Brendan Carr’s Controversial Statements
▼ Summary
– The Vergecast has been tracking the controversial actions of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr throughout the year.
– A recent episode dissected Carr’s Senate testimony, his threats against broadcasters, and his use of old regulatory ideas for political goals.
– The hosts also analyzed streaming industry news, including YouTube securing the Oscars and Netflix acquiring FIFA rights and podcasts.
– They updated their “Go90 Scale of Doomed Streaming Services” to evaluate which streaming services are winning or losing.
– The Vergecast announced a live event at CES in Las Vegas on January 7th, featuring podcasting and bowling.
Throughout the year, our podcast has closely followed the often unusual and concerning actions of FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. This week, before our final episode of the year, Carr spent three hours testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee, outlining his perspectives on his role, the Federal Communications Commission, and the current landscape of digital media and communication. His lengthy testimony provided significant material for analysis.
In this episode, we start by breaking down Carr’s statements to the committee, including his veiled threats toward broadcasters and his apparent strategy of leveraging outdated concepts about content distribution to advance a political agenda. We examine some of his most notable quotes, provide necessary context on the history of broadband oversight, and consider how Carr might apply similar approaches to internet governance in the coming year.
Following that discussion, we shift to several curious developments in the competitive streaming industry. YouTube secured the rights to the Oscars, while Netflix landed a deal with FIFA and expanded its podcast offerings. In a surprising move, Warner Bros. Discovery has shown a lack of interest in a potential financial transaction with Paramount. Joined by producer Travis Larchuk, we then revisit our informal ranking system for streaming platforms facing uncertain futures, assessing which services are currently ahead and which might be teetering on the brink of failure.
On a separate note, we are excited to announce that our podcast will be broadcasting live from CES. We’ll be at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas at 3:30 PM on Wednesday, January 7th. The event will feature our regular podcast recording, casual conversation, and even some bowling. It promises to be an excellent time, and we warmly invite any listeners who will be in Las Vegas to join us.
For those interested in exploring the topics from this episode in greater depth, we have compiled a list of relevant resources below.
(Source: The Verge)
