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Kiara Ortiz

Kiara Ortiz is an associate in the Technology and Communications Regulation Practice Group, where she advises clients on a broad range of regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters in the media and telecommunications sectors. She advises clients on structuring transactions and securing regulatory approvals at the federal and state levels for mergers, asset acquisitions, and corporate restructurings involving Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and state telecommunications licenses. Kiara also counsels clients on FCC policy and compliance matters, particularly those affecting the broadcast and telecommunications industries, including Universal Service Fund requirements and regulatory reporting obligations.

Before joining Covington, Kiara served at the FCC as Legal Advisor to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. Prior to that role, she served as Legal Advisor to the Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau. She began her career at the FCC as an Honors Attorney in the Bureau's Telecommunications Access Policy Division.

In an 8-1 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s authority to issue forfeiture penalties against telecommunications companies found in violation of the agency’s Customer Proprietary Network Information (“CPNI”) rules. The impact of this ruling is that the FCC may continue to enforce its rules through forfeiture orders, but that such orders do not…

Continue Reading Supreme Court Upholds FCC Authority to Levy Fines Against Cellphone Carriers

The Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC” or “Commission”) Media Bureau has launched a new Public Notice (the “Notice”) seeking public comment on sports broadcasting practices and recent marketplace developments, as the distribution of live sports programming continues to evolve across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.

For decades, live sports have been closely intertwined with broadcast television…

Continue Reading FCC Opens Inquiry into Sports Broadcasting Practices and Marketplace Developments

In late December 2025, the FCC updated its “Covered List” to add foreign-produced unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, and their critical components after an Executive Branch interagency body determined that they pose “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.” Subsequently…

Continue Reading FCC “Covered List” Updated to Include Certain Drones and Related Components, Subject to an Exception

On January 21, 2026, the FCC’s Media Bureau released a Public Notice providing new guidance on how it will evaluate whether broadcast television stations have triggered an obligation to provide “equal opportunities” to political candidates under Section 315 of the Communications Act.  

The FCC’s equal opportunities rule generally says that if a station gives…

Continue Reading FCC Issues Guidance Focused on Candidate Appearances on Talk Shows

Today, a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”) adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) at its open meeting on October 28, 2025, was published in the Federal Register, kicking off the comment cycle for the issues raised in that FNPRM.  Comments on the FNPRM are due January 5, 2026, and reply comments are due…

Continue Reading FCC Seeking Comment on Issues Related to Caller ID and TCPA Compliance

Updated December 4, 2025.  Originally posted November 13, 2025

At the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Open Meeting in late October, the agency unanimously adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to end certain legacy interconnection obligations of Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) to accelerate the transition to all Internet Protocol (IP) networks.

Currently, certain…

Continue Reading FCC Proposes Rule Changes to Accelerate Transition to IP Networks

Updated December 4, 2025.  Originally posted November 26, 2025

On October 29, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released its Second Report and Order (the “R&O”) and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”) concerning changes to its equipment authorization rules.  The R&O and FNPRM continue the FCC’s ongoing efforts to update the agency’s equipment…

Continue Reading FCC Modifies Equipment Authorization Rules to Address National Security Concerns

Chairman Brendan Carr of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently declared October 2025 as ‘Space Month’ at the FCC.  As part of the FCC’s Build America Agenda, the FCC is scheduled to vote on two proposals aimed at modernizing the agency’s regulatory framework for space innovation in the country.  These proposals represent another step…

Continue Reading FCC Launches ‘Space Month’ Agenda

Earlier this month on September 8, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it was taking an initial set of actions to address threats posed by so-called “bad labs.”  “Bad labs” consist of test labs that review and approve radio frequency emitting devices for use in the U.S. but are “ultimately owned or controlled by…

Continue Reading FCC Takes Action on Certain “Bad Labs”