Congress authorized the FCC to interpret “all provisions” of the Communications Act, including amendments like Section 230, so the agency has the authority to issue a rulemaking clarifying the immunity shield’s scope, General Counsel Tom Johnson blogged Wednesday.

The FCC intends to move forward with a rulemaking to clarify the meaning of Communications Decency Act Section 230, Chairman Ajit Pai said Thursday. He said the FCC’s general counsel told him the agency has the “legal authority to interpret Section 230.” Pai cited bipartisan concerns about “prevailing interpretation” of Section 230 immunity, a bipartisan desire to revise the law, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ statement asking the high court to review the statute.

Exactly a week after the presidential and congressional elections, the government official who would replace outgoing FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly would get a nominations hearing. The announcement came about three hours after the agency said it would push forward on an NPRM on clarifying the meaning of Communications Decency Act Section 230, as we reported in an earlier news bulletin. O'Rielly's renomination was withdrawn after he voiced some concern about any FCC ability to reinterpret the section.

FCC commissioners approved 5-0 an order on circulation revising the rules on access charges for 8YY calls. The order closely adheres to a USTelecom consensus proposal, FCC officials told us. It is expected to be released Friday or Tuesday. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel dissented on the 8YY NPRM adopted in 2018.

Chairman Ajit Pai said the FCC will take up an order at the Oct. 27 commissioners’ meeting addressing the points raised by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on the agency’s order largely overturning the 2015 rules.

The U.S. Supreme Court has granted certiorari in the FCC’s appeal of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Prometheus case, said a SCOTUS order Friday morning. The order consolidates the separate appeals of the FCC and NAB, and allots one hour for oral argument. Attorneys have told us that the pending case makes it extremely unlikely that the FCC would issue any orders relating to the 2018 quadrennial review in 2020.

FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly is throwing in the towel on efforts to stay on the commission, saying during Wednesday's commissioner meeting that he didn't want to see any further efforts to prolong his tenure there. He said he expected to leave by year's end. He said his leaving would be irrespective of the outcome of November's presidential election.

E.W. Scripps agreed to buy Ion Media in a $2.65 billion deal expected to close in Q1, with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway taking a $600 million investment in the buyer to help pay for the takeover. Scripps will divest 23 Ion stations, saying it has a buyer that will maintain the outlets' Ion affiliations.

The Washington, D.C., auditor is issuing a request for proposals to audit the city's 911 dispatching agency after it came under fire from local stakeholders for what appears to some to be a pattern of mistakes affecting fire-rescue response. The Office of the D.C. Auditor had said it was considering such a move.

The District of Columbia’s new area code is 771. It will overlay the entire 202 area code, the D.C. Public Service Commission said Tuesday.