Reporting

Governor of Maryland agrees to stop blocking Facebook users who disagree with him

Gov Larry Hogan (R-MD) allegedly had a habit of blocking Facebook users and deleting comments when people criticized him, but a lawsuit has forced him to adopt a more open social media policy. Four Maryland residents sued the governor in a US District Court in August 2017, with help from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland. The ACLU announced that a settlement has been finalized, requiring Gov Hogan to implement a new social media policy within two weeks.

A new study suggests fake news might have won Donald Trump the 2016 election

Researchers at Ohio State University find that fake news probably played a significant role in depressing Hillary Clinton's support on Election Day.

The Comcast-NBC Merger Offers Little Guidance for AT&T-Time Warner

On the surface, the AT&T-Time Warner deal bears a strong resemblance to Comcast's 2011 acquisition of NBC Universal. Both AT&T and its opponents have already invoked the Comcast-NBC Universal merger in support of their case. In its response to the Department of Justice's lawsuit, AT&T argued that the government’s 2011 decision to approve the Comcast deal, with conditions, set a precedent that should be respected.

President Trump Defends Sinclair, Rips ‘Fake News Networks’ and CNN’s ‘Little Jeff Zuker’

On April 3, President Donald Trump posted on Twitter:

The Fake News Networks, those that knowingly have a sick and biased AGENDA, are worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast. The “Fakers” at CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS have done so much dishonest reporting that they should only be allowed to get awards for fiction!

Sinclair Chairman Claims Entire Print Media Has ‘No Credibility’

David Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, said he dislikes and fundamentally distrusts the print media, which he believes “serves no real purpose.” Smith said that print — as in newspapers and magazines — is a reality-distorting tool of leftists. Print media, he said, has “no credibility” and no relevance. “I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today’s world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity.

GOP state senators in Connecticut block net neutrality bill with procedural trick

Republican state senators in Connecticut used a procedural trick to block a bill that would let the state regulate the internet. The bill failed in the state's Energy and Technology Committee.  The committee includes two state Senate Democrats and two state Senate Republicans. When House members are included, Democrats have a majority in the committee. State Sen Paul Formica (R), co-chairman of the panel, split the committee so only the senators were allowed to vote. With two senators voting against the measure and two voting for it, the bill failed in the committee.

Why Trump thinks he's winning his war on media

Nothing helps President Donald Trump more — or tightens his hold on his base more securely — than his cozy, mutually-beneficial relationship with conservative TV. Trump's feedback loop, including cable-news coverage, and mainstream-media squawking, convinces the president that he's winning his war on media.

Trump's War With Amazon and the Washington Post Is Personal

With White House staff departures and diminished roles for thems that remain, there's just one star in the Trump administration—a situation President Trump is obviously enjoying. And his new freedom is used to focus ever more closely on his perceived enemies and obsessions. Amazon, whose owner, Jeff Bezos, also owns The Washington Post, is currently the main target. President Trump is discussing ways to escalate his Twitter attacks on Amazon to further damage the company. President Trump wants the Post Office to increase Amazon’s shipping costs.

How to regulate Facebook

No federal law spells out what companies trading in personal information can do with user data. No federal agency has clear jurisdiction over writing rules for internet companies. And public concern about personal data falling into the wrong hands has only recently swelled. Now lawmakers are feeling the heat.

‘A Bit of Divine Justice’: Candidate Trump Vowed to Change Libel Law. But Not Like This.

When Donald J. Trump was running for president, he promised to “open up our libel laws.” No one quite knew what he meant. Recently President Trump started to make good on his campaign pledge. But he did so inadvertently — as a libel defendant on the losing side of a decision that will help victims of sexual misconduct sue when they are called liars. These days, a remarkable number of libel suits, including ones against Bill Cosby, Bill O’Reilly, Roy S.

The nation’s biggest conservative broadcaster is putting words in its anchors’ mouths. Critics blame the FCC.

Critics say the Federal Communications Commission is responsible for enabling and emboldening the right-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group in ways that could ultimately hurt conservatives and liberals alike.The FCC eliminated the “main studio rule,” a federal requirement that radio and TV stations operate a physical studio in the areas where they were licensed. In voting to repeal the rule, FCC Chairman Pai said technological advances make it no longer necessary for stations to keep the lights on in a physical studio; many broadcasters, including NPR, agreed.

Sinclair responds to criticism of media-bashing promos

Critics are calling Sinclair's promos pro-President Donald Trump propaganda.

Why President Trump’s support for Sinclair Broadcasting is so concerning

[Commentary] President Donald Trump’s April 2 Sinclair tweet highlights the fact that in his administration, companies that favor the president seem to get treated one way, while those who appear to be neutral or even opposed to his administration risk getting publicly abused by him.  President Trump’s tweet in support of Sinclair dredges up this disconcerting history. But it’s also troubling on a deeper level.

