August 2006

TELECOM REFORM
Stevens tries to pull fast one on Net Neutrality
Telcos Try Viral Lobbying
NCTA: U-Verse Is a Cable Service

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Old Rules, New Alliances
Justice Department Clears McClatchy Sale of Bay Area Newspapers

BROADCASTING/SPECTRUM
NAB Seeks FM Translator-Grab for AM Stations
Translator-Traffickers Mint Another Million
NAB Advocacy
Gasping for air(waves)
Boston to use nonprofit group to run its Wi-Fi network

CABLE
Small Ops Told: Head to D.C.
FCC Votes To Refer MASN Complaint
Time Warner, Comcast Settle with Minneapolis

TELECOM
Feds appeal loss in NSA wiretap case
Cingular to raise prices for users of older phones
Companies Discover It Isn't Easy to Claim Phone-Tax Refunds

INTERNET
Journalism without Journalists
Authorship gets lost on Web
Internet Raises Gender Gap
Tempering the temptation of Web casinos

AT THE WHITE HOUSE
White House Pressroom Gets a Makeover
White House Appoints Conservative Scholar To Regulatory Post

QUICKLY -- Young Adults Snapping Up New Tech

TELECOM REFORM

STEVENS TRIES TO PULL FAST ONE ON NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Daily Kos, AUTHOR: Markos Moulitsas Z=FAniga]
[Commentary] Senate Commerce Chairman ted Stevens=20
(R-Alaska) is trying to pull a fast one, and get=20
a cloture vote on net neutrality before Congress=20
is scheduled to recess this week. He's been=20
buttonholing three Democratic Senators in=20
particular to gain their cloture vote: 1) Blanche=20
Lincoln of Arkansas, 2) Ben Nelson of Nebraska,=20
and 3) Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Sen Stevens=20
is shooting for a cloture vote on Thursday and=20
has plans to keep everyone in a lame duck session=20
to force a vote on net neutrality after Congress is supposed to be in reces=
s.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/31/161732/999

TELCOS TRY VIRAL LOBBYING
[SOURCE: Digital Trends, AUTHOR: Mark Fleischmann]
[Commentary] Who is behind the campaign that=20
includes these TV4US ads and wewantchoice.com?=20
The prime mover is none other than AT&T. Not=20
content with TV and web promotion, TV4US has also=20
been placing phone calls to consumers. The TV4US=20
Coalition is a bigger tent than you might=20
suspect. It includes dozens of business groups in=20
addition to AT&T. Prominent is the powerful=20
National Association of Manufacturers. Others=20
include the National Taxpayers Union, the=20
National Association of Neighborhoods, the=20
National Black Chamber of Commerce, and Asian Women in Business.
http://news.digitaltrends.com/talkback135.html

NCTA: U-VERSE IS A CABLE SERVICE
[SOURCE: Multichannel News]
National Cable & Telecommunications Association=20
general counsel Neal Goldberg fired back at=20
AT&T=92s claims that its U-Verse video offering is=20
not a cable service in a Federal Communications=20
Commission filing Monday. AT&T is currently=20
involved in a court battle over the matter in=20
Connecticut, facing a federal lawsuit, filed July=20
19 in the U.S. District Court for the District of=20
Connecticut in New Haven by the state's Office of=20
Consumer Counsel and the New England Cable=20
Telecommunications Association, challenging the=20
action of the Department of Public Utility=20
Control, which ruled last month that AT&T does=20
not need a franchise to provide cable service.=20
=93In case there were any doubts that AT&T=92s video=20
offering is a =91cable service=92 as a matter of law,=20
and that it is virtually identical to the=20
services provided by incumbent operators, as a=20
matter of fact, recent events have put those=20
doubts to rest,=94 Goldberg wrote. "In its early=20
filings, AT&T also argued that its facilities did=20
not constitute a =91cable system=92 because they met=20
the =91interactive on-demand=92 exception to the=20
definition of =91cable system,=92=94 he added. =93[The]=20
NCTA has demonstrated why that exception does not=20
apply to the programming AT&T says it will carry=20
-- primarily because at least some of the=20
programming will be =91prescheduled=92 by the=20
programming provider and, therefore, its=20
facilities will not be used =91solely to provide interactive on-demand serv=
ices."
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6358027.html?display=3DBreaking+News

