Podcasts about Federal Communications Commission

EPISODE SUMMARY: David Donovan shares his extensive experience in broadcasting policy, from his early days at the FCC to leading the New York State Broadcasters Association. He discusses the evolution of media regulation, the digital transition, and the importance of local broadcasting in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Donovan will be among those honored as Giants of Broadcasting by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation at the 2026 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony. The event will be held on Tuesday, November 17th at Gotham Hall in New York City. On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to David Donovan about: His shift from real estate law to communications at the FCC How regulatory changes have shaped broadcasting What goes into the FCC’s negotiations and regulations process His contributions to policy fights over must-carry retransmission consent, satellite carriage, ownership rules, and the financial interest, syndication rules and more The transition from analog to digital TV, and the engineering and policy challenges it brought on His local television advocacy at the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Association and the New York State Broadcasters Association, and the importance of work at the state level His work strengthening federal enforcement against pirate radio and why it’s a public safety issue The state of AI and content training legislation, and what the future of broadcasting policy looks like And More! ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST: Broadcast industry veteran David L. Donovan is president and executive director of the New York State Broadcasters Association. Donovan came to Albany in 2011 with more than 25 years of broadcast regulatory experience in Washington, DC. He served two terms on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Spectrum Management Advisory Committee as well as the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council. He is on the advisory board of the James H. Quello Center for Communications at Michigan State University. From 2001 to 2011, he served as president of the Association for Maximum Service Television, Inc. (MSTV), the leading engineering and technical trade association of the television industry. During his tenure, MSTV guided the industry through the digital transition. It developed and implemented the DTV channel selection process. MSTV helped design the technical specifications for the government-subsidized digital-to-analog converter box. Working with Sprint he helped coordinate the broadcast industry’s reallocation of broadcast auxiliary spectrum, which is essential for electronic news gathering. Since 2004, he led the fight to prevent unlicensed devices from interfering with television transmissions. Donovan served as the vice President for legal and legislative Affairs for the Association of Local Television Stations (ALTV) from 1990 to 2000. He worked with the NAB and successfully lobbied for a TV station’s right to must-carry and retransmission consent. He successfully lobbied for the carry one-carry all rules that govern satellite carriage on television stations. Donovan helped relax the TV duopoly rules for large markets ,and was involved in the reshaping of the financial interest and syndication rules. Joining the Federal Communications Commission in 1983, Donovan occupied a number of important legal positions at the agency. He was directly involved in revising content regulations as well as the ownership rules for radio and television. Donovan served as the chief media advisor for the Honorable James H. Quello for three years. An attorney, Donovan is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and before several federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. He earned his JD from the Suffolk University Law School in Boston. He received an MA in communications and BA in political science from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). Donovan and his wife, Jackie, live in the Albany area. He has three adult sons and a little dog. ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio and broadcast industry and beyond as they share their unique career paths. Hear how a variety of innovative leaders grow businesses, develop iconic brands, and entertain audiences in this in-depth interview podcast. ABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world- class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America’s Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 21 libraries across 15 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown’s Audio Architecture is one of the only commercial libraries that is built exclusively for radio spots to provide the right music for radio commercials. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Compass Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Hey, Morton, StudioTexter, and SPECai. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: IEX: Boxes and Lines and American Afterlife. Web: benztown.com Facebook: facebook.com/benztownradio Twitter: @benztownradio LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/benztown Instagram: instagram.com/benztownradioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Company ending local landline service Verizon is seeking to end landline service for customers in Philipstown and Beacon, and across the state, as early as Nov. 30, citing the cost of maintaining copper wires for a shrinking number of users amid a shift to cellphones. An application filed Sept. 9 with the Federal Communications Commission seeks approval to end Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) in New York, eight other states and Washington, D.C. Verizon and other telecommunications companies such as Optimum provide cellphone and voice-over-internet (VoIP) services. Only about 750,000 of 28 million homes and businesses in those states, or 3 percent, have a landline, according to Verizon, although the National Center for Health Statistics says that 38 percent of New York adults have landlines and 3 percent have only landlines. Verizon says hardwire service is "too slow to meet modern needs"; infrastructure costs billions to maintain because copper costs are rising, replacement parts are harder to find and the metal's value makes the system prone to theft. "Every dollar Verizon spends maintaining aging, little-used copper infrastructure diverts critical investment away from future-ready networks that customers across the country demand," the company said in a statement. "This is a win for states and consumers alike." Verizon said that most of its copper-line customers will be able to replace their landlines with mobile or voice-over-internet service. Those services comply with regulations governing 911 availability because cellphones with sufficient charge can continue to operate during power outages or be charged via a vehicle, laptop or power bank. In addition, Verizon said its equipment for fiber-optic and wireless phone service comes with rechargeable batteries that last up to four hours when electricity is out. 38.4 Percentage of New Yorkers with a landline 3.1 Percentage of New Yorkers with only a landline 1.6 Percentage of U.S. residents with only a landline 3.5 Percentage of U.S. residents age 65+ with only a landline 95 Percentage of U.S. households in 2003 with landlines 20 Percentage of U.S. households in 2025 with landlines 6.5 million Number of U.S. residents who cut the cord in 2025 Source: National Center for Health Statistics Justin Allen is skeptical. He said his parents, who are in their 80s and don't have cellphones, lost landline service to their Philipstown home in June when a thief cut copper wiring on Route 403. He said they were without service until Aug. 8, when Verizon supplied them with a Wi-Fi-based phone system, which they used until the landline began operating again on Aug. 21. A wireless connection is "just not consistent in an area with so many hills," said Allen, who also lives in Philipstown and uses Verizon's mobile service and its fiber-optic internet service. At home, "I get very little cell service" but good internet, he said. Most of Philipstown is not covered by FIOS, Verizon's fiber-optic-based internet service, he said. In an emergency, "if you can't get the call out, minutes can be lost," said Allen. "That's a big concern." Kathy Smelter said she lost landline service after Verizon began replacing copper wiring along Route 9D in July. She said she called customer service multiple times before service returned. Now she is among the Philipstown residents who received letters this month notifying them of the company's application to the FCC, its replacement services and how to file objections. "This will leave this area without service because we don't have fiber optics and most of us have only up to two bars on our cellphones," said Smelter, whose home had landline service since her husband built it in 1970. "Smoke signals," she said when asked about alternatives. "And that's not going to work in the winter because the snow will put out the fire."

In Hour 4, Charlie James takes calls from listeners covering local and national topics, starting with a discussion on media interviews featuring jurors from the Lindsay Clancy trial and the concept of "altruistic filicide". Callers also touch on political developments in North Carolina, former President Trump's public appearances, and historical context surrounding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Charlie criticizes the behavior of political figures at a recent 9/11 Memorial ceremony and examines the impact of crude oil prices reaching over $100 per barrel. Finally, listeners share their thoughts on the South Carolina Senate race, while Charlie clarifies Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations regarding mandatory political advertising on broadcast radio.

