Updated with vote: The Senate voted today to confirm a third Democratic commissioner, telecommunications attorney Anna Gomez, to the Federal Communications Commission. The 54-43 vote gives the Dems a working majority on the FCC, which has been stuck in a 2-2- partisan deadlock.
Previously: The Senate on Thursday moved toward confirming a third Democratic commissioner to the FCC, giving the party a working majority on the commission almost three years into President Joe Biden’s presidential term.
Anna Gomez, a telecommunications attorney, was nominated by Biden last May. The Senate voted 55-43 to cut off debate and proceed to a final vote on her nomination, which will take place later on Thursday.
The FCC has been deadlocked 2-2, something that has prevented the agency from taking up more contentious issues like net neutrality rules, which were rolled back during the Republican majority of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Biden...
Previously: The Senate on Thursday moved toward confirming a third Democratic commissioner to the FCC, giving the party a working majority on the commission almost three years into President Joe Biden’s presidential term.
Anna Gomez, a telecommunications attorney, was nominated by Biden last May. The Senate voted 55-43 to cut off debate and proceed to a final vote on her nomination, which will take place later on Thursday.
The FCC has been deadlocked 2-2, something that has prevented the agency from taking up more contentious issues like net neutrality rules, which were rolled back during the Republican majority of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Biden...
- 9/7/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Veteran telecom lawyer Anna Gomez has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve on the Federal Communications Commission, a five-member regulatory body stuck in a 2-2 deadlock.
In addition to the nomination for Gomez, Biden announced the re-nomination of commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional 5-year terms.
Gomez, a former FCC and Senate staffer, is serving as a telecom policy adviser in the U.S. State Department. She also served as deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a key agency within the Commerce Department involved in improving internet accessibility.
For more than two years, the FCC has been in a stalemate, which has significantly limited its ability to weigh in on all but the most anodyne topics. Commissioners are nominated by the president, meaning the regulatory body should be in Democratic control with Biden in the White House. Gigi Sohn, a longtime Washington presence and veteran regulator,...
In addition to the nomination for Gomez, Biden announced the re-nomination of commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional 5-year terms.
Gomez, a former FCC and Senate staffer, is serving as a telecom policy adviser in the U.S. State Department. She also served as deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a key agency within the Commerce Department involved in improving internet accessibility.
For more than two years, the FCC has been in a stalemate, which has significantly limited its ability to weigh in on all but the most anodyne topics. Commissioners are nominated by the president, meaning the regulatory body should be in Democratic control with Biden in the White House. Gigi Sohn, a longtime Washington presence and veteran regulator,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate veteran telecommunications lawyer Anna Gomez as an FCC commissioner. The president also announced the renominations of FCC commissioners Brendan Carr (a Republican) and Geoffrey Starks (a Democrat) for five-year terms.
If Gomez is confirmed by the Senate to serve as an FCC commissioner, Democrats will have a 3-2 edge at the agency, which is led by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat. Trump appointee Nathan Simington is the other GOP commissioner. Biden’s previous pick for the open seat at the FCC, Gigi Sohn, withdrew her name from consideration after her confirmation was stymied along party lines.
Gomez currently works at the State Department, where she serves as a senior adviser for international information and communications policy in the bureau of cyberspace and digital policy. Gomez served as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (Ntia) deputy administrator from 2009 to 2013. She also served...
If Gomez is confirmed by the Senate to serve as an FCC commissioner, Democrats will have a 3-2 edge at the agency, which is led by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat. Trump appointee Nathan Simington is the other GOP commissioner. Biden’s previous pick for the open seat at the FCC, Gigi Sohn, withdrew her name from consideration after her confirmation was stymied along party lines.
Gomez currently works at the State Department, where she serves as a senior adviser for international information and communications policy in the bureau of cyberspace and digital policy. Gomez served as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (Ntia) deputy administrator from 2009 to 2013. She also served...
- 5/22/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
President Biden has found a new nominee to serve as a Democratic commissioner for the FCC, a critical post that, if confirmed by the Senate, would break a 2-2 deadlock at the telecommunications regulatory agency.
The nominee is Anna Gomez, a veteran government attorney.
Currently an advisor for international information and communications policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Gomez previously served as deputy administrator for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and also worked for 12 years in various roles at the FCC.
Gomez’s nomination is a critical one for the FCC, which has a Democratic chair in Jessica Rosenworcel, but an effective 2-2 tie between its Republican and Democratic members. Biden’s first FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, had been nominated in late 2021, but pulled herself from consideration earlier this year. Sohn, an outspoken supporter of net neutrality, had faced a bruising campaign from lobbyists tied to the telecom industry.