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

OLD RULES, NEW ALLIANCES
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
The remarkable saga of the newspaper-broadcast=20
cross-ownership ban -- a rule that was put in=20
place by FCC Chairman Dick Wiley in January 1975.=20
The rule is one of several changes being=20
considered for relaxation by the current FCC, and=20
the foremost advocate for eliminating the rule is=20
none other than Dick Wiley, now an influential=20
telecommunications lobbyist. But the Washington=20
Post plays the central role in Clark's tale. In=20
the 1970s, the Post owned WTOP-TV Channel 9, a=20
CBS affiliate. Its radio station was also called=20
WTOP. It broadcast on both the AM and FM bands.=20
With the Post breaking Watergate stories, the=20
company became a target of then-President Richard=20
Nixon. He threatened the company's broadcast=20
licenses and the Post ended up selling its=20
DC-broadcast outlets. the Post has gotten=20
creative. This year it struck a licensing=20
agreement with Bonneville Communications, which=20
owns the Washington radio station that the Post=20
once had. In a three-way swap, Bonneville moved=20
its flagship news channel WTOP to its best=20
frequency, 103.5 FM, put classical music station=20
WGMS on 104.1 FM, and introduced Washington Post=20
Radio on 1500 AM -- the old WTOP frequency. The=20
new arrangement doesn't violate the=20
cross-ownership ban because Bonneville owns and=20
controls the station, advertisements and content=20
-- even if the vast bulk comes straight from the=20
newspaper's newsroom, say Post attorneys.=20
Supporters of the cross-ownership ban call it the=20
best of both worlds. "You don't need to own the=20
TV and radio station" to exploit synergies, says=20
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, President of the Media=20
Access Project. The Bonneville-Post collaboration=20
means "you have the diversity advantages of=20
different viewpoints." Critics call that=20
hairsplitting. "Do we continue to need unique=20
rules for old media sectors, instead of a general=20
competition policy standard for the entire media=20
industry?" questions Adam Thierer, senior fellow=20
at the Progress and Freedom Foundation. Indeed,=20
the biggest irony of the media ownership debate=20
is the old media's embrace of the new. "They know=20
they cannot make investments in the old sector=20
and are turning their attention to the Internet=20
as a way to diversify their media operations," said Thierer.
http://www.drewclark.com/wiredinwashington/20060731.htm

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CLEARS MCCLATCHY SALE OF BAY AREA NEWSPAPERS
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
The U.S. Justice Department said it had ended an=20
investigation into the 3-month-old deal involving=20
the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times and=20
The Herald in northern California and the St.=20
Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota. "After a careful=20
investigation ... the antitrust division=20
determined that the transaction if not likely to=20
reduce competition substantially,'' the Justice=20
Department said in a statement. The Justice=20
Department's blessing came on the same day that=20
MediaNews' financing for the deal was set to=20
expire. MediaNews warned it might incur more than=20
$20 million in additional expenses if its financing package unraveled.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1002915379

