Media Center

Today, Common Cause joined The NewsGuild-CWA, National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA, and UCC Media Justice Ministry in filing a Reply, opposing the proposed merger of Apollo Global Management, Standard General L.P., and Tegna Inc. In June, Common Cause filed its original petition to deny the merger.

Today, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) along with 28 co-sponsors in the Senate and 26 co-sponsors in the House, introduced the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act. This bill would codify the classification of broadband as a telecommunications service. The bill would also return authority to the Federal Communications Commission to oversee broadband providers and allow the agency to promulgate strong net neutrality rules. Common Cause has long believed that a free and open Internet is essential to our democracy, and is proud to endorse the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act.

Yesterday, Verizon Fios announced that it will drop far-right One America News Network (OANN) from its channel lineup when its current contract expires at the end of July. The move leaves the highly controversial outlet without a major carrier. OANN regularly feeds its viewers disinformation and conspiracy theories – including false and misleading information about the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of the 2020 election, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.

On Wednesday July 20, 2022, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup of the “American Data Privacy and Protection Act” (H.R. 8152). The bill would establish a comprehensive national data privacy and data security framework. Among other provisions, the framework includes: data minimization provisions that will prevent companies from collecting consumer data beyond what is necessary to provide products or services; individual rights allowing consumers to access, correct, and delete their data; and civil rights protections that prohibit discriminatory data practices. The legislation is the first comprehensive privacy bill to gain bipartisan and bicameral support. 

On Wednesday, Common Cause, joined by UCC Media Justice, filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking the agency to deny the proposed $8.6 billion merger of Apollo Global Management, Standard General L.P., and Tegna Inc. If approved, Standard General would acquire Tegna’s 61 full power television stations and two radio stations across 50 markets. Apollo will control the licenses of 31 full-power television stations in 26 markets and 54 radio stations in 11 radio markets. The petition urges the Commission to deny the proposed transaction on the grounds that it would enlarge two firms – Standard General and Apollo – who have already swallowed smaller broadcast groups – leading to greater consolidation in the marketplace, leading to reporter layoffs, price hikes, and national harms related to greater media consolidation. 

Yesterday, Axios published an article detailing how the clock is running out for the Senate to confirm Gigi Sohn, President Biden’s nominee to be a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. President Biden nominated Ms. Sohn over six months ago and the vacancy has been open for over a year, keeping the FCC deadlocked in a 2-2 split. A deadlocked FCC is unable to fully address broadband affordability or move forward on a host of other communications reforms vital to our democracy.