Consumerist
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kevin martin
Everyone Wave Goodbye To Outgoing FCC Chief Kevin Martin
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is calling it quits as of inauguration day. The Chairman, who could have served for three more years, is heading to the Aspen Institute, a preserve for endangered spectacles masquerading as a "nonprofit leadership group." Martin's tenure was a mixed bag for consumers... More » -
digital tv transition ford
Fail: Giant Metaphor For Digital TV Transition Performs As Expected
The Federal Communications Commission and its benevolent overlord, Mr. Kevin Martin, recently spent $350,000 to sponsor a NASCAR team for 3 races. The “Digital TV Transition Ford” sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission crashed during its inaugural NASCAR race Sunday afternoon, says the WSJ. More » -
dtv
FCC Plans Road Trip To Educate America About Digital TV
The FCC has decided to travel around the country and talk to people about the upcoming digital TV switchover.
...the five FCC Commissioners and other Commission staff will fan out to [selected] markets to raise awareness and educate consumers.
Dear FCC, please please please let these commissioners show up with cheezy t-shirts pulled on over their normal button-and-collar shirts. In fact, t-shirts for everyone! This is America, after all. More »
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comcast
FCC Chairman Says Comcast "Violated Our Principles" By Arbitrarily Blocking Internet Traffic
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told the Associated Press yesterday that Comcast had "violated our principles" when it came to managing their network. He accused Comcast of arbitrarily blocking internet traffic and failing to disclose to consumers that it was doing so. More » -
early termination fees
In Early Termination Fee Hearing, FCC Chief Regurgitates Wireless Industry Proposals
The FCC held hearings today to discuss early termination fees (ETF) for wireless carriers, the ~$175 charged if a customer exits contract before the contract is up. FCC Chairman Kevin "Golden Child" Martin's proposals largely mirrored those offered by the carriers themselves last month. Here's what he said today: More »
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news from the swamp
Senate Committee Votes To Rollback FCC's Media Consolidation Plan
Poor Kevin Martin. The Senate is well on its way towards killing his proposal to let newspapers get all freaky and consolidate with television and radio stations. Martin shouldn't be too surprised: this is exactly what happened the last time a FCC Chairman tried to ram media consolidation down our throats. More » -
fines
FCC Probably Powerless To Fine ABC Over Diane Keaton's "Fucking Personality"
Diane Keaton, while appearing live on "Good Morning America," told Diane Sawyer that she's admired her looks, particularly her lips, saying "that if she had lips like that she wouldn't have had to work on her 'fucking personality' and would be married by now." Obviously, Diane Keaton is awesome, but FCC chairman Kevin Martin is notoriously fond of attempting to punish stations that allow free spirited celebrities to slip in a few "shits" and "fucks" into their live television appearances. More » -
news from the swamp
Liveblogging The Media Consolidation Showdown Between The FCC And The Senate Commerce Committee
Join us at 10 a.m. for the FCC's showdown with the Senate Commerce Committee. The hearing comes one day after Democratic Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps pilloried Chairman Kevin Martin's plan to allow one company to control a newspaper and television or radio station in the same city as: "a mish-mash of half-baked ideas."
This is the Chairman's second romp to the Hill in defense of his ill-fated plan. Though at the last hearing in the House, Martin's plan received tepid support, today he appears before Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), who led the Senate Commerce Committee to pass a resolution ordering the FCC to delay its planned December 18 vote by at least 120 days.
Today's showdown features one panel with all five members of the FCC. Can Kevin Martin and Spectacles of Hope prevail over Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and the Scowl of Doom? Start hitting refresh at 10 a.m. to find out.
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)9:55: Today's video link comes in two flavors: Real Media Player and Windows Media Player/Quicktime.
10:12: We begin our liveblogging now. More »
9:45 AM on Thu Dec 13 2007
By Carey Alexander
4,000 views, 21 commentsLatest by varco: I hate me some Kevin Martin. Always trying to push through media consolidation despite massive public protest against it. more »
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news from the swamp
Liveblogging The Media Consolidation Showdown Between The FCC And The House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee
Starting today at 9:30 a.m. the House will drag FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his colleagues before the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee to explain their misguided and widely-criticized media consolidation plan that would allow one company to control several radio and television stations in the same city. The hearing comes two days after John Dingell (D-MI,) who will be chairing the hearing, accused Martin of abusing his power and intentionally keeping his fellow Commissioners in the dark. Just yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to ban the FCC from moving forward with their planned vote until they first complete a comprehensive study of broadcasters' commitment to local news and ownership opportunities for women and minorities.