The nominee is Anna Gomez, a veteran government attorney.
Currently an advisor for international information and communications policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Gomez previously served as deputy administrator for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and also worked for 12 years in various roles at the FCC.
Gomez’s nomination is a critical one for the FCC, which has a Democratic chair in Jessica Rosenworcel, but an effective 2-2 tie between its Republican and Democratic members. Biden’s first FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, had been nominated in late 2021, but pulled herself from consideration earlier this year. Sohn, an outspoken supporter of net neutrality, had faced a bruising campaign from lobbyists tied to the telecom industry.
- 5/22/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The National Association of Broadcasters is trying to stimulate forward momentum in the stalled review of private equity firm Standard General’s takeover of major TV station group Tegna.
The $8.6 billion deal requires only the approval of the Federal Communications Commission in order to close. It was proposed more than a year ago and was expected to close a few months later, but has instead faced a protracted delay. Tegna stock stopped trading in February as a resolution of the merger review appeared to be close at hand. The FCC then said it planned to refer the merger review to an administrative law judge, a move that is tantamount to killing the deal. (The risk of higher consumer prices and staff layoffs have been cited by commission as primary concerns.)
The Nab filed a friend-of-the-court brief (read it Here) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit,...
The $8.6 billion deal requires only the approval of the Federal Communications Commission in order to close. It was proposed more than a year ago and was expected to close a few months later, but has instead faced a protracted delay. Tegna stock stopped trading in February as a resolution of the merger review appeared to be close at hand. The FCC then said it planned to refer the merger review to an administrative law judge, a move that is tantamount to killing the deal. (The risk of higher consumer prices and staff layoffs have been cited by commission as primary concerns.)
The Nab filed a friend-of-the-court brief (read it Here) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit,...
- 3/30/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s nomination as ambassador to India cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, again, after stalling out over allegations that he knew about sexual harassment complaints by a former top aide.
The committee voted 13-8 to advance his nomination, per Politico. Two Republicans, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tn) and Sen. Todd Young (R-in) joined with Democrats in support of his nomination. Sen. James Risch (R-id), the committee’s ranking member who supported for Garcetti’s nomination in the last Congress, opposed it this time.
Garcetti’s nomination sailed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, 2021, with no opposition. But it then was delayed throughout the year, as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-ia), acting on a whistleblower complaint, produced a Senate report that Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” about alleged sexual harassment by a former top aide, Rick Jacobs. The report was triggered by...
The committee voted 13-8 to advance his nomination, per Politico. Two Republicans, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tn) and Sen. Todd Young (R-in) joined with Democrats in support of his nomination. Sen. James Risch (R-id), the committee’s ranking member who supported for Garcetti’s nomination in the last Congress, opposed it this time.
Garcetti’s nomination sailed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, 2021, with no opposition. But it then was delayed throughout the year, as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-ia), acting on a whistleblower complaint, produced a Senate report that Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” about alleged sexual harassment by a former top aide, Rick Jacobs. The report was triggered by...
- 3/8/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Public interest advocate Gigi Sohn is withdrawing her nomination to the FCC, after a 16-month battle in which she faced relentless attacks from industry lobbyists and from commentators on the right.
“When I accepted his nomination over sixteen months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies,” Sohn wrote in a statement to The Washington Post. “The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, “She has tremendous intellect and experience, and we thought and we believed that she would be a … great candidate and would have been...
“When I accepted his nomination over sixteen months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies,” Sohn wrote in a statement to The Washington Post. “The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, “She has tremendous intellect and experience, and we thought and we believed that she would be a … great candidate and would have been...
- 3/7/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: Standard General blasted the FCC’s decision to send its proposed acquisition of Tegna to an administrative law judge, accusing the agency of trying to scuttle the deal by delaying it.
On Friday, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued an order sending the transaction to the judge for a hearing. The bureau took issue with the transaction’s potential to raise consumer prices and to result in layoffs.
In a statement, Standard General’s managing partner Soo Kim said, “A decision delayed is a decision denied. Our proposed transaction is consistent with all FCC regulations and precedent. It is bolstered by a voluntary commitment to invest in local news, preserve newsroom jobs, and address purported concerns related to consumer pricing. But rather than rule on the transaction’s merits, as the law requires, the Media Bureau is attempting to scuttle the deal by ordering a wholly unnecessary hearing process,...
On Friday, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued an order sending the transaction to the judge for a hearing. The bureau took issue with the transaction’s potential to raise consumer prices and to result in layoffs.
