February 2006

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TELECOM REFORM
Telecom Bill Vows Made as '06 Election Looms
House Committee To Nix Plans For 'Network Neutrality' Clause
Give cable TV some healthy rivals
Bills would boost unlicensed Wi-Fi
Net Neutrality (or Back to the Future)
Former FCC Chairman Powell: Net Neutrality 'Doing Great'
Will public access TV go dark?

TELEVISION
Your own TV show? Anywhere but Philadelphia
NBC Debuts Conviction on iTunes

POLICYMAKERS
Anderson Exits CPB Board
FCC Seeks Universal Service Board Nominees
Stevens Names Commerce Press Secretary
Google Names Head of Philanthropy

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Press Can Be Prosecuted for Having Secret Files, U.S. Says
Rumsfeld: Planting Stories Under Review
Chinese Media Assail Google
U.S. technology has been used to block, censor Net for years
Radio programs articulate US values to the global community

QUICKLY -- Google, EarthLink submit S.F. WiFi=20
plan; European Telecoms liberalization hailed as success

TELECOM REFORM

TELECOM BILL VOWS MADE AS '06 ELECTION LOOMS
[SOURCE: MediaWeek 2/20, AUTHOR: Todd Shields]
Top U.S. lawmakers are promising to bring a broad=20
telecommunications bill forward in the coming=20
weeks and say it will address the Bell companies=92=20
request for help introducing their pay-TV=20
services around the country. But some analysts=20
are skeptical Congress will be able to reach the=20
necessary consensus in a divisive election year.=20
Issues to be resolved include how broadband=20
providers may handle Internet content, whether to=20
let cities and towns offer their own high-speed=20
Internet services and whether to stiffen penalties for broadcast indecency.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/cabletv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content...
=3D1002035036

HOUSE COMMITTEE TO NIX PLANS FOR 'NETWORK NEUTRALITY' CLAUSE
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
In a major blow to Internet firms such as=20
Amazon.com and Google, the House Commerce=20
Committee expects to scrap plans for "network=20
neutrality" safeguards in forthcoming=20
telecommunications legislation, sources say.=20
Instead, the committee will apparently move a=20
streamlined video franchising bill sought by AT&T=20
and Verizon Communications, which are deploying=20
video services that will compete with cable=20
companies. The network neutrality provisions face=20
the chopping block for several reasons. There are=20
not enough days left in the congressional session=20
to reach agreement, sources said. And some=20
committee members think net neutrality should be=20
addressed by the FCC, although the agency's=20
authority in that area is unclear. Instead of a=20
comprehensive bill, the committee now is expected=20
to adopt Verizon's idea for a streamlined telecom=20
measure primarily addressing video franchising.=20
The bill would place new video competitors under=20
FCC authority when they enter markets. New=20
entrants would pay franchise fees and fulfill=20
other obligations but would not negotiate with=20
localities. Once a new entrant has reached a=20
threshold of 15 percent market penetration, the=20
dominant cable provider would be subject to the=20
same deregulation. The measure could be debated=20
in March by the House Telecommunications and the=20
Internet Subcommittee. The streamlined bill also=20
would include language requiring providers of=20
Internet telephone service to offer "enhanced=20
911" emergency service, sources said.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-QMEV1140551282296.html
See also --
* Fight brewing in Congress over net neutrality
http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/policy/story/0,...
01,108885,00.html?source=3Dx10

GIVE CABLE TV SOME HEALTHY RIVALS
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] Anyone who has watched cable TV=20
bills soar year after year has to wonder if price=20
relief will ever arrive. Now telephone companies=20
are trying to compete with cable to offer popular=20
channels through their phone lines. But if=20
federal government regulations aren't modernized,=20
that day may be long in coming. Under current=20
rules, "video franchising" gives local cities and=20
towns the right to grant a license to each cable=20
television company. That's been great for=20
municipalities: They can ask the winning cable=20
company to upgrade their streetlights or build=20
them a park to sweeten the deal. But that system=20
doesn't let consumers directly benefit from=20
competition for TV-viewing dollars. The=20
Telecommunications Act of 1996, which regulates=20
TV and the Internet, needs a significant=20
overhaul. Congress is unlikely to undertake such=20
a battle royal in this election year. But=20
reforming video franchising - and heating up=20
competition between cable companies and telcos -=20
is something it should tackle now.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0222/p08s02-comv.html
See also --
* Reform Video Franchising Now
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/features/48919.html

