"An examination of how the FCC uses ""voluntary commitments"" from merging telecommunications companies to advance policy goals"

Shaffer, Gwen; Jordan, Scott

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/38375 Copy

Description

Title

"An examination of how the FCC uses ""voluntary commitments"" from merging telecommunications companies to advance policy goals"

Author(s)

• Shaffer, Gwen
• Jordan, Scott

Issue Date

2013-02

Keyword(s)

• telecommunications policy
• information policy
• political economy of communication
• broadband access
• regulation

Abstract

This study examines the FCC’s historical use of “voluntary commitments” when approving telecommunications company mergers. Because complex factors such as market conditions, corporate lobbying, political climate and technological change dictate regulations, it is grounded in a political economic framework. Using a focused synthesis, the authors examined key policy issues, such as the political climate and power structures in place during various telecommunications company transactions. The study contrasts the FCC’s ability to extract commitments from merging companies with previous unsuccessful attempts to achieve similar goals through the established rulemaking process, with particular focus on the 2011 Comcast/NBC-Universal merger. The newly formed company agreed to a slew of voluntary commitments that advanced policies—related to streaming video, digital inclusion and online journalism—strongly opposed by industry during previous FCC attempts to impose them industry-wide.

Publisher

iSchools

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/38375

DOI

https://doi.org/10.9776/13127

Copyright and License Information

Copyright © 2013 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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