January 2006

Three events next week: the CPB Board meets and=20
there will be hearings on video franchising and=20
video content. For these and other upcoming media=20
policy events, see http://www.benton.org

PUBLIC INTEREST MEDIA
Have courage to tell truth, Pope tells world media
A 'National Debate' Surrounding Sale of Knight Ridder
Newest scandal? It's pay-to-say

CONTENT
In Tots' TV Shows, A Booming Market, Toys Get Top Billing
=91Rated' gets an R -- for raves

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Director=92s cut has new meaning for media groups
Dish Network Sparks Dustup by Dropping The Lifetime Channel
Disney-Pixar Merger Rests on Conditions
CBS Shopping Parks, Television City

INTERNET
E-world outpaces ethics
Seeking valley's wireless future

TELECOM REFORM
Dingell Warns Telecom Rewrite Could Hurt Municipal Interests
Telecom bill of rights revived

QUICKLY -- UN body backs $100 laptop for world's=20
kids; Exec Survey Paints Computer-Heavy TV=20
Future; DTV and Low Power TV; Bursting=20
Hollywood's 'Bubble'; Dragon Slayers or Tax=20
Evaders?; MP3 Hearing Loss?; Mobile phone boom=20
set to continue in 2006; Cell-phone sex; Verizon=20
chief wants control of joint venture; E-Waste

PUBLIC INTEREST MEDIA

HAVE COURAGE TO TELL TRUTH, POPE TELLS WORLD MEDIA
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Philip Pullella]
Pope Benedict, in the first formal message to the=20
media of his pontificate, said on Tuesday the=20
media cannot be self-serving or profit-driven but=20
must be accountable for the common good and=20
promote human values. "Authentic communication=20
demands principled courage and resolve," the Pope=20
said in the message for the Roman Catholic=20
Church's annual World Day of Communications set=20
for May 28. "It requires a determination of those=20
working in the media not to wilt under the weight=20
of so much information nor even to be content=20
with partial or provisional truths," the Pope=20
said. "Instead it necessitates both seeking and=20
transmitting what is the ultimate foundation and=20
meaning of human, personal and social existence,"=20
he said. "In this way the media can contribute=20
constructively to the propagation of all that is good and true."
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=3D/2006/1/24/worldupdates/2006...
-24T192149Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_-233518-1&sec=3DWorldupdates

A 'NATIONAL DEBATE' SURROUNDING SALE OF KNIGHT RIDDER
[SOURCE: Society of Professional Journalists press release]
The Society of Professional Journalists is=20
calling for an national conversation about how to=20
preserve public-service journalism in light of=20
the likely sale of the Knight Ridder newspaper=20
company. Knight Ridder, the nation=92s=20
second-largest newspaper chain, put itself out to=20
bid last November. To satisfy the demands of a=20
few major shareholders seeking larger short-term=20
profits, the company may be swallowed whole by=20
another conglomerate or broken up by speculators=20
in early 2006. To finance the multibillion-dollar=20
deal, new owners would be under heavy pressure to=20
slash investment in newsgathering and reporting.=20
SPJ believes that both journalists and the public=20
need to discuss openly the societal implications=20
of these kinds of business decisions, as several=20
groups have done in recent weeks. A national=20
conversation about how Knight Ridder newspapers=20
can maintain their journalistic integrity under=20
escalating profit pressures should send a message=20
to investors not to ignore the social value of=20
their investments -- either now or in future=20
battles over media ownership. Such a dialogue=20
would also help journalists fulfill their ethical=20
responsibility to be accountable to their=20
readership. And it would help that readership=20
participate, as we believe the Constitution=20
envisioned, in preserving a free, vibrant and competitive press.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1001918714

NEWEST SCANDAL? IT'S PAY-TO-SAY
[SOURCE: Philadelphia Inquirer, AUTHOR: Tom Ferrick Jr]
[Commenatary] The latest scandal in journalism is=20
about reporters and columnists taking cash to=20
write favorable pieces about their clients. The=20
common thread amongst recent miscreants: All are=20
freelancers, doing piece work for publications.=20
Freelancers are the coolies of modern journalism.=20
Many work for low fees, often juggling four or=20
five assignments to make one meager paycheck.=20
Temptation can be high -- especially among those=20
think-tank wonks, who consult with private=20
companies, get grants for research from=20
corporations, and write op-ed pieces, all at=20
once. In the old days, when reporters got paid a=20
pittance, they often supplemented their salaries=20
with similar jobs. They also were open to=20
accepting free booze, meals, tickets and other emoluments from their source=
s.
So this is an old practice dressed up in new clothing.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/137039...
htm