9.10.2026 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Elon Musk Fake Voter Site. Trump Loses Mail Ballot Fight. FCC Pressures Jimmy Kimmel Elon Musk is running a fake voter registration site designed to steal and sell data. CEO of the legitimate voter registration site Vote-dot-org joins us live to discuss how not to get duped. Appeals court hands Don "The Con" Trump a loss on the mail-in ballot restrictions ahead of the November elections. Despite having voted by mail himself, Trump has long claimed the practice as fraudulent. The Missouri Supreme Court finds Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt of court, then clears it after he reluctantly agrees to use a 2022 congressional map. The Federal Communications Commission threatens late night host Jimmy Kimmel to make a major change to his show after his interview with Texas Democratic Senate Candidate James Talarico. Trump bizarrely offered every adult U.S. citizen thousands of dollars in direct payments at the Republican midterm convention if the party keep their congressional majorities...however, this isn't the first time he's bribed Americans. Black Star Network Partner: ChapterChapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. ____ Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we begin by expanding on a story we first brought you yesterday. The Pennsylvania State Archives has an exhibit exploring Pennsylvania's experience of the 9/11 terrorist attack, marking its 25th anniversary today. It mainly revolves around Flight 93 which went down in western PA.Observances across Central PA and the nation today (Friday) commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Those attacks focused on three sites: the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D-C, and a thwarted attack that ended with the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville.Pennsylvania's top election official says the federal government is trying to illegally change election rules. What voters need to know in the run-up to the midterms.The Federal Communications Commission has approved the transfer of Penn State's WPSU to Philadelphia-based WHYY.Democratic Senator John Fetterman addressed the Republican midterm convention Wednesday, escalating tensions with his party.ICE is ramping up its use of Penn State's airport to move detainees between immigration facilities And now it's time for our weekly segment called The Bright Spot. Every Friday, I'll share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle.  Today's bright spot is this: The third annual "Recovery in Nature" initiative is underway in State Parks across the Commonwealth in an effort to support Pennsylvanians in recovery.  It's part of National Recovery Month.It's been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. And thank you.

Saker blir bara dummare och dummare hela tiden. Varför Amerikansk TV är som det är, och hur Federal Communications Commission nu används som vapen. Det Amerikanska helgonet Dolly Parton har gått ur tiden

New reports of discord from top military leadership as President Trump's war of choice against Iran grinds on. Plus, what's behind Trump's chilling new attempt to weaponize the Federal Communications Commission. Vaughn Hillyard, Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Joe Walsh, and Jim Acosta all join the 11th Hour with Ali Velshi. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

ABC is challenging the Federal Communications Commission, arguing that the agency is using its licensing authority to punish the network for its coverage and political viewpoint. First Amendment scholars Jane Bambauer and Eugene Volokh are joined by Duke law professor Stuart Benjamin to examine the lawsuit, the FCC's unusually broad “public interest” power, and the special rules that have long governed broadcast speech. They discuss allegations of retaliation and pretext, the chilling effect of costly government investigations, and whether this dispute could prompt the Supreme Court to reconsider broadcasters' second-class status under the First Amendment. Subscribe for the latest on free speech, censorship, social media, AI, and the evolving role of the First Amendment in today's proverbial town square. 

Aug 31, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Antonia Hylton reports on the latest on the Iran war and is joined by Reverend Al Sharpton. Plus, President Donald Trump calls for NBC anchor Kristen Welker to face “rebuke or punishment” from the Federal Communications Commission over her comments about his primary endorsement record. Hylton reports and is joined by NYU's Melissa Murray. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on America in the MorningUS & Iran Trade Attacks US forces ended a lull in military action against Iran on Sunday, targeting rocket launchers by the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles at a US military facility in Jordan, with Jordanian armed forces claiming they intercepted 8 of the missiles, but explosions were still heard in the area.  Correspondent Clayton Neville has the latest on the first attack by US forces on Iranian targets since July 29.  Clancy Trial Deliberations Continue The jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial were sent home by the judge after deliberating on Friday, and those deliberations will resume today in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports that the jury needs to consider the 22 days of testimony from more than 80 witnesses, maternal mental health, and the deaths of her kids.   US-Venezuelan Oil Deal Reaction President Trump says his oil deal with Venezuela will open up the US to vast amounts of oil, and will also refill the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve which has been lowered during the Iran war.  Correspondent Donna Warder reports on how Venezuela see's the oil deal with America, as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, speaking on NBC Meet the Press, commends the president's Venezuelan oil deal, praising the plan and what he hopes will be lower gas prices in the future.   Grand Canyon Flash Flood As many as 15 people are missing and one person is dead in Arizona in Grand Canyon National Park, and dozens have been evacuated after parts of the canyon were hit by "significant" flash flooding, which swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River.   Trade War Of Words The war of words between the United States and their long-time close ally Canada as a result of their brewing trade war has spilled over into the name of one of the Great Lakes.  John Stolnis has more from Washington.   South Carolina Police Officer Killed One police officer is dead and a second was injured in a shooting at a South Carolina park over the weekend.  The details from correspondent Julie Walker. Trump Targets NBC's Reporter President Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that NBC's Kristen Welker will be reported to the Federal Communications Commission for comments she made in a weekend interview.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ABC is suing the Federal Communications Commission, arguing that the agency is using its regulatory power to punish the network for its journalism and programming. Former FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance to break down the lawsuit and what it could mean for the FCC's power over broadcasters.  In the full episode, Rosenworcel discusses the FCC's mission and its role in elections. Not an Insider? Now more than ever, it's critical to stay tuned. To join a community of reasoned voices in unreasonable times, become an Insider today. You'll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Head to staytuned.substack.com. Insiders, click HERE to listen to the full analysis. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Photo by Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Chris: For me, I always think of it in terms of a toolbox or a toolkit. And there's a mix of things that I would put into that toolbox that I think have supported me on my leadership journey.Communication Service for the Deaf is expanding opportunity for deaf and hard of hearing people by fighting bias as much as by improving access.When I welcomed Chris Soukup, CEO of Communication Service for the Deaf, back to this episode, I wanted to understand how CSD's work has evolved over its 50-year history. Chris described a mission rooted in “a persevering commitment to advancing the quality of life for people who are deaf and for the broader disability community.”For decades, CSD helped lead the push for communication access. That work mattered. Interpreting services, video relay and new technologies opened doors that had long been closed.But Chris explained that access alone did not change the economic reality for the community. Employment barriers remained stubbornly high.“We're really confronting challenges with misperception and bias,” Chris said. He noted that the barrier often appears at the very start of a job search, when a deaf applicant identifies themselves and an employer immediately imagines cost, complexity or extra work.“That blocker has really made it difficult for our community to make meaningful progress,” he said.CSD is responding in every direction. Chris called the work “a process of breaking down barriers by land, by air, by sea.” That means media engagement, policy work, corporate partnerships, employee resource groups, storytelling and matching motivated employers with talented deaf professionals ready to contribute.One part of the work especially excites Chris: entrepreneurship. CSD supports deaf founders building their own businesses. As Chris explained, when those entrepreneurs succeed, “they turn right back around, and they hire from their community.”That creates a powerful cycle. Deaf business owners build companies, employ others and become proof points that help dismantle bias for the next person.Chris also reminded me that accessibility is still a matter of safety. In a 911 emergency, a deaf person may have to wait several minutes for a video relay interpreter before even reaching a dispatcher. In a crisis, that delay can be life or death.Chris's response is characteristic of CSD's culture: “There's a better way.”That optimism is not naive. It comes from 50 years of pushing systems to become more humane, more accessible and more just. CSD's work shows that inclusion is not charity. It is infrastructure. It is innovation. It is economic opportunity.tl;dr:CSD's 50-year commitment expands communication access, employment, and economic opportunity for deaf communities.Bias often blocks talented deaf professionals before employers recognize their value.Entrepreneurship is a powerful path for deaf leaders to create jobs and opportunities.Accessible emergency communication remains a critical issue of safety and equity.Chris's superpower is authentic perseverance in advocating for systemic change and inclusion.How to Develop Authentic Perseverance As a SuperpowerChris's superpower is authentic perseverance. He said leadership requires a “toolbox,” beginning with “authenticity.” Early in his career, he struggled with preconceived ideas of how a leader should behave. Over time, he learned that “you're doing yourself and the people that you support a disservice by not representing yourself in a way that really reflects the person that you are.” He also emphasized persistence: “Nothing happens overnight,” and “change happens by showing up every day and being committed to making a difference.”Chris described an awakening that came from noticing where he felt most effective. One-on-one, he could use humor, tell stories, share experiences, use metaphors and speak honestly about big goals and fears. He realized he could bring that same intimacy to a larger audience. Instead of manufacturing a leadership persona, he chose to show more of himself. That authenticity helped him connect more deeply and lead more effectively, whether speaking with one person or many.Stop performing a leadership role and identify what is genuinely true about your strengths and vulnerabilities.Practice sharing the messy mix that makes you human, including humor, confidence, fears and limitations.Notice where you feel most natural and effective, then bring that presence into bigger settings.Keep showing up month after month, even when meaningful change takes longer than expected.Stay focused on the world you want to create and keep moving toward it with resilience.By following Chris's example and advice, you can make authentic perseverance a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileChris Soukup (he/him):CEO, Communication Service for the DeafAbout Communication Service for the Deaf: Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the largest Deaf-led social impact organization in the world. Since 1975, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible and innovative solutions for deaf and hard of hearing communities. Today, CSD continues its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth, specifically addressing leadership and employment. In 2022, CSD was named to Fast Company's “Most Innovative Companies” list.Website: csd.orgX/Twitter Handle: @ThisIsCSDCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/ThisIsCSDLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thisiscsdInstagram: @thisiscsdBiographical Information: Chris Soukup is Chief Executive Officer of Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), one of the world's leading deaf-led social impact organizations. For 50 years, CSD has pioneered accessible technologies and communication services for the deaf and hard of hearing communities, including the first nationwide video relay service (VRS) in the United States and one of today's leading direct to video calling (DVC) solutions. Chris is a longtime leading advocate for the deaf and disability communities. For more than a decade, he has led CSD's transformation and global initiatives, including implementing a virtualized infrastructure; developing a disruptive sign language interpreting platform; launching the first social venture fund for deaf entrepreneurs; introducing a constellation of programs to advance employment opportunities within deaf and disabled communities; and creating a new community foundation designed to strengthen other deaf-centric nonprofits. Chris continues to serve a leadership role in the advancement of key policy and legislation to expand accessibility, including the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA). He also has served on several prominent committees and advisory boards to increase opportunities and accessibility for the deaf and disability communities: the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer Advisory Committee; the Disability:IN Disability Equality Index Advisory Committee; NTID Foundation Board and the TDI Board of Associates.LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/csoukupSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include PurposeBuilt100™ Winners and supercrowd.tv. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Mike Babbit | Coledger Solutions | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Join the SuperCrowd Impact League! You can be recognized for making impact investments via Reg CF. See how your activity compares to your peers. It's free. Win valuable prizes. Start now!SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on September 8th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. Mark your calendar. We'll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today!SuperCrowd26 featuring PurposeBuilt100™: This August 25–27, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders will gather for a three-day, broadcast-quality global experience focused on disciplined capital formation, regulated investment crowdfunding, and purpose-driven growth. We're bringing together leading voices in impact investing, compliance, digital marketing, and circular economy innovation to deliver practical frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies. The event culminates in the PurposeBuilt100™ Showcase, recognizing 100 of the fastest-growing purpose-driven companies in the U.S. Register now to secure your seat and get all the details. August 25–27, streaming worldwide.Visit Our Complete Community Event CalendarIf you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.We share educational information—not investment advice. Some links may generate compensation. See our full disclosure.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