In a statement, Standard General’s managing partner Soo Kim said, “A decision delayed is a decision denied. Our proposed transaction is consistent with all FCC regulations and precedent. It is bolstered by a voluntary commitment to invest in local news, preserve newsroom jobs, and address purported concerns related to consumer pricing. But rather than rule on the transaction’s merits, as the law requires, the Media Bureau is attempting to scuttle the deal by ordering a wholly unnecessary hearing process,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
More than a year since she last faced a Senate hearing over her nomination to the FCC, Gigi Sohn returned again on Tuesday, telling lawmakers that “I believe deeply that regulated entities should not choose their regulators.”
Before the Senate Commerce Committee for a third time, she blasted “false and misleading attacks on my record and my character,” while she charged that industry opponents “have hidden behind dark money groups and surrogates because they fear a a pragmatic, pro-competition and pro-consumer policy maker.”
At stake is the Biden administration’s ability to break a 2-2 partisan deadlock on the commission, with the fifth spot vacant as Sohn’s nomination stalled out last year. But President Joe Biden recently renominated her for the new Congress, digging in in the face of GOP opposition, telecom and media industry attacks and, in the eyes of some of her fervent supporters, a smear campaign.
Before the Senate Commerce Committee for a third time, she blasted “false and misleading attacks on my record and my character,” while she charged that industry opponents “have hidden behind dark money groups and surrogates because they fear a a pragmatic, pro-competition and pro-consumer policy maker.”
At stake is the Biden administration’s ability to break a 2-2 partisan deadlock on the commission, with the fifth spot vacant as Sohn’s nomination stalled out last year. But President Joe Biden recently renominated her for the new Congress, digging in in the face of GOP opposition, telecom and media industry attacks and, in the eyes of some of her fervent supporters, a smear campaign.
- 2/14/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
President Joe Biden has renominated Eric Garcetti as U.S. ambassador to India, after the former Los Angeles mayor’s nomination failed to make the Senate floor last year.
Garcetti was among a series of nominees who will get restarts in the new Congress.
Biden also renominated Gigi Sohn to serve as the fifth commissioner on the FCC. Her nomination stalled out after the Senate Commerce Committee deadlocked. Republicans opposed her selection, amid opposition from commentators like Tucker Carlson and The Wall Street Journal editorial board, while industry lobbyists worked to stymie her nomination.
The difference for all of Biden’s nominations will be the Democrats’ expanded 51-49 majority, assuming that Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema caucuses with the Democrats after switching her affiliation to independent. That one vote difference from the 50-50 split in the last Congress could make it easier to advance nominees through committees and to the floor.
Garcetti was among a series of nominees who will get restarts in the new Congress.
Biden also renominated Gigi Sohn to serve as the fifth commissioner on the FCC. Her nomination stalled out after the Senate Commerce Committee deadlocked. Republicans opposed her selection, amid opposition from commentators like Tucker Carlson and The Wall Street Journal editorial board, while industry lobbyists worked to stymie her nomination.
The difference for all of Biden’s nominations will be the Democrats’ expanded 51-49 majority, assuming that Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema caucuses with the Democrats after switching her affiliation to independent. That one vote difference from the 50-50 split in the last Congress could make it easier to advance nominees through committees and to the floor.
- 1/3/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she hopes the outcome of today’s elections will help break the longstanding 2-2 tie on the regulatory commission, but she also defended the body’s deadlocked body’s record during her leadership.
“We’ve turned the noise down, and turned up the number of things we’re getting done,” she said, alluding to the commission’s profile under her predecessor as chair, Ajit Pai. At the behest of former President Donald Trump, Pai spearheaded a series of dramatic rollbacks of longstanding media rules when the five-member commission tilted 3-2 in favor of the Republicans. Despite Joe Biden’s defeat of Trump, Pai then stepped down and Democrats’ nominee, Gigi Sohn, has seen her prospects stymied by Congress. The former FCC staffer and progressive activist has never received a full hearing in the Senate despite the usual dynamic of the commission leaning toward the party of the president.
“We’ve turned the noise down, and turned up the number of things we’re getting done,” she said, alluding to the commission’s profile under her predecessor as chair, Ajit Pai. At the behest of former President Donald Trump, Pai spearheaded a series of dramatic rollbacks of longstanding media rules when the five-member commission tilted 3-2 in favor of the Republicans. Despite Joe Biden’s defeat of Trump, Pai then stepped down and Democrats’ nominee, Gigi Sohn, has seen her prospects stymied by Congress. The former FCC staffer and progressive activist has never received a full hearing in the Senate despite the usual dynamic of the commission leaning toward the party of the president.
