August 1, 2008 (Boehner: Keep the Internet Free of Regulation)
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for AUGUST 1, 2008
The FCC meets this morning to vote on the Comcast/Network Neutrality decision. For this and other upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Senators want IOC to reverse Olympic censorship deal
Restrictions on Net Access in China Seem Relaxed
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Boehner: Keep the Internet Free of New Washington Regulation
Broadband Adoption and Not Availability is Key Challenge, Says One Economy
US national broadband policy: live or Memorex?
Navajos Could Lose Net Access
Big Divide Found in Internet Access in NYC
Senate IP bill set to advance
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
MMTC Has Ear to Radio
CBS to sell 50 radio stations
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
A Familiar Campaign Battle Cry: The Press Likes the Other Guy Better
CABLE/BROADCASTING
As Papers Cut, Tribune Updates TV News
NCTA: FCC Can't Force Low-Power Carriage
NCTA Supports MPAA Waiver Request
TELECOM
AT&T's goal is to stay ahead of tech curve
QUICKLY -- AT&T spent more than $3.3 million to lobby in 2Q; NRB Warns FCC on White Spaces; E-rate eligible services list; Headline Highlights July 2008; Seniors Tap Into Texting; EFF Releases "Switzerland" ISP Testing Tool
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
SENATORS WANT IOC TO REVERSE OLYMPIC CENSORSHIP DEAL
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Klaus Marre]
Sens Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and James Inhofe (R-OK) called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reverse an Internet censorship deal that it reportedly made with China. "Censorship is anathema to the very spirit of the Olympic Games, which celebrates diversity, emphasizes mutual respect and demands dispassionate, unadulterated representation of each competition," the two senators said in a letter to IOC President Jacques Rogge. "If Olympic hosts are permitted to curtail and manipulate information available to the Games' global audience, that breach of trust will inevitably undermine the credibility of the Olympics itself."
http://benton.org/node/15741
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RESTRICTIONS RELAXED ON NET ACCESS IN CHINA SEEM RELAXED
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Jacobs]
The Chinese authorities appear to have lifted some of the restrictions that blocked Web sites for journalists working at the Olympic Village although other politically sensitive sites, including those on Tibet, remained inaccessible on Friday morning. The International Olympic Committee on Friday also sought to counter statements on Wednesday by one of its top press officials that suggested that I.O.C. negotiators had quietly acquiesced to the restrictions. Giselle Davies, a spokeswoman for the organizing committee, said a misunderstanding had led to the contradictory versions of events, but she stressed that Olympic organizers have always been adamant about unfettered Internet access for the 20,000 foreign journalists who will be covering the athletic competition
http://benton.org/node/15751
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
BOEHNER: KEEP THE INTERNET FREE OF NEW WASHINGTON REGULATION
[SOURCE: US Congress, AUTHOR: House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)]
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to keep the Internet free of new Washington regulation. Saying the Internet has flourished because engineers, not regulators, have solved its problems, Rep Boehner writes, "Your heavy handed attempts to inject the FCC into the middle of that process threaten to hijack the evolution of the Internet to everyone's detriment. It will also deter the very broadband investment we need for the Internet to continue growing to meet the increasing demands being placed upon it." Rep Boehner also questions the FCC authority to enforce violations of its Internet policy principles. Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn responded saying, "It is a shame that the harm Comcast has done to the Internet has not been appreciated by Leader Boehner."
http://benton.org/node/15740
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BROADBAND ADOPTION AND NOT AVAILABILITY IS KEY CHALLENGE, SAYS ONE ECONOMY
[SOURCE: BroadbandCensus.com, AUTHOR: William Korver]
Although broadband is largely available in low-income communities in the United States, many of the poor do not see a reason to subscribe, said One Economy Vice President for External Affairs Alec Ross. For the first time in the history of telecom, adoption rates among the poor fell, said Ross. The Pew study reported that among adults living in households with annual incomes of less than $20,000 annually, the percentage dropped from 28 percent in March 2007 to 25 percent in April/May 2008. The decline in adoption is likely a result of the declining economy and a culture that causes many to worry about privacy and identity issues online, Ross said.
