Latest in Ajit Pai

The Senate confirmed Nathan Simington to the FCC on Tuesday, assuring that Republicans will have two seats on the commission to match those of Democrats when Joe Biden takes office. Simington was confirmed in a 49-46 vote. Ajit Pai, who has been chairman of the agency during the Trump administration, said last week he…

FCC chairman Ajit Pai said Monday that he plans to depart the agency on January 20, which will create an opening to allow the incoming Joe Biden administration to form a Democratic majority on the commission. Pai, a Republican, has been on the commission since 2012, and has been chairman through the Trump…

UPDATED with Twitter response: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said the social media giant’s handling of an oddly sourced New York Post story about Hunter Biden was “wrong.” Twitter disabled links to the story, eliciting an outcry by President Trump and the GOP and prompting the FCC to announce a review of longstanding rules…

The National Association of Broadcasters opened a virtual show on Wednesday with a far different scenario than envisioned just a few months ago —  the dire situation for some radio and TV stations amid the coronavirus pandemic. In his address to broadcasters, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith said, “We know this is…

Sinclair Broadcast Group will pay $48 million in a civil penalty — the largest imposed on a broadcaster in the FCC’s history — to close three open government investigations, including of its conduct as it sought to acquire Tribune Media in 2018. The fines, however, do not revoke FCC licenses, a sanction that some…

The FCC rejected a petition to investigate how broadcasters are airing President Donald Trump’s statements about the coronavirus, as well as those made by on-air personalities including Rush Limbaugh. In response to an emergency petition from public interest group Free Press, the agency said that it would act would…

Comcast, AT&T, Charter, Verizon and dozens of other internet providers have pledged to keep customers connected even if they cannot pay their bills because of the disruptions caused by the coronavirus. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai unveiled a list of ISPs who have committed to keeping service active at least for the next 60…

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…

The Republican-led FCC’s efforts to relax a series of restrictions on ownership of TV stations has been sidelined by a federal appeals court. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled 2-1 that the FCC, in making the changes over the past three years, did not adequately consider the effect that the revised…

In the year since the Federal Communications Commission effectively torpedoed Sinclair Broadcast Group’s planned $3.9 billion merger with Tribune Media, the possibility has existed that an investigation could result. This week, the FCC confirmed it is formally looking into whether Sinclair had intentionally misled…

The Federal Communications Commission plans to vote July 10 on possible easing of rules enacted in 1996 that require broadcasters to air a certain amount of children’s TV programming. Judging by statements from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the likely outcome will be a much looser regulatory environment, given the multitude…

UPDATED with WGAW statement, 10: 26: The $26 billion merger of Sprint and T-Mobile will get the blessing of the Federal Communications Commission in exchange for pledges by the company to build out a 5G network that will cover 99% of the U.S. by 2026, officials said Monday. The WGA West issued this statement Tuesday…