Regulation

AT&T is bracing for an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department that would attempt to block its pending acquisition of Time Warner, CNN’s parent company, on the grounds that it would harm consumers. But the DOJ is having trouble finding allies among state attorneys general.

Andy Henry, who was dismissed from the procedural in 2008 but went on to work on major films like The Amazing Spider-Man and Elysium, has been placed on a leave of absence from his current employer.

Senators led by Cantwell and Udall say there’s a troubling timeline and call for Pai to recuse himself from Sinclair-related business until the matter is fully investigated.

Broadcasters tell the FCC that in light of the devastation from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, “there is good cause to accelerate transition of the stations to post-auction channel assignments in order to avoid wasteful duplicative construction and to enable stations to utilize approved TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund reimbursements to subsidize restoration of broadcast television service to the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s attorney general announced Monday that his office is investigating Google for potential violations of the state’s consumer-protection and antitrust laws. Republican Attorney General Josh […]

The RTDNA Voice of the First Amendment Task Force is expressing extreme concern about Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ refusal — again — to say his Department of Justice will not target journalists who protect the identities of their confidential sources.

With the FCC poised to approve the use of the new broadcast standard tomorrow, One Media EVP Jerry Fritz takes on the critics of the standard and the “horror stories” they tell about its impact on consumers and MVPDs.

Alejandro Burzaco, former CEO of a marketing firm based in Argentina, testified that Fox and other broadcasters were involved in a scheme to pay bribes — concealed using offshore side entities and sham contracts — that secured rights for the Copa America and other FIFA events.

The FCC has approved the $1.12 billion purchase of Alaska’s GCI by John Malone’s Liberty Interactive. The FCC clearance removes the last major regulatory hurdle for the deal, which the Justice Department already signed off on in June.

Anticipating FCC authorization of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard on Thursday, the consortium of leading station groups is planning to set up experimental 3.0 station next spring to explore service enhancement and business opportunities. The project will also include creatng a “lighthouse” station to continue regular digital service to existing sets. Joining Pearl (Cox Media, E.W. Scripps, Graham, Hearst, Meredith, Nexstar, Raycom and Tegna) in the effort will be Fox, NBCUniversal and Univision.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, testifying today at a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, pushed back on recent reports suggesting the politicization of the government’s review of the AT&T and Time Warner merger. Last week, it was widely reported that the Department of Justice asked AT&T to divest Turner as a condition of winning approval, possibly owing to Donald Trump’s distaste for CNN.

In addition to the license and other assets of former LPTV WEBR New York, OTA is also donating $12,500 to WNET.

A letter sent by the board of the Greater Raleigh (N.C.) Merchants Association to its members questions the ethics and motives of WRAL — the former sponsor of GRMA’s Raleigh Christmas Parade — and called on the TV station to “do the right thing, do the ethical thing, do the responsible thing” and not broadcast this year’s parade.

AT&T Inc. will try to dig into whether the White House influenced the Justice Department’s review of the company’s planned takeover of Time Warner Inc. if the government sues to block the deal, according to people familiar with the matter. In the event of a trial over the $85.4 billion deal, AT&T intends to seek court permission for access to communications between the White House and the Justice Department about the takeover, said the people, who asked not to be named because the deliberations are private.

The FCC today appointed Matthew Duchesne as the chief of the FCC’s Office of Native Affairs and Policy.  “We are delighted to welcome Matthew to the ONAP team,” said Patrick […]

Satellite Business News Editor Bob Scherman: If it wants to protect American consumers and the public interest, the Justice Department must block AT&T’s attempt to swallow up Time Warner. No conditions would make the transaction beneficial to American consumers.

The president’s steady stream of anti-media rants puts government officials like FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and DOJ’s Makan Delrahim in a tough spot. Every time they take an action that negatively affects a news organization that Trump has targeted, they will be accused of acting as an agent for Trump. So, why is Pai making excuses for him?

The court is making new legal filings available online starting Monday, years behind the rest of the federal court system.

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — A former star of “The Dukes of Hazzard” has pleaded not guilty to charges that he indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl in Massachusetts. WBZ-TV reports that Tom Wopat […]

Weigel Broadcasting, Chicago-based parent company of the popular Me-TV Network, is suing Los Angeles-based Pervasive TV for using the name ReachMe.TV. In a lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court, Weigel is claiming trademark infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices by Pervasive, which shows its ReachMe.TV mobile entertainment network online and on screens at airports and hotels across the country.

An unprecedented two-day public back-and-forth between AT&T and the Department of Justice has cast serious doubt on when — or even if — the company’s planned acquisition of Time Warner will be closed.

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — A former star of “The Dukes of Hazzard” accused of indecently assaulting two female members of a musical is facing a judge in Massachusetts. Tom Wopat […]

Kater Gordon won an Emmy for co-writing an episode of Mad Men with the show’s creator, and was let go from the series a year later. She alleges that while working together late one night, Weiner told her that she owed it to him to let him see her naked. Weiner denies the allegation.

The University of South Florida’s WUSF Tampa, Fla., is donating its license to another Tampa noncommercial station, Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting’s WEDU, which will change the former station’s call letters to WEDQ and continue to air its programs.

FCC’s Ajit Pai: “For over four decades, the FCC has restricted the ability of broadcast media outlets to also own newspapers, and vice versa, in the same market, under what is known as the newspaper-broadcast crossownership rule. There’s ample evidence that the crossownership rule has led to less local reporting. Simple fairness is another reason to change the rule.”