
Interview with News Voices: New Jersey Director Mike Rispoli [links to NJTV]
CONTENT
Writers Guild of America Hot Over FCC’s Stephen Colbert 'Investigation' [links to Benton summary]
LABOR
New Report Pulls Back the Curtain on AT&T's Vast Network of Offshored Call Centers [links to Communications Workers of America]
POLICYMAKERS
Silicon Valley is 'officially a retirement community for DC political vets' starting fresh outside the nation's capital [links to Benton summary]
Democratic operatives unveil new progressive tech incubator [links to Benton summary]
COMPANY NEWS
In 2011, Facebook's big crisis was about photo tagging. Today, that almost seems cute [links to Los Angeles Times]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Why the Macron Hacking Attack Landed With a Thud in France [links to New York Times]
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu attacks US media as 'fake news' [links to Hill, The]
Why Millions of Brits Won't See Facebook's Tips to Fight Fake News [links to Vice]
Austrian Court Rules Facebook Must Delete Hate Speech [links to National Public Radio]
Germany's plan to kill online registrations [links to CNN]
Tired of staff cuts, hundreds of Australian journalists walk out [links to Columbia Journalism Review]
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NET NEUTRALITY
OPEN INTERNET PROCESS: THEN AND NOW
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
In 2014, Commissioner Ajit Pai gave some advice to the Federal Communications Commission when it adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking on network neutrality. Will Chairman Pai take Commissioner Pai's advice?
Commissioner Pai’s Advice (2014): “A dispute this fundamental is not for us, five unelected individuals, to decide. Instead, it should be resolved by the people’s elected representatives, those who choose the direction of government — and those whom the American people can hold accountable for that choice.”
Chairman Pai’s Actions (2017): "Moving forward with action at the FCC, with only three Commissioners."
Chairman Pai's Advice (2014): “I recommended that the Commission seek guidance from Congress instead of plowing ahead yet again on its own.”
Chairman Pai's Actions (2017): "Deciding the FCC is the appropriate venue, instead of waiting for Congress to act."
benton.org/headlines/open-internet-process-then-and-now | Federal Communications Commission
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JOHN OLIVER URGES INTERNET USERS TO SAVE NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Jim Puzzanghera]
HBO’s John Oliver isn’t about to let the tough network neutrality rules he helped get enacted be erased without a fight. Three years ago, a 20-minute net neutrality segment on his HBO show “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” went viral. It helped spur an outpouring of public comments that led the Federal Communications Commission to enact tough regulations protecting the free flow of online content. Now, with current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai moving to dismantle the tough legal oversight behind those rules, Oliver took to the airwaves again urging Internet users to tell the agency to leave net neutrality alone. As further encouragement, Oliver’s team created a quicker way to navigate in the FCC website. Rather than searching for the specific page that solicits public comment on this topic, people can go to gofccyourself.com and click the “express” link on the right side to express their views.
benton.org/headlines/john-oliver-urges-internet-users-save-net-neutrality-we-need-all-you | Los Angeles Times | The Hill | Multichannel News | Public Knowledge
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DDOS ATTACK ON FCC COMMENT SYSTEM
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: David Bray]
Beginning on May 7 at midnight, our analysis reveals that the Federal Communications Commission was subject to multiple distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDos). These were deliberate attempts by external actors to bombard the FCC’s comment system with a high amount of traffic to our commercial cloud host. These actors were not attempting to file comments themselves; rather they made it difficult for legitimate commenters to access and file with the FCC. While the comment system remained up and running the entire time, these DDoS events tied up the servers and prevented them from responding to people attempting to submit comments. We have worked with our commercial partners to address this situation and will continue to monitor developments going forward.
benton.org/headlines/statement-fcc-cio-denial-service-attack-fcc-comment-system | Federal Communications Commission | The Hill | Washington Post | B&C
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NN AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
[SOURCE: Public Knowledge, AUTHOR: Sara Kamal]
It’s essential to the future of network neutrality that we shed some light (and truth) on the baseless arguments being made regarding Title II and broadband investment.
