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from: Scripps News

Nevada Sen. Ensign becomes GOP tech star

By LISA MASCARO

Nevada Sen. John Ensign's handiwork can be seen all over the Senate's 2006 telecom bill, the biggest overhaul to telecommunications law in a decade and one that has ignited fierce debate over how best to govern the future of the Internet.

from: Valley Independent

Cable TV fees safe?

By Jeff Pikulsky
VALLEY INDEPENDENT
Saturday, July 15, 2006

While many local officials fear their communities could lose cable franchise fee revenues because of a proposed federal law, a spokesman for the congressman who sponsored the legislation says that's not the case.

From one of our favorite astroturf installers, Dick Armey of FreedomWorks. Strange times when the Freemarket Rightwingers beat up on the Christian Right

from: CNET News

Net ignorance of the Christian Coalition

By Dick Armey
http://news.com.com/Net+ignorance+of+the+Christian+Coalition/2010-1028_3-6094235.html

from: Broadcasting and Cable

Technologists Tackle Net Neutrality

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable,
7/17/2006 1:36:00 PM

It might have been subtitled "The Impossible Dream."

Two voices of Internet experience squared off Monday looking to answer the $1 million-a-day-question--What is Net Neutrality? At the end of the day, the answer was still not clear, but the question engendered some lively debate, plus yet another shot at Senator Ted Stevens' "tubes" explanation of the Internet.

July 13, 2006
For Immediate Release

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, President and CEO of the Media Access Project, issued the following statement in reaction to today's FCC approval of the Adelphia sale:

The Commission’s conditional approval of the sale of Adelphia’s cable systems represents a significant accomplishment for the media reform community. Viewed in light of the initial predictions that this transaction would receive prompt and complete approval, the FCC has actually looked long and hard at the issues and imposed significant conditions on the deal.

from: Reed Business Information

FCC Approves Adelphia Merger

By Ted Hearn & Mike Farrell

7/13/2006 3:26:00 PM

The Federal Communications Commission voted 4-1 Thursday to approve the $16.9 billion acquisition of Adelphia Communications by Time Warner Inc. and Comcast, removing the last regulatory hurdle facing the deal.

Democratic commissioner Jonathan Adelstein partially dissented, but the agency counts the split vote as a vote in favor of the deal.

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Breaking News
FCC Meeting Delay Continues...and Continues
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/13/2006 12:20:00 AM

The FCC has delayed the start of the meeting in which it was expected to approve the Adelphia breakup between Comcast and Time Warner.

The meeting was initially scheduled to start at 9:30, but by 10:15, FCC sources were saying the comm missioners were still in a meeting and that it could start as late as 11 or 11:30. The FCC confirmed the latter start time in an e-mail. No word on what the hold-up was, but at 11:45, there was still no sign of the commissioners in the meeting room.

Note: If anyone has seen the FCC, please call Washington. In the meanwhile, send them our letter about the Adelphia merger.

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Breaking News
FCC Meeting Delay Continues...and Continues

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable,
7/13/2006 12:20:00 AM

The FCC has delayed the start of the meeting in which it was expected to approve the Adelphia breakup between Comcast and Time Warner.

from: IndyWeek

POSTED ON JULY 12, 2006:

Don't be nice
Media consolidation is back on the agenda at the FCC

By Fiona Morgan

I've been having this strong feeling of déjà vu lately. Three years ago, the Federal Communications Commission set out to deregulate media ownership and met with the protests of 3 million people. A federal court stopped the FCC in its tracks, just as Congress was voting to halt the commission's new rules.

from: Washington Post

FCC poised to approve Adelphia sale to rivals

By Jeremy Pelofsky
Reuters
Thursday, July 13, 2006; 2:09 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is set on Thursday to approve the sale of bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp. to rival cable operators Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Inc. despite objections from consumer advocates.