BROADCASTING/SPECTRUM

NAB SEEKS FM TRANSLATOR-GRAB FOR AM STATIONS
[SOURCE: DIYmedia.net 7/28, AUTHOR: John Anderson]
[Commentary] A very intriguing Petition for=20
Rulemaking was recently filed by the National=20
Association of Broadcasters. It asks the FCC to=20
let the owners of AM stations apply for FM=20
translators, so that they may rebroadcast their=20
AM signals to provide better service, especially=20
at night, when many AM stations must operate at=20
reduced power or go off the air completely. NAB=20
believes the FCC needs to give a much-needed=20
"boost" to the lot of these beleaguered stations.=20
The FCC has considered and rejected this very=20
notion twice in the last 25 years, but NAB thinks=20
the third time is the charm because of new=20
sources of interference to the AM band. What new=20
sources? Computers and traffic signals are=20
mentioned, but a footnote otherwise plugging=20
digital radio casually drops the comment that AM=20
broadcasters are "encountering ever more=20
interference problems as a result of an increase=20
in ambient noise." This is the closest NAB will=20
ever come to admitting that "HD" digital radio=20
makes a racket of the AM dial. That's because it=20
takes triple the bandwidth to broadcast a hybrid=20
analog/digital AM signal than it does to=20
broadcast in analog alone. Thus AM stations=20
broadcasting in a hybrid mode have the potential=20
to interfere with three times as many other=20
stations. You can see how this makes a mess as=20
the number of AM stations broadcasting in hybrid=20
mode grows. The more powerful AM stations in the=20
largest markets also happen to be the earliest=20
adopters of digital, so the danger is fairly=20
imminent. The FCC currently prohibits the=20
broadcast of hybrid AM signals at night because=20
of this very problem. When it eventually lifts=20
this prohibition, the static-hash will go=20
national. (The FCC will not consider any changes=20
to digital radio regulations at its August=20
meeting, after pulling a proposal off the July agenda.)
http://diymedia.net/archive/0706.htm#072806

TRANSLATOR-TRAFFICKERS MINT ANOTHER MILLION
[SOURCE: DIYmedia.net 7/25, AUTHOR: John Anderson]
[Commentary] Since 2003, the unscrupulous folks=20
at Radio Assist Ministry/Edgewater=20
Broadcasting/World Radio Link have sold hundreds=20
of FM translator station construction permits=20
scarfed up in a questionable fashion to=20
mostly-religious broadcasters looking to=20
establish or extend turnkey radio networks on the=20
cheap. Horizon Christian Fellowship was one of=20
RAM/EB/WRL's biggest early clients. It bought 20=20
FM translator construction permits along the West=20
Coast from Radio Assist and Edgewater in a series=20
of deals worth $219,000 in early 2004. Horizon=20
has loose ties to the Calvary Chapel fellowship=20
of churches, and many Calvary Chapels are=20
well-known for their abuse of FM spectrum. In=20
January, Horizon bought nine more translator=20
station construction permits in a series of deals=20
involving both Radio Assist Ministry and=20
Edgewater Broadcasting for $52,000. These and=20
other transactions at the time helped RAM/EB/WRL=20
book its first $1 million in translator=20
speculation revenue. A lot's happened since then.=20
In April, the FCC approved Horizon's purchase of=20
19 more translator station construction permits=20
from Radio Assist Ministry in eight states for=20
$120,764. On June 2, the FCC okayed Horizon's=20
purchase of another 11 translator permits in six=20
states from Edgewater Broadcasting for $81,763.=20
This was followed on June 22 by FCC approval of=20
two more deals: one involving Horizon's purchase=20
of 19 permits in seven states from Radio Assist=20
for $120,764, and one involving Edgewater's sale=20
of a dozen construction permits in nine states=20
for $89,196. On July 14, another=20
double-transaction was waved through. One=20
involved Horizon's purchase of two dozen=20
construction permits in 12 states from Radio=20
Assist for $152,544. The other involved Edgewater=20
selling seven permits in five states to Horizon=20
for $52,031. Finally, on July 18, the FCC waved=20
through another two-fer deal. Radio Assist sold=20
Horizon 15 permits in six states for $95,340;=20
Edgewater sold Horizon 15 permits in 10 states for $111,495.
http://diymedia.net/archive/0706.htm#072506

