fcc

30 Rock FCC Complaints: Vodka Tampons Are Obscene and Indecent

Ashley Feinberg · 05/15/15 04:20PM

While 30 Rock may have officially ended two years ago, its legacy lives on in the vodka-tampon, MILF-addled-memories of our nation’s most sensitive viewers. And now, we have the official FCC complaints to prove it.

The Best FCC Complaints About Satan and Groin-Kicking On The Simpsons

Adrian Chen · 10/18/13 01:38PM

It is 2013 and people are still offended by the animated Fox TV show The Simpsons. This week, Governmentattic.org obtained an archive of indecency complaints about the Simpsons to the FCC from 2010-2013, via Freedom of Information Act request, . They are pretty amazing. (There's also an archive of South Park complaints [pdf] but people getting upset about The Simpsons is much funnier.)

Call Me...Maybe? Wireless Providers to Disable Stolen Phones

Caity Weaver · 04/10/12 07:54PM

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are teaming up with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make it harder for thieves to use stolen phones, since you seem hell-bent on accidentally leaving yours everywhere.

The Courts Are Still Ruling on Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Nipple

Brian Moylan · 11/02/11 04:48PM

Seven years (almost eight, at this point) after Janet Jackson's intentional "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl and the $550,000 fine leveled against CBS is still being argued in court. Just today an appeals court in Philly threw out the case. Now it might be headed back to the Supreme Court.

The 'Fairness Doctrine' Finally Will Be Laid to Rest

Jim Newell · 06/08/11 03:58PM

Bad news for Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and idiot Republican candidates on the campaign trail who have nothing better to talk about: They'll no longer be able to scare listeners with the prospect of Democrats reviving the Fairness Doctrine! Because FCC chair Julius Genachowski has agreed to take the dated, unenforced rule out of its books, once and for all.

FCC Commissioner Becomes Comcast Lobbyist After Approving Comcast Deal

Max Read · 05/11/11 07:52PM

You were, likely, worried about the ability of Comcast-NBC to push effectively for its interests on Capitol Hill. Sorry — we mean, push for the interests of American consumers. But worry no more! The cable giant has hired Meredith Attwell Baker for "a top DC lobbying job," and we have a feeling she's going to do a great job. You've heard of Baker — she used to be one of the Republican commissioners of the FCC. Four months ago, she voted to approve the NBC-Comcast merger? But that was four whole months ago, so Comcast probably forgot about it before they hired her.

House Votes Against Net Neutrality

Adrian Chen · 04/08/11 05:29PM

When the FCC approved its net neutrality rules earlier this year, it pissed off just about everyone. The House of Representatives were definitely not thrilled: A bill was passed today that would strike down the FCC's net neutrality rules.

FCC Responds to Cablevision-Fox Dispute by Tweeting Baseball Scores

Max Read · 10/20/10 12:23AM

The ongoing dispute between cable provider Cablevision and Fox meant that Cablevision customers couldn't watch Tuesday's playoff baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. Never fear! The FCC stepped in... and live-Tweeted the game: