Abstract: Television broadcasting, long subject to uniquely comprehensive regulation, has become economically “normal,” characterized today by competition and innovation. The industry however, is seeing growing conflicts between traditional broadcasters and the newer cable and satellite providers over retransmission rights. Some have urged the FCC to take a more…
The battle over AT&T’s proposed acquisition of struggling wireless carrier T-Mobile officially began last month when AT&T filed papers with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requesting approval. The deal seems to be a sensible one, potentially benefiting T-Mobile’s and AT&T’s subscribers.[1] Not so sensible, however, is the process regulators will…
Should the FCC be allowed to regulate the Internet? That’s the question facing Congress as it reviews the “net neutrality” rule recently adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The House Commerce Committee is expected to vote soon on a “resolution of disapproval” to void the regulation. Even if such a resolution is not ultimately adopted—presidential…
We have two branches of government—Congress and the courts—expressing grave concerns with our agency becoming increasingly unmoored from our statutory authority. By seeking to regulate the Internet now, we exceed the authority Congress has given us, and justify those concerns. —FCC Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker[1] Should regulators in Washington, D.C., set…
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) plans to regulate broadband Internet services were derailed by a U.S. appeals court, which ruled that the FCC lacks authority over broadband. The decision, while not unexpected, was a crushing defeat for the agency, which has proposed far-reaching "neutrality" rules for Internet providers. Nevertheless,…
The recent failure by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to garner the minimum bid on the public safety spectrum is a major setback for interoperability in the United States. Micromanagement, coupled with a lack of homework by the FCC, created an auction destined for failure. The FCC must examine what went wrong and ensure that the re-auction takes into…
Should radio and television stations be allowed to own newspapers? Last December, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) answered "sometimes." Specifically, the five-member agency voted to liberalize its 33-year-old blanket prohibition on cross-ownership, allowing broadcast licenses to be owned jointly with newspaper licensees. The decision is now being challenged…
Instagram, the popular photo-sharing and social-networking service acquired this year by Facebook, faces a strong public...…
After 66 days of turbulent sailing across the Atlantic, the Pilgrims were understandably eager to touch land at...…
According to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, federal health standards limiting radiation from...…
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Friday that the Obama administration is pursuing restrictions on...…
It’s rather remarkable, really, how willing federal bureaucrats are to block business deals that they speculate will...…
The federal government owns vast assets that would be better managed and more productive in the hands of the private...…
Silicon Valley is one of the few bright spots in the U.S. economy today, but a new report warns that Washington’s...…
Are mobile phones and Internet access necessities that require taxpayers to foot the bill for the supposed “have-nots”?...…
Congress could move a step closer to rejecting the Federal Communications Commission's plan to regulate the Internet...…
In his new book Democracy Denied, Phil Kerpen, vice president at Americans for Prosperity, unravels the extraordinary...…
Senior Research Fellow in Regulatory Policy