 Your new post is loading...
Your new post is loading...
“They’re completely driven by antisemitism and socialism,” say a source in the New York Post about deal opponents. Plus, a merger boom, and someone let a squirrel loose in Meta's offices. But today I want to go over the likely coming challenge to the attempted merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, a combination that would put much of Hollywood and media assets such as CNN in the hands of billionaire Trump ally Larry Ellison. CNN’s Brian Stelter reported that state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, are readying a complaint as soon as tomorrow to block the merger. David McCabe in the New York Times added more color, saying the complaint will focus on ‘tentpole movies,’ aka blockbuster films. If this merger challenge is filed, it would kick off the biggest legal fight over corporate power in the Trump era. And I have to say, that a challenge might happen is shockingly good news, and a real testament to the anti-monopoly arguments that have been percolating for years, as well as the organizing savvy of groups like Block the Merger and the thousands of courageous artists who spoke out and risked their careers to do so. Here’s why.
Companies are backing off on their AI spending. Because investors have made such big bets on AI coming to fruition, that’s a big problem.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2026 – Texas’ Democratic candidate for attorney general says, if elected, he would investigate whether SpaceX got preferential treatment in receiving $109 million in state broadband grants. Nathan Johnson says the state’s subgrant selection process ‘sure looks like’ corruption. The revised federal guidance, released June 2025, encouraged states to consider lower-cost technologies, including low Earth orbit satellite service, alongside fiber in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. Johnson alleged that Texas officials directed 99% of available grant funds toward SpaceX, in an interview Friday with the Dallas News, arguing the procurement process “sure looks like” corruption.
Thousands of new fossil-fuel power sources are quietly firing up across the state to power the AI boom, thanks to a regulatory loophole, leaving residents feeling blindsided. Omaira Garcia didn’t realize life on her small ranch in Abilene, Texas, was about to change until clouds of dust—kicked up by a mysterious project next door—began to engulf her home. The Air Force veteran says she found out about OpenAI’s plans to build its flagship Stargate data center directly beside her property only after construction began in the summer of 2024. Today, the site’s natural-gas-powered electrical plant sits roughly 500 yards from her house, the exhaust stacks clearly visible from her kitchen window. “We weren’t given any time to understand what this impact was going to be on us,” the mother of two says through tears. “We’re trapped here.”
In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission moved technology policy forward by opening the full 6 gigahertz (GHz) wireless spectrum band for Wi-Fi use. This gave American consumers and businesses access to faster, more reliable wireless connections. It wasn’t done with much fanfare, though, so most Americans don’t realize the implications. They probably don’t even know what the 6 GHz band is, but it is important. It means that home internet works better and office networks can handle more devices.
OPINION — Nexstar Media Group’s pending $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, a deal that would merge the nation’s largest and third-largest local-television station owners, has the support of President Trump and the approval of his Federal Communications Commission. However, it is under fire from an unusually diverse collection of opponents.
At the end of May 2026, AT&T announced that the recent FCC decisions allows it to ‘shut off the copper’ of basic phone customers but also businesses, and filed additional requests for millions and millions of business, data, alarm circuits, DSL and all other copper wires, like small business or small gov. agencies, any customer that has a copper-wire based service — even U-verse, (a copper-to-the-home service for broadband, and cable TV). This has been going on for awhile and we summarize these filings and some implications at the end of this story. But the thing is — the chart above shows that the FCC claimed only 5% of one provider’s lines were copper, and never revealed or added to this that 70–90% of the lines, which would include all of these business copper lines, were missing in this accounting. Worse, as we discuss, FCC Carr’s statement quoting the 5% number was actually wrong, as the AT&T statement was only for residential customers. Carr’s statement would indicate all copper lines, which is not true. In other words, we will lay out how all of the FCC’s proceedings have been based on understating the number of lines to appear that there were only a few people impacted, that there is no state telecommunication utility left, and that the other wires are all going to be reclassified as ‘IP’ based, with no obligations or telecom specifications, such as quality of service. No matter; Cities and States therefore have no jurisdiction as the wires are not ‘common carrier’ but are an “Information service”. All this matters now: AT&T has taken the state of California to court to shut off the copper wires, and get rid of the obligation to offer service within the AT&T-California (formerly Pacific Bell) territory, claiming that a recent series of FCC proceedings in March 2026, gives AT&T new rights to take these actions. AT&T has also asked the FCC to enforce the new law and compel California to comply.