NAB ADVOCACY
[SOURCE: National Association of Broadcasters]
The NAB is encouraging radio and television=20
broadcasters to spread the word about the=20
"community service they provide every day,=20
free-of-charge." Station owners are being asked=20
to use the NAB's Advocacy Guide=20
(http://www.nab.org/publicservice/national_report.asp)=20
as the foundation for an outreach effort to=20
educate elected officials, community=20
organizations, the broadcast audience and others.=20
The guide includes sample letters to members of=20
Congress, talking points for station=20
presentations, scripts for on-air spots and more.=20
The plea ends "Working together, we can continue=20
to demonstrate that broadcast public service is=20
effective because decisions are made at the local level."
http://www.nab.org/MembersOnly/nabsays/Newsletters/tv_today/default.asp
(requires membership)

GASPING FOR AIR(WAVES)
[SOURCE: Denver Post, AUTHOR: Kimberly S. Johnson kjohnson( at )denverpost.com]
When EchoStar Communications Corp. and DirecTV=20
head to a Federal Communications Commission=20
auction Aug. 9, they're not simply bidding on=20
wireless airwaves but for survival in a broadband=20
world. The satellite TV companies have teamed up=20
under the name Wireless DBS LLC to bid on=20
licenses for Advanced Wireless Services spectrum.=20
The FCC auction of 1,122 licenses, each of which=20
covers part of the country, is expected to raise=20
up to $15 billion. Wireless DBS has made the=20
largest upfront payment - about $972 million - of=20
any bidder. Among the more than 160 bidders is=20
SpectrumCo LLC, a partnership between Sprint=20
Nextel and the major cable companies, including=20
Comcast. EchoStar co-founder and chairman Charlie=20
Ergen is "extremely worried about the broadband=20
play," said Carmel Group multichannel TV analyst=20
Jimmy Schaeffler. "Come Aug. 9, they're going to=20
be all over that bidding table. Echo Star and=20
DirecTV have to have a bundle that they control."
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_4115185

BOSTON TO USE NONPROFIT GROUP TO RUN ITS WI-FI NETWORK
[SOURCE: Computerworld, AUTHOR: Matt Hamblen]
Boston officials announced today that they will=20
search for a nonprofit corporation to raise up to=20
$20 million to build and operate wireless=20
Internet services citywide over the next two=20
years. The unnamed, independent organization will=20
give the city more control over the Wi-Fi network=20
than would an outside Internet service provider,=20
and the hope is to keep Internet service costs=20
lower as well, said William "Bo" Holland, the=20
city's acting CIO, who has met regularly with=20
members of the mayor's Wireless Task Force in recent months.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=3DviewArticleBasi...
rticleId=3D9002114&source=3Drss_topic15

CABLE

SMALL OPS TOLD: HEAD TO DC
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Moss]
Small cable operators, facing one of the most=20
=93hostile=94 environments in more than a decade at=20
the Federal Communications Commission, need to=20
get active and plead their case in Washington,=20
lobbyists told a conference of small cable=20
companies Monday. During a panel at The=20
Independent Show here, the American Cable=20
Association and one of its lawyers basically=20
warned its members -- which serve 10 million=20
subscribers -- that there will be no help coming=20
from the FCC on hot-button issues such as=20
retransmission consent and digital-multicast=20
must-carry under the watch of Chairman Kevin=20
Martin. Therefore, it is =93paramount=94 that small=20
cable companies step up their grassroots efforts=20
and =93out-local=94 their broadcast rivals by taking=20
their case directly to their representatives in=20
Washington, according to ACA president Matt Polka.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6358026.html?display=3DBreaking+News