http://benton.org/node/15739
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US NATIONAL BROADBAND POLICY: LIVE OR MEMOREX
[SOURCE: Telecommunications Online, AUTHOR: Sean Buckley]
[Commentary] What we really need isa national broadband policy that can bridge between the broadband haves and have nots. Part of this divide is attributed to the fact that many of the large service providers have a mentality that they can get more of a quicker return on investment (ROI) if they go after the more affluent communities. A national broadband policy in the U.S. could have a number of positive implications. For one, it could enhance the education experience in both affluent and poorer communities with greater Internet access and enhanced distance learning applications. In addition, having more expanded broadband capabilities could encourage more telecommuting and take more people off the roads. Unfortunately, such a broadband policy is more political ballyhooing that will likely continue as the fall presidential election nears.
http://benton.org/node/15738
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NAVAJOS COULD LOSE NET ACCESS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Holly Watt]
A large swath of the sprawling Navajo Nation could lose access to the Internet today, in a dispute that threatens services from personal e-mail to police radio communications on the 27,000-square-mile reservation. The Navajos' problem stems from a funding battle over whether an arm of the Federal Communications Commission will continue to pay grant money to the tribe's Internet provider. In a letter to the nonprofit agency that administers the grant, Joe Shirley Jr., president of the Navajo Nation, wrote that "in just a few days, the Navajo Nation will lose its entire communications network, including its public safety network, as a byproduct of USAC's mishandling of this matter," referring to the agency, Universal Service Administrative Co. Hundreds of Navajo students will be unable to finish online courses, he said, and "sadly, mothers are also no longer able to reach out and communicate with their children at war in Iraq." The tribe of about 250,000 people already has lost Internet service to libraries and community centers known as "chapter houses," and has little access to cellphone service on a reservation that stretches across parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Most Internet access there is provided via satellite, which is due to be shut off. Much of the Navajo Nation is inaccessible to land lines.
http://benton.org/node/15749
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BIG DIVIDE FOUND IN INTERNET ACCESS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Ken Belson]
According to a report released by the New York City's Broadband Advisory Committee, 26 percent of low income households have broadband connections at home compared to 54 percent in moderate-to-high income households. The lack of a computer and the high cost of broadband were the most often cited by residents for why they did not have a high-speed Internet connection in their home. Though DSL lines from Verizon and other providers are available in 87 percent of New York City addresses, 46.4 percent of New York City households have a broadband line. Usage varied widely by borough. One-third of the 1,140 residents surveyed said the public library is their sole source of Internet access.
http://benton.org/node/15737
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SENATE IP BILL SET TO ADVANCE
[SOURCE: Content Agenda, AUTHOR: Paul Sweeting]
The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider Thursday the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act (S.3325), which was introduced only last week by Sens Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and a bipartisan group of co-sponsors. Given the quick jump from introduction to mark-up -- and the fact that it was jointly introduced by the chairman and ranking member of the committee -- it's a fair bet the votes are there to pass it out of committee. If reported out on Thursday, it could presumably get to the Senate floor sometime in September, following Congress's August recess. Should it pass the full Senate, it would likely be paired with the PRO IP Act, which passed the House overwhelmingly in May.
http://benton.org/node/15736
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
MMTC HAS EAR TO RADIO
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Minority Media & Telecommunications Council told the Federal Communications Commission in a filing that the single biggest boost it could give to minority ownership would be to migrate AM stations to "the promised land" of FM service on spectrum currently used for TV channels 5 and 6. That would triple the value of minority-owned radio stations, the group said. The MMTC also said it was "gravely concerned" about the commission's adoption of a "small-business" definition of the eligible entities that qualify for the FCC's diversity initiatives, some of which it has adopted and others it has put out for comment. The group would prefer a "socially and economically disadvantaged business" (SDB) definition, but it said that because the FCC's data collection on media ownership is "neither current nor accurate," it will need to improve it.