Fact: Internet service providers have no plans to decrease investment in their infrastructure. ISPs have been reporting to investors that investment is up, up, up! Verizon’s CFO, Fancis Shammo, told investors that reclassification to Title II “does not influence the way we invest.” Similarly, Sprint stated that it would “continue to invest in data networks regardless of whether they are regulated by Title II, Section 706, or some other light touch regulatory regime.” In 2016, AT&T reassured their investors that they would “remain one of the largest investors in the United States.” As technologies change and reliance on the internet only continues to strengthen, ISPs know the value in continued investment.
Fact: Investment has actually increased since the adoption of the Open Internet Order.
benton.org/headlines/truth-about-net-neutrality-and-infrastructure-investment | Public Knowledge
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THE ANTIDOTE TO AUTHORITARIANISM
[SOURCE: The Atlantic, AUTHOR: Malkia Cyril]
[Commentary] The open internet has decentralized the media and allowed black activists in a modern movement against police and state violence to bypass discriminatory media gatekeepers and reveal the extent of the state’s abuse. When ordinary people capture shocking video footage of police officers fatally shooting black citizens, for example, it is more difficult for Americans to ignore the realities of racial injustice. Technology has always been a double-edged sword for black people in America and beyond. On the one hand, it can pose a grave threat; on the other, great opportunity. Our survival, and our democracy, requires us to reject high-tech policing and usher in the strongest net neutrality rules available. The open internet can represent the future of digital democracy, or we can use technology to continue encoding inequality into our modern world.
[Malkia Cyril is the founder and executive director of the Center for Media Justice.]
benton.org/headlines/antidote-authoritarianism | Atlantic, The
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
SHOWCASING INAUGURAL CHARLES BENTON NEXT GENERATION ENGAGEMENT AWARD WINNERS
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Todd O'Boyle]
[Commentary] Local governments are leading the way to implement innovative, forward-looking civic technology programs that narrow the digital divide and make cities more livable. But for all the impressive initiatives out there, many brilliant ideas never get off the ground for lack of resources. So last year, with support from the Democracy Fund and Benton Foundation, Next Century Cities launched the Charles Benton Next Generation Engagement Award. The competitive civic innovation prize invited cities to propose out-of-the-box solutions to local challenges. Last August, after an extensive review process, our team of expert judges – including Benton Foundation Executive Director Adrianne Furniss – chose three finalists: Austin (TX), Raleigh (NC), and Louisville (KY). Each received a seed grant to launch their local civic technology or digital inclusion program. Next Century Cities staff worked with the cities to put the grant to work and get their programs up and running.
[Todd O’Boyle is Deputy Director of Next Century Cities]
benton.org/headlines/showcasing-inaugural-charles-benton-next-generation-engagement-award-winners | Benton Foundation
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OWNERSHIP
SINCLAIR TO BUY TRIBUNE MEDIA
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, AUTHOR: Robert Channick]
Sinclair Broadcast Group has agreed to buy Tribune Media in a cash and stock deal valued at $3.9 billion. Sinclair will acquire Chicago (IL)-based Tribune Media's 42 television stations and other assets, making the largest station owner in the country even bigger, pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission and federal antitrust regulators. Under the terms of the deal, Baltimore (MD)-based Sinclair will pay $43.50 a share for Tribune Media and will assume approximately $2.7 billion in net debt. The combined company will become a TV broadcasting behemoth, owning and operating 233 television stations in 108 markets, pending any required divestitures by the FCC. Sinclair owns and operates stations in 81 markets, including Washington (DC), Seattle (WA), St. Louis (MO), Minneapolis (MN), Pittsburgh (PA), and Milwaukee (WI). Its holdings include 54 Fox affiliates, the most of any station group owner. A Chicago broadcasting pioneer, Tribune Media owns WGN-Ch.9 in Chicago, KTLA-TV in Los Angeles and WPIX-TV in New York, a portfolio that was bolstered by the December 2013 acquisition of Local TV's 19-station group for $2.73 billion.
