The House Of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a bill that would prevent the government from compelling reporters to reveal their confidential sources or research files. The Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act or PRESS Act (H.R. 4250) would also protect journalists’ data held by third parties like phone and internet companies from being secretly seized by the government without the opportunity to challenge those demands in court.
The House Select Committee on Competition with the Chinese Communist Party has sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook questioning whether concerns about Apple’s relationship with China spurred the termination of the Apple+ series The Problem with Jon Stewart. Last month, when the show’s end was announced just weeks before taping for a third season was set to begin, the New York Times reported that Stewart and Apple parted ways over creative control issues.
An appropriations bill passed out of subcommittee is silent on public media funding.
Amid ban threats, letter to CEO suggests steps that could ameliorate concerns.
The House’s Jan. 6 committee has turned to a renowned former network news executive to hone a mountain of explosive material into a captivating multimedia presentation for a primetime hearing Thursday. James Goldston — former president of ABC News, and a master documentary storyteller who ran Good Morning America and Nightline — has joined the committee as an unannounced adviser.
Exclusives
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), ranking member of the House Communications Subcommittee, said he will not be running for re-election in 2022. He said with redistricting, he is up against the new boundaries of his 18th district and he said it was a good transition time for a new — Democratic — member of Congress to get acclimated to the district.
The House began its review of the STELAR compulsory copyright legislation Tuesday (June 4) with a lengthy, wide-ranging discussion of video issues from short markets to cord-cutting, with frequent references from Democrats about putting consumers first, and all peppered with “dad gummits” and stronger from Patricia Jo Boyers, president of BOYCOM Vision and vice chair of ACA Connects.
The House on Monday is scheduled to vote on a pared-back version of a Federal Communications Commission process reform bill that has attracted bipartisan support. The bill differs from one passed out of committee in June that contained amendments opposed by Democrats that would have required the FCC to publish the exact text of proposed rules at least three weeks ahead of a vote.