Many schools rely on consumer fees funneled through the federal government to cut internet costs. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called for ending this program before Donald Trump tapped him for the job. A program that helps connect schools and libraries to the internet at discounted rates is under review by the Federal Communications Commission. Educators and advocates are bracing for the funding to shrink or be eliminated. The so-called E-Rate program, created in the 1990s, has considerable bipartisan support. The agency's recent focus on the program has left educators, including David Thurston, on edge.
Chris Mitchell and Doug Dawson unpack a new survey of rural Americans, the lawsuit over the Digital Equity Act, and what the FCC’s latest satellite decisions could mean for the future of our skies. In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by Douglas Dawson for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of broadband. Chris and Doug begin by discussing the latest developments in the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Digital Equity Act, examining what the case could mean for digital equity efforts and the communities working to expand access, affordability, and digital skills. From there, they turn to the results of a recent survey examining how rural Americans use the Internet, exploring what it reveals about changing consumer habits, growing bandwidth demands, and the ways AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping how people connect online.
The 2.7-gigawatt data center once called Project Jade 8 miles south of Cheyenne has been unmasked as a massive Google campus. Google’s project, according to planning documents, will be a 716-acre campus in the Switchgrass Industrial Park. Project Jade, Wyoming’s largest data center, is now Project Tembo, and the company behind the 2.7-gigawatt facility is a mystery no longer. The data center will be owned and operated by none other than Google, giving Cheyenne yet another of the world’s largest tech companies in what is fast becoming an emerging tech frontier. Cheyenne has hosted Microsoft data centers for the past decade or so and that company has announced plans for a major expansion on a 3,500-acre tract of land whose annexation is pending before the Cheyenne City Council.
Every Louisiana business depends on reliable internet service, whether it is processing payments, managing inventory, communicating with customers or supporting employees. Broadband access now directly affects productivity, customer service, operating costs and the ability to compete in an increasingly digital economy. For years, many Louisiana communities dealt with limited internet options, inconsistent service and high costs. In rural areas in particular, business owners often found themselves at a disadvantage through no fault of their own. Some struggled to process transactions consistently. Small business owners, like Kelly Rush of Kelly’s Korner in Allen Parish, could not fully participate in e-commerce or reach customers beyond the immediate area. Entrepreneurs looking to start or expand businesses faced barriers that communities in other parts of the state did not.
The massive chasm between AI hype and reality is finally reaching the breaking point. We're living in split realities. There's what modern software is actually capable of, and then there's the gargantuan pile of "AI" hype, fraud, and bullshit our biggest tech companies (and their lazy enablers in the tech press) have shoveled down the public's throat for the better part of the last five years.
There's useful automation software that makes it easier to code, draft a new resume, or study vast repositories of scientific knowledge. And then there's a parade of technofascist hucksters lying to your face about the imminent arrival of omniscient, sentient, paradigm-rattling supercomputers. There's a tremendous chasm between these two things. And everywhere you look you can see evidence that we've reached a breaking point when it comes to reconciling these two wildly-different realities.
|
This documentary about the billionaires who want to rip up society’s rules in favour of CEOs somehow manages to be more entertaining than terrifying. Although at times it’s a close call. Matt Shea’s documentary is bookended by two stark facts. One is that the wealth of the world’s 12 richest people is equal to that of the poorest 50% of humanity (you can argue about whether 12 is exactly right, but it’s certainly a horrifyingly small number). The other is that in recent US election cycles, the fossil fuel industry has been replaced as the biggest political donor by a new force: cryptocurrency. In an hour that manages to be more entertaining than terrifying despite sailing into very murky waters, Shea explores how a fresh breed of tech billionaires are looking to make a bold new move. He shows that in a traditional western democracy, the principle that citizens all have an equal vote and are all equally beholden to the law is heavily compromised by a tiny minority of rich citizens. These people influence what the electorate votes for, by bankrolling politicians and owning media companies, as well as using their wealth to ensure rules do not properly apply to them. But plutocrats still find this system frustrating, thanks to those pesky elections and that annoying rule of law. What’s next?
Xfinity and Comcast Business services are now available to more than 1,500 homes and businesses in and around Flagler Estates in St. Johns County, FL, including more than 1,100 previously unserved locations.
Paramount’s $80 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery promises a new era for Hollywood—but also leaves the combined media giant with nearly $80 billion in debt. As David Ellison bets on growth, streaming and blockbuster content, analysts say delivering $6 billion in promised synergies will be critical to easing the financial burden. When Paramount PSKY -1.91%decrease;Chief Executive David Ellison unveiled his company’s $81 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery WBD 0.11%increase;he touted a new golden era for Hollywood—one built on scale, technology and a promise to release at least 30 theatrical movies a year. His plan has little margin for error.