- 11/8/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Democrats revived efforts to reinstate robust net neutrality rules, with new legislation that would affirm the FCC’s authority to require that companies like Verizon, AT&T and Comcast treat all internet traffic equally.
The legislation would classify internet service as an essential service, giving the FCC a statutory legal footing to prohibit internet service providers from blocking or throttling traffic, as well as other measures.
Net neutrality has a long and winding history, with efforts to establish rules of the road for internet traffic stretching back almost 20 years. As legislative efforts have failed, the FCC has three times tried to regulate how ISPs handle internet traffic. The most recent was in 2015, when the Obama-era FCC reclassified internet service like a common carrier, but the Trump-era FCC largely reversed those rules in 2017. In both years, public interest in the FCC’s actions were fueled by commentary from John Oliver on his HBO series Last Week Tonight.
The legislation would classify internet service as an essential service, giving the FCC a statutory legal footing to prohibit internet service providers from blocking or throttling traffic, as well as other measures.
Net neutrality has a long and winding history, with efforts to establish rules of the road for internet traffic stretching back almost 20 years. As legislative efforts have failed, the FCC has three times tried to regulate how ISPs handle internet traffic. The most recent was in 2015, when the Obama-era FCC reclassified internet service like a common carrier, but the Trump-era FCC largely reversed those rules in 2017. In both years, public interest in the FCC’s actions were fueled by commentary from John Oliver on his HBO series Last Week Tonight.
- 7/28/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Senate confirmed Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, giving Democrats a working majority at the agency as it sets its sights on reining in the tech industry and giving proposed mergers and acquisitions much greater scrutiny.
Bedoya was confirmed on a 51-50 party line vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie.
The FTC under chair Lina Khan did not challenge Amazon’s acquisition of MGM before the two companies closed their transaction. With the new Democratic majority, there has been some pressure on the FTC by labor and public interest groups to move to unwind the transaction or place restrictions on it.
Once Bedoya is sworn in, he will join Khan and Rebecca Slaughter as the three Democrats on the commission.
“With the FTC at full membership, this important agency will be empowered to drive full steam ahead in cracking down on bad actor companies who are using anticompetitive practices,...
Bedoya was confirmed on a 51-50 party line vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie.
The FTC under chair Lina Khan did not challenge Amazon’s acquisition of MGM before the two companies closed their transaction. With the new Democratic majority, there has been some pressure on the FTC by labor and public interest groups to move to unwind the transaction or place restrictions on it.
Once Bedoya is sworn in, he will join Khan and Rebecca Slaughter as the three Democrats on the commission.
“With the FTC at full membership, this important agency will be empowered to drive full steam ahead in cracking down on bad actor companies who are using anticompetitive practices,...
- 5/11/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Senate narrowly advanced the nomination of Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, as Democrats seek to end a deadlock on the commission and advance an agenda likely to take a harder line on corporation consolidation and tech giants.
The vote on Wednesday was 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a tie. The Senate Commerce Committee split 14-14 earlier this month on the nomination, meaning that Democrats needed to use a more complicated legislative maneuver to move it forward via what is called a discharge petition. Bedoya now faces additional Senate votes before confirmation, but that can happen if all members of the Democratic caucus stick together.
The FTC under chair Lina Khan did not challenge Amazon’s acquisition of MGM before the two companies closed the transaction, disappointing some union and public interest groups that had urged the agency to take a harder line. But any effort...
The vote on Wednesday was 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a tie. The Senate Commerce Committee split 14-14 earlier this month on the nomination, meaning that Democrats needed to use a more complicated legislative maneuver to move it forward via what is called a discharge petition. Bedoya now faces additional Senate votes before confirmation, but that can happen if all members of the Democratic caucus stick together.
The FTC under chair Lina Khan did not challenge Amazon’s acquisition of MGM before the two companies closed the transaction, disappointing some union and public interest groups that had urged the agency to take a harder line. But any effort...
- 3/30/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Senate Commerce Committee moved the nominations of Gigi Sohn to the FCC and Alvaro Bedoya to the FTC, but it came in a tie vote that sets up a more complicated path to their ultimate confirmations.
The 14-14 vote along party lines for each nomination means that the committee will “report” the tie to the Senate floor.
That means more legislative maneuvering by Democrats to clear each nominee, as the Senate can move to “discharge” the nomination to get it to the floor for a vote. That’s still possible, as Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie-breaking vote in the 50-50 Senate, and there is pressure on party leaders to get the nominations through so that Democrats will secure a majority at each agency.
