Executive Notes
FCC defends authority to loosen newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership. The FCC defended its authority on Wednesday to loosen newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules. "The court is currently hearing the challenge to that ruling from both sides of the issue. Broadcasters argue that the FCC did not go far enough and should have lifted the ban and addressed other rules like duopolies and local station ownership caps. Media consolidation foes argued that any more deregulation was too much," reports Broadcasting & Cable's John Eggerton.
Facebook hits 500 million users, amid questions of ownership. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that his site now has 500 million active users around the world. The Washington Post looks at tough questions coinciding with the announcement, which surround "ownership of the firm and a recent consumer survey that showed users aren’t thrilled with the Web site they’ve flocked to in recent years." In a Wednesday night interview with ABC News, Zuckerberg said no contract had been signed transferring away ownership rights.
WATERCOOLER
FREE FOR ALL…Microsoft will give a free Windows Phone 7 to every employee, Mashable reports. That's 90,000 people, the site reports.
