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Full-Text Articles in Law

From International Competitive Carrier To The Wto: A Survey Of The Fcc’S International Telecommunications Policy Initiatives 1985-1998, Lawrence J. Spiwak Dec 1998

From International Competitive Carrier To The Wto: A Survey Of The Fcc’S International Telecommunications Policy Initiatives 1985-1998, Lawrence J. Spiwak

Federal Communications Law Journal

With the creation and implementation of the February 1996 World Trade Organization Agreement on Basic Telecommunications Services, the international telecommunications community has (at least on paper) promised ostensibly to move away from markets characterized by monopolies and toward a world of competition and deregulation. The big question, however, is whether these efforts will actually lead to better economic performance in the market for international telecommunications products and services. This Article examines one particular, yet extremely significant, portion of this inquiry—how much have U.S. international telecommunications policies specifically helped or hindered this process. This Article, after surveying Federal Communications Commission (FCC …


"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa Jun 1998

"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

Congress included the Communications Decency Act (CDA) in the Telecommunications Act signed into law on February 8, 1996. The bill seeks to outlaw the use of computers and phone lines to transmit "indecent" material with provisions of jail terms and heavy fines for violators. Proponents of the bill argue it is necessary to protect minors from undesirable speech on the Internet. The CDA was immediately challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, and the special 3-judge federal panel established to hear the case recently declared the Act unconstitutional. Yet, its ultimate adjudication remains in doubt. Ominously, the federal …


Communications Policy Leadership For The Next Century, Michael K. Powell May 1998

Communications Policy Leadership For The Next Century, Michael K. Powell

Federal Communications Law Journal

Those of us involved in the communications field realize the dramatic changes and challenges posed by the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In particular, those in charge of implementing the Act's provisions face serious challenges. There are three ways that those in leadership positions may prevail in this "communications revolution" so as to facilitate development. First, it is essential to be familiar with the fields of economics and competitive analysis, and to understand that competition and markets will prove superior devices for managing change. Second, the importance of technology must be emphasized. Finally, emotion or special interest politics …


The "Public Interest" Standard: The Search For The Holy Grail, Erwin G. Krasnow, Jack N. Goodman May 1998

The "Public Interest" Standard: The Search For The Holy Grail, Erwin G. Krasnow, Jack N. Goodman

Federal Communications Law Journal

During the last eighty years, there is likely no single area of communications policy that has generated as much scholarly discourse, judicial analysis, and political debate as has the simple directive to regulate in the "public interest." While remaining at the heart of current communications regulatory policy debate, the public interest standard has been subject to evolving, and often elusive definitions that reflect the change in American culture from generation to generation. As broadcasters begin the transition to a more flexible digital technology, there have been calls for a reexamination of the public interest standard. But the genius of the …


A Modest Proposal For Restructuring The Federal Communications Commission, Harry M. Shooshan Iii May 1998

A Modest Proposal For Restructuring The Federal Communications Commission, Harry M. Shooshan Iii

Federal Communications Law Journal

At a time when the FCC is in the process of implementing the massive 1996 Telecommunications Act, a number of commentators have been calling for drastic change in the agency's structure. There most certainly are legitimate questions about how the modern FCC should be organized. A single-administrator model, which has been successful in the United Kingdom, could provide a more stable and predictable regulatory environment than currently exists. The advantages of a single administrator over a multimember commission are substantial and provide a conservative alternative to calls for the elimination of the agency. Such change would enable the FCC to …


The Fcc And Aids Education: Helping Broadcasters Serve The Public Interest, Jason B. Acton May 1998

The Fcc And Aids Education: Helping Broadcasters Serve The Public Interest, Jason B. Acton

Federal Communications Law Journal

Despite recent advances in medical technology, AIDS remains a very serious international health threat. Even with the presence of new drug therapies that have helped to prolong the lives of those who suffer from the disease, scientists have been unable to develop a cure. Consequently education remains the primary weapon available in the war against AIDS. Unfortunately, AIDS education initiatives have found little support in the broadcast community. To renew their licenses, broadcasters are required to act in the public interest— requirement that has traditionally required very little. However, given the threat AIDS presents to society, the FCC should require …


Section 332 Of The Communications Act Of 1934: A Federal Regulatory Framework That Is "Hog Tight, Horse High, And Bull Strong", Leonard J. Kennedy, Heather A. Purcell May 1998

Section 332 Of The Communications Act Of 1934: A Federal Regulatory Framework That Is "Hog Tight, Horse High, And Bull Strong", Leonard J. Kennedy, Heather A. Purcell

Federal Communications Law Journal

In 1993, recognizing that state and local regulatory practices were harmful to the development of widespread low-cost commercial and personal mobile radio services, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, legislation that freed wireless carriers from a dual federal-state regulatory structure. As a result, sections 332 and 2(b) of the Communications Act were revised to endow the FCC with exclusive jurisdiction over wireless regulation. Unfortunately, some courts and regulators have concluded that Congress did not intend to grant the FCC exclusive authority over wireless communications. Such rulings could be attributed to a misguided focus on traditional preemption analysis rather …


Dogma In Cyberspace, Phillip V. Permut May 1998

Dogma In Cyberspace, Phillip V. Permut

Federal Communications Law Journal

Book Review: Law and Disorder in Cyberspace: Abolish the FCC and Let Common Law Rule the Telecosm, by Peter Huber, Oxford University Press, 1997, 265 pages.


A New Regulatory Environment For The Telecommunication Industry, Jerome Lavigne Delville Jan 1998

A New Regulatory Environment For The Telecommunication Industry, Jerome Lavigne Delville

LLM Theses and Essays

The idea of information superhighways has been spurred by consumer demand, technological development and political institutions. These advancements and interests require a regulatory framework to control the operation of, and competition within the telecommunications industry. This paper focuses on government regulation of telecommunication carriers, information services (internet), video-programming and wireless telecommunication (spectrum). This paper also highlights the roles of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as compared to previous laws prior to the 1996 Act.