The nominations were delayed last month after Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-nm) suffered a stroke, costing Democrats the votes they needed to keep the Sohn and Bedoya nominations alive.
The 14-14 vote along party lines for each nomination means that the committee will “report” the tie to the Senate floor.
That means more legislative maneuvering by Democrats to clear each nominee, as the Senate can move to “discharge” the nomination to get it to the floor for a vote. That’s still possible, as Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie-breaking vote in the 50-50 Senate, and there is pressure on party leaders to get the nominations through so that Democrats will secure a majority at each agency.
The nominations were delayed last month after Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-nm) suffered a stroke, costing Democrats the votes they needed to keep the Sohn and Bedoya nominations alive.
- 3/3/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Gigi Sohn, Joe Biden’s choice to fill a fifth slot on the FCC, told a Senate committee on Wednesday that she has been subject to “unrelenting, unfair, and outright false criticism and scrutiny,” as she’s been a target of attacks from the right and industry lobbyists raise issues that have delayed her confirmation process.
Sohn’s nomination is significant because her confirmation would give Democrats a 3-2 majority on the FCC, allowing it to move forward on contentious issues like net neutrality and media consolidation. Since last year, the commission has been split between the parties 2-2.
Under questioning before the Senate Commerce Committee, Sohn said that some companies have been “opportunistic” in seizing on one issue: whether she should recuse herself from matters that she has previously weighed in on as a public interest advocate, including her tenure as co-founder of the group Public Knowledge.
Sohn said,...
Sohn’s nomination is significant because her confirmation would give Democrats a 3-2 majority on the FCC, allowing it to move forward on contentious issues like net neutrality and media consolidation. Since last year, the commission has been split between the parties 2-2.
Under questioning before the Senate Commerce Committee, Sohn said that some companies have been “opportunistic” in seizing on one issue: whether she should recuse herself from matters that she has previously weighed in on as a public interest advocate, including her tenure as co-founder of the group Public Knowledge.
Sohn said,...
- 2/9/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated, with information on delayed vote: The Directors Guild of America is urging the Senate Commerce Committee to reject Joe Biden’s nominee to the FCC, citing Gigi Sohn’s past stances on copyright.
The committee was scheduled to take up Sohn’s nomination on Wednesday, but it will be postponed because of the absence of Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-nm), whose office announced that he suffered a stroke. He is expected to make a full recovery.
The guild sent a letter on Tuesday to its chairwoman, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-wa) objecting to the choice. In the letter obtained by Deadline (read it here), the DGA’s national executive director Russell Hollander wrote that Sohn’s “long standing record and hostility towards copyright law is inconsistent with the role of the FCC.” He argued that the agency’s role in licensing and regulation of TV, satellite and cable “implicate intellectual property.
The committee was scheduled to take up Sohn’s nomination on Wednesday, but it will be postponed because of the absence of Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-nm), whose office announced that he suffered a stroke. He is expected to make a full recovery.
The guild sent a letter on Tuesday to its chairwoman, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-wa) objecting to the choice. In the letter obtained by Deadline (read it here), the DGA’s national executive director Russell Hollander wrote that Sohn’s “long standing record and hostility towards copyright law is inconsistent with the role of the FCC.” He argued that the agency’s role in licensing and regulation of TV, satellite and cable “implicate intellectual property.
- 2/1/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a bit unusual when any FCC nomination becomes controversial — and even a bit strange when Tucker Carlson seizes on it.
But that is what has been happening in recent months in the case of Gigi Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate whose nomination to fill a vacancy on the commission is scheduled to come to a vote on Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee, with the chance that she also will face a tight confirmation vote on the Senate floor.
Most nominations sail through with little attention, but Sohn has become a bit of a lightning rod on the right for some past tweets, yet it’s the telecom and broadcast lobby that has raised issues with her nomination, resulting in a delay that could end up being consequential.
With the commission split 2-2 between the parties, the FCC is deadlocked to take up more controversial items in...
But that is what has been happening in recent months in the case of Gigi Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate whose nomination to fill a vacancy on the commission is scheduled to come to a vote on Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee, with the chance that she also will face a tight confirmation vote on the Senate floor.
Most nominations sail through with little attention, but Sohn has become a bit of a lightning rod on the right for some past tweets, yet it’s the telecom and broadcast lobby that has raised issues with her nomination, resulting in a delay that could end up being consequential.
With the commission split 2-2 between the parties, the FCC is deadlocked to take up more controversial items in...
- 1/30/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Biden’s nominee to fill a vacancy on the FCC, Gigi Sohn, faced a string of questions — from past tweets about Fox News to her role in the streaming service Locast — as she faced a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
While most nominees to the FCC get through with relatively little turbulence, Sohn’s longtime work as a public interest advocate often put her at odds with the broadcast and telecom industry, particularly on issues like media consolidation and net neutrality.