BILLS WOULD BOOST UNLICENSED WI-FI
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
A pair of similar measures introduced Friday=20
would give wireless device manufacturers the=20
green light to develop products for unlicensed=20
use on the broadband airwaves' "white=20
spaces"--that is, empty, unused channels in the=20
broadcast TV bands. The New America Foundation,=20
an independent think tank that supports freeing=20
up the white space for wireless deployment,=20
estimates that 40 percent to 80 percent of the TV=20
spectrum lies vacant in rural areas and that=20
major metropolises host a fair share of empty=20
spectrum as well. That organization joined=20
consumer advocates in applauding the bills'=20
introduction. "Opening the white spaces for new=20
and innovative technologies is an essential step=20
toward bridging the digital divide, bringing 21st=20
century telecommunications to rural areas and=20
providing affordable access to all Americans,"=20
advocacy groups Consumers Union and Free Press=20
wrote in a letter to the bills' sponsors. The=20
American Broadband for Communities Act offered by=20
Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who=20
chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, would=20
involve rewriting telecommunications law to free=20
up only certain portions of the unused spectrum=20
for wireless deployment. Virginia Republican=20
George Allen's two-page Wireless Innovation Act=20
of 2006, co-sponsored by Democrats John Kerry and=20
Barbara Boxer, and by Republican John Sununu,=20
appears to call for unlicensed wireless=20
activities on any unused piece of the analog TV band.
http://news.com.com/Bills+would+boost+unlicensed+Wi-Fi/2100-7351_3-60415...
html?tag=3Dnefd.top
See also --
* Lawmakers Move to Make FCC Allow Broader Wireless Net
http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/2844

NET NEUTRALITY (OR BACK TO THE FUTURE)
[SOURCE: Center for American Progress, AUTHOR: Mark Lloyd]
[Commentary] For roughly ten years Lawrence=20
Lessig has been warning us of the inevitable=20
problems when telecommunications companies are=20
not prevented from introducing "code" that limits=20
what people can send or receive through the=20
Internet. The challenge created by what Lessig=20
called the architecture of control is no longer=20
merely potential, nor is it a mere bellicose=20
threat. But wasn't the Internet supposed to be=20
the answer to the limits of broadcasting and=20
cable? Wasn't the Internet supposed to be=20
inherently democratic? Wasn't the future=20
supposed to be open and free and full of choice?=20
Are we not all better off if even the poorest=20
child has full access to the educational=20
adventures made possible by fast broadband access=20
to NASA or the Smithsonian? Are we not all=20
better off if even the poorest grandmother has=20
access to telemedicine services made possible by=20
fast broadband access? Are we not all better off=20
if our emergency workers can connect to terminals=20
in private homes and have fast access to=20
information that would make their jobs easier and=20
our lives a little safer? Net Neutrality should=20
be a given. We need competitive, fast, redundant=20
broadband service for all Americans. Isn't that the future?
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=3DbiJRJ8OVF&b=3D1432287
More commentary --
* The Double Definitions of =91Network Neutrality=92
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=3D18540

FORMER FCC CHAIRMAN POWELL: NET NEUTRALITY 'GOING GREAT'
[SOURCE: InformationWeek 2/20, AUTHOR: Paul Kapustka]
Two years after first introducing his so-called=20
Internet Freedoms, former FCC Chairman Michael=20
Powell thinks today's debate over "net=20
neutrality" is mainly a "scrum" between big=20
businesses like Verizon and Google, with=20
consumers as the immediate beneficiaries. Because=20
of his public proclamation of the Freedoms -- and=20
some timely action taken last year -- Powell said=20
that there are no perceptible transgressions=20
against consumers, and that service providers=20
would now be "crucified" by their customers=20
should they try to limit access to the Internet.
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=3D18020...
See also --
* Panel eyes regulation of Internet television
[SOURCE: Rocky Mountain News, AUTHOR: Joyzelle Davis]
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/tech/article/0,2777,DRMN_23910_448...
0,00.html