CONTENT

IN TOT'S TV SHOWS, A BOOMING MARKET, TOYS GET TOP BILLING
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Aaron O. Patrick aaron.patrick( at )wsj.co=
m]
As the age of TV viewers gets younger and=20
younger, television networks are scrambling to=20
compete for the very smallest eyeballs. And=20
because profits in this market are driven largely=20
by merchandising, the commercial and creative=20
sides of children's television are fusing in a=20
way that sometimes makes them indistinguishable=20
from one another. The United Kingdom has long=20
been a test bed for children's television,=20
throwing out new ideas that are followed=20
elsewhere. In the 1950s, it introduced the notion=20
of educational TV. Before becoming a world-wide=20
hit, the "Teletubbies" was launched in the late=20
1990s on the British Broadcasting Corp. The show=20
is credited with lowering the age of TV audiences=20
to below 3 years, which was the previous=20
benchmark. Today, some of the most popular=20
preschool shows in the U.S. are British,=20
including "Bob the Builder" and "Thomas and=20
Friends." TV networks are chasing preschoolers=20
because unlike older kids, they haven't abandoned=20
TV for the Internet or video games. They're also=20
at home a lot. Britain counts more than 20=20
channels dedicated to television for kids, more=20
than it has for sports. In 2005, British TV=20
showed 10 times as many hours of children's=20
programming -- 160,441 in total -- as a decade=20
earlier, according to the Television Research=20
Partnership Ltd., a U.K. research firm.=20
Programming for preschoolers is mixed in with=20
that for older children. In the U.S.,=20
preschoolers have their own channels. They=20
include Viacom Inc.'s seven-year-old Noggin and=20
PBS Kids Sprout, a channel launched last year by=20
Comcast Corp., Sesame Workshop and the Public=20
Broadcasting System. Unlike shows for older=20
viewers, TV programs for small kids can't rely on=20
advertising revenue because commercials aimed at=20
the very young rarely work. As a result, networks=20
pay low fees to studios. Shows for tots are also=20
relatively expensive to make. So producers turn=20
to sales of toys and DVDs to make up the=20
difference. A 3-year-old is unlikely to see a=20
30-second ad and request the toy, but parents=20
will often buy their kids toys based on favorite shows.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113831741855157559.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)

'RATED' GETS R -- FOR RAVES
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Anthony Breznican]
This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a documentary about=20
the Motion Picture Association of America's=20
ratings board. Who are these ratings people and=20
what are their standards? Among the movie's=20
claims: 1) Aging judges. The MPAA says the=20
undercover raters are parents using their=20
judgment to create ratings for all parents, but=20
few have school-age kids. 2) Studio favoritism.=20
South Park co-creator Matt Stone says in the film=20
that the board refused to tell him how to trim=20
his independently made porno farce Orgazmo to get=20
a less restrictive R instead of an NC-17, which=20
bans those 17 and under from admittance. But when=20
he made the raunchy puppet comedy Team America:=20
World Police for Paramount Pictures, the board=20
told him how to get an R. 3) Gay bias. A=20
side-by-side comparison of similar sex scenes=20
from NC-17 movies and R movies finds that gay sex=20
tends to get a harsher rating than similar scenes=20
of heterosexual sex. 4) No precedent.Moviemakers=20
who fight their judgments are not allowed to=20
point out similar scenes in movies that got less=20
restrictive ratings. The ratings board gave an=20
early version of This Film Is Not Yet Rated an=20
NC-17 for its racy and violent scenes. Those=20
scenes are from other movies, as are some curse=20
words, and are used to illustrate what earns a=20
movie a PG, PG-13, R or NC-17 rating. An NC-17=20
makes many movie theaters and advertisers say =93no=20
thanks=94 when it comes time to release the film.=20
The film was financed by cable's Independent Film=20
Channel, which plans to show it in the fall. But=20
the producers are also seeking theatrical distribution.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20060127/wk_ratings27.art.htm