The Federal Communications Commission's new ban on foreign-produced solar inverters left the industry without clear answers on warehoused stock, firmware updates, and grid cybersecurity risk. On this episode of The Clean Power Hour Live, hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the foreign inverter ban alongside new Section 232 solar tariffs that set a 38 cent per watt minimum price on modules. They also cover a Reuters report on Chinese electric truck exports climbing as diesel prices spike across Southeast Asia, a 30% efficient perovskite-silicon solar panel from Tandem PV headed to market this fall, and a phishing scam using fake zoning invoices to target solar contractors. Recorded live on August 21, 2026, this episode covers solar policy, battery storage, and grid security in one sitting.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSFCC added foreign inverters and communication devices to its Covered List on July 28, citing grid cybersecurity risk from remote firmware updates. (PV Magazine)Section 232 solar tariffs raise panel costs. New tariffs set minimum import prices of 38 cents per watt for modules, 22 cents for cells, and roughly 14 cents for wafers. (PV Tech)Chinese electric truck exports climb amid Iran war fuel spike . (Reuters)Tandem PV ships a production-quality 30% efficient perovskite-silicon panel (PV Magazine). Enphase launches the IQ Battery C80 commercial battery. The 80 kWh AC-coupled unit delivers up to 40 kVA of continuous power and targets small commercial and industrial demand charge management projects. (Enphase)Octopus Energy customers earn nearly 100 million pounds in solar export payments. (Solar Power Portal).Security alert: fake zoning permit invoices target solar contractors. John shares an AI-generated phishing email built from public permit records, disguised as a $6,700 town zoning fee. (Blue Sky)This episode is built for solar installers, project developers, and policy watchers tracking how tariffs and cybersecurity rules are reshaping equipment sourcing. With Section 232 tariffs taking effect in December and the FCC inverter ban already in force, procurement decisions made this fall carry real cost and timeline consequences. Support the showConnect with Tim  Clean Power Hour  Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  CleanPowerHour@gmail.comCorporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems.  Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

The Federal Communications Commission may cut funds for internet access at schools and libraries. Schools and libraries say that cuts could leave them with hard choices. Also in today's stories: French parents rethink childhood safety after reports of abuse in after school programs; midterm elections may allow Democrats to put new scrutiny on self-dealing in Washington; and in Africa, a push for more kid-friendly cities. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

The United States of America has an incredibly vulnerable power grid according to a recent piece by New York Times Magazine. Breitbart News Daily's Mike Slater reacts to this horrifying news and speculates on how bad blackout could be for this country! Something's gotta change! This is important! Following that opener, Slater chats with Breitbart Senior Writer John Nolte about how the Walt Disney Company is battling the Federal Communications Commission over licensing for ABC and other important media-related stories. MAGA! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss Tuesday's primary results, including self-proclaimed DSA member Angie Nixon's surprise victory in the Democratic senate primary in Florida and the results of Alaska's ranked voting contest. Also, current Sen. Darlene Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman faced off last night in a debate for the South Carolina Senate GOP nomination. Then, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), author of the new book, "No Prophets, the Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism", joins the guys to discuss what he sees as the “most dangerous political movement” in the United States and names House Speaker Johnson and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as among its leaders. Next, they discuss the legal battle between Disney/ABC and the Federal Communications Commission over what Disney claimes are violation of its first amendment rights. And finally, David Morens pled guilty to hiding federal records during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to cover up questions regarding the Wuhan Lab and the origins of the virus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brad Young is our KMOX Legal Analyst and partner at Harris, Young and Kayser explains the pros and cons of a class action case, such as the lawsuit against Meta. He also looks at a new lawsuit from Disney and ABC against the Federal Communications Commission.