When low-income households drop service, it is not because they don’t want it or because the market is rosy. Recently there have been several pieces published that argue, in light of price and quality trends, that broadband service is affordable, and that, whether or not affordability matters, those who do not have service at home simply do not want it. These affordability arguments look at the Federal Communications Commission’s Urban Rate Survey (URS) to claim that broadband prices in real terms have been falling. The “they don’t want service” argument rests on a survey question that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has used for a number of years, which Recon Analytics recently examined in depth.[1] Each argument warrants scrutiny. The more important question, though, is this: Why are we seeing these arguments now?
The League of Minnesota Cities has compiled helpful information for local governments looking at responsibility with AI… As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more common, Minnesota cities are exploring how these technologies can improve efficiency, customer service, and daily operations. From drafting meeting minutes more quickly to generating city-branded graphics and designs, AI offers clear benefits.
Communities blocked $130 billion in data centers in four months. The real constraint on AI isn't chips or models anymore — it's whether the neighborhood will let you plug in. Executive Summary
For two years the AI scaling story has been about silicon and capital: who has the most GPUs, who can raise the most money, who ships the best model. That story is hitting a wall nobody priced in — the local zoning meeting. Across the country, communities are blocking the data centers that AI runs on, and they're winning. The binding constraint on AI is shifting from compute to the physical and social license to build the power that compute requires. Every leader betting their strategy on infinite cheap inference needs to understand why, because it's about to show up in their cloud bill and their siting timelines.
BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — The race is on around the country to ensure everyone has access to broadband internet, and people in North Dakota say our state may be the first one to do it. On Wednesday, Craig Felchle, the chief technology officer for North Dakota’s Information Technology Department, gave state lawmakers a progress report on North Dakota’s BEAD program. BEAD — the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program — was a more than $42 billion idea passed by Congress to increase internet access around the country.
Advocates warned the FCC’s vote to review the program could blow massive holes in their budgets and force service reductions or even closures if new funding sources aren’t found. After the Federal Communications Commission voted to review its E-Rate program, libraries across the country are already concerned at how changes to that program might impact their budgets, services and even operating hours. Commissioners voted 2-1 to examine whether E-Rate is advancing educational outcomes and protecting children’s online safety amid concerns over minors’ screen time. The review is also meant to ensure funds from the program are being spent responsibly and for educational purposes. E-Rate helps pay for discounted services, internet access, equipment and maintenance for schools and libraries.
Large data centers provide information processing, storage, and interconnection needed to satisfy ever increasing demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. These facilities use massive amounts of electric power, water, and real estate measured in gigawatts, millions of gallons, and millions of square feet respectively. Not long ago, data center ventures sought and received generous financial inducements to locate in mostly rural locales in great need of investment. Data centers seemed an attractive alternative to prisons, hazardous material dump sites, and temporary housing for illegal aliens. The Court of Public Opinion on data centers has quickly pivoted from disinterest, or support to “not in my backyard,” and even “not on my planet you bastards.”
There is some interesting corporate maneuvering happening behind the scenes at T-Mobile. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (behind a paywall) talks about the plans that Timotheus Höttges, the CEO of Deutsche Telekom, has for his company. The company is already the biggest cellular company in the world with over 273 million mobile mobile customers in fifty countries. Höttges is now trying to orchestrate a full merger between the two firms. Deutsche Telekom currently owns 54% of T-Mobile, and during his twelve years in charge of the company, he’s changed T-Mobile from a company that perpetually lost money to one of the most recognizable brand names in the industry. He thinks a merger is needed to give T-Mobile the resources it needs to fully succeed.
Nearly 500 homes in rural Clark County now have access to high-speed internet. Telecommunications giant Comcast announced Monday it completed its network expansion stretching from the northeast corner of Battle Ground Lake to around Northeast 220th Avenue. The $5.21 million expansion project dates to 2024, when Comcast secured a bid from Clark County for the expansion.
Both say challengers are attempting to appeal a Media Bureau order concerning Nexstar's acquisition of TEGNA before a final decision is made by the full FCC commission. Nexstar Media Group and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to dismiss a pending lawsuit brought by a watchdog group called Free Press, saying the lower court in the case lacks standing because the full FCC board of commissioners has not yet approved the transaction. In separate filings made Friday, the FCC and Nexstar said the appeals in the case are premature because Free Press wants a review of an order issued by the FCC’s Media Bureau, rather than a final act approved by the three-member commission.
|
