President Obama Names Two Nominees for FCC Commissioner
The National Association for Amateur Radio reports that President Barack Obama nominated two new FCC Commissioners on Nov. 1: Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Varadaraj Pai. Rosenworcel may replace retiring Commissioner Michael Copps, while Pai would fill the seat vacated by Meredith Attwell Baker, who left the FCC in June 2010. That would bring the FCC back to its full complement of five Commissioners. At present, Chairman Julius Genachowski, Copps, and Mignon Clyburn are Democrats. If confirmed, Pai would join Commissioner Robert McDowell as one of the two Republicans on the Commission. Read the full story at ARRL.

Third Circuit Reaffirms Rejection of FCC's "Fleeting Images" Policy, Reverses Super Bowl Fine
David Oxenford on Nov. 2 reported for the Broadcast Law Blog that the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the FCC's fine for the fleeting glimpse of Janet Jackson's breast during the Super Bowl, "to be an arbitrary departure from prior precedent. The Court found that the Commission had a policy of not finding a "fleeting image" actionable, and the Commission did not explain why it was changing its policy, or even acknowledge that it was in fact changing policy. The 2008 decision had been remanded to the Third Circuit by the Supreme Court after the Court's decision on the [Bono uttering a word-not-to-be-heard at the] Golden Globes case, dealing with "fleeting expletives," to determine if the Supreme Court's decision had any impact on this case," Oxenford wrote. Read the full story in the Broadcast Law Blog.

One hour of breathing from National Public Radio. (h/t WFMU)