WILL PUBLIC ACCESS GO DARK?
[SOURCE: AM New York, AUTHOR: Michael Clancy]
People who present their TV shows on public=20
access cable channels nationwide could be=20
silenced if and when cable TV is made available=20
on a nationwide franchising basis. Nationwide,=20
some 1.2 million volunteers and 250,000 community=20
groups who produce the grassroots programming=20
could be blacked out. "There's an African proverb=20
that says 'When the elephants fight, the grass=20
gets trampled,'" said Anthony Riddle of the=20
Alliance of Community Media, a group dedicated to=20
preserving public access nationwide. Phone=20
companies argue that the 30,000 franchise=20
agreements that cable companies have negotiated=20
with municipalities are simply too burdensome.=20
It's those franchise agreements that give=20
municipalities leeway in negotiations because=20
cable companies use public right of way to run=20
their lines. Cities and towns get a chunk of=20
cable revenue and bandwidth as part of those=20
agreements. But the system has been shaken by=20
rapid technological change. The=20
Telecommunications Act of 1996 has been rendered=20
nearly obsolete by high-speed Internet=20
connections. In short, the law must be and will=20
be changed -- the question is how, and that=20
outcome will shape the fate of public access TV.
http://www.amny.com/news/local/newyork/am-tv0221,0,7968934.story

TELEVISION

YOUR OWN TV SHOW? ANYWHERE BUT PHILADELPHIA
[SOURCE: Philadelphia Inquirer 2/19, AUTHOR: Diane Mastrull]
Federal law entitles each of the greater=20
Philadelphia area's 336 cable-wired=20
municipalities to at least one channel run by and=20
for the people. But as increasingly polished,=20
community-programmed cable stations have=20
proliferated elsewhere, the Philadelphia region=20
has been asleep on the sofa, its citizens still=20
largely unaware that they could be laying claim=20
to their own channels. Those 336 local=20
governments get more than $35 million a year in=20
franchise fees, chiefly from the behemoth=20
provider Comcast. They could use the money to=20
help their residents set up and operate public=20
access channels, but they don't have to. So the=20
fees -- $10 million annually to Philadelphia=20
alone -- typically are absorbed into general=20
budgets. The $50,000 that flows to the small=20
Montgomery County community of Narberth=20
represents "one police officer or foreman of the=20
highway department," said Borough Manager Bill=20
Martin. Spending it on public access would "create a void someplace else."
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/13905937.htm
* Two decades later, promised public-access TV=20
channels in Philadelphia still dark
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/13905958.htm

NBC DEBUTS CONVICTION ON iTUNES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Glen Dickson]
NBC says it will offer the premiere episode of=20
Dick Wolf=92s new legal drama Conviction on Apple=92s=20
iTunes online store 10 days before the show=92s=20
March 3 broadcast premiere on the NBC network,=20
making it the first network to offer a prime time=20
show on the Internet before the TV.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6308994?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

POLICYMAKERS

ANDERSON EXITS CPB BOARD
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Clinton-appointed CPB board member and former=20
Chairman Katherine Anderson has exited the board=20
after eight years, CPB said Friday. Her term is=20
up this year, but she could have stayed through=20
the end the year or until a replacement is=20
appointed. Anderson was named to the CPB board by=20
President Clinton in August 1997 and confirmed to=20
a second term in September 2000. She was chairman=20
from 2001-03. Her departure leaves the board with=20
only six members for nine slots and two=20
long-standing vacancies. The White House is said=20
to be preparing to nominate former Arkansas=20
Senator David Pryor and noncommercial KQED San=20
Francisco board member Chris Boskin. Pryor's=20
nomination has been at the White House since last=20
July. He is seen as a tough but fair moderate who=20
could bring more Blue State backbone to the=20
board. Clue: He was the dean of the Clinton=20
School of Public Service in Little Rock, Ark.,=20
before exiting Feb. 15, another sign his nomination might be progressing.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6308875?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