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

DIRECTOR'S CUT HAS NEW MEANING FOR MEDIA GROUPS
[SOURCE: Financial Times 1/25, AUTHOR: Aline van Duyn]
The creation of The CW, which will kick off in=20
September as the fifth US broadcast network, is=20
symbolic of the changes taking place in the=20
television and movie businesses. With growth in=20
advertising revenues, box-office receipts and DVD=20
sales slowing after many boom years, and media=20
shares continuing to tread water amid concerns=20
about the shape of business models in the digital=20
age, similar scrutiny and hard-headed decisions=20
can be expected across the sector. A good=20
indicator of this shift is the cash that media=20
companies have started to pay out to=20
shareholders, in the form of share buy-backs and=20
dividends. Businesses with strong growth=20
prospects rarely return cash because management=20
can, in theory, reinvest it to produce attractive=20
returns. Once cash is handed back, it is an=20
admission that growth prospects are more limited.=20
A further consequence of the new-found enthusiasm=20
for housekeeping is likely to be an increase in=20
the sale of assets not regarded as core=20
businesses. Mergers and acquisitions bankers say=20
they are talking to many media clients =AD ranging=20
from television to radio, to print and other=20
media =AD about such disposals and that in 2006=20
there was likely to be more such activity. With=20
media shares still failing to lift off, the=20
unglamorous task of number crunching will start=20
to become more important in the glitzy media world.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/55eddb14-8dcc-11da-8fda-0000779e2340.html
(requires subscription)

DISH NETWORK SPARKS DUSTUP BY DROPPING THE LIFETIME CHANNEL
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Joe Flint=20
joe.flint( at )wsj.com and Andy Pasztor ]
The battle pitting Lifetime, the popular channel=20
that targets women, against EchoStar's Dish=20
Network, the No. 2 satellite operator with more=20
than 12 million subscribers, may have broad=20
implications for future deals to carry popular=20
programming on cable and satellite systems, where=20
the fight over contract renewals has intensified.=20
At issue is the so-called license fee Lifetime=20
charges cable and satellite distributors to carry=20
the two channels. Dish has accused Lifetime of=20
trying to gouge the company with a 76% increase=20
over the life of the new deal being offered.=20
Lifetime, which is jointly owned by Walt Disney=20
Co. and Hearst Corp., counters that figure is=20
bogus and that the actual proposed increase=20
amounted to less than a nickel per subscriber each month.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113833272324157914.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

DISNEY-PIXAR MERGER RESTS ON CONDITIONS
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The merger agreement between the Walt Disney=20
Company and Pixar Animation Studios rests, in=20
part, on whether Pixar's award-winning creative=20
team agrees to work for the combined company,=20
according to a securities filing on Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/27/business/media/27disney.html?pagewanted=
=3Dall
(requires registration)
* Pixar's Creative Chief to Have Special Power at Disney: Greenlighting Mov=
ies
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-pixar27jan27,1,551112...
tory?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business

CBS SHOPPING PARKS, TELEVISION CITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Remaking itself after the split with Viacom, CBS=20
said Thursday it would shed its Paramount Parks=20
division, which operates five parks: Paramount=20
Canada's Wonderland (Toronto, Ontario);=20
Paramount's Carowinds (Charlotte, NC);=20
Paramount's Great America (Santa Clara, Calif.);=20
Paramount's Kings Dominion (Richmond, Va.); and=20
Paramount's Kings Island (Cincinnati, Ohio). The=20
division also includes CBS Television City at the=20
MGM Grand, which hosts an ongoing research=20
operation--in conjunction with Nielsen.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6302352?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

INTERNET

E-WORLD OUTPACES ETHICS
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] The truth is that Google knows more=20
than you'd probably like, though not enough to=20
make you panic. It keeps data on searches, though=20
it would take extra steps to identify you. And=20
once you leave Google's pages, the company=20
doesn't follow. But as much as people feel=20
invisible in cyberspace, it's worth remembering=20
that nothing out there is really confidential.=20
Internet searches are not covered by federal=20
privacy law. Perhaps they should be. And perhaps=20
companies should be restricted in what they can=20
save and how long they can save it. Today, there=20
are few incentives for companies to keep=20
confidences. Faced with a government demand, few=20
will fight back. If they do, they must ultimately=20
comply with court orders. In individual cases,=20
companies turn over records all the time. As for=20
the administration, this latest excursion shows=20
it's willing to snoop even when there are better=20
ways to make its case. So search at your own risk. Someone may be watching.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060127/edit27.art.htm
* Court date set for Google lawsuit
Google's attempt to fend off the government's=20
request for millions of search terms will move to=20
a federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Feb. 27.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6031941.html
* Don't Be Google
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2006...
/26/EDGNSGSK5U1.DTL
* No booze or jokes for Googlers in China
http://news.com.com/What+Google+censors+in+China/2100-1030_3-6031727.htm...
ag=3Dnefd.lede

