Public Knowledge and the Consumer Federation of America called on the FCC to prohibit private meetings between representatives of groups and companies, on one hand, and commissioners and their aides on the other. The groups made the suggestion in comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking about changing the FCC’s ex parte rules. The commission approved the notice at its February meeting (CD Feb 19 p2).

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn rallied supporters of Title II reclassification of broadband Internet services Tuesday at the Free Press Summit. It’s a “big lie” that the government wants to take over the Internet, Dorgan said. Clyburn urged the audience to dispel that and other myths she said lobbyists for big businesses in the industry are spreading. She also said the FCC needs to involve consumers outside Washington more in the Comcast-NBC Universal deal and other matters.

Online news aggregators and search engines are hurting older news organizations, the Newspaper Association of America told the FCC in comments in its Future of Media proceeding. The sites copy or summarize newspaper content and often sell their own ads on the traffic that content generates, the association said. “This exploitation of the extensive investments that newspapers make in original local, in-depth, and investigative journalism is taxing the limited resources of newspaper publishers,” it said. And the profits the sites make aren’t plowed back into turning out journalism, the association said.

TORONTO -- Despite new efforts by federal TV regulators to jump-start Canada’s digital TV transition, a growing number of industry experts are questioning the likelihood that the government’s Aug. 31, 2011, deadline for making the switchover from analog in larger markets will be met.

LOS ANGELES -- Comcast needs to take a page from the programmers’ playbook by better promoting itself and emphasizing content, and from companies including Apple in having easier-to-use devices, CEO Brian Roberts said. Apple’s iPad is the type of device Comcast wants cable services to work with, he said, indicating there will be more to come on that subject Tuesday at the NCTA show. “The iPad looks to us to be a fabulous bridge between the TV and the computer,” he said. Speaking in a Q-and-A with ex-News Corp. President Peter Chernin at the show Monday, Roberts said cable has to do a better job promoting itself.

The FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau said it’s seeking comment on ways to help cellular customers avoid “bill shock.” Under a notice of inquiry, the bureau is considering ways to alert subscribers to charges before they add up. Bureau Chief Joel Gurin told reporters Tuesday that consumers should get better information “when it comes to all kinds of communications services."

LOS ANGELES -- Consensus among the interests on net neutrality would be good, and both political parties would seem to agree, said Majority Chief Counsel Roger Sherman of the House Commerce Committee. Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., welcomes a legislative approach “that everyone can get behind and can become law,” but the FCC “can’t sit still waiting for Congress to act,” Sherman said at an NCTA lunch. “The door is open, and I'm sure [Minority Counsel] Neil [Fried] would agree we'd love to hear suggestions.”

HyperCube contested as erroneous a state administrative law judge’s proposed decision on its conflict with Level 3 Communications. The challenge came in a Thursday filing by HyperCube to the California Public Utility Commission. In May 2009 the competitive local exchange carrier filed a complaint with the state regulator over what the company alleges to be Level 3’s unlawful refusal to pay about $5.5 million for tariffed access services and late charges levied by HyperCube. The charges arose in connection with Level 3’s provision of toll-free calls that originate and terminate in California. Level 3 has been boycotting the charges for years on grounds that the CLEC illegitimately is inserting itself into Level 3’s business. The proposed decision was issued April 16 (CD Apr 21 p9).

GENEVA -- U.N. agencies set up a broadband commission including FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to spur the rollout of high-speed Internet access to reduce poverty and disease and to aid primary education, officials said. The commission of business, government and U.N. leaders aims to harness information and communications technology (ICT) to drive the global development agenda and help reach the Millennium Development Goals.

As Cox Communications rolls out a new “Trio” interactive program guide (IPG)designed to tie together search of linear, on-demand and broadband content, it will continue to seek to have CE manufacturers deploy it in products, the company said. The IPG, which Cox jointly developed with NDS during the past two years, will be deployed in Cisco 8642 tru2way set-top and 1642 client boxes starting in two markets this month and expanding system-wide by year end, said Steve Necessary, vice president of video product development and support. Trio will replace Rovi’s Passport and Cisco’s Sara IPG in digital boxes. Rovi also is unveiling a version of its TotalGuide targeting cable operators at the NCTA convention in Los Angeles this week.