A recent D.C. Circuit Court decision may significantly impact the access charges billed by over-the-top VoIP carriers. In 2015 the Commission issued a declaratory ruling (In re Connect America Fund, 30 FCC Rcd. 1587 (2015) regarding the classification of end office local switching when internet service providers (“ISPs”) collaborate with over-the-top VoIP providers to complete interexchange … Continue Reading
The FCBA’s Annual Charity Auction, that is. OK, all you current or wannabe high rollers, risk takers, deal makers, thrill seeking bargain hunters, bon vivants … and anybody else, for that matter. Get out your calendars and mark November 10, 2016 – because that’s the date of this year’s FCBA Charity Auction. It’s a Thursday, … Continue Reading
News Editors’ website highlights post addressing permissible media use of “user-generated” photo/video content obtained from social media and other Internet sources. I’m fortunate to represent a number of press-related trade associations. As part of my work for them, I provide a “Legal Hotline” service through which association members get to ask me questions without incurring massive … Continue Reading
Wilkommen, Bienvenu, Welcome! Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth is pleased to announce that, come September, Keenan Adamchak will be joining us as an associate. Although a relatively recent arrival to the bar – he snagged his J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 2014 – Keenan has been a presence on the communications law scene … Continue Reading
A week or two ago we introduced you to Karyn Ablin, a new arrival at FHH but an old-hand in a number of practice areas, including particularly copyright law. We should have held off on the welcoming post, because no sooner had we put it up but Karyn added yet another honor that we could … Continue Reading
Fletcher Heald & Hildreth is proud to announce that it has become affiliated with the IURISGAL International Network of Law Firms, an independent network – the first and only network – of law firms capable of providing legal services to their clients in the Spanish language. IURISGAL presently includes nearly 40 firms located across four continents. … Continue Reading
FHH lawyer Mitchell Lazarus began his professional life as an electrical engineer … until he took a wrong turn, he says, and ended up in the law. But that hasn’t tarnished his cred among the tech audience, as demonstrated by his regular appearances in the pages of IEEE Spectrum, the leading global magazine for electrical … Continue Reading
Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome! Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth is pleased to announce that Karyn K. Ablin has joined us as a member of the firm. Karyn has more than two decades of practice experience, with a particular focus on intellectual property issues. Where has she practiced? Where hasn’t she practiced? She’s spent a lot of time … Continue Reading
FHH lawyer and CommLawBlog contributor Mitchell Lazarus recognized The National Spectrum Management Association (NSMA) is an organization of “like minded individuals who take spectrum and regulatory issues very seriously.” Many of its members have been in the spectrum business for decades. Proper stewardship of the spectrum, says their website, is not just “their job but … Continue Reading
Three-day program in San Francisco will feature FHH’s Laura Stefani and Dan Kirkpatrick along with other eminent FCC practitioners providing insight into All Things FCC. Attention, all you Friends of CommLawBlog! San Francisco beckons, again. The American Conference Institute is presenting its second annual “FCC Boot Camp” program there from June 27-29, 2016. And this … Continue Reading
PMCM’s WJLP(TV), proud to be New Jersey’s full-service commercial VHF station Long-time readers will recall that, back in 2009, we reported on a mind-blowing proposal to take Station KVNV(TV), Channel 3, then licensed to Ely, Nevada, and relocate it about 2,500 miles east, to Middletown Township, New Jersey. The proposal was advanced by PMCM TV, … Continue Reading
Many readers will recall our promotional posts about the webinar on the current status of UAS regulation scheduled for last week. (Wait a minute – UAS? You may be more used to hearing about “drones”, but you’d better get used to referring to them as “Unmanned Aircraft Systems”, because that’s how the FAA refers to … Continue Reading
Meet the new approach to media relations, definitely NOT the same as the old approach In a little heralded order, the Commission has announced a dramatic reorganization – and elevation – of the Office of Media Relations (OMR). Did we say OMR? Not anymore. From now on, it’s the BUREAU of Media Relations. Apparently concerned … Continue Reading
“Broadcasters and Drones – Staying Street-Legal in the Sky” This is a reminder that FHH drone mavens Laura Stefani and Jon Markman will be presenting a webinar on the current state of FAA regulation of drones – or, as the FAA prefers to call them, “unmanned aircraft systems”, or “UASs”. The webinar will be available … Continue Reading
FHH Profs Montero and Kirkpatrick show them how it’s done. If you’re going to learn, you’re best off learning from the best. That’s why, each year, a class of aspiring broadcast executives makes the pilgrimage to NAB’s D.C. HQ to participate in the 10-month Executive MBA-style program created by the National Association of Broadcasters Educational … Continue Reading
[Blogmeister’s Note: While our colleague, Kevin Goldberg, may have some reservations about the utility of drones under the present state of FAA regulation, the fact remains that many broadcasters and other newsgatherers are still eager to take advantage of the opportunities drones currently provide. Anyone wishing to do so should take care to understand what … Continue Reading
When it’s time to replace your telecom system, the devil is in the details – and there are a lot of details. Virtually every business depends on its telecommunications systems – and the bigger the company, the more crucial, and the more complex, those systems become. When the time arrives (and trust me, it will … Continue Reading
According to SNL Kagan, recognized as one of the preeminent sources of financial analysis in the media business, in 2015 Fletcher, Heald and Hildreth served as legal adviser in more media/entertainment/new media transactions than any other law firm – by a long shot … again. Hey, isn’t this the same post we put up last year … Continue Reading
Ready or not, here it comes: Campaign 2016. FHH presents the FCC’s political guru, Bobby Baker, to help broadcasters get themselves ready. If you thought 2015 was some kind of something when it came to politics, you can expect 2016 to be even more. Things are about to get considerably more serious on the campaign … Continue Reading
Wilkommen, bienvenu, welcome! Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth is pleased to announce that, starting January 4, 2016, Justin Faulb is joining the FHH family as an associate attorney. Justin is a familiar figure in the communications bar. Since getting his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America – with … Continue Reading
Down here in the CommLawBlog bunker, when Davina speaks, we all listen. You should, too. If you’re still feeling a bit lost when people around you start talking about the upcoming Broadcast Incentive auction, check out the podcast of our own Davina Sashkin. Available for streaming or download, free, at Washingtech.com (a relatively new addition … Continue Reading
Thanksgiving is all about Tradition, and down here in the CommLawBlog bunker we’re on board with that – so on board that we have decided to start our own tradition for our readers. Henceforth, we plan to honor the spirit of Thanksgiving annually by providing readers easy access to one of the most Thanksgiving-ish of … Continue Reading
These ideas will help prevent regulatory delay from blocking the launch of new products. A lot of new products use the buzzwords “wireless connectivity.” In old-fashioned English, they have radio transmitters. This means they must go through an FCC approval process before they can be sold to the public. The FCC understandably writes its technical … Continue Reading
The FCBA’s Annual Charity Auction, that is. If you’re going to be in Washington on November 5, be sure to clear your evening schedule. That’s the night of this year’s Annual Charity Auction hosted by the FCBA’s Young Lawyers Committee. November 5 is a Thursday, if that makes a difference to you. The place: The … Continue Reading
