The FCC is continuing to move quickly to free up spectrum for use by next-generation 5G networks that promise to deliver blazing fast speeds and usher in transformative new technologies. Unfortunately, misleading claims by some government officials could delay 5G’s rollout, depriving consumers of an estimated $1.8 trillion in benefits and endangering America’s leadership in […]
Coalition Sends a Letter to the FCC Calling for Expanding the Flexible Use of Spectrum
To a coalition of groups, consisting of the American Consumer Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Tech Freedom, Lincoln Network, Competitive Enterprise Institute and R-Street Institute, filed a letter with the FCC today. The letter calls for using the secondary market to speed the allocation of C-Band spectrum — 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band — in order […]
Updating KidVid Rules Is Good for Everyone
A large coalition of consumer advocacy groups and public policy organizations is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adapt its KidVid rules governing children’s educational programming to the changing media landscape. “In light of the significant transformations in the children’s video programming marketplace in the decades since the Commission adopted many of the KidVid […]
FCC Renews Its Charter for the Consumer Advisory Committee
Today, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission announced the renewal of the charter of the Commission’s Consumer Advisory Committee, the appointment of members for the two-year term, and the Committee’s next meeting. The announcement selected 25 groups and individuals to participate on the committee and appointed Steve Pociask, president of ACI, as the Committee’s […]
Coalition Sends FCC Letter in Support of KidVid Programming Reforms
ACI joined a coalition letter to the Federal Communications Commission in support of its pending Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding its so-called “KidVid” regulations. With the advent of the internet and the significant transformations in the children’s video programming marketplace in recent decades, the current rules governing children’s educational program is ripe for reform and […]
The FCC Needs to Continue Progress on Broadcast Ownership Rules
The media landscape today bears little resemblance to what it was 20 or even 10 years ago. New platforms are emerging, transforming the market and giving consumers an unprecedented selection of news and entertainment accessible through a dizzying array of devices and systems. But archaic government regulations have been slow to adapt to this new […]
VLEO Satellites for Consumer Internet Access
Very low earth orbit satellites (VLEO) will provide a fresh source of bandwidth to consumers in the next 6 to 10 years. VLEO’s are intended to play a significant role in connecting consumers’ Internet of Things devices to the web. They will provide an especially useful pathway to the internet for the approximately 3.5 billion […]
Hundreds of Local TV Stations Have Moved to New Channels; Here’s What Viewers Need to Know
More than 140 TV stations in over 20 media markets throughout the United States — including Phoenix, Memphis, and Salt Lake City — have moved to new channels, and hundreds more will follow suit in the next 18 months. Households in these areas who use an antenna to watch free broadcasts need to rescan their […]
Daily Caller: Regulating Children’s TV Programming Doesn’t Make Sense
The emergence of digital platforms has transformed the way children absorb educational material and has rendered “kid-vid” rules obsolete. Keeping them in place merely ties the hands of television stations struggling to retain their audience and serve local communities with the programming viewers want to watch. The FCC will soon release an order revising these […]
American Consumer Institute Supports FCC Move to Protect Consumers from Robotexts
The following statement can be attributed to Steve Pociask, President of the American Consumer institute, regarding today’s FCC adoption of a declaratory ruling classifying text messaging as an information service: “The FCC’s decision to classify text messaging as an ‘information service’ will help ensure that consumers continue to benefit from the sophisticated tools that have […]
