The FCC could investigate broadcasters over conflicts of interest using old and little-used rules governing plugola and improper station use, attorneys told us.

Three ad agencies settled a complaint Wednesday that was brought the same day by the FTC and eight states, alleging that the firms illegally colluded to boycott conservative media companies. The settlement comes after conservative commentators and Trump administration regulators have largely failed to successfully act against organizations that attempted to organize advertising boycotts (see 2508180026).

IRVING, Texas -- While major fiber and cable makers say there will be plenty of supply available for BEAD (see 2603190029), broadband executives speaking Wednesday at the Connected America 2026 conference here were notably more pessimistic. Materials and contractor costs are on the rise, and broadband providers that haven't already been locking down contractors and material for BEAD are behind, Utopia CEO Roger Timmerman said. "There's a shortage out there and a lot of projects coming."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member Cory Booker of New Jersey and other congressional Democrats sharply criticized Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery (2602270063) during an unofficial hearing Wednesday. Meanwhile, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., told us he remains concerned about Nexstar’s $6 billion purchase of Tegna as the U.S. District Court for Eastern California evaluates issuing a longer-term injunction against the deal (see 2604100056).

While the competition between major players like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Leo gets the headlines, the space industry is more than “a couple of billionaires battling it out,” said Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup during a Broadband Breakfast webinar Wednesday. There’s “a lot more capital being invested” than that from “just two billionaires,” and the investment climate “has changed substantially.” Other experts questioned the competitiveness of the space sector today.

Communications Daily is tracking the below lawsuits involving appeals of FCC actions. New cases are marked with a *.