P.M. Edition for Aug. 18. Government bonds are getting hammered in the U.S. and overseas. WSJ markets reporter Sam Goldfarb discusses how the AI boom is playing a part in driving yields of the 30-year Treasury and other long-term bonds to their highest levels in decades. Plus, Disney steps up a fight with the FCC over a challenge to ABC's broadcast licenses. We hear from media reporter Joe Flint about why Disney sued the government agency, the latest front in the battle between the two that started last year. And there's a secret word game that Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan plays with Wall Street analysts. Is your vocabulary as good as his? Try our quiz. Alex Ossola hosts. The AI Therapist: A WSJ Podcast Series Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plus: American Airlines plans to install screens to the back of every seat as part of a cabin overhaul. And U.S. housing starts dropped last month. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is Direct Selling under threat.. or entering its biggest era of opportunity?In this episode, we sit down with Dave Grimaldi, President and CEO of the Direct Selling Association, to unpack the future of the industry and why what's happening in legislation today could impact direct sellers around the world.Dave shares his journey from funding his college education through direct selling to leading the industry's most influential advocacy organisation. We discuss how technology and AI are transforming the profession, why relationships remain the heart of direct selling, and the biggest misconceptions that continue to shape public perception.Most importantly, Dave explains why the industry needs to come together now more than ever, how real stories are driving change, and why your voice matters in protecting the future of direct selling.If you're passionate about entrepreneurship, freedom, and the future of this profession, this is an episode you won't want to miss!WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT:➡ [01:28] Meet DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi➡ [04:42] Dave's First Direct Selling Business➡ [09:20] Skills That Changed His Life➡ [12:35] How the Industry Has Evolved➡ [17:20] The Biggest Opportunity Ahead➡ [20:45] Common Misconceptions About Direct Selling➡ [25:35] The Fight for Independent Contractors➡ [30:15] Why Your Story Matters➡ [34:00] DSA's Storytelling Campaign➡ [40:30] How You Can Protect the IndustryABOUT OUR GUEST: Dave Grimaldi is President and CEO of the Direct Selling Association, where he leads advocacy efforts on behalf of direct selling companies and the independent sellers they support. He is focused on advancing fair, evidence-based policy and helping policymakers understand how modern direct selling operates, including the flexibility it provides for individuals to build businesses on their own terms.Before joining DSA, Dave held senior advocacy roles at the Blockchain Association, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, and Pandora, and previously served on Capitol Hill and at the Federal Communications Commission. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount University and a J.D. from The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.RESOURCES: JOIN OUR FREE WEBINAR: Learn why your Conversations aren't turning into Customers https://auxano.meBook Recommendation: Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile https://tinyurl.com/4j94jv5n Favourite Quote: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." - African ProverbLooking for more? Head to our earlier episode or check out:Show Up Anyway by Sam Hind: https://a.co/d/8rk0QthFree Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/socialmediafordirectsellerswithgregandsam/CONNECT WITH DAVE GRIMALDI: ➡ You can reach out to Dave directly to share your Direct Selling story (202 3802203)➡ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-grimaldi-06a21a112 ➡ America at 250 - Be a Part of the Story: https://www.dsa.org/submit-my-story➡  Facebook: facebook.com/DSAssn➡ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directsellingassn/CONNECT WITH US:➡ Visit our website: https://www.auxano.global/➡ Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DirectSellingAccelerator➡ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auxanomarketing/➡ Sam Hind's Instagram: https://instagram.com/samhinddigitalcoach➡ Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/auxanomarketing ➡ Email us: community_manager@auxano.globalIf you have any podcast suggestions or things you'd like to learn about specifically, please send us an email at the address above. And if you liked this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, tune in, and share this podcast.Are you ready to join the Auxano Family to get live weekly training, support and the latest proven posting strategies to get leads and sales right now - find out more here: https://go.auxano.global/welcome

This week, I'm joined by Robert Corn-Revere. Currently the chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Corn-Revere also served as the chief counsel to the Federal Communications Commission chair in 1993 and as a counsel on important First Amendment cases that have made their way all the way to the Supreme Court. (Seriously, check out his Wiki, it's crazy.) We had a pretty in-depth chat about how the FCC works and the myriad ways in which Trump's hand-picked chair, Brendan Carr, is perverting some of the long-term ideals of the commission. 

P.M. Edition for Aug. 6. Meta said today one of its AI models hacked a third-party service during cybersecurity testing. WSJ tech reporter Sam Schechner discusses why these incidents are becoming more common. Plus, billionaire Dan Gilbert has already revived Detroit's downtown. Now he's set his sights on a $1.6 billion project that would transform the city's waterfront—but, as Journal real estate reporter Nicholas Miller explains, it's a gamble for him, and for the city. And SpaceX investors brace for more volatility after $100 billion of the company's shares were unlocked today. We hear from markets reporter David Uberti about what investors should expect. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just as some songs have parental advisory stickers, some songs are calling for a new system to tag AI-generated songs.How will songs be tagged correctly? And how can the process be uniformly implemented?You could say that staying cool this summer has been a hot topic. Air conditioning has the potential to save lives, but it also accounts for nearly 10% of global energy usage.We'll learn how passive cooling techniques can be used to reduce heat in buildings without using energy.The Federal Communications Commission, just issued a new ruling against "advanced robotic devices.” This includes most robot vacuums. The ruling might affect the popular company, iRobot that makes the Roomba.We'll also hear about new open design headphones, Spotify's running mode and some new emojis.It's all coming up on this week's Tech Tuesday.Guests:Kristin Robinson, senior writer, BillboardMat Santamouris, architecture professor, University of New South WalesRussell Holly, director of commerce content, CNETphoto: Robert F. Bukaty / AP

Just as some songs have parental advisory stickers, some songs are calling for a new system to tag AI-generated songs.How will songs be tagged correctly? And how can the process be uniformly implemented?You could say that staying cool this summer has been a hot topic. Air conditioning has the potential to save lives, but it also accounts for nearly 10% of global energy usage.We'll learn how passive cooling techniques can be used to reduce heat in buildings without using energy.The Federal Communications Commission, just issued a new ruling against "advanced robotic devices.” This includes most robot vacuums. The ruling might affect the popular company, iRobot that makes the Roomba.We'll also hear about new open design headphones, Spotify's running mode and some new emojis.It's all coming up on this week's Tech Tuesday.Guests:Kristin Robinson, senior writer, BillboardMat Santamouris, architecture professor, University of New South WalesRussell Holly, director of commerce content, CNETphoto: Robert F. Bukaty / AP

Donald Trump and his dutiful Federal Communications Commission chair, Brendan Carr, have been targeting a number of ABC's broadcast licenses, and ABC just challenged this hard in a new filing. In an interesting move, ABC cited Trump's own social media postings and remarks at speeches to show that he is corruptly trying to censor the network as punishment for its content and viewpoints, in violation of the First Amendment. Amusingly, in those examples, Trump blurted right out in public that he does in fact want the FCC to punish ABC precisely because of its speech. Now this has become a weapon against Trump. We talked to law professor Leah Litman, author of a good book about the Supreme Court. She explains why Trump's public bullying of ABC should undermine his case, walks us through the legal ins-and-outs here, details why ABC might prevail, and discusses how open, explicit corruption is intrinsic to his political project. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LeBron James' move to the Philadelphia 76ers made headlines last week, but behind-the-scenes, Gov. Josh Shapiro lobbied for the deal. Is Shapiro making a political play for male voters disillusioned with the Democratic party? Meanwhile, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out of a crowded Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, so who's leading the charge? And a preview from POLITICO's podcast, The Conversation, where Dasha Burns sits down with the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr.  For more news and analysis, subscribe to the Playbook newsletter: politico.com/playbook 

