Gigi Sohn

About

Gigi Sohn is a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and a Benton Senior Fellow & Public Advocate. She is the host of the "Tech on the Rocks Podcast." Gigi sits on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Gigi is one of the nation’s leading public advocates for open, affordable and democratic communications networks. For thirty years, Gigi has worked across the country to defend and preserve the fundamental competition and innovation policies that have made broadband Internet access more ubiquitous, competitive, affordable, open and protective of user privacy. Most recently,…

News

Reuters: FCC says Sinclair-Tribune deal may violate the law

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai said on Monday he had "serious concerns" about Sinclair Broadcast Group's proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media, a surprise move which could potentially scuttle the deal and sent shares of both companies tumbling. Mr. Pai, a Republican, said evidence presented as part…

Posted on July 17, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Media

Gigi Sohn Statement on Rep. Coffman’s Signing of the Net Neutrality Discharge Petition

Politico is reporting that Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) will announce this morning that he will be the first Republican to sign the discharge petition for the Joint Resolution of Disapproval of the FCC’s December 14, 2017 net neutrality repeal order. He also introduced stand-alone legislation that would, among other things,…

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

Bloomberg: Harsh FCC Tone Signals Rough Road for Sinclair’s Tribune Deal

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.’s tough path to approval for buying Tribune Media Co. grew even more difficult after regulators slammed the proposal as dishonest and potentially illegal in unusually harsh language. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Monday called for sending the $3.9 billion deal to a hearing. The…

Posted on July 17, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

Tech Crunch: ‘Serious concerns’ at FCC threaten to halt Sinclair-Tribune merger

The FCC voted unanimously to adopt the Hearing Designation Order, meaning the merger is officially on hold until further notice; the order itself, which should contain details around what may be expected of Sinclair in order for the business deal to be approved, will be published tomorrow. The FCC has…

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Media

Cheddar: Is the Sinclair-Tribune Deal Dead?

It looks like the deal between Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and Tribune Media could be dead. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has questioned the legality of the merger and is asking the committee to send the deal to a hearing. Gigi Sohn, Distinguished Fellow at Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law…

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Media

Statement of Gigi Sohn on Circulation of Draft Hearing Order regarding Sinclair-Tribune Transaction

Today, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated to his fellow Commissioners a draft hearing designation order regarding the proposed Sinclair-Tribune transaction. The following statement can be attributed to Gigi Sohn: Chairman Pai made the right decision in circulating a draft hearing designation order on the Sinclair-Tribune merger. This transaction would place…

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

Chicago Sun-Times: Sinclair-WGN deal in trouble; FCC chairman Ajit Pai calls for hearings

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday he has “serious concerns” about Sinclair-Tribune Media’s $3.9 billion deal and wants to have hearings, a move that could delay the deal for months. A proposal for some stations — including “Chicago’s Very Own” WGN-TV, Channel 9 — to be sold off but continue to be…

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

The Hill: FCC chair rejects Sinclair-Tribune merger

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai on Monday said that he has "serious concerns" about the proposed merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media, a surprising move that could kill the controversial $3.9 billion deal. In a statement, Pai questioned the company's plans to get the deal approved by…

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

The Verge: How AT&T’s plan to become the new Facebook could be a privacy nightmare

For years, AT&T and its primary competitor Verizon have looked green-eyed at the ballooning advertising revenues of Silicon Valley. Combined, Facebook and Google control more than half of the $88 billion digital advertising market in the US, and both account for around 90 percent of its growth. Digital advertising now surpasses TV advertising as…

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

News

Gizmodo: FCC Screws With Its Complaint Process-and You’ll Still Need to Pay $225 to get Heard

The FCC knows that Americans hate telecoms, and it’s doing everything it can to give us reason to hate them more. On Tuesday, a proposal to kneecap the informal complaint process at the agency sparked cries of anti-consumerism. Now, the rule changes have been approved—and formal complaints will still cost you $225. We know that…

Posted on July 17, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 17, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 16, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn

Posted on July 12, 2018August 3, 2018 by Gigi Sohn