But some on the right, including Tucker Carlson, also have seized on some of her past tweets to claim that she would use her position to try to stifle conservative voices.
In the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Sohn responded to queries over some of her past tweets, including one from last year in which she wrote, “For all my concerns about #Facebook, I believe that Fox News has...
While most nominees to the FCC get through with relatively little turbulence, Sohn’s longtime work as a public interest advocate often put her at odds with the broadcast and telecom industry, particularly on issues like media consolidation and net neutrality.
But some on the right, including Tucker Carlson, also have seized on some of her past tweets to claim that she would use her position to try to stifle conservative voices.
In the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Sohn responded to queries over some of her past tweets, including one from last year in which she wrote, “For all my concerns about #Facebook, I believe that Fox News has...
- 12/2/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
As some Republicans are lining up against one of President Joe Biden’s FCC nominees, Gigi Sohn, she has gained an unexpected ally: the president of One America News Network.
Charles Herring issued a statement on Wednesday endorsing Sohn’s confirmation, writing that “as an executive of an independent, family owned business of two national networks, One America News Network and Awe, I’ve found myself advocating for more open markets in an environment that is arguably a quasi monopoly. I’ve fought in the trenches side-by-side with Gigi Sohn for a number of years on multiple issues. I’m fully aware of Gigi’s personal views, yet I’m even more knowledgeable on her strong belief and advocacy for diversity in the programming lineup, especially in news, regardless of conflicts with her personal views.”
Gigi Sohn is one of the most knowledgeable persons I know on FCC issues and...
Charles Herring issued a statement on Wednesday endorsing Sohn’s confirmation, writing that “as an executive of an independent, family owned business of two national networks, One America News Network and Awe, I’ve found myself advocating for more open markets in an environment that is arguably a quasi monopoly. I’ve fought in the trenches side-by-side with Gigi Sohn for a number of years on multiple issues. I’m fully aware of Gigi’s personal views, yet I’m even more knowledgeable on her strong belief and advocacy for diversity in the programming lineup, especially in news, regardless of conflicts with her personal views.”
Gigi Sohn is one of the most knowledgeable persons I know on FCC issues and...
- 11/10/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
President Joe Biden plans to name Jessica Rosenworcel as permanent chair of the FCC, while he will nominate Gigi Sohn to fill a vacancy on the commission.
Lobbyists and lawmakers have been buzzing for months over the delay in Biden’s decision over the commission, which has been deadlocked 2-2 between Republicans and Democrats since he came into office.
Rosenworcel, who has been acting chair, will be the first woman to become permanent chair of the 87-year-old commission. Biden also nominated her for an additional term.
Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate who served as counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who served during Barack Obama’s second term, had been viewed as one of the contenders for a slot on the commission. If Rosenworcel is confirmed to a new term and Sohn to fill the vacancy, Democrats will hold a 3-2 majority on the FCC, allowing them to tackle...
Lobbyists and lawmakers have been buzzing for months over the delay in Biden’s decision over the commission, which has been deadlocked 2-2 between Republicans and Democrats since he came into office.
Rosenworcel, who has been acting chair, will be the first woman to become permanent chair of the 87-year-old commission. Biden also nominated her for an additional term.
Sohn, a longtime public interest advocate who served as counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who served during Barack Obama’s second term, had been viewed as one of the contenders for a slot on the commission. If Rosenworcel is confirmed to a new term and Sohn to fill the vacancy, Democrats will hold a 3-2 majority on the FCC, allowing them to tackle...
- 10/26/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
President Biden has nominated Jessica Rosenworcel as chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, the White House said Tuesday.
He is also tapping Gigi Sohn, a Net Neutrality advocate who co-founded the non-profit advocacy group Public Knowledge, as an FCC commissioner.
Rosenworcel has been working as acting FCC chair since January. She has been a Democratic commissioner at the agency since 2012. Sohn, meanwhile, previously worked at the FCC in a senior staff role under chairman Tom Wheeler during the Obama administration. The White House says that if confirmed, Sohn “would be the first openly Lgbtiq+ Commissioner in the history of the FCC....
He is also tapping Gigi Sohn, a Net Neutrality advocate who co-founded the non-profit advocacy group Public Knowledge, as an FCC commissioner.
Rosenworcel has been working as acting FCC chair since January. She has been a Democratic commissioner at the agency since 2012. Sohn, meanwhile, previously worked at the FCC in a senior staff role under chairman Tom Wheeler during the Obama administration. The White House says that if confirmed, Sohn “would be the first openly Lgbtiq+ Commissioner in the history of the FCC....