http://benton.org/node/15735
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CBS TO SELL 50 RADIO STATIONS
[SOURCE: Variety, AUTHOR: Jill Goldsmith]
CBS Corp CEO Leslie Moonves said Thursday the company is putting 50 radio stations in 12 markets on the block in a move to combat a sour economy, which is squeezing local advertising. The stations, which make up 15% of CBS' radio revenue, are in mid-sized markets, allowing the company to focus on large markets where there's better chance for growth. CBS will use the proceeds to buy back stock. The company's also ramping up its web presence through CNET Networks, which it acquired in May for $1.8 billion in cash.
http://benton.org/node/15734
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ELECTIONS & MEDIA
A FAMILIAR CAMPAIGN BATTLE CRY: THE PRESS LIKES THE OTHER GUY BETTER
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Katharine Seelye]
In the race for president, we see an unusual dynamic: the specter of dueling media darlings. Although Sen John McCain seems amazed and annoyed that the media are "in the tank" for Sen Barack Obama, McCain himself has enjoyed one of the coziest relationships with the news media for years. And although Sen Obama is receiving about twice the news coverage, Sen McCain's coverage seems to be more positive. What are readers/viewers to make of this? And why are the campaigns using up so much energy debating it?
http://benton.org/node/15750
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CABLE/BROADCASTING
AS PAPERS CUT, TRIBUNE UPDATES TV NEWS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sam Schechner]
Tribune Company is slashing staff and space at newspapers across the country. But in another old-media business -- local television news -- it's moving in the opposite direction. Nearly half of Tribune's 23 broadcast stations are expanding or launching local news operations, many of them hiring staff as a result. The biggest investment is in KSWB-TV in San Diego, which has hired a staff of nearly 50 to produce the station's first in-house news broadcasts in nearly three years.
http://benton.org/node/15748
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NCTA: FCC CAN'T FORCE LOW-POWER CARRIAGE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association says the Federal Communications Commission has no authority to force cable operators to carry all class-A low-power-TV stations arguing that it would not only violate the law, but would also be "disserve" the public interest in diversity of programming. The FCC already adopted various initiatives to promote participation by small businesses (which are meant to include women and minorities) in the media business, but it also put other proposals and tentative conclusions out for comment, including that giving class-A low-powers must-carry status would promoted programming diversity and localism. The NCTA strongly disagreed, saying that the FCC provides no reason to believe that low-powers have diverse ownership. In addition, the trade group said, expanding TV-carriage rights would harm diversity by forcing out niche programming on cable systems with carriage capacity already strained by the three-year dual-carriage requirement the FCC imposed on cable last fall.
http://benton.org/node/15733
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NCTA SUPPORTS MPAA WAIVER REQUEST
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association asked the Federal Communications Commission to grant studios the ability to selectively block copying of HD movies via output controls on cable set-top boxes. The NCTA, which supported the FCC ban on selectable output controls, also supports waiving that ban for studios that say they want to try delivering HD movies to multichannel-video subscribers before they are released on DVD but they need to be able to prevent their copying to protect that DVD window. The trade group pointed out that the agency predicted that banning the select control of digital-content output might need to be waived for new services that would benefit the public, and that is just what the Motion Picture Association of America is trying to offer.
http://benton.org/node/15732
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TELECOM
AT&T'S GOAL IS TO STAY AHEAD OF TECH CURVE
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Leslie Cauley]
AT&T's goal: "More bandwidth in more places." The telecom giant has local phone operations in 22 states; "Internet Protocol" (IP) networks that carry voice, data and video in more than 140 countries; and a long-distance backbone that traverses the USA. AT&T is also the USA's No. 1 wireless cellphone carrier, with about 73 million customers. Staying ahead of the technology curve is a constant challenge. One of the biggest obstacles: the copper network. Used for decades to provide traditional land-line phone service, the network is creaky and expensive to maintain. As more people cut the cord and go wireless, there are fewer people to spread those "fixed" costs among. AT&T is considering a range of technology solutions. At the top of the list: "WiMax," an advanced wireless technology that can handle voice, data and video. WiMax is also cheap to install and maintain. Also under consideration: femtocells. The technology, which relies on miniature wireless receivers, can significantly boost the performance of in-home broadband connections.