FCC VOTES TO REFER MASN COMPLAINT
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC commissioners have approved an order,=20
circulated by Chairman Kevin Martin, that will=20
send a program access complaint by Mid Atlantic=20
Sports Network parent TCR Sports Broadcasting=20
Holding to one of its administrative law judges=20
(ALJ) for resolution and recommendation if MASN=20
says the word. The order found that TCR "provided=20
sufficient evidence to make a prima facie showing=20
that Comcast indirectly and improperly demanded a=20
financial interest in MASN in exchange for=20
carriage," in violation of FCC rules. But the=20
order is stayed until TCR decides whether it=20
wants to go the FCC judge route, or instead=20
submit the complaint to arbitration under a=20
condition imposed on the purchase of Adelphia by=20
Comcast and Time Warner. If MASN decides to go=20
the ALJ route, the judge has 45 days to rule on=20
the dispute, and then the FCC has another 60 days to act.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6358007.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* FCC Order: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-111A1=
.doc
* FCC Finds Possible Bias Against MASN by Comcast
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR200607...
1200.html

TIME WARNER, COMCAST SETTLE WITH MINNEAPOLIS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Time Warner Cable and Comcast agreed to pay for a=20
$3.5 million grant, as well as providing other=20
concessions, to end a legal dispute with=20
Minneapolis, according to the city. The agreement=20
paved the way for a change of ownership from Time=20
Warner to Comcast -- part of the system swaps=20
triggered by the acquisition by Time Warner Inc.=20
and Comcast of the assets of bankrupt Adelphia=20
Communications. The city and Time Warner have=20
been at odds for at least three years, arguing=20
over alleged franchise violations by the cable=20
operator. Disputes over alleged underpaid=20
franchise fees and failure to provide=20
state-of-the-art plant have lead to multiple lawsuits.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357829.html?display=3DBreaking+News

TELECOM

FEDS APPEAL LOSS IN NSA WIRETAP CASE
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
The Bush administration has asked a federal=20
appeals court to halt a lawsuit alleging AT&T=20
illegally opened its communication networks to=20
surveillance by the National Security Agency.=20
Permitting the lawsuit to proceed would endanger=20
national security and possibly expose classified=20
information, the U.S. Department of Justice said=20
in a legal brief filed on Monday. The brief is a=20
response to a July 20 ruling by U.S. District=20
Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco, who=20
surprised lawsuit watchers by saying there are=20
"sufficient" grounds to let the lawsuit continue.
http://news.com.com/Feds+appeal+loss+in+NSA+wiretap+case/2100-1036_3-610...
2.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert

CINGULAR TO RAISE PRICES FOR USERS OF OLDER PHONES
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Cingular Wireless, a venture of AT&T and=20
BellSouth, said on Monday it would start charging=20
customers with older phones an extra $4.99=20
monthly fee as early as September unless they=20
upgrade their phones as it moves toward using a=20
single network technology. The biggest U.S.=20
wireless service, said the fee would apply to=20
about 4.7 million subscribers, or about 8=20
percent, of its 57.3 million customer base unless=20
these users upgrade their phones. It is part of=20
Cingular's plan to phase out phones based on=20
older TDMA and analog technology, the technical=20
standard for the first cellphones produced more than 20 years ago.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-07-31T233344Z_01_N31358497_RTRUKOC_0_US-TELECOMS-CINGULAR-FEES.xml
* Cingular adds new fee for old handsets
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060801/3b_news01.art.htm