Donald Trump and his dutiful Federal Communications Commission chair, Brendan Carr, have been targeting a number of ABC's broadcast licenses, and ABC just challenged this hard in a new filing. In an interesting move, ABC cited Trump's own social media postings and remarks at speeches to show that he is corruptly trying to censor the network as punishment for its content and viewpoints, in violation of the First Amendment. Amusingly, in those examples, Trump blurted right out in public that he does in fact want the FCC to punish ABC precisely because of its speech. Now this has become a weapon against Trump. We talked to law professor Leah Litman, author of a good book about the Supreme Court. She explains why Trump's public bullying of ABC should undermine his case, walks us through the legal ins-and-outs here, details why ABC might prevail, and discusses how open, explicit corruption is intrinsic to his political project. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump and his dutiful Federal Communications Commission chair, Brendan Carr, have been targeting a number of ABC's broadcast licenses, and ABC just challenged this hard in a new filing. In an interesting move, ABC cited Trump's own social media postings and remarks at speeches to show that he is corruptly trying to censor the network as punishment for its content and viewpoints, in violation of the First Amendment. Amusingly, in those examples, Trump blurted right out in public that he does in fact want the FCC to punish ABC precisely because of its speech. Now this has become a weapon against Trump. We talked to law professor Leah Litman, author of a good book about the Supreme Court. She explains why Trump's public bullying of ABC should undermine his case, walks us through the legal ins-and-outs here, details why ABC might prevail, and discusses how open, explicit corruption is intrinsic to his political project. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Until recently, concerns about AI agents conducting autonomous cyber operations were largely theoretical. The OpenAI–Hugging Face incident in July changed that, while Anthropic's Mythos exposed software vulnerabilities buried for decades. Together, these incidents have forced policymakers to reconsider how governments and companies prepare for AI-enabled cyber threats. Can the federal government and private sector keep pace with increasingly capable models? Will open-source AI strengthen cyber defenses or make dangerous capabilities harder to contain? And can policymakers encourage companies to share threat information while holding them accountable for insecure systems?Shane joins Evan Swarztrauber in a crossover episode with The Center Edge. Evan is the founder of CorePoint Strategies and a senior fellow at the Digital Progress Institute. He previously served at the Federal Communications Commission as a policy adviser to then-Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Brendan Carr.

SpaceTime Series 29 Episode 90 Discovery of an atmosphere on a planet orbiting a red dwarf Astronomers think they may have detected an atmosphere on a super-Earth exo-planet orbiting in the habitable zone of a nearby red dwarf star. How mega-dust storms and the Sun affect Martian weather A new study has found that solar storms hitting Mars at the same time as planetary wide dust storms could cause major changes in Martian weather. Approval granted for the world's first orbital space reflector array America's Federal Communications Commission has approved plans for the first demonstration flight of Reflect Orbital's Eärendil-1 satellite which will test the idea of reflecting sunlight back to Earth on demand. The Science Report Family socioeconomic status more important than parent smoking or drinking for kid's future health. Ancient 3000-year-old wooden beams dating to the first Jewish temple discovered in Jerusalem. How Rottnest Island Salt Lake bacteria could make biodegradable plastic. The artery-on-a-chip technology that replicates a patient's blood vessel structure and flow dynamics. Alex on Tech AI getting more Skynet dangerous. Our regular guests: Alex Zaharov-Reutt from techadvice.life Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics  

-The non-profit wrote, "as the EU moves toward banning nudification applications, we assess how Hugging Face, the dominant open-source AI hosting platform, contributes to the risk of non-consensual intimate imagery.” -Upon asking ChatGPT to copy the style of Agatha Christie for a mystery story about a woman investigating the sudden disappearance of her husband, the chatbot told us it couldn't do what I was asking for. - Amazon Leo, a subsidiary of the tech giant founded in 2019, filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to launch up to 5,105 satellites as part of its plans to bring direct service to mobile devices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s 2023 Digital Discrimination Order, finding the commission exceeded its statutory authority.The dispute centered on the FCC’s implementation of Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directs the commission to prevent “digital discrimination of access” in broadband deployment and service. In carrying out this statutory mandate, the FCC adopted a disparate-impact framework, under which broadband providers and other entities that impact broadband could face liability for policies or practices that disproportionately affect certain communities without regard to discriminatory intent. The Eighth Circuit concluded that Section 60506 does not authorize the FCC’s disparate-impact regime or regulation of entities other than broadband providers.Join us for a litigation update on the decision and its implications for broadband deployment, digital equity initiatives, FCC authority, and future efforts to address alleged discrimination in access to broadband service.Featuring:Dr. Christopher Ali, Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications, Penn State UniversityJennifer B. Dickey, Vice President and Deputy Chief Counsel, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Daniel H. Kahn, Partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP[Moderator] Matthew Furlow, Counsel, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Digital equity makes STEM more accessible! We speak with Heather Gate, Executive Vice President of Digital Transformation at Connected Nation, to learn how digital equity programs such as Teens Teach Tech and more bring together communities and raise digital literacy.Plus, get involved in a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ attempt for the longest internet literacy live stream! Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education About Heather GateHeather Gate is Executive Vice President of Digital Transformation at Connected Nation, a U.S. nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to broadband, technology, and digital skills. For nearly two decades, she has led national initiatives that help communities bridge the digital divide through education, partnerships, workforce development, and AI readiness.Heather previously served as Chair of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC), where she led national recommendations to expand digital opportunity. Today, she works with governments, nonprofits, educators, libraries, and technology companies to ensure people of all ages have the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.About Connected NationConnected Nation is a national nonprofit organisation celebrating 25 years of expanding access to broadband, technology, and digital skills. Since its founding in 2001, the organisation has positively impacted more than 21 million people through community planning, research, broadband initiatives, digital skills training, and strategic partnerships that help connect people to education, healthcare, employment, and economic opportunity. Working in all 50 U.S. states and three territories, Connected Nation collaborates with governments, schools, libraries, businesses, and nonprofits to ensure every community has the opportunity to thrive in an increasingly digital world.Connected Nation Overview Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJwQKxjKJNkSpotlight: Teens Teach TechTeens Teach Tech, powered by AT&T, is Connected Nation's nationally recognised intergenerational digital skills program. The initiative empowers high school students to become digital skills instructors, teaching older adults and community members essential technology skills such as internet safety, AI basics, email, videoconferencing, smartphones, and computer fundamentals. Since launching in 2022, Teens Teach Tech has helped nearly 50,000 people build essential digital skills through hundreds of teen-led teams across the United States. The program develops leadership, communication, and workforce skills in young people while helping adults gain the confidence to participate fully in today's digital world through schools, libraries, nonprofits, and community organisations.Teens Teach Tech Success Storyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYJyRsQWL4ISpotlight: 25 Hours. One Connected WorldTo celebrate Connected Nation's 25th anniversary, the organisation is leading 25 Hours. One Connected World — a global attempt to set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the longest internet literacy live stream. Broadcast live from Louisville, Kentucky, USA, on September 24-25, 2026, the event will feature 25 consecutive hours of free digital skills training delivered by educators and experts from around the world. The livestream will cover topics including artificial intelligence, online safety, digital wellness, workforce skills, accessibility, financial literacy, and more, demonstrating how digital knowledge can connect people across borders, cultures, and generations.Get Involved: 25 Hours. One Connected WorldListeners don't just have to watch from the sidelines. Connected Nation is inviting educators, community organisations, businesses, and individuals across six continents to be part of the record attempt: Tune in and watch — the livestream is free and open to everyone, September 24-25, 2026, from Louisville, Kentucky. With 25 hours of programming, you can pick and choose the sessions most relevant to you, whether that's AI, online safety, digital wellness, workforce skills, accessibility, or financial literacy. Host a watch site — schools, libraries, and community organisations can register as a local host site to bring the event to their community. Spread the word — awareness partners can help share the event with their networks to grow the reach of this global record attempt. Partner or sponsor — businesses interested in supporting the record attempt can connect with the Connected Nation team. Learn more and sign up to participate: https://connectednation.org/25-hours-one-connected-worldRelevant LinksConnected Nationhttps://connectednation.orgAbout Connected Nationhttps://connectednation.org/aboutTeens Teach Techhttps://teensteachtech.org25 Hours. One Connected Worldhttps://connectednation.org/25-hours-one-connected-worldHeather Gate on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/heathergate Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/ Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? Share it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have another exciting show for you! This summer, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Media Bureau took the unusual step of seeking public comment on whether ABC's The View qualifies as a bona fide news interview program and is therefore exempt from the federal equal opportunities rule — despite the program having received that exemption more than two decades ago. While the proceeding centers on a single television program, its implications reach far beyond The View. The FCC's actions have sparked renewed debate over the role of government in evaluating editorial decisions, the distinction between news, commentary, and entertainment programming, and the constitutional limits on government involvement in the press. In this episode, host Jamal Magby is joined by Kate Ruane, Director of CDT's Free Expression Project, and Ashkhen Kazaryan, Senior Legal Fellow at the Future of Free Speech, to unpack the legal, constitutional, and policy questions at the heart of the proceeding. Together, they explore the history of the equal opportunities rule, why news interview exemptions exist, and what this case could mean for broadcasters, journalists, and the public's access to independent news and information.

