Media Center

Today, Common Cause, along with The NewsGuild-CWA and Public Knowledge filed a Motion for Additional Information and Extension of Time with the Federal Communications Commission. The Motion asks the FCC to require the applicants in Standard General Inc. and Apollo Global Management’s acquisition of Tegna to provide additional information and documents necessary for the agency to determine whether the transaction is in the public interest.  

Today, more than 120 civil rights, democracy, and public interest groups called on the major social media companies to combat and curb election disinformation on the platforms ahead of this year’s midterm elections. In a letter to the CEOs of Meta, Twitter, YouTube, Snap, Instagram, TikTok, and Alphabet, the groups urged the platforms to take a variety of specific actions, including “introducing friction to reduce the spread and amplification of disinformation, consistent enforcement of robust civic integrity policies; and greater transparency into business models that allow disinformation to spread.”  

On May 9th, the White House held an event on broadband affordability, highlighting new service plans that numerous internet service providers will offer as part of their participation in the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program. The program helps ensure low-income households can afford broadband connectivity. The White House’s latest event on broadband affordability signals the need for Gigi Sohn, President Biden’s nominee to serve as FCC commissioner, to receive a vote in the United States Senate. President Biden nominated Ms. Sohn over five 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.

A group of minority-owned media, civil rights, and public interest groups today filed a petition for rulemaking at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for new data collection and reporting on the diversity of content vendors used by FCC-licensed media and telecommunications companies.  FUSE, LLC, an independent, Latino-owned entertainment company dedicated to empowering young, multicultural voices, led the group that included Common Cause, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Public Knowledge, and the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry.  The petition proposes establishing a new report that tracks the diversity of content vendors used by FCC licensees, including on traditional platforms like broadcast, cable, and satellite TV, along with affiliated streaming services, like Disney’s Hulu+Live TV and Disney+, Amazon’s Prime, Fox’s Tubi and Alphabet/Google’s YouTube TV.

Today, Common Cause submitted comments in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Request for Comment on the implementation of broadband programs found within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Implementation. The programs include the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and Digital Equity Act programs. 

Today, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion upholding California’s net neutrality law. The opinion specifically affirmed state authority to protect internet users. Common Cause California played an active role in supporting the state’s net neutrality law and ensuring its passage.