The FCC "will stay in touch" with the post-merger Paramount and track its compliance with conditions the agency placed on Skydance Media's acquisition of Paramount Global, Chairman Brendan Carr said Thursday. Skydance Media closed on Paramount Global on Thursday, as expected (see 2507280007).
The FCC hacked away at licensing requirements for satellite and earth stations and slashed an array of broadcast rules in its August meeting Thursday. Four of the five items -- orders on submarine cable licensing and satellite and earth station licensing and NPRMs on improving emergency alerts and reviewing the commission's National Environmental Protection Act rules (see 2508070052) -- were approved unanimously. Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez partially dissented on an order repealing 98 broadcast rules and requirements.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Public Knowledge urged the FCC to safeguard consumers' privacy as it considers rules for next-generation 911, the group said this week in comments on a Further NPRM that commissioners approved in March. Most comments called for the FCC to move with caution as it considers updated rules (see 2508050042).
The FCC is facing persistent calls from one unsuccessful bidder for Paramount Global to revisit the approval of the company's sale to Skydance Media, but we're told the commission is unlikely to heed them. The agency didn't comment Wednesday.
The FCC Technology Advisory Council approved reports from its three working groups on Tuesday at the body's final meeting under its former charter. The reports weren't immediately available. It was the first TAC meeting since December (see 2412190065), when former Chairman Dean Brenner announced he was leaving. A replacement hasn't been named since his departure in January. TAC will continue under a new charter.
Most commenters emphasized the importance of flexibility and developing rules that will accommodate change in comments on a next-generation 911 Further NPRM that commissioners approved 4-0 in March (see 2503270042). Initial comments were due Monday in docket 21-479. The FNPRM proposes updates to the agency’s 911 reliability rules, extending those that cover legacy 911 networks to service providers that control or operate critical pathways and components in NG911 networks.
Broadcasters called for the FCC to save their industry by immediately eliminating the national TV ownership cap in comments filed in docket 17-318 by Monday’s deadline. Meanwhile, MVPD groups, labor unions, public interest groups and conservative entities Newsmax and the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) disputed the FCC’s authority to alter the cap and said doing so would hurt localism, retransmission consent rates and journalism.
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, FCC commissioners approved three of the items that were expected to get votes. Among those approved was a notice of inquiry that considers revising how the FCC examines competition in its Telecom Act Section 706 reports to Congress. Commissioners have also already approved an NPRM launching a comprehensive review of the agency's rules on business data services (BDS) and a notice on modernizing the disaster information reporting system (DIRS) (see 2508040048). The FCC posted a deletion notice and press releases Tuesday.
The three U.S. tower companies said their industry's outlook appears positive, with the big three major carriers continuing to expand their networks. SBA Communications became the last to report on Monday.