How many Bond villain schemes can climate alarmists come up with? Apparently one every month or so. The latest scheme to “save the planet” and help make solar installations viable at night is to put giant mirrors in space to reflect sunlight down on earth during the night. And the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, amazingly, just gave that idea the go-ahead.On Episode 207 of The Climate Realism Show the Heartland Institute's Anthony Watts, Linnea Lueken, Sterling Burnett, and Jim Lakely will talk about that Crazy Climate News of the Week. We will also cover the huge conflict of interest Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has for an important upcoming climate case, the “climate score scam” that harms the value of your home, and will the political success of socialists in the United States put the Green New Deal back on the table?Join us Friday at 1 p.m. ET on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook. Participate in the show by leaving your comments and questions in the chat.Visit our sponsor, Advisor Metals: https://climaterealismshow.com/metals In The Tank broadcasts LIVE every Thursday at 12pm CT on on The Heartland Institute YouTube channel. Tune in to have your comments addressed live by the In The Tank Crew. Be sure to subscribe and never miss an episode. See you there!Climate Change Roundtable is LIVE every Friday at 12pm CT on The Heartland Institute YouTube channel. Have a topic you want addressed? Join the live show and leave a comment for our panelists and we'll cover it during the live show!

Americans rely on wireless connections for nearly every part of modern life, and demand for the airwaves that make those connections possible is only growing. But much of the nation's spectrum remains accessible by federal agencies under a system approaching its 100th anniversary. How can the United States free up more spectrum for commercial use? Can the military rely more heavily on commercial networks without compromising national security? And could market-based incentives help federal agencies use this valuable resource more efficiently?To discuss this, Shane is joined by Roslyn Layton, executive vice president at Strand Consult. She is also a digital policy fellow at Michigan State University's Quello Center and a senior fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School. She previously served as a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and on the president-elect's transition team for the Federal Communications Commission.

ABC has enlisted the help of its audience to defend The View and Jimmy Kimmel against attacks from the Federal Communications Commission. On this week's On the Media, hear about the MAGA movement trying to shift television to the right. Plus, the legal theory that the FCC is using to put pressure on the networks. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with  Jim Rutenberg, writer-at-large for the New York Times, about how Trump's FCC is reviving a nearly century-old rule to crack down on late-night talk shows. Rutenberg explains why MAGA's embrace of the FCC's regulatory powers to go after “liberal bias” in the media signals a shift within the Republican party.   [26:47] Brooke sits down with Daniel Suhr, the president of a legal advocacy group called the Center for American Rights and the architect behind the legal theory that the FCC is using to put pressure on TV networks. They discuss his goal to make network TV look more like the AM radio band.  Further reading: “How a Century-Old Rule Is Scrambling Late-Night TV,” by Jim Rutenberg “The MAGA Plan to Take Over TV Is Just Beginning,” by Jim Rutenberg “The FCC's Public Notice on ‘Bona Fide News,'” by Daniel Suhr “The end of an agency,” by Daniel Suhr “Straight Talk on FCC 'Jawboning'” by Daniel Suhr On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the radio show this week, we start out discussing how a proposed bill threatens voting rights and why it's tied to a housing bill. After that, we delve into the attacks on the First Amendment and how to protect freedom of speech. Following that segment, we highlight spectacular progressive wins happening around the country and the key lessons we can learn from them. Finally, we close the show by examining the ongoing attacks on abortion rights and their significant economic costs. Special Guests Eduardo Soto, Raben, @raben_us; Commissioner Anna Gomez, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), @AGomezFCC, @agomezfcc.bsky.social; Monifa Bandele, MomsRising, @MomsRising @MamásConPoder; Kate Bahn, Institute for Women's Policy Research, @iwpresearch @Lipstick_Econ

The Federal Communications Commission has ABC 7 Chicago and other local stations in its crosshairs as the FCC has ordered an accelerated review of several affiliate broadcast licenses. This is yet another anti-DEI political attack from the Trump administration. We're discussing the ongoing fallout with contributors Yareni Murillo and PJ Walker. Plus, we've got iconic toys, ‘The Bear,' and free coffee on the menu. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our daily newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this June 25 episode: Visit Bloomington Destination Madison Writers Theatre Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Anna Gomez, the only Democratic commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission, wrote a shocking letter to Disney last month, warning that the company is the target of “a sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control.” Commissioner Gomez sits down with Katie to talk about protecting the First Amendment, where the FCC is stepping out of bounds, and why media companies need to fight back. Join WIRED's best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

ABC viewers across the country are getting a message from the network: If you like your local stations, or “The View,” help us get the government off our back. The network launched an on-air campaign asking viewers to send comments to the Federal Communications Commission’s website pushing back on the agency and its chairman, Brendan Carr. L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced 12 felony counts of tax fraud against comedian Carlos Mencia. Hochman said six charges are related to Mencia’s personal taxes that he failed to file, and the other six are related to his corporate tax returns. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has long exercised significant authority over broadcast media beyond what is typically tolerated under the First Amendment. Under various chairs and presidential administrations, the FCC has overstretched its authority. Recent actions have drawn particular attention, such as when Chairman Brendan Carr publicly pressured and threatened to punish ABC/​Disney over a comment on Jimmy Kimmel Live. That incident does not exist in isolation, with friction between the commission and broadcasters steadily rising over the past 12 months over myriad issues including the unprecedented early review of ABC's broadcast licenses. The FCC points to the public interest standard and policies such as news distortion and the equal-time rule to justify its actions.How should such policies be considered in light of today's media ecosystem and the broader values of free expression? Please join us for an event that will discuss how the FCC's actions toward broadcast media are affecting free expression, what challenges these actions might face in courts, and how policymakers could prevent such abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the Trump administration has tried to put pressure on Disney for opinions expressed by Jimmy Kimmel and the hosts of The View—and how the Mouse is fighting back.Guest: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission since September 2023.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Ducharme, Patrick Fort, Rob Gunther and Paige Osburn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the Trump administration has tried to put pressure on Disney for opinions expressed by Jimmy Kimmel and the hosts of The View—and how the Mouse is fighting back.Guest: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission since September 2023.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Ducharme, Patrick Fort, Rob Gunther and Paige Osburn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the Trump administration has tried to put pressure on Disney for opinions expressed by Jimmy Kimmel and the hosts of The View—and how the Mouse is fighting back.Guest: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission since September 2023.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Ducharme, Patrick Fort, Rob Gunther and Paige Osburn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the Trump administration has tried to put pressure on Disney for opinions expressed by Jimmy Kimmel and the hosts of The View—and how the Mouse is fighting back.Guest: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission since September 2023.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Ducharme, Patrick Fort, Rob Gunther and Paige Osburn. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump posts a list of requirements for any deal to end the war with Iran peacefully, then says he is meeting in the White House Situation Room to make a final determination. Some media reports say he did not reach a decision; Russian military drone hits an apartment building in Romania. U.S., NATO & the European Union condemn it as a 'reckless act' by Russia; Week ends as it began outside the Delaney Hall Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, with protesters clashing with federal agents; former Attorney General Pam sits for a closed door interview with the House Oversight Committee on the process for releasing the files of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats on the committee say she pinned the blame for any mistakes on now Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. She says that is not true; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives a speech at the Reagan National Economic Forum in California titled “While America Slept”, arguing that U.S. policymaking has prioritized efficiency over resilience; Disney-owned ABC criticizes the Federal Communications Commission as it formally applies to renew early licenses for its eight broadcast TV stations, as the FCC  demanded. One station writing, "This effort to suppress speech under the guise of bureaucratic process must not prevail"; Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) says she will not run for reelection; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) promotes a bipartisan bill he introduced this week to overhaul the business of college sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThe lurid JP Morgan sex case has gotten more interesting: apparently, the bank offered a $1 million settlement to the banker who wanted an eight-figure settlement related to the lurid sex-harassment allegations he has made against a senior colleague. Something is weird here. Also this week:The Justice Department wants to stand in as the defendant in the case where E. Jean Carroll won a large judgment for comments Donald Trump made about her during his first presidential term, which would defeat her claim, since the government cannot be liable for defamation, the DOJ is also suing the DC Bar to stop professional discipline for Jeffrey ‘Oil Spill' Clark, and no, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro does not need to recuse herself from Cole Allen's case merely because she was present at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.That's for all listeners this week. Upgrade to hear about much more:* Another Trump tariff effort gets struck down because the Court of International Trade decided to actually form a view on what constitutes a balance-of-payments crisis.* ABC fighting back against the Federal Communications Commission, urged on by the commission's lone Democratic member (and Ken explains why they're even bothering to fight at the agency level before going to court.)* The fight over the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, or “more aesthetic standing bullshit,” as Ken's notes describe it.* Richard Murdaugh's remarkable win in court (for now).* A silly lawsuit against Matt Damon, and* A misdo charge for Clav, who says he was merely following the guidance of a licensed airboat captain when he shot a (possibly already dead) alligator.

