Press Releases

WASHINGTON -- On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission moved for the first time in three decades to roll back media consolidation.

WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, Free Press and 41 freedom of speech, open government, journalism and public interest groups sent a letter urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler to reclassify broadband access services to protect freedom of expression online.

WASHINGTON — In testimony before Congress on Wednesday, Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood will speak out against a House bill that would strip the Federal Communications Commission of its ability to crack down against serious and ongoing violations of its local television-station multiple ownership rule.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that the agency will take a closer look at television station "sharing arrangements." These agreements allow a single conglomerate to control multiple stations in the same market, skirting FCC rules that are supposed to preserve independence and diversity on the airwaves.

WASHINGTON — Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood will testify before Congress today that the little competition that exists in the U.S. wireless market is a result of smart intervention from antitrust authorities and the Federal Communications Commission.

On Sunday, Netflix reached an interconnection agreement with Comcast to ensure its videos would be streamed directly to consumers. The deal ends the standoff that had led to poor performance of Netflix offerings to Comcast customers. The <em>Wall Street Journal</em> reported that the deal involved Netflix paying Comcast to deliver traffic onto its network.

On Thursday, the Justice Department sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission noting that broadcast-television station-sharing arrangements harm competition and deserve a far closer degree of scrutiny.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission announced it will seek input on whether the agency has the authority to prevent phone and cable companies from blocking or otherwise discriminating against content online. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's statement is the agency’s response to a Jan. 14 federal appeals court ruling that recognized the importance of Net Neutrality protections but struck down the FCC's flawed legal theory for adopting those rules.

WASHINGTON — According to press reports late Wednesday night, Comcast is preparing to announce a $44 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable. The proposed takeover would unite the nation's largest cable TV and Internet service provider with the second-largest cable company. The combined companies would offer service to two-thirds of U.S. homes. The deal would have to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department.

WASHINGTON -- On Monday, in a speech at Silicon Flatirons, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler discussed the agency’s role and the possibility of a rewrite of the Communications Act. He touched on a range of issues before the FCC, including Net Neutrality.