http://benton.org/node/15747
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QUICKLY
AT&T SPENT MORE THAN $3.3 MILLION TO LOBBY IN 2Q
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: ]
AT&T spent more than $3.3 million in the second quarter to lobby on a host of issues, including a bill signed earlier this month by President Bush that granted the nation's largest telephone companies immunity for participating in a secret government eavesdropping program. AT&T lobbied on health care legislation, consumer protection bills, efforts to reform Universal Service, against proposed Network Neutrality rules and on a bills that would prevent states from taxing satellite, cable and Internet television services differently, and that would prohibit US companies hosting online content, such as Web pages or e-mail, from giving users' personal information to governments that restrict Internet access.
http://benton.org/node/15731
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NRB WARNS FCC ON WHITE SPACES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
National Religious Broadcasters warned the Federal Communications Commission that if it allows a proceeding on allowing unlicensed mobile devices to share the spectrum band with TV stations and wireless microphones on the assumption that the devices will eventually work without interference, it could be "one of the greatest technical blunders in our nation's history." Church groups are among those concerned that their wireless-mike use could be disrupted by the devices, like laptops and remote-sensing radios, which would operate in the so-called "white spaces" between channels used by TV stations and unlicensed microphones.
http://benton.org/node/15730
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E-RATE ELIGIBLE SERVICES LIST
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
FCC rules require the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to submit annually a draft eligible services list (ESL) for the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism for the following funding year. The FCC seeks comment on the ESL proposed by USAC for Funding Year 2009. The changes that are proposed by USAC include: a clarification that Ethernet is an eligible digital transmission technology; a clarification that E-mail archiving is an ineligible component of an E-mail service; a proposal to list intranet web hosting as an ineligible feature of an eligible web hosting service; a clarification that Video On-Demand servers are not eligible for discounts; a clarification that softphones are end user equipment not eligible for discounts; the addition of software user licenses for Interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems; and a reminder to providers of Interconnected VoIP services that they must contribute to the universal service fund if not de minimis.
http://benton.org/node/15729
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HEADLINES HIGHLIGHTS JULY 2008
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Kevin Taglang]
Picnics, baseball, and mosquitos -- what else do you expect from relaxing summer months? Anyone expecting a summer lull may have been surprised by the fireworks displayed in telecommunications policy in July. Communications surveillance, media ownership, and Internet policy grabbed the headlines. Also, see July's most-read Headlines.
http://benton.org/node/15728
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SENIORS TAP INTO TEXTING
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
For wireless companies, senior citizens are a relatively underserved market. About 50 percent of seniors over age 65 own a cellphone, compared with nearly 90 percent of consumers 18 to 29, according to a survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Two percent of seniors own a BlackBerry or other PDA, compared with 17 percent of their younger counterparts. Six percent of seniors have sent a text message, while 75 percent of the younger group are ravenous texters. Seniors make up the fastest-growing market for companies like AT&T. And they control about half of the disposable income in the country.
http://benton.org/node/15746
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EFF RELEASES "SWITZERLAND" ISP TESTING TOOL
[SOURCE: Electronic Frontier Foundation]
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is releasing "Switzerland," a software tool for customers to test the integrity of their Internet communications. Part of EFF's "Test your ISP" project, Switzerland is an open source, command-line software tool designed to detect the modification or injection of packets of data by ISPs. Switzerland detects changes made by software tools believed to be in use by ISPs such as Sandvine and AudibleMagic, advertising systems like FairEagle, and various censorship systems. Although currently intended for use by technically sophisticated Internet users, development plans aim to make the tool increasingly easy to use.
http://benton.org/node/15745
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