FCC and Mergers essays

FCC and Mergers essays The Communications Act of 1934 established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Its main purpose back then was to control and regulate all means of communication, from radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. It is governed by five commissioners, and reports to Congress. There are seven bureaus that operate under the FCCs umbrella. They include the Cable Services Bureau, the Common Carrier Bureau, the Consumer Information Bureau, the Enforcement Bureau, the International Bureau, the Mass Media Bureau, and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. These bureaus are responsible for developing and implementing regulatory programs, processing applications for licenses or other filings, analyzing complaints, conducting investigations, and taking part in FCC hearings. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has given much more control and jurisdiction to the FCC in regards to newer and newer technologies. Wireless data transfers were not an issue in 1934. But they are now. The FCC regulates not only the new technologies, but also the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines, as well as cable service, television, satellite transmissions, etc. If there is a means to communicate something, chances are that the FCC will be watching. Of utmost importance in the Act of 1996 was what it did as far as opening up new arenas in which to expand. It allowed the Bell Operating Companies to begin offering long distance service, allowed cable TV companies to expand into the telecommunications arena, let telecommunications firms begin providing video and cable programming, gave permission to free long distance providers to offer local service, and forced Internet Service Providers to restrict access to indecent material. This was a paramount decision, as it now opened so many new arenas for companies to expand into. As well as expansion, it also gave the FCC much more to keep an eye on, especially when many firms decided t...