JULY 2026

Working for a Strong First Amendment and Sound Communications Policy

AN e-NEWS UPDATE FROM THE MEDIA INSTITUTE

COMMUNICATIONS FORUM LUNCHEON SERIES

Edward ‘Smitty’ Smith of T-Mobile To Speak in September

Edward “Smitty” Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer for T-Mobile, will be the featured speaker at the next Communications Forum luncheon on Sept. 24 in Washington. Smitty is responsible for shaping and safeguarding the company’s policy, regulatory, and governmental interests worldwide, and advising the company on issues critical to enterprise growth, risk management, and innovation. Don’t miss his take on developments affecting T-Mobile and the telecom industry.

Media analyst Paul Gallant, Managing Director of TMT Policy for TD Cowen, provided a Wall Street investment perspective on the technology and telecommunications sectors, as well as his views on how policy changes influence investor decisions, at our July luncheon. Paul sat down with Institute President Mike O’Rielly for a fireside chat at the Melrose Hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 23.

The luncheon series will take its customary summer break in August and then resume in September with an exciting lineup of fall speakers starting with Edward “Smitty” Smith.

We welcome new sponsors. If you’d like to attend this fall, contact Susanna Coto at coto@mediainstitute.org for information about our special three-luncheon fall package. DON’T MISS OUT any longer!

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PERSPECTIVES ON THE MEDIA

TV Is No Longer a Shared Room. What That Means Is Still Pulling Into Focus

Editor’s Note: TMI Distinguished Senior Fellow and Digital Media Laureate Stuart N. Brotman recently published an insightful article in which he discusses the fragmentation of America’s collective TV-viewing experience and what that may portend. Stuart’s article appeared in TVNewsCheck, where he is a regular contributor.

By Stuart N. Brotman

On July 1, 1941, 10 seconds before a Brooklyn Dodgers game on WNBT New York, the face of a Bulova watch appeared on roughly 4,000 television sets. A voice said: “America runs on Bulova time.” The Bulova Watch Co. had paid $9 for the spot. It was the first commercial broadcast on licensed American television, and the Federal Communications Commission had issued the license that made it legal earlier that day.

Eighty-five years later, on July 1, 2026, the medium it inaugurated is harder to locate than at any point since World War II ended. The single experience that defined American television for six decades – the country watching the same thing at the same time – has fragmented into something else, and the something else is still being named.

The fragmentation is not new…. What is new is that the splintering has become so complete that the shared object itself has disappeared. There is no longer a center to defect from.

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ISSUE WATCH

Justice Dept. To Withdraw NYT Subpoenas

The Justice Department agreed to withdraw subpoenas it issued to New York Times reporters after a federal judge cited “profound First Amendment and free press issues.”

FCC To Vote on Broadcast Ownership Cap

The FCC will vote on Aug. 6 on an Order that would repeal the FCC’s 39% national television multiple ownership rule and replace it with a granular, case-by-case review.

Our thanks to tech/media/telecom (TMT) analyst Paul Gallant for sitting down for a fireside chat at our last Communications Forum luncheon. Media analysts are always interesting, and Paul brings a new twist by analyzing not only the financials but also the likely impacts of government policy changes on companies and investors. Thank you, Paul!

Autumn will be here before we know it, and so will the Institute’s annual “Free Speech America” Gala! We’ll be releasing the details shortly, but mark your calendar now for Tuesday, October 27. This is always an elegant and enjoyable event – as well as the Institute’s principal fundraiser – so we look forward to seeing our friends and supporters there. Stay tuned!

Institute Trustee Heidi Raphael, currently Chief Communications Officer of Beasley Media Group, will become President and CEO of the New York State Broadcasters Association starting in mid-August, representing more than 400 local TV and radio stations. She will replace David Donovan, who has headed NYSBA for 15 years and will continue to direct the organization’s government relations and advocacy efforts. Heidi will remain on The Media Institute’s Board. Congratulations, Heidi!

Remember that we count on your sponsorships of our Communications Forum Luncheon Series and “Free Speech America” Gala, and your Operating Support to make our work possible. Please consider becoming a sponsor or making a tax-deductible gift of operating support. To DONATE, learn more HERE. THANK YOU for your support! –Mike O’Rielly

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