The FCC is taking public comments on a rulemaking that would override state and local permitting rules for wired broadband deployment, including a 120-day permit deadline and limits on fees charged to providers. Groups representing mayors, counties and cities—including the US Conference of Mayors and National League of Cities—filed comments in September opposing the plan, calling local permitting essential for public safety rather than a deployment barrier. Broadband providers support the FCC's proposal.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-22
The FCC has granted Paramount a waiver of its 25% foreign-ownership limit for broadcast licensees, allowing sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to collectively hold up to 49.5% equity in the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery entity. The commission says the funds will hold non-voting stakes, so they won't exercise formal control over the 28 broadcast stations involved. The underlying petition had actually requested approval for up to 100% foreign ownership.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-18
The FCC has approved Paramount Skydance's request to waive federal foreign-ownership limits, allowing indirect foreign ownership to reach 49.5 percent through investments from sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. The funds, totaling roughly $24 billion, are tied to Paramount's pending $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal already cleared by the Justice Department but still facing a lawsuit from several US states.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-18
The FCC has waived its 25 percent cap on foreign equity ownership to approve a deal allowing sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to collectively hold up to 49.5 percent of the combined Paramount-Warner Bros. entity. The agency argued the stakes carry no voting rights and therefore no control, but critics including Free Press and Commissioner Anna Gomez dispute that reasoning.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-18
WIRED updated its annual robot vacuum roundup for 2026, testing new models from Shark, Eufy, Roborock and other brands across a multi-story home with kids and pets. The update also notes a new FCC ban that will affect future robot vacuum designs and features going forward.
wired.com
· 2026-09-16
A Morning Risk Report roundup describes efforts by Chinese AI firms to reproduce American AI models, alongside items on crypto scam victims battling the U.S. government to recover lost funds and ABC host Jimmy Kimmel criticizing the FCC. The compilation touches on cloning practices in AI, consumer financial recovery disputes, and regulatory friction in broadcasting.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-11
The FCC has given Asus 'conditional approval,' clearing its routers of security concerns raised by the Defense Department and exempting them from the agency's ban on foreign-made routers until March 2028. The exemption spans multiple Asus product lines including RT, ROG, TUF Gaming and ZenWiFi Mesh series. TP-Link, despite meeting with FCC officials and arguing it operates as a US company based in California, has not yet secured similar approval.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-11
Jimmy Kimmel said he removed an interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico from his broadcast after concerns that the FCC, under Brendan Carr, could threaten ABC affiliate licenses over the segment. The interview was reportedly still available in some other format, but not aired on television as originally planned.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-10
Jimmy Kimmel announced his interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, a Democrat, will air only on YouTube rather than broadcast television. Kimmel said the change protects ABC's local affiliate stations, particularly in Texas, from potential FCC license challenges tied to Chairman Brendan Carr's past threats against the network.
yro.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-10
The FCC has issued a conditional approval covering Asus's entire wireless networking lineup, including its RT, ROG, TUF Gaming, ExpertWiFi and ZenWiFi router series, along with mesh systems, repeaters, access points and 5G MiFi devices. The approval, tied to a national security review by the Department of War, is valid for 18 months from issuance.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-10
Jimmy Kimmel announced his sit-down with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico will stream only on the Jimmy Kimmel Live YouTube channel rather than air on ABC's broadcast affiliates. He said the shift is meant to shield local stations from further FCC scrutiny amid ongoing regulatory pressure tied to Disney and ABC.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-10
An ABC host announced that a scheduled interview with James Talarico would not air on broadcast television, citing threats from the FCC directed at the show, network and its affiliates over editorial guest choices. Instead, the interview will be posted on YouTube to shield local ABC affiliates in Texas from regulatory fallout.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-10
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