- 10/26/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
With the White House set to shift parties in January, powerful regulatory agencies the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission face sweeping issues with big implications for tech and entertainment, from antitrust and privacy to net neutrality, legal immunity for Internet platforms and media-cross ownership.
“They are piling up. Many issues that we were working on a decade ago are still around — the digital divide, net neutrality, copyright — and now we have others, like looking at big tech antitrust and Section 230. We need to see policymakers step up and take action,” said Christopher Lewis, president and CEO of policy nonprofit Public Knowledge, which promotes free expression and an open Internet.
Curating Internet content, or not, is by far the noisiest issue and the most political. The right and left both have concerns about how social media platforms operate, but diametrically opposed goals: the left wants more aggressive policing,...
“They are piling up. Many issues that we were working on a decade ago are still around — the digital divide, net neutrality, copyright — and now we have others, like looking at big tech antitrust and Section 230. We need to see policymakers step up and take action,” said Christopher Lewis, president and CEO of policy nonprofit Public Knowledge, which promotes free expression and an open Internet.
Curating Internet content, or not, is by far the noisiest issue and the most political. The right and left both have concerns about how social media platforms operate, but diametrically opposed goals: the left wants more aggressive policing,...
- 11/17/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith and Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The ongoing battle over rules of the road for the internet will go on longer – maybe even much longer – after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a mixed ruling that will send some of the efforts at deregulation back to the FCC.
The battle is over net neutrality, or a set of rules to prohibit internet providers from blocking or throttling web traffic, or from selling so-called “fast lanes” to content providers for speedier access to the consumer. The idea is that all web traffic – whether coming from Netflix or a local church – should be treated equally.
In a contentious vote in 2017, the Republican-controlled FCC rolled back many of those Obama-era rules.
In their decision issued on Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit basically gave its Ok to much of that deregulatory action. That included the FCC’s reclassification of internet service as an “information service,” a lighter...
The battle is over net neutrality, or a set of rules to prohibit internet providers from blocking or throttling web traffic, or from selling so-called “fast lanes” to content providers for speedier access to the consumer. The idea is that all web traffic – whether coming from Netflix or a local church – should be treated equally.
In a contentious vote in 2017, the Republican-controlled FCC rolled back many of those Obama-era rules.
In their decision issued on Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit basically gave its Ok to much of that deregulatory action. That included the FCC’s reclassification of internet service as an “information service,” a lighter...
- 10/1/2019
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Washington — Kimberly Reed’s new project “Dark Money” pulls off what so many campaign reformers have trouble doing: She captures the personal impact of the flood of cash that has flowed into elections following the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.
So much focus on money in politics is on Senate and House races; “Dark Money,” which opens this weekend, looks at state lawmakers in Montana who found themselves driven from office by a flood of pre-election day attack ads. The sources were opaque groups, financed by out-of-state corporate money, often with the message that the incumbents are too moderate.
“The characters I ran into were really heroic, everyday characters, and most of them were Republicans who were being attacked by their own party, by the far right-wing of their own party,” Reed said.
What makes “Dark Money” work is that it traces what has happened in the state over several election cycles,...
So much focus on money in politics is on Senate and House races; “Dark Money,” which opens this weekend, looks at state lawmakers in Montana who found themselves driven from office by a flood of pre-election day attack ads. The sources were opaque groups, financed by out-of-state corporate money, often with the message that the incumbents are too moderate.
“The characters I ran into were really heroic, everyday characters, and most of them were Republicans who were being attacked by their own party, by the far right-wing of their own party,” Reed said.
What makes “Dark Money” work is that it traces what has happened in the state over several election cycles,...
- 7/22/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Updated Washington — FCC Chairman Ajit Pai put the brakes on Sinclair Broadcast Group’s proposed merger with Tribune Media, and now the question is: What happens to the deal?
Sinclair’s stock price on Monday fell almost 12%, while Tribune’s dropped almost 17%, signifying pessimism among investors. Under the plan, Sinclair would ultimately own 215 stations in 102 markets, making it the largest broadcaster.
There’s good reason for the doubts. Pai proposed sending the merger to an administrative law judge for a hearing, a process that some observers believe can take up to a year or even longer. One industry executive described it as a bureaucratic black hole that has scuttled past mergers. Pai has the votes on the commission to do that, but he had not announced whether there will be any type of expedited review or time frame set on the process.
In any case, there will be a further...