Ralph welcomes six authors to discuss their books: “Beyond Nuclear” founder Linda Gunter; trial lawyer Sean Simpson; law professor Elizabeth Burch; naturalist David Schmidt; industrial hygienist Marc Axelrod; and educator and advocate Jonathan Kozol.Linda Gunter is the founder of the US-based non-profit Beyond Nuclear and serves as its international specialist. Previously, she was a journalist at USA Network, Reuters, and The Times. She launched, and writes for Beyond Nuclear's online magazine, Beyond Nuclear International. And she is the author of No To Nuclear: Why Nuclear Power Destroys Lives, Derails Climate Progress and Provokes War.We need to reduce the most carbon, the fastest, for the least cost—and that's renewables every time. But it's also an issue of: as we divert funds towards nuclear power (new reactors, which are not here now, they're just aspirational ideas on paper, none of the designs have certifications or licenses yet) as we divert time and our money towards waiting for something that will perhaps take a decade or two (or never) to materialize, and as we squeeze out renewables in the process, what do we do? We continue to burn fossil fuels. So actually, choosing nuclear as an answer to climate makes the climate crisis worse.Linda GunterSean Simpson is an attorney specializing in civil jury trials, representing individuals who have been harmed by someone else's carelessness or intentional wrongdoing. He is the author of Punitive Damages: The Lawyer's Tool for Shaping Society.[Punitive damages are] typically not covered by insurance. But oddly enough, there's a trend coming now where these corporations—because they're in control, we've let them have the reins, and now they're getting insurance companies to sell them coverage to cover their punitive damages, which is totally a 180. If somebody else is going to pay your punishment for you, it's not going to sting your rump if somebody gets spanked on somebody else's behind.Sean SimpsonElizabeth Burch is a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law, and co-author of Perceptions of Justice in Multidistrict Litigation: Voices from the Crowd. She is the author of The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory.Imagine that you are sitting in your kitchen and you get a phone call one night. And you answer, and the person on the other end of the line knows an inordinate amount of information about you—they know your name, they know your birth date, they know the name of your doctor, the name of your hospital, the date and type of medical implant that you had put in you. And then they tell you that you have a ticking time bomb in you. And if you don't have this removed immediately (that in this case was pelvic mesh, which is designed to deal with incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse) that you are going to die. But not to worry, they are setting up appointments down in South Florida to have the mesh removed. What they don't say is all of the important things.Elizabeth BurchDavid Schmidt is lifelong San Francisco Bay Area resident, naturalist, and environmental historian. He worked as a writer in the public affairs office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco from 1991 to 2021, led dozens of hikes for the Greenbelt Alliance in the region's extensive public parklands, and volunteered on habitat restoration projects for the Golden Gate National Parks and the California Native Plant Society. He is the author of San Francisco Bay Area: An Environmental History.I think [the environmental movement in the Bay Area] is the most successful regional environmental movement in US history. Its victories have had a tremendous impact on protecting the natural landscape, the agricultural landscape. And this is a landscape that is famous for its scenic beauty. It's among the world's most biodiverse landscapes with more than a thousand species of plants and wildlife. And persistence pays off. That is the theme that comes across time and again with environmental victories is: persistence pays off.David SchmidtMarc Axelrod is an award-winning front line industrial hygienist and workplace safety professional. He has developed and implemented programs to protect people from industry's most hazardous technologies. He has worked for employers including Boeing, Kaiser Permanente, UCLA and the City of Beverly Hills. He is the author of The Flame Bucket: Adventures in Workplace Safety.You can lie down in the flame bucket and stop a [rocket] launch, but you can only do it once. So I decided that we had a very risky program [at the city of Beverly Hills]. It was for testing our commercial drivers for alcohol and drugs. And somehow they got a big percentage of them, almost a third of them, got left out of the program. And I can see, being backstage, what happens in city government where people leave and people come and how these kinds of things can occur. But when they do happen, what you've got to do is stop everything, blame the people that left, and then fix it right away. But this program—even though people knew that there was a big gap in it, they just didn't want to fix it. But I knew as City Safety Officer, I was responsible. So after months of delay, I said, “Listen, these drivers can't drive anymore. They can't do their safety functions without a clearance test from our drug and alcohol program.” And so that got their attention, and we quickly fixed the program, and I got a lot of thank yous. And then a few days later, I was fired.Marc AxelrodJonathan Kozol is a leading advocate for child-centered learning, equality, and racial justice in our nation's schools, and he travels and lectures about educational inequality and racial injustice. Mr. Kozol is the author of nearly a dozen books about young children and their public schools, including Death at an Early Age, An End to Inequality: Breaking Down the Walls of Apartheid Education in America, and We Shall Not Bow Down: Children of Color Under Siege: An Invocation to Resistance.My book is not simply a polite description of these problems. It's probably the most militant book I've ever written. It's an open call for militant resistance. And, you know, I get condemned for that, but I'm not afraid to say that I'm an unregenerate activist, and I'm too old to change my stripes.Jonathan KozolNews 5/1/26* Perhaps the biggest news of the week is the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which preserved majority-minority congressional districts. In practice, this ruling gives conservative Southern states license to draw these districts out of existence. Jonathan Cervas, a political scientist at Carnegie-Mellon University who has served as a special master in multiple Voting Rights Act cases, is quoted in AP saying “The Voting Rights Act as a means to protect minority voters from vote dilution is essentially dead.” In the Washington Post, NAACP President Derrick Johnson called the decision “a devastating blow to what remains of the Voting Rights Act, and a license for corrupt politicians who want to rig the system by silencing entire communities,” and “a major setback for our nation and…the hard-won victories we've fought, bled, and died for.” In practice, this ruling is sure to set off a new round of redrawing congressional districts, likely resulting in a net gain of 12 seats – half of the Southern Section 2 districts – for the GOP. In Louisiana itself, CNN reports Governor Jeff Landry has halted House primaries, where “Early voting was scheduled to begin Saturday and overseas ballots had already gone out.” Moreover, “Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields, whose district is at the center of the Supreme Court's redistricting decision, said…Landry had told him he anticipated issuing an executive order to suspend the House election and call a new one.”* Speaking of Southern congressional districts, in Florida's 20th district, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has “defiantly” filed to run again in the special election for her former district, per NOTUS. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned her seat in Congress last week just minutes before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to “recommend punishment on an array of charges.” She had previously been found guilty of “25 ethics violations, including allegedly stealing $5 million dollars in federal disaster-aid funds used to bolster her 2021 campaign,” following an extensive investigation running for two years and including “issuing 58 subpoenas, interviewing 28 witnesses and reviewing over 33,000 documents.” Elijah Manley, the young progressive running for the seat, is quoted saying “Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned in disgrace moments before her colleagues were set to expel her from Congress…The last thing our community needs is a second round of chaos and instability. She should focus on her legal troubles.”* In more positive news from Congress, Rep. Greg Casar announced this week that the Congressional Progressive Caucus he chairs is issuing a new Affordability Agenda, bringing together a slew of bills sponsored by progressives – on topics ranging from housing to groceries to prescription drugs and more – into a unified package. In an introduction, the Caucus emphasizes that “Americans are facing a cost-of-living crisis and…At the same time, Democrats are searching for a vision that wins back the trust of working families and provides a mandate to deliver the big changes our country needs in 2026.” The question now is whether the Democratic Party will take up this banner and run with it or once again spurn their progressive base.