SEEKING VALLEY'S WIRELESS FUTURE
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Jessie Seyfer]
Silicon Valley leaders have a bold vision of a=20
public wireless network stretching from East Palo=20
Alto to Santa Cruz. What they don't have yet: a=20
detailed plan or a way to pay for it. Joint=20
Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a coalition of=20
business, education and local government=20
officials, announced Thursday that it would=20
solicit bids to build a network to turn the=20
valley into essentially a giant wireless Internet=20
hotspot. If the effort succeeds, it could bring=20
affordable Internet access to hundreds of=20
thousands of valley residents across 1,500 square=20
miles of territory. The announcement adds the=20
cities of Silicon Valley to a growing number of=20
U.S. municipalities -- including San Francisco=20
and Philadelphia -- that are trying to jump ahead=20
of communications companies and offer affordable wireless Internet access.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/13725163.htm

TELECOM REFORM

DINGELL WARNS TELECOM REWRITE COULD HURT MUNICIPAL INTERESTS
[SOURCE: TechnologyDaily, AUTHOR: Michael Martinez]
Rep John Dingell (D-MI), the ranking Member on=20
the House Commerce Committee, warned the U.S.=20
Conference of Mayors that a rewrite of the 1996=20
Telecommunications Act could hurt municipal=20
interests -- particularly regarding their=20
authority over video franchising and property=20
rights of way. He did not offer a timetable for=20
how quickly a rewrite of the telecom law would=20
move, but contended municipal governments would=20
be bypassed if they were not "quick afoot"=20
defending themselves. Rep Dingell said there is=20
not a "significant amount of understanding" on=20
Capitol Hill about the benefits of local=20
franchising fees for citizens, so that=20
municipalities need to advertise them more.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-XWNT1138309821569.html

TELECOM BILL OF RIGHTS REVIVED
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Ryan Kim rkim( at )sfchronicle.com]
The California Public Utilities Commission is=20
about to take up competing proposals to resurrect=20
a far-reaching telecommunications consumer bill=20
of rights that has been on the shelf for a year.=20
Commissioner Dian Gruenreich unveiled a proposal=20
on Wednesday that would restore key components to=20
strengthen consumer rights that she argues were=20
removed from the original draft of the bill of=20
rights. Her proposal comes a month after=20
Commission President Michael Peevey unveiled his=20
proposed bill of rights that consumer-rights=20
proponents have decried as too soft. One of the=20
proposals, or perhaps a hybrid of the two, will=20
replace a consumer of bill of rights that was=20
first approved in May 2004 but later shelved a=20
year ago after concerns from telecommunication=20
industry officials who complained about its=20
"onerous'' requirements. The bill of rights, one=20
of the most progressive in the country, took four=20
years to negotiate but lasted only eight months.=20
It was suspended after two of its supporters left office.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2006...
/26/BUG54GSUAN1.DTL&type=3Dbusiness

QUICKLY

UN BODY BACKS $100 LAPTOP FOR WORLD'S KIDS
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The United Nations has thrown its weight behind a=20
project to place a $100, hand-cranked laptop=20
computer in the hands of millions of=20
schoolchildren around the globe. The United=20
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will sign a=20
partnership agreement with the head of the=20
project, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's=20
(MIT) Nicholas Negroponte, in the Alpine ski=20
resort of Davos on Saturday, officials said.=20
Under the agreement, UNDP and the non-profit One=20
Laptop per Child organization set up by MIT Media=20
Lab chairman Negroponte, will work together with=20
local and international partners to get the=20
machines to targeted schools in least developed=20
countries. The goal is for governments or=20
charitable donors to pay for the laptops, although children will own them.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-01-26T134228Z_01_L26587046_RTRUKOC_0_US-DAVOS-LAPTOP.xml&archived=
=3DFalse

EXEC SURVEY PAINTS COMPUTER-HEAVY TV FUTURE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
IBM Business Consulting Services has issued a=20
report, which warns that new technology is=20
dividing the TV audience into two distinct=20
groups. One will remain "largely passive in the=20
living room," while the other will drive radical=20
changes to the business model in their search for=20
"anytime, anywhere content through multiple=20
channels." The study predicts that, in that time,=20
overall advertising will increase, in part=20
because digital video recorders will increase=20
content consumption. But the DVR will also=20
decrease the demand for traditional spots, as=20
will video-on-demand. According to the study,=20
which culled its research from 65 hour-long=20
interviews with media executives, "most surveyed=20
executives, regardless of company, placed the=20
least confidence in TV advertising compared to=20
user-driven, on-demand revenue streams."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6302328?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