Sinclair’s stock price on Monday fell almost 12%, while Tribune’s dropped almost 17%, signifying pessimism among investors. Under the plan, Sinclair would ultimately own 215 stations in 102 markets, making it the largest broadcaster.
There’s good reason for the doubts. Pai proposed sending the merger to an administrative law judge for a hearing, a process that some observers believe can take up to a year or even longer. One industry executive described it as a bureaucratic black hole that has scuttled past mergers. Pai has the votes on the commission to do that, but he had not announced whether there will be any type of expedited review or time frame set on the process.
In any case, there will be a further...
- 7/16/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Updated Washington — After its definitive defeat in the At&T-Time Warner trial, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division is now weighing whether to appeal.
On Wednesday, a number of public interest groups, Wall Street analysts, and lobbyists were also asking another question: Will this make the Doj more reluctant to challenge other vertical transactions?
As he left the federal courthouse in Washington on Tuesday, Makan Delrahim, the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, said that they would review the opinion of U.S. District Judge Richard Leon “to see what impact it will have on other mergers.”
The Doj is mulling whether to appeal. The government could also seek a stay to halt the transaction from moving forward as it weighs that decision, but the Justice Department would have to decide by Monday. Leon made clear that he would reject a stay, but the Doj could also seek such a...
On Wednesday, a number of public interest groups, Wall Street analysts, and lobbyists were also asking another question: Will this make the Doj more reluctant to challenge other vertical transactions?
As he left the federal courthouse in Washington on Tuesday, Makan Delrahim, the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, said that they would review the opinion of U.S. District Judge Richard Leon “to see what impact it will have on other mergers.”
The Doj is mulling whether to appeal. The government could also seek a stay to halt the transaction from moving forward as it weighs that decision, but the Justice Department would have to decide by Monday. Leon made clear that he would reject a stay, but the Doj could also seek such a...
- 6/13/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Washington — At&T CEO Randall Stephenson says that At&T’s decision to hire Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, shortly after the inauguration, was a “big mistake.”
What wasn’t all that unusual, however, for At&T and other companies, was the scramble to find any connection to the Trump administration after so many in D.C. assumed that Hillary Clinton would be the victor.
On the latest “PopPolitics” on SiriusXM, Dave Levinthal of the Center for Public Integrity talks about the drive for influence in the early days of the administration and the dividing line between business consulting — which Cohen did — and lobbying.
“Having somebody like a Michael Cohen involved, who very intimately knows Donald Trump, and somebody who has worked with Donald Trump for such a long time, he would not only come at a very high price, but he would oftentimes come with very good information for your company,...
What wasn’t all that unusual, however, for At&T and other companies, was the scramble to find any connection to the Trump administration after so many in D.C. assumed that Hillary Clinton would be the victor.
On the latest “PopPolitics” on SiriusXM, Dave Levinthal of the Center for Public Integrity talks about the drive for influence in the early days of the administration and the dividing line between business consulting — which Cohen did — and lobbying.
“Having somebody like a Michael Cohen involved, who very intimately knows Donald Trump, and somebody who has worked with Donald Trump for such a long time, he would not only come at a very high price, but he would oftentimes come with very good information for your company,...
- 5/13/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Washington — Mignon Clyburn announced that she is stepping down from her spot on the FCC after serving on the commission since 2009.
Clyburn, who was the first woman to lead the FCC when she served as acting chairwoman in 2013, leaves an opening on the five-member commission that is expected to be filled by another Democrat.
“It’s been the most incredible opportunity for me,” Clyburn said at Tuesday’s commission meeting, in which she thanked those she has worked with. “In my wildest dreams, if I could have crafted my destiny, I never would have dreamed of this.”
Clyburn, nominated by President Barack Obama, was a key advocate for the FCC’s net neutrality rules, passed in 2015, and opponent of the rollback of those regulations when Republicans gained a majority on the commission. In advance of the repeal, she traveled to a number of cities, including Los Angeles, where she appeared...
Clyburn, who was the first woman to lead the FCC when she served as acting chairwoman in 2013, leaves an opening on the five-member commission that is expected to be filled by another Democrat.
“It’s been the most incredible opportunity for me,” Clyburn said at Tuesday’s commission meeting, in which she thanked those she has worked with. “In my wildest dreams, if I could have crafted my destiny, I never would have dreamed of this.”
Clyburn, nominated by President Barack Obama, was a key advocate for the FCC’s net neutrality rules, passed in 2015, and opponent of the rollback of those regulations when Republicans gained a majority on the commission. In advance of the repeal, she traveled to a number of cities, including Los Angeles, where she appeared...
- 4/17/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
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