FCC SEEKS UNIVERSAL SERVICE BOARD NOMINEES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
On January 26, 2006 Dr. Douglas E. Christensen=20
resigned from the Board of Directors of the=20
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).=20
The FCC is now asking for nominees to represent=20
schools that are eligible to receive E-rate=20
discounts. All nominations must be filed with the=20
Office of the Secretary by March 17, 2006. See link below for more details.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-368A1.doc

STEVENS NAMES COMMERCE PRESS SECRETARY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens=20
(R-Alaska) has named Aaron Saunders press=20
secretary, handling press-related issues for the=20
Chairman as they relate to commerce issues,=20
particularly telecommunications. The move,=20
essentially an expansion of duties and a title to=20
match, follows the move into more non-press=20
related functions by Committee Communications Director Melanie Alvord.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6309078?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

GOOGLE NAMES HEAD OF PHILANTHROPY
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Kevin Delaney kevin.delaney( at )wsj.com]
Google has named Larry Brilliant, a former=20
high-tech executive and doctor specialized in=20
global health issues, to head its Google.org=20
philanthropic arm. The Web search company has=20
pledged 1% of its annual profit and 1% of its=20
stock, currently valued at around $1 billion, to=20
Google.org. Dr. Brilliant's current activities=20
include serving as a director of the Seva=20
Foundation in Berkeley, Calif., which he founded=20
in 1979 to combat blindness in the developing world.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114057114449279634.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
* Google signs on do-good doctor to head charity
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060222/google.org22.art.htm

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

PRESS CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR HAVING SECRET FILES, US SAYS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Walter Pincus]
The Bush administration said that journalists can=20
be prosecuted under current espionage laws for=20
receiving and publishing classified information=20
but that such a step "would raise legitimate and=20
serious issues and would not be undertaken=20
lightly," according to a court filing made public this week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/21/AR200602...
1947.html
(requires registration)

RUMSFELD: PLANTING STORIES UNDER REVIEW
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Robert Burns]
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday=20
that the Pentagon is reviewing its practice of=20
paying to plant stories in the Iraqi news media,=20
withdrawing his earlier claim that it had been=20
stopped. Sec Rumsfeld said that Gen George Casey,=20
the top U.S. commander in Iraq, was reviewing=20
the practice. Previously, Gen Casey has said he saw no reason to stop it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060221/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/rumsfeld

CHINESE MEDIA ASSAIL GOOGLE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Philip P. Pan]
The Beijing News, a state-run newspaper, reported=20
Tuesday that Google Inc. is under investigation=20
for operating without a proper license in China=20
and quoted an unnamed government official as=20
saying the Internet giant needs to cooperate=20
further with the authorities in blocking "harmful=20
information" from its search results. On the same=20
day, another state newspaper ran a harshly worded=20
editorial about Google. The paper accused the=20
firm of sneaking into China like an "uninvited=20
guest" and then making a fuss about being=20
required to follow Chinese law and cooperate in=20
censoring search results such as pornography. The=20
unusually bold attacks in the state media suggest=20
that the Chinese government is unhappy with=20
Google's efforts thus far to filter politically=20
sensitive results from its popular search engine=20
in China, and that its ability to do business in=20
the country may be in jeopardy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/21/AR200602...
1844.html
(requires registration)
* Google denies acting unlawfully in China
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-02-21T090352Z_01_PEK146281_RTRUKOC_0_US-INTERNET-CHINA-GOOGLE.xml

US TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN USED TO BLOCK, CENSOR NET FOR YEARS
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR:]
[Commentary] If you think there's something new=20
or unique about Google censoring its Chinese=20
website or Websense helping Yemen filter the Net=20
=97 well, I hate to disappoint you. Those=20
congressmen acting surprised about this stuff are=20
either grandstanding or ignorant, or maybe both.=20
To varying degrees, U.S. tech companies help=20
repressive regimes around the world sift, block=20
and censor the Net. They've been doing it for=20
years. The U.S. Web-filtering companies either=20
sell to China or want to. Websense, Blue Coat,=20
Secure Computing and SurfControl all have offices=20
in China. They'd be irresponsible if they didn't.=20
Now Google is there, white-washing its search=20
results for users inside China. Yahoo has given=20
user data to Chinese law enforcement, resulting=20
in arrests of dissidents. The companies got=20
hauled before a blustery Rep. Lantos for=20
basically doing what American tech companies do =97=20
selling the stuff to just about anyone who wants=20
to buy it, and making the customers happy. =93Can=20
you say in English that you're ashamed of what=20
your company and what the other companies have=20
done?=94 Lantos frothed last week. =93Congressman, I=20
can't,=94 said Google Vice President Elliot=20
Schrage. =93I don't think it's fair to say that=20
we're ashamed.=94 Nothing in the American business=20
coda says they should be. Now the question for=20
all of us is: Do we want to change that?
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060222/maney22.art.htm

