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The Latest from FSF Scholars

October 1, 2026



You can always find our latest Perspectives from FSF Scholars, blog posts, event information, videos, and agency comments on our website. But ICYM them:

Latest "TMT With Mike O'Rielly" Episode!

Episode 45: Insights from Communications Daily Reporters

In Episode 45 of “TMT with Mike O’Rielly,” former FCC Commissioner and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Free State Foundation Michael O’Rielly sits down with Communications Daily reporters: Monty Tayloe, Associate Editor and Matt Daneman, Senior Editor.

This videocast is hosted by the Free State Foundation. View all of the “TMT With Mike O’Rielly” videocasts here.


Don't miss any "TMT with Mike O'Rielly" videocasts. Subscribe here to the Free State Foundation YouTube channel!

Key Quotes From Episode 45


On How Stories Are Selected: “I think most of us are kind of self-directed. And it seems to me it's really obvious what's big news on the beats that I cover because if it's profoundly shocking to me that it's occurred, then it's probably news.” – Monty Tayloe


On How to Know What Might Be Getting Hot: “ECFS is definitely our way of taking the temperature of the FCC and the parties out there.” – Monty Tayloe


On People Complaining About Content of Stories: “People email us, people call us. If we wrote something wrong, definitely. Or if they're just generally unhappy about how we frame something. And if we feel like we did something wrong, we try to repair it. But we are also sort of used to it. It's part of the gig, basically. – Matt Daneman


On Questions Posed at Chairperson’s Press Conferences: “Sometimes you’re like, ‘I’m 98% no, I’m not going to get an answer to this question,’ but I give it a shot. Who knows?” – Matt Daneman


On Impact of Stories to Change Markets or Policymaking: “I think every reporter wants to write a story that is so important it causes things to change.” – Monty Tayloe

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Latest FSF Blog Posts!

 

Maryland’s Misguided Digital Ad Tax: The Fight Continues in Trial Court

Kathy Sanchez

September 28, 2026


The Maryland Attorney General is appealing the Maryland Tax Court’s decision last month that struck down the state’s digital advertising tax. The first-of-its-kind law continues to draw national attention as other statehouses consider what the legal battle means for their own digital ad tax proposals. I covered the Tax Court ruling and similar nationwide legislation in a post last month.

It’s unfortunate, though perhaps not surprising, that the state has chosen to continue spending public funds on this litigation. I’m hopeful that the new venue – the state trial court – will affirm the Tax Court’s decision. A ruling that upholds the tax not only would harm Maryland consumers and the state's economy, but it would encourage more digital ad taxes across the nation. This risks reshaping the Internet’s advertising-supported model for the worse.


Congressional Reform Is More Urgent Than Ever as the USF Tax Rate Shoots to 42%

Kathy Sanchez

September 18, 2026


The tax that telecommunications service providers pay to fund the Universal Service Fund reached yet another all-time record high of 42% in the fourth quarter of 2026, up from 38.8% in the previous quarter.

The USF and its so-called “contribution factor” – effectively a tax, which funds the program – have long been the subject of bipartisan calls for reform. The tax funding mechanism is backwards and outdated. If the USF was created today, few would suggest the current structure – that traditional telecom services should subsidize broadband.


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