All five FCC Commissioners will testify, along with a slew of media representatives including the Newspaper Association of America, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Congress of Black Women, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, and (one of these things is not like the other...) Clear Channel Communications.
Will Kevin Martin throw his spectacles at the Committee in anger? Will former Army man Dingell make Martin cry? Join us at 9:30 a.m. as the sparks start flying.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)9:25: Audio link only? For a hearing on the media? What a sense of humor you have, Chairman Dingell.
9:33: Video Link! Thanks, C-SPAN.
9:39: Oh good, "this is going to be a long morning." Let's hear some opening statements. More »
9:20 AM on Wed Dec 5 2007
By Carey Alexander
4,901 views, 13 commentsLatest by r4__: @cef21: The legislation is about over-the-air broadcasting (i.e. not cable), of which you're lucky to get six channels. If half more »
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news from the swamp
FCC Chairman Takes Aim At Cable Monopolies
Newly emboldened FCC Chairman Kevin Martin plans to wield the Cable Communications Act of 1984 to shatter the cable industry's anti-competitive practices. The proposed regulations would give consumers flexible, diverse programming at cheaper rates, while capping the cancerous growth of conglomerates like Comcast and Time Warner.The commission is preparing to take steps to make it less expensive for rivals of the largest cable conglomerates to buy their programs — so that, for instance, a satellite company would find it less expensive to purchase programs by the Turner Broadcasting System, a unit of Time Warner.
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freedom of information
Media Consolidation Is Bad For Everyone
Bill Moyers produced an excellent segment on media consolidation and its disproportionate impact on minorities. African Americans and Hispanics account for over a quarter of the population, but own just 33 of the nation's 1,350 television stations, and only 6% of radio stations. According to Melody Spann-Cooper, owner of Chicago's only black-owned radio station:Radio has moved from being in the business of empowering and educating people to Wall Street, to making money. And that's not the big corporate conglomerates, you know, that's not their fault. They were allowed to do this.
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if at first you don't succeed
FCC Chairman To Relax Media Ownership Rules
Media conglomerates are preparing to feast on a banquet of local media outlets thanks to a resurrected proposal from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. The Chairman wants to relax decades-old rules that bar media companies from owning both a newspaper and TV or radio station in the same local market. A similar proposal was presciently struck down three years ago by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals."Currently, a company can own two television stations in the larger markets only if at least one is not among the four largest stations and if there are at least eight local stations. The rules also limit the number of radio stations that a company can own to no more than eight in each of the largest markets.
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espn doesn't speak french
FCC Talks "A La Carte" Cable
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin thinks your cable bill is too high. More » -
where is a la carte cable?
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin Suspects "Astroturfing" By Cable Companies
It seems that nearly everyone wants la carte cable, so where is it? FCC Chairman Kevin Martin gave a speech in which he suggested that most of the "grassroots" opposition to la carte cable is really the result of a well-organized lobbying effort by the cable companies. More » -
news from the swamp
FCC Proposes New Rules To Further "Unlock" Cellphones
Sick of boring handsets with crippled features? So is FCC chairman Kevin Martin. He's proposing "sweeping new rules" that would apply to the 700mhz spectrum that is soon to be vacated as television goes digital. What will the new rules be?Under Martin's proposal, to be circulated in the agency as early as Tuesday, mobile services in these airwaves would have to allow consumer choice.
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success
FCC Chairman Orders Telecoms To Restore Access To Free Iowa-Based Conference Call Providers
The Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, has issued a stern rebuke to the telecoms that blocked their subscribers from accessing free Iowa-based conference call providers. Quoth the Chairman:We actually contacted the companies that were listed in the press [reports] and said our rules prohibit you from blocking consumers' access to any of the service providers... One had stopped blocking, but we heard complaints the next week that they were restricting access, sort of narrowing the pipe. We called them back and said, no, no, you can't artificially degrade [service] either.
We think you should celebrate this reversal with your friends on a free Iowa-based conference call. If the service is blocked, or in any way degraded, don't hesitate to fill out the FTC's consumer complaint form. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER More » -
billing
Verizon Drops Baseless DSL Fee After FCC Pressure
Nine days after installing a new "supplier surcharge" fee to essentially replace one government regulators dropped, Verizon DSL decided to stop levying the fee. Verizon came under heat from customers and received a letter from the FCC asking it to explain its actions. BellSouth, which also received a FCC letter, announced it would drop a similar charge. More »
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