benton.org/headlines/sinclair-buy-tribune-media-39-billion-plus-debt | Chicago Tribune | Sinclair | Washington Post | The Hill
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TRUMPS NEW RULES WILL LET SINCLAIR GOBBLE UP TRIBUNE
[SOURCE: Vox, AUTHOR: Tony Romm]
For the moment, the fate of the Sinclair-Tribune deal rests in the hands of the Federal Communications Commission as well as the nation’s antitrust regulators. As with any merger of this size, the government has the ability to review and block the merger, permit it to proceed as proposed, or require Sinclair and Tribune to make certain changes in order for them to proceed. Already, though, Sinclair has benefited greatly from the Federal Communications Commission: Under its Republican chairman, Ajit Pai, the agency has relaxed media ownership rules, beginning with a change in the way some stations are counted toward a company’s national footprint. That deregulatory move made Sinclair’s bid for Tribune fathomable, analysts have said. During the 2016 election, Sinclair stations appeared to have great access to the presidential candidate. While the company claimed it was not playing favorites, President Trump’s closest aide, Jared Kushner, said in December that Sinclair had actually struck a deal with Trump’s campaign with respect to its coverage. (Sinclair said the deal never happened.) Months later, Sinclair snapped up Boris Epsteyn, one of Trump’s spokespeople in the White House, as a chief political analyst.
benton.org/headlines/trumps-new-rules-will-let-sinclair-gobble-tribune | Vox
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COULD SINCLAIR LAUNCH A FOX NEWS RIVAL?
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Hadas Gold]
The Sinclair-Tribune deal has set tongues wagging in Washington (DC) as to whether Sinclair, a Maryland-based television station owner that has often pushed right-leaning programming, will try to position itself as a rival to Fox News. The Washington Post reported in December that during the 2016 campaign, news stories and features favorable to then-candidate Donald Trump or challenging Democrat Hillary Clinton were distributed to Sinclair stations on a “must-run” basis. Earlier that month, POLITICO reported that the president's son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, told business executives the campaign had struck a deal with Sinclair for better media coverage, a characterization Sinclair disputed. The group also recently hired Boris Epshteyn, a White House aide who oversaw Trump's television surrogate operation, as chief political analyst. Given those recent decisions, many in Washington wonder if Sinclair has its sights set on Fox News.
benton.org/headlines/could-sinclair-launch-fox-news-rival | Politico
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
WIRELESS ALLIANCE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Chad Bray]
As more consumers “cut the cord” on traditional cable television, businesses selling those services are responding by offering a wider range of products, hoping to retain customers. Comcast and Charter Communications amplified that trend, announcing that they would team up to offer cellular telephone and data services in the United States, entering a ferociously competitive market. The two companies had already said they would offer wireless services, and they most likely hope to use their combined scale to negotiate agreements with suppliers and take advantage of a network of Wi-Fi hot spots that the companies have built for customers in their service areas. “Both of our companies have regional wireless businesses using the same 4G LTE network, and by working together, our goal is to create even better experiences for our customers,” said Brian Roberts, the Comcast chairman and chief executive. Comcast is expected to soon begin offering its new Xfinity Mobile wireless service for existing broadband customers. The company also bought $1.7 billion in wireless spectrum at a Federal Communications Commission auction in April, to help ramp up its service. Charter has said it plans to offer wireless service in 2018.
benton.org/headlines/comcast-and-charter-communications-forge-wireless-alliance | New York Times
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COMCAST, CHARTER, AND WIRTELESS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Miriam Gottfried]
[Commentary] The first wireless deal after a government-imposed hiatus is bad news for the biggest carriers and could scramble the likely outcomes of other anticipated combinations. Cable operators Comcast and Charter Communications said they would form a year-long partnership to expand their wireless offerings. The deal signals the two companies are serious about expanding into the industry. It also ensures that the two biggest cable companies will work together—and not bid against one another—when it comes to wireless deals. For Comcast and Charter, which are more peers than rivals because their coverage areas don’t overlap, teaming up makes sense. It will allow them to integrate their networks of Wi-Fi hot spots, which cover about 80% of the country, according to New Street Research. This should help them offer better service to subscribers and considerably lower the cost of running wireless networks on Verizon Communications’ airwaves. The partnership could also signal a desire for a deeper relationship between the two cable giants—even possibly a merger down the line. The success of the venture would make things much worse for the industry’s two giants, Verizon and AT&T , which are already losing subscribers to T-Mobile US and Sprint amid a bruising price war.
benton.org/headlines/why-cable-deal-bad-phone-industry | Wall Street Journal
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