* Meanwhile, the Trump administration is occupied with their continuing efforts to persecute comedians for anodyne jokes. The latest on this front is the Federal Communications Commission ordering the Walt Disney Company's ABC to seek early broadcast license renewals for the eight TV stations it owns, following a joke about Melania Trump on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show, NPR reports. The joke, a “mock speech for an alternative White House Correspondents' Dinner,” which went “Our first lady Melania is here. So beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” aired three days before the actual White House Correspondents' Dinner and the corresponding security threat. Kimmel has stressed that the joke was about the age difference between the President and First Lady “not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination. And they know that.” FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, sole Democrat still on the commission, issued a statement calling this “the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date…As part of its ongoing campaign of censorship and control, the White House called publicly for the silencing of a vocal critic, and this FCC has now answered that call.”* Another scandalous act of corruption from inside the federal government came to light this week with Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a special operations soldier stationed at Fort Bragg being charged with insider trading. Specifically, Van Dyke is charged with three counts of violating the Commodity Exchange Account, one count of wire fraud and one count of an unlawful money transaction for using classified government information to win over $400,000 via prediction betting site Polymarket vis-a-vis the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, per the Hill. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, also heading up the prosecution of President Maduro, is quoted saying “Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain.” For their part, Polymarket has announced tightened insider trading rules, but continues to insist that “When we identified a user trading on classified government information, we referred the matter to the DOJ & cooperated with their investigation,” and that Van Dyke's arrest is “proof the system works.”* In more news related to Latin America, a new poll shows leftist Senator and presidential candidate Iván Cepeda with a substantial lead, according to the City Paper Bogotá. In polls of the first round, Cepeda drew 44.3%, while his rivals, Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia drew 21.5% and 19.8% respectively, an impressive showing for Valencia who has nearly doubled her support since the last poll was taken. In the second round, polling shows Cepeda besting both rivals, 54.6% to 42.6% against de la Espriella and a narrower 51.2% versus 46.6% against Valencia. A Cepeda victory would continue the leftward trend in Colombian politics begun with the election of Gustavo Petro in 2022, a remarkable turnaround for one of the most stalwart conservative countries in the region.* Elsewhere on the globe, a new poll shows Jeremy Corbyn – the British left icon, former Labour Party leader and founder of Your Party – in danger of losing his long-held seat in the riding of Islington North. Corbyn, who was first elected to the seat in 1983, was able to keep his seat as an independent MP even after his expulsion from the Labour Party following the hostile takeover of the party by the centrist Keir Starmer regime. Yet now, with Your Party coming apart at the seams, the Greens look poised to capture the seat. However, the Canary notes that this poll only asked voters about their partisan voting intentions, with no mention of individual candidates. This means even if voters in Islington North are more sympathetic to the Greens overall, they could still return Corbyn himself to Parliament. Nevertheless, this poll gives some indication of how successfully the Greens have outmaneuvered Your Party, even in what should be their most solid riding.* Another iconic British public figure – King Charles III – is in America this week for a royal visit in which he addressed a joint session of Congress, met with President Trump and enjoyed a White House dinner. On Wednesday, the King attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, along with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and, most strikingly, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This unlikely pairing has clearly piqued the interest of the press, who asked Mayor Mamdani what he would talk about with the King if they were to have a private moment together. While the duo did not ultimately have a private meeting, Mamdani responded that he would “probably encourage [the King] to return the Kohinoor diamond,” which POLITICO identifies as “an enormous bauble set into a royal crown on display in the Tower of London,” noting that the diamond has “become a point of contention between England and India.”* In more local news, with the protracted California gubernatorial primary on the horizon at last, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE, has thrown their weight behind progressive billionaire Tom Steyer, Variety reports. This piece notes Steyer's pledge to keep film and television production in Los Angeles along with his outspoken criticism of the merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. as well as his proposal to levy a tax on AI computations and use the proceeds to “fund training for displaced workers.” IATSE represents around 50,000 workers in California and 130,000 workers nationwide. Steyer has amassed considerable union support in his bid for perhaps the second most powerful political executive position in the country after the presidency, including the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, and the California Nurses Association. Steyer's closest Democratic rival in the open primary, former Congressman, state Attorney General and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is racking up endorsements as well, including from Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and powerful California politicianss such as Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. With a close race between the top four leading Democrats and Republicans, the June 2nd primary is sure to conclude with a photo finish.* Finally, in Washington DC, the Democratic Mayoral primary continues to grow more acrimonious. This week, former Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, the candidate backed by corporate donors and the DC political establishment, criticized progressive Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George in a fundraising email for supposedly accepting “dark money from outside interest groups.” Which groups you may ask? Local unions, representing tens of thousands of DC workers, including local branches of the AFL-CIO, UFCW, transit workers, teachers, the building trades and more. In a stinging rebuke, the unions excoriated McDuffie for his “disturbing pattern of anti-union talking points and votes” including opposition to wage increases for DC restaurant and child-care workers – while simultaneously accepting donations from “MAGA developers…[and] utility and energy executives.” Moreover, Axios reports Safe & Affordable DC, a labor-aligned super PAC, is launching a half-million dollar ad blitz attacking McDuffie on his record of favoritism towards the utilities at a moment when bills are higher than ever. Tensions mounted even higher this week, when the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance opened an investigation to determine whether Lewis George's campaign is collaborating too closely with her union allies – an allegation she has dismissed as “baseless.” It is worth noting that DC progressives have had this accusation leveled at them in the past, only for it to indeed prove baseless. Expect this race to get more heated, and more expensive, the closer we get to the June 16th primary.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

This past weekend, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission threatened to revoke broadcasters' licenses over their coverage of the war in Iran. Last month, Stephen Colbert said he had to drop an interview with a Senate candidate because of F.C.C. guidance that targeted political interviews on late-night shows. Jim Rutenberg, a writer at large for The New York Times, explains how the Trump administration is trying to shape media coverage to fit its agenda. Guest: Jim Rutenberg, a writer at large for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine. Background reading:  Under President Trump, the F.C.C. has used obscure regulatory powers to crack down on network TV. How a century-old rule is scrambling late-night TV. Photo: Tierney L. Cross for The New York Times For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.