The string of broadcast television station ownership deals capped by the announcement of a sale by Allbritton Communications puts pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to keep its eye on the broadcast industry even as the agency is going through its own makeover. Taken together, the deals signal a reshaping of the broadcast business as it consolidates into larger station ownership groups that provide more leverage as they buy programming and sell it to pay-TV operators.
Senate Commerce Approves Wheeler Nomination
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The Senate Commerce Committee approved the nomination of Tom Wheeler to be chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, but not without some drama with one senator threatening to delay Wheeler's final confirmation.
John Verdi, director of privacy initiatives, Office of Policy Analysis and Development
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
When the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) was tasked last year with helping to launch a new multistakeholder process aimed at developing privacy codes of conduct for various business sectors, the agency turned to someone who understood how technology, law and privacy intersect. With a background as both a computer programmer and lawyer, John Verdi fit the bill.
Antidrug Campaign, Lacking Federal Funds, Turns to Social Media
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
A multimedia campaign that was deemed effective in fighting drug and alcohol abuse among American teenagers is seeking a second act after the federal government ended its financing.
Telemarketers call in reinforcements as they ignore do-not-call list
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Regardless of having registered a phone line with the Federal Trade Commission as a telemarketer-free zone, a growing number of consumers are saying that some businesses are ignoring their stated preference and calling anyway.
A La Carte Pricing Would Hurt TV
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Cable operators moving to a la carte pricing would leave a massive financial hole in the TV business, according to a new report.
Ad-supported website operators decry cost of new online privacy rules for children
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Under regulations that went into effect July 1, websites catering to children will no longer be able to collect a range of identifying information without obtaining verifiable parental consent.
Big disconnect: Telcos abandon copper phone lines
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Robert Post misses his phone line. Post, 85, has a pacemaker that needs to be checked once a month by phone. But the copper wiring that once connected his home to the rest of the world is gone, and the phone company refuses to restore it.
Here’s what can go wrong when the government builds a huge database about Americans
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The National Crime Information Center database, maintained by the FBI, provides law enforcement agencies across the country with information they need to do their job, including information about outstanding arrest warrants, gang memberships, firearms records, and much more. According to the AP, it serves 90,000 agencies and receives 9 million data points every day.