COMPANIES DISCOVER IT ISN'T EASY TO CLAIM PHONE-TAX REFUNDS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Robert Guy=20
Matthews robertguy.matthews( at )wsj.com]
The Internal Revenue Service plans to refund $13=20
billion in phone taxes to businesses and=20
consumers following court rulings that the taxes=20
were illegal. But getting more than a nominal=20
refund could cost a bundle because customers will=20
have to search through old bills to calculate how=20
much they paid in the tax. Sean Kevelighan,=20
spokesman for economic and tax policy for the=20
Treasury Department, says the government=20
recognizes that recovering old bills is a tedious=20
process but that it is necessary to prevent=20
fraud. The Treasury Department, after a series of=20
court rulings against the government, announced=20
in May that it would stop collecting the 3%=20
excise tax on long-distance telephone service and=20
refund billions of dollars to 25 million=20
businesses and 150 million individuals --=20
virtually all the businesses and individuals who=20
filed tax returns during the period in question.=20
Although the tax dates back to the=20
Spanish-American War, the agency said, under the=20
statute of limitations, it would refund only=20
taxes imposed starting March 2003 through=20
mid-2006. For consumers, getting the refund will=20
be fairly simple. The IRS is likely to set an=20
amount -- probably from $30 to $70, depending on=20
usage and the number of telephones in the=20
household -- that taxpayers can get without=20
documentation, says David R. Williams, an IRS=20
official overseeing the refund effort. Mr.=20
Williams says the IRS's initial calculations show=20
that most consumers have shelled out less than=20
$70 in telephone taxes since 2003. The IRS and=20
the phone companies are discussing how to come up=20
with an easiest way for them to calculate the=20
average refunds that households are due. Those=20
and other details are still being worked out, he says.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115438850064522808.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

INTERNET

JOURNALISM WITHOUT JOURNALISTS
[SOURCE: New Yorker, AUTHOR: Nicholas Lemann]
[Commentary] Internet journalism, according to=20
those who produce manifestos on its behalf,=20
represents a world-historical development -- not=20
so much because of the expressive power of the=20
new medium as because of its accessibility to=20
producers and consumers. That permits it to break=20
the long-standing choke hold on public=20
information and discussion that the traditional=20
media -- usually known, when this argument is=20
made, as =93gatekeepers=94 -- have supposedly been=20
able to maintain up to now. =93Millions of=20
Americans who were once in awe of the=20
punditocracy now realize that anyone can do this=20
stuff -- and that many unknowns can do it better=20
than the lords of the profession,=94 writes Glenn=20
Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor=20
who operates one of the leading blogs,=20
Instapundit. The rhetoric about Internet=20
journalism produced by Reynolds and many others=20
is plausible only because it conflates several=20
distinct categories of material that are widely=20
available online and didn't use to be: like pure=20
opinion and information originally published in=20
other media made instantly available through=20
search engines. Journalism is not in a period of=20
maximal self-confidence right now, and the=20
Internet=92s cheerleaders are practically=20
laboratory specimens of maximal self-confidence.=20
They have got the rhetorical upper hand;=20
traditional journalists answering their=20
challenges often sound either clueless or cowed=20
and apologetic. As of now, though, there is not=20
much relation between claims for the=20
possibilities inherent in journalist-free=20
journalism and what the people engaged in that=20
pursuit are actually producing. As journalism=20
moves to the Internet, the main project ought to=20
be moving reporters there, not stripping them away.
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060807fa_fact1

AUTHORSHIP GETS LOST ON WEB
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Del Jones]
The Internet is becoming a cesspool of=20
plagiarism. In some quarters, plagiarism remains=20
a serious offense. But where it involves the=20
Internet, an acceptance of plagiarism is taking=20
hold, and when confronted, offenders often shrug=20
it off as hardly newsworthy. Pew Research two=20
weeks ago said it found that of the 12 million=20
adults who blog, 44% say they have taken songs,=20
text or images and =93remixed=94 them into their own=20
artistic creation. A new twist is software used=20
by spammers to automatically and intentionally=20
grab original content to post on blogs and=20
Internet sites. Authors are byproduct victims of=20
an attempt to draw traffic to the content so that=20
readers will click on deceiving links that take=20
them to advertising. It's going to take a=20
high-profile legal case to slow it down, says=20
Howard Kaushansky, president of Umbria, which=20
companies hire to monitor the Internet and report=20
back what is being said about them and competitors.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060801/net_plagiarism.art.htm

INTERNET RAISES GENDER GAP
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Mike Langberg]
[Commentary] Who's better at using the Internet,=20
men or women? Most men would nominate themselves,=20
and most women would agree -- even in situations=20
where it's clear their actual abilities are the=20
same. This gender