Washington Beat

Four years ago, the AEI played a key role in establishing a policy and regulatory path for an FCC under Republican Party control, led by Chairman Ajit Pai. As AEI visiting scholar Mark Jamison looks back on the Commission's Trump-era actions, he believes Pai will be remembered "as one of the most consequential Federal Communications Commission chairmen in history."

There's been chatter of late that those who views have been prevented from dissemination via social media can always turn to another media to get their point across to the American public. In fact, that media is perhaps the "first" social media -- radio. Only, it's not open for amateur or private use without a license.

The FCC on Friday announced the conclusion of bidding in the clock phase of Auction 107, the largest auction of mid-band 5G spectrum. It's also the highest-grossing spectrum auction, overall, ever held in the U.S.

On Thursday, new House Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers shared the names of the eight GOP Members of Congress who will be seated with her on the committee that maintains oversight of the FCC. One day later, the Democratic leadership of the House E&C Committee unveiled the Subcommittee Chairs and Democratic Roster.

With the start of the 117th U.S. Congress, the House Energy and Commerce Republican Leader became Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who succeeds the now-retired Greg Walden. On Thursday, Rodgers revealed that eight fellow GOP members will be seated with her on the powerful committee that maintains oversight of the FCC.

It was a cavalcade of achievements that went on for hours. All of the presentations, however, couldn't overshadow the biggest takeaway from the Zoom-delivered highlight reel of The FCC's Past Four Years: Ajit Pai, Chairman of the agency overseeing media regulatory policy in the U.S., has presided over his final Open Meeting before departing next week.

Stations must submit an online entry through a new NAB member platform, describing their community service efforts for the 2020 calendar year. The deadline for entry submissions is January 31. Finalists will be announced in February.

The NAB Leadership Foundation is now accepting entries for the 2021 Celebration of Service to America Awards. Following the pattern of the 2020 Celebration of Service to America Awards, winners and finalists will again be honored during a special televised event, available for stations to air next summer.

In October, a partisan furor erupted in Washington, D.C., as FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he would initiate a "Section 230" rulemaking process. Much has changed since then. The president's days are numbered. As such, Pai is standing down. But, he believes a rule rewrite is needed, and is the job of Congress.

One of the FCC's biggest champions for the radio industry, forced to exit over a Section 230 disagreement with soon-to-depart President Donald Trump, has resurfaced as a visiting fellow at a Washington think tank. He'll be working alongside another former Commissioner -- someone who served on the FCC from 1997-2001.

On August 6, 2020, the FCC voted in favor of an order that eliminates the radio duplication rule for AM and FM stations. That failed to satisfy REC Networks, the musicFIRST Coalition and the Future of Music Coalition, which sought reconsideration on the Commission's yes vote. The NAB opposes a review of the Report and Order. Here's why.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP has added a satellite and telecommunications lawyer as a partner in its Washington, D.C., office. As such, the firm says it is "bringing new capabilities to its team serving the technology and communications industries."

A powerful advocate who "is deeply committed to resolving issues that disproportionately impact" African-American and multicultural communities across the U.S. — including access to broadband, AI and civil rights, and media diversity — has been selected to serve as VP of Policy at the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC).

"A Road Map to Tech Jobs." That's what to be offered on January 15 in a virtual Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) summit from the FCC group that will see the involvement, among others, of the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC).

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has joined a national assembly of experts and organizations working on unified action against the COVID-19 pandemic. And, former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith is taking a key role.