RADIO PROGRAMS ARTICULATE US VALUES TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR:=20
John Hughes, former director of Voice of America]
[Commentary] We are engaged in a war against=20
terrorism that, since 9/11, President Bush has=20
warned will be long. It requires force of arms=20
but is also a war of ideas. With the lands of=20
Islam as the heartland of this war, it is=20
understandable that the focus of institutions=20
like Voice of America, whether the message be=20
delivered by satellite television, or shortwave,=20
or FM radio, should be directed at them. Sadly=20
this means that language services beamed=20
elsewhere are being cut or abandoned, so that=20
broadcasting to Iran and the Arab countries of=20
the Middle East in their own languages can be=20
increased. One of the casualties is English-=20
language broadcasting to many parts of the world=20
(except Africa). This is unfortunate because even=20
in countries whose native language is not=20
English, English is often the language used by=20
the elite and the leadership, who are especially=20
desirable targets for VOA's programming. If the=20
war of arms against terrorists is likely to be=20
long, so is the war of words. As we have seen in=20
Iraq, the terrorists have mastered the most=20
modern technology for disseminating their=20
message. We must look beyond the suicide bombers=20
of today, who may be beyond reason. We must=20
reason with the next generation now undergoing=20
brainwashing in the madrassahs, or schools of the=20
Islamic lands. Nor can the US ignore the rest of=20
the world. Even America's friends must not be=20
taken for granted. They, as well as foes, must=20
hear American policies explained, and America's=20
values and principles reasserted. In these=20
challenging times, America's voice to the world=20
should be strengthened, not diminished.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0222/p09s02-cojh.html

QUICKLY

GOOGLE, EARTHLINK SUBMIT S.F. WI-FI PLAN
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Dean Takahashi]
Google and EarthLink have teamed up to submit a=20
proposal to create a city-wide wireless Internet=20
network for San Francisco, officials said=20
Tuesday. The bid was one of six San Francisco=20
city officials said they received Tuesday=20
evening. Other proposals were submitted by=20
MetroFi, Communication Bridge Global, NextWLAN,=20
Razortooth Communications and SF Metro Connect,=20
which is an alliance of SeaKay, Cisco Systems and=20
IBM. City officials did not release any details=20
of the actual proposals or make them available=20
Tuesday. They said a panel will review the bids=20
and make recommendations by early April.=20
"Affordable Internet that is accessible to all=20
San Franciscans regardless of geography or income=20
is simply essential," said San Francisco Mayor=20
Gavin Newsom in a statement. "We must recognize=20
that access to information is a fundamental=20
government service akin to libraries or public schools."
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/13931533.htm

EUROPEAN TELECOMS LIBERALIZATION HAILED AS SUCCESS
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Sarah Laitner]
Telecoms liberalization has brought lower prices=20
and more choice for consumers, the European=20
Commission claimed on Monday, but it warned that=20
operators could face further regulation to=20
encourage competition. Viviane Reding,=20
commissioner for information society and media,=20
hailed the European market as a success story for=20
consumers. She said broadband use had risen=20
sharply last year in the EU, to 53m=20
subscriptions, as a result of lower prices and=20
higher speeds, driven by increased competition.=20
There were four times more fixed-telephone=20
operators than in 1998 when the market was fully=20
opened to competition. The average cost of making=20
a national fixed line call had fallen 65 per cent since 2000, she said.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2d040bc6-a27e-11da-9096-0000779e2340.html
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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