Audio Video News

The erosion of long-standing regulatory policy that began with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 continues under the leadership of <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov">Federal Communications Commission</A> chairman Michael Powell. The FCC has approved by a 3&ndash;1 vote the ownership of multiple networks by a single owner, thereby reversing one of the agency's oldest rules.

How much responsibility should broadcasters be required to take in serving the public interest? On December 16, the <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov/">Federal Communications Commission</A> launched an inquiry into the subject with a call for comments from the very people who will be served best, or worst, by the dawning age of digital television&mdash;the viewing public.

Last Friday, Michael Powell announced that he will resign as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission after four years of often-controversial leadership. Son of outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell, the FCC chief yanked more than a few chains with his policies and attitudes toward the media under his jurisdiction.

The <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov/">Federal Communications Commission</A> was correct when it formulated rules preventing cable operators from offering integrated security and channel-surfing features in cable set-top boxes, a District of Columbia appeals court has declared. The regulations, which will take effect in 2005, are derived from a proper interpretation of provisions in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the court found.

On the heels of aggressive lobbying by the Sinclair Broadcast Group (see <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?639">related story</A>), the FCC today released a letter denying a Petition for Expedited Rulemaking, filed by Sinclair, requesting that the Commission modify its rules to allow broadcasters to transmit Digital Television (DTV) signals using COFDM modulation in addition to the current 8-VSB modulation standard.