HHR New Media, Entertainment and Technology Group

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently opened an inquiry into Google Voice, the popular messaging and call service offered by Google, and Google’s practice of blocking certain calls.   The inquiry was prompted by complaints from AT&T to the FCC accusing Google of unfairly blocking calls to certain numbers in rural areas where local phone companies charge high connections fees.  A bipartisan group of 20 Congressional members also submitted a letter asking the FCC to open an investigation into Google’s voice application.  Continue Reading »

Capitol Hill will likely become a battleground this year in a contentious debate between musicians and record labels on one side and radio broadcasters on the other. The Performance Rights Act–which would require radio stations to pay royalties to artists and labels for songs they broadcast–will be reintroduced in Congress this week according to this article on Billboard.com. Continue Reading »