Update!

The “not completely terrible all the time” component to today’s update is that the Comcast-Time Warner merger is still pending. The Federal Communications Commission has yet to stamp “approved” on the deal which would make Comcast the sole cable provider in around two-thirds of the U.S. There’s still a sliver of time to take action at FreePress.net where you can voice your concerns to your elected officials and the FCC as well as share some well-made memes, videos and talking-point debunking facts around your networks.

Why is it so important? Well, while dealing with a lack of cable competition is irritating, the big oppositional push is because of the potential effect a massive conglomerate would have on internet speed and net neutrality. According to Free Press, if you bundle your internet and cable together, post-merger you’d have more than a fifty-fifty shot of Comcast being your only option. And Comcast’s Executive Vice President David Cohen has spent the past week sweet talking FCC officials into believing there’s nothing to see here and nothing to worry about.

If you value your ability to access unsponsored, un-spammed, uninterrupted content online, visit Free Press and get involved. Now is the time. The FCC won’t wait forever to rule and with wins on SOPA and PIPA, we must understand that our voices matter.

Follow-up/new Action!

Join the Fight to Stop the Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger via FreePress.net

Sources/additional glimmers of hope:

"Comcast defends $45B Time Warner merger” via Kate Tummarello at The Hill

"Comcast and Time Warner fund event for FCC regulator while seeking merger approval” via Josh Hicks at The Washington Post

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #852 "Trickle up, up and overseas economics (Corporations)"

Revisit the original action/segment: BOTL Activism: "FreePress.net fights against media monopolies” from Episode #799 Rise of the gatekeepers (Net Neutrality)

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich