Topic: Federal Communications Commission

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Opinion 4 ways to get phone service the next time a hurricane Sandy calls

In the aftermath of a disaster such as superstorm Sandy, two-way communication is essential. Here are four ways to better prepare our phones and other devices for the next disaster:

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No more landlines on Fire Island? Verizon seeks to go wireless.

Verizon Communications filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to discontinue landline services in certain parts of New York and New Jersey.
Obama wants faster Internet in US schools. Would you pay $5 a year for it?

'We expect free wifi with our coffee, why shouldn't we have it in our schools?' Obama said in pressing for an initiative to urgently upgrade Internet connections at US schools.
Opinion After IRS scandal: Right-wing fear of government isn't paranoid

Whatever the motivations for the IRS targeting conservative groups, it has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum. Liberals also worry the scandal will feed right-wing paranoia of government. But for conservatives, fear of federal agencies is rooted in history, not hysteria.
USA Update David Ortiz forgiven by FCC for expletive Boston will never forget (+video)

David Ortiz used an expletive in his defiant (and televised) speech Saturday before the first Red Sox home game since the Boston Marathon bombing. The FCC has already weighed in.
Culture Cafe Jimmy Fallon: Stern to replace him? An NBC late-night hosting job may be vacant

Jimmy Fallon, Stern job shake-up? Sources say NBC wants to replace 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno with Jimmy Fallon and bring in Howard Stern to fill Fallon's old spot. NBC denies the Leno story. If Stern was to replace Fallon, he would presumably leave his job as an 'America's Got Talent' judge.
White House opposes restrictions on unlocking cellphones

The Obama administration came out in favor of legalizing unlocking cellphones on Monday. The statement raises questions about what restrictions the Digital Millennial Copyright Act places on consumers with its ban on unlocking personal devices.
Fight over cellphone unlocking pulls in FCC: report

The cell phone unlocking ban, which went into effect last month, has drawn the ire of activists.
The Monitor's View Instead of blaming media violence for kids who kill, demand more nonviolent video games

A new study shows how children display more empathy if given pro-social media to watch or play. Parents can be encouraged to demand video games and other media that teach social skills.
Why 'zombie' cyberattack is a real concern for Emergency Alert System (+video)

The Emergency Alert System was hacked this week by someone who inserted a warning that zombies were attacking the US. Funny, yes, but the vulnerabilities to cyberattack are real.
Horizons FCC paves the way for better in-flight broadband

The FCC approved new rules on Friday that will make it easier for companies to offer broadband Internet on airplanes. The FCC has authorized in-flight Internet on an ad hoc basis since 2001, but the new rules will provide a framework for licensing companies to provide it.
How to 'tether' your PC to your phone

A lawsuit now makes 'tethering' PCs and phones cheaper.
Opinion 4 ways to get phone service the next time a hurricane Sandy calls

In the aftermath of a disaster such as superstorm Sandy, two-way communication is essential. Here are four ways to better prepare our phones and other devices for the next disaster:
Is the death of newspapers the end of good citizenship?

The death of newspapers – by cutbacks, outright disappearance, or morphing into lean websites – means a reduction of watchdog reporting and less local information. Some say it has caused a drop in civic participation. Is it a blow to good citizenship?
AT&T offers refunds to subscribers that overpaid. Are you eligible?

After FCC investigation, AT&T agreed to refund customers who had been overcharged on smart phone plans.
Hurricane Sandy: Life without power

On Wednesday night 44 million in the Northeast still had no power. The scale of destruction brought by Hurricane Sandy has been beyond anything power companies have dealt with before.
Vox News Biden-Ryan debate: Already, some are complaining about the moderator (+video)

Biden-Ryan debate moderator is Martha Raddatz. The conservative Daily Caller posted a blog about the ABC News veteran, alleging bias because of her '90s marriage to an Obama appointee.
Presidential debate: 7 defining moments in history (+video)

From Ronald Reagan’s one-liner, “There you go again,” to Al Gore’s heavy sighs and eye rolls, zingers and mannerisms can define a presidential debate even more than the candidates’ positions on critical issues. Here is a look back at seven defining debate moments.
Companies we love in 8 industries we hate

A trip to the bank doesn't have to be a nightmare. Here are the customer service winners in eight industries that customers hate, from airlines to cable companies.
Progress Watch Got broadband? Access now extends to 94 percent of Americans.

Every year, Internet access via broadband becomes available to millions more Americans, up from 92 percent last year to 94 percent, a recent report shows. Rural and tribal areas are the outliers.
The Monitor's View Essence of Penn State report on Sandusky scandal: Protect children's innocence

The Penn State report is more than a plan to reform a college football program or a university that failed to prevent sexual abuse of minors by Jerry Sandusky. Any institution dealing with kids will find the report useful in protecting children as innocent beings.
Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction saga ends: Supreme Court refuses appeal

The FCC had fined CBS $550,000 for the Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction in 2004, but an appeals court had sided with CBS. On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to take the case.
Opinion A more divisive, political US Supreme Court? Think again.

Public approval of the US Supreme Court is dropping. That trend may be enforced by its decisions on the Arizona immigration law and health-care reform. But the rate of dissent in the court today is no greater than before. The problem lies with the divisive cases the court selects.
US Supreme Court throws out FCC indecency fines

The ruling was very narrow, however, and left similar future fines in an uncertain place.
The Monitor's View After Supreme Court ruling, FCC must give clear indecency standards

A Supreme Court ruling on FCC indecency rules for broadcast TV calls for less vague standards but seems to back the public interest in safeguarding children from vulgarities and nudity on public airwaves. Now the FCC must provide clarity for such rules.
Supreme Court says broadcast decency standards too vague

The Supreme Court ruled that the FCC didn’t give broadcasters enough notice before enforcing new standards on language and nudity. But because the court didn't address the underlying constitutional issue of free speech, a variety of interest groups all claimed a measure of victory.