Now Playing in Limited Release: Internet, the Next Generation
Voice of Britain, First Thing Each Day
PC Industry Worldwide Grew by 18% Last Year
A Tax Break Prompts Millionaires' Mad Dash to Create Foundations
Spain's Telefonica Plans to Select U.S. Operating Partner by March
Utilities Reach Out to Add Phone, Cable Service
Global PC Sales Growth Slowed to 11% In 4th Quarter as US Rate Fell
to 15%
Consolidation Yea or Nay
Keeney out; Powell may be in
Group finds fault with TV ratings
National Telecommunications and Information Administration accepting
applications for TIIAP grants
FCC Bandwidth Forum transcript is now available online.
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From New York Times(D1) (http://www.nytimes.com/)
Title: Now Playing in Limited Release: Internet, the Next Generation
Author: Deborah Shapely
Issue: Info/tech
Description: The Very-High Performance Backbone Network Service links the nation's five academic supercomputer centers "in a giant 14,000 mile 'figure 8,'" and allows researchers to do things the old Internet couldn't handle, like visual display of the collision of two galaxies. The main users of this next generation Internet are engineers, astrophysicists, medical researchers, and other specialists. The network is being created by the National Science Foundation, the federal government, and MCI, and many universities are getting involved.
[For more info see http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/nsf50/nsfoutreach/htm/n50_z2/pages_z3/47_pg.htm]
From the New York Times (D1)(http://www.nytimes.com/)
Title: Voice of Britain, First Thing Each Day
Author: Warren Hoge
Issue: Radio/International
Description: The "Today" radio program is a mainstay in British political culture even though it is broadcast at 6:30 am. The hosts are praised for asking very tough questions of political figures and interrupting if the politicians go on too long. Margaret Thatcher judged the "mettle of her ministers by how well they held their own against the hosts of 'Today.'"
From the New York Times (D2)(http://www.nytimes.com/)
Title: PC Industry Worldwide Grew by 18% Last Year
Author: John Markoff
Issue: Info/tech
Description: Dataquest reported that personal computer sales expanded 18% worldwide though the consumer market has slowed its growth. Scott Miller, a Dataquest analyst, stated "We're seeing growth below what we saw in '95. Particularly in the United States, it looks like the industry didn't bring a lot of first-time, lower-income buyers into the market."
From the Wall Street Journal (A1) (http://www.wsj.com/)
Title: A Tax Break Prompts Millionaires' Mad Dash to Create Foundations
Author: Monica Langley
Issue: Philanthropy
Description: Stuck inside last year's bill to raise the minimum wage was a small clause instituting private charitable foundations as a tax break. The wealthy can put a great deal of money into a foundation which they control and receive big tax deductions. Many see this legislation as bringing up the next generation of philanthropists. Others contend that foundations just give the wealthy a tax-break for indulging in their pet projects. The window for getting the best tax breaks on your brand new foundation expires May 31.
From the Wall Street Journal (A18)(http://www.wsj.com/)
Title: Spain's Telefonica Plans to Select U.S. Operating Partner by March
Author: Douglas Lavin and Carlta Vitzhum
Issue: International
Description: Telefonica de Espana SA will select a US partner for
pan-America operations by March. There have been talks with AT&T, MCI, GTE and whichever company is chosen could gain a big presence in Latin America where Telefonica has many operations.
From the Wall Street Journal (B1)(http://www.wsj.com/)
Title: Utilities Reach Out to Add Phone, Cable Service
Author: Ross Kerber
Issue: Phones/Corporate mergers
Description: Electric and gas utilities are getting ready to offer phone
and cable service. Utility companies are not used to the bruising
marketing wars associated with the telecommunications business so some are not convinced the utilities will succeed in these new markets. On the other hand, utilities have about 600,000 miles of high capacity fiber-optic cable already down and people like them.
From the Wall Street Journal (B6)(http://www.wsj.com/)
Title: Global PC Sales Growth Slowed to 11% In 4th Quarter as US Rate Fell to 15%
Author: G. Christian Hall
Issue: Info Tech
Description: International Data Corporation reported that global shipments of PC rose by only 11%. Last year the global growth rate was 25%. US growth was 15%, but that was slower than the predicted 20%. Dataquest, IDC's rival, came up with different numbers for growth (see Times clip).
from Broadcasting & Cable (p.4)(http://www.broadcastingcable.com/)
Title: Consolidation Yea or Nay
Author: Chris McConnell
Issue: Media Merger
Description: The National Association of Broadcasters takes up the industry debate over relaxation of FCC ownership rules. There were $10 billion in TV ownership transactions in 1996 -- compared to $4.7 billion in 1995. Smaller ownership groups, advertisers, watchdog groups, and the Clinton Administration fear that ownership will end up in too few hands.
from Broadcasting & Cable (p.9)(http://www.broadcastingcable.com/)
Title: Keeney out; Powell may be in
Author: Harry Jessell and Chris McConnell
Issue: Policymakers
Description: With the sudden withdrawal of Common Carrier Chief Gina Keeney from the FCC Commissioner nominee list [see Headlines 1/23/97], other possibilities are being discussed. The latest hot rumor is that the Justice Department's Michael Powell, son of Gen Colin Powell, will be nominated for the vacant Republican seat. Keeney dropped out of the race claiming personal reasons, but insiders say that key senators were miffed that they were not notified before her nomination. Also, many local telephone companies would oppose Keeney's nomination because of the local competition rules issued last year, authored mainly by Keeney. "powerful industries don't pick FCC commissioners, but they can often veto them." Two other seats will be opening at the FCC soon: Commissioner James Quello will be stepping down June 1 and Commissioner Rachelle Chong's term ends June 30.
from Broadcasting & Cable (p.49)(http://www.broadcastingcable.com/)
Title: Group finds fault with TV ratings
Author: Lynette Rice
Issue: V-Chip
Description: The Parents Television Council has released preliminary data showing fault with broadcasters' rating system started earlier this month. The Council is best known for its "1996-1997 Family Guide to Prime Time Television. [In a related story, ABC has set up a toll free hotline on the ratings system at 1-888-ABC-WATCH.]
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced it will begin accepting applications this week for grants under its Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program. NTIA plans to award about $18.5 million in TIIAP grants this year.
At the FCC (http://www.fcc.gov)
FCC Bandwidth Forum transcript is now available online.
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The CPP News-Clipping Service is posted to the Benton e-mail lists Monday through Friday. The Headlines are highlights of news articles summarized by staff at the Benton Foundation. They describe articles of interest to the work of the Foundation -- primarily those covering long term trends and developments in communications, technology, journalism, public service media, and regulation. While factually accurate, the often informal tone of the summaries does not represent the tone of the original articles.