Verizon asks FCC to accelerate Philadelphia copper retirement to accommodate new bridge construction

Verizon has asked the Federal Communications Commission to accelerate its request to retire some of its copper facilities in Southern Philadelphia (PA) due to two bridge replacements being conducted by Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). In its request to the FCC, Verizon said that SEPTA and PennDOT planned to replace two bridges in Philadelphia: the Allens Lane Bridge in Verizon’s Chestnut Hill, wire center and the Woodland Avenue Bridge in its Saratoga wire center.

Rural broadband providers keep pressing for smaller CBRS licensed areas

Several organizations representing the interests of rural telecommunication and electric cooperatives recently met with Federal Communications Commission staff to discuss rules for the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)—namely, that they want the rules to remain much the same as they were crafted in the first place.

Trump 2020 campaign manager calls for CNN's Acosta to have his press credentials revoked

President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager is calling for Jim Acosta to be stripped of his press credentials after the CNN White House correspondent questioned President Trump during the White House Easter Egg Roll. Brad Parscale shared an article from The Daily Caller, which reported that Acosta “yelled at Trump” during the event.  Parscale said in his tweet that he thinks it is time for Acosta to “get a suspension for breaking protocol.” “He continues to embarrass himself and @CNN,” Parscale wrote. “Pull his credentials for each incident.”

Charter fails to prove that its employees purposely caused cable outages

Charter Communications has lost a lawsuit in which it accused a workers' union of sabotaging the Charter network during an ongoing strike. Charter sued IBEW Local Union No. 3 in a New York state court in October in 2017, alleging that union leadership "orchestrated" vandalism of coaxial and fiber cables that had caused outages for tens of thousands of subscribers. The lawsuit said vandalism hit Charter cables in New York City more than 125 times during the strike, which began in March 2017 and is now entering its second year.

Facebook Previously Failed To Keep Privacy Promises, Ex-FTC Adviser Tim Wu Says

A Q&A with Tim Wu, a professor at Columbia University and coiner of the term "net neutrality."

Sinclair defends itself over uproar after local news anchors read anti 'false news' screed

Sinclair Broadcast Group is defending itself against criticism for a recent on-air promotional message many of its local news anchors were asked to read that warned viewers about "false news" on competing media outlets.  Sinclair produced the spots to express concern about the spread of such false media reports such as the "Pope Endorses Trump" fake news story that quickly spread across social media, said Scott Livingston, Sinclair's senior vice president of news. “Some other false stories, like the fake ‘Pizzagate’ story, can result in dangerous consequences,” he said.

President Trump says Sinclair is ‘far superior to CNN’

On the morning of April 2, President Donald Trump tweeted, "So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased.

Carriers Are Hoarding America’s Bandwidth. Google Just Wants Them to Share

A Google-led plan to overhaul how valuable airwaves are used for calls and texts is gaining momentum across the wireless industry, giving the company the chance to play a central role in networks of the future. Citizens Broadband Radio Service, or CBRS, is a fat slice of the US airwaves being freed from the military’s exclusive control. Instead of just zipping messages between aircraft carriers and fighter jets, the spectrum will be shared by the Navy, wireless carriers like Verizon, cable companies including Comcast, and even hospitals, refineries, and sports stadiums.

Google is equipping more rural school buses with Wi-Fi and Chromebooks

Google announced an expansion of its Rolling Study Halls initiative to over 16 additional school districts, giving “thousands” of students access to Wi-Fi and Chromebooks on their buses. Google has piloted the program in North Carolina and South Carolina over the last couple years, focusing its efforts on rural communities where some students have lengthy bus rides between home and the classroom each day. Google contributes mobile Wi-Fi routers, data plans, and Chromebook devices. Each Rolling Study Hall also has an “onboard educator” who’s able to provide direct assistance.

Trump administration wants to track 14 million US visitors’ social media history

Want to visit the United States in a non-immigrant capacity? Should the State Department get its way, your application to enter the country may soon hinge on coughing up five years of your online history. The Department of State's proposal would expand this request, which is currently required to apply for an immigrant visa.

Why Sinclair Made Dozens of Local News Anchors Recite the Same Script

On local news stations across the United States, dozens of anchors gave the same speech to their combined millions of viewers. It included a warning about fake news, a promise to report fairly and accurately and a request that viewers go to the station’s website and comment “if you believe our coverage is unfair. It may not have seemed strange until viewers began to notice that the newscasters from Seattle to Phoenix to Washington sounded very similar. The script came from Sinclair Broadcast Group, the country’s largest broadcaster, which owns or operates 193 television stations.