THE DIGITAL TV TRANSITION: LOW POWER AND TRANSLATOR STATIONS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
In furtherance of the digital broadcast=20
television (DTV) transition and to enable more=20
viewers to realize the many benefits of DTV, the=20
Commission established rules and policies to=20
facilitate the digital transition for low power=20
television (LPTV), TV translator and Class A TV=20
stations. The rules provide that existing=20
permittees and licensees in these services be=20
given the flexibility to choose one (and only=20
one) of two methods to convert their existing=20
analog stations to digital. Existing permittees=20
and licensees in these services may either=20
implement an on-channel digital conversion of=20
their analog channel or they may seek a (second)=20
digital companion channel that may be operated=20
simultaneously with their analog channel. LPTV,=20
TV translator and Class A TV stations have=20
already been offered the opportunity to file=20
applications for on-channel digital conversion of=20
their analog stations. Now the FCC has scheduled=20
May 1-12 , 2006 as the window for the filing of=20
applications for digital companion channels for=20
LPTV, TV translator and Class A TV television permittees and licensees.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-123A1.doc

BURSTING HOLLYWOOD'S 'BUBBLE'
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Monica Mehta]
[Commentary] Steven Soderbergh's new flick has=20
been called 'too indie.' But what's really=20
radical is its distribution strategy. It will be=20
released in theaters, on DVD and on cable television simultaneously.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/31379/

DRAGON SLAYERS OR TAX EVADERS?
[SOURCE: Legal Affairs, AUTHOR: Julian Dibbell]
Buying and selling imaginary goods in=20
computer-game worlds is big business. Now let's=20
figure out whether gamers should pay real-world taxes on virtual treasures.
http://www.legalaffairs.org/issues/January-February-2006/feature_dibbell...
nfeb06.msp

MARKEY QUERIES MUSIC PLAYERS' ROLE IN HEARING LOSS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
Rep Ed Markey (D-MA) asked the National=20
Institutes of Health (NIH) to review research to=20
determine if popular portable music players are=20
contributing to premature hearing loss as well as=20
recommend what people can do to prevent it from=20
happening. He said that noise above 85 decibels=20
can cause hearing loss depending on the length of=20
exposure and he cited a recent Washington Post=20
article that said Apple has declined to reveal how loud its iPods can go.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DdomesticNews&storyID=
=3D2006-01-26T220334Z_01_N26173908_RTRUKOC_0_US-MUSICPLAYERS-HEARING.xml&ar=
chived=3DFalse

MOBILE PHONE BOOM SET TO CONTINUE IN 2006
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Global shipments of mobile phones soared in 2005=20
and will continue to grow in 2006 on the back of=20
strong demand from emerging economies, which=20
snapped up half of all handsets last year. Mobile=20
phone shipments grew 19 percent to 810 million=20
units in 2005 and are expected to rise by 15=20
percent to 930 million units in 2006, market=20
research group Strategy Analytics predicted after=20
the top five mobile phone vendors had published quarterly earnings.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-01-26T153522Z_01_L26675747_RTRUKOC_0_US-PHONES-SHIPMENTS.xml&archi=
ved=3DFalse

CELL PHONE SEX; WILL IT PLAY IN PEORIA?
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Tom Brown]
cell-phone pornography is a fast-growing business=20
that analysts expect will generate about $2=20
billion in global revenue by 2009. And=20
porn-on-the-go was the focus of a two-day Mobile=20
Adult Content Congress that wrapped up in Miami=20
on Thursday amid expectations, according to at=20
least some participants, that it will soon catch=20
on in the United States. Leading American=20
cellular carriers have been reluctant to jump=20
onto the bandwagon, however, fearing a backlash=20
from the conservatives and the religious right if=20
they provide U.S. consumers easy access to hand-held X-rated theater.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-01-26T202812Z_01_N26217580_RTRUKOC_0_US-TELECOMS-PORNOGRAPHY.xml

VERIZON WANTS CONTROL OF JOINT VENTURE
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Paul Taylor]
Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon Communications chairman=20
and chief executive, said on Thursday that the US=20
telecommunications group stood ready to increase=20
its stake in Verizon Wireless or acquire all of=20
the US mobile carrier from Britain=92s Vodafone, its joint venture partner.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/7e3cab2e-8e74-11da-ae63-0000779e2340.html
(requires subscription)

E-WASTE( at )LARGE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Elizabeth Royte]
[Commentary] The federal government needs to=20
restrict the use of hazardous materials in=20
computers, require manufacturers to put in place=20
recycling programs and ban hazardous waste=20
exports. That may sound like a tall order, but=20
that's no reason not to proceed: the European=20
Union has already passed every one of these laws.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/27/opinion/27royte.html
(requires registration)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online=20
news summary service provided by the Benton=20
Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday=20
through Friday, this service provides updates on=20
important industry developments, policy issues,=20
and other related news events. While the=20
summaries are factually accurate, their often=20
informal tone does not always represent the tone=20
of the original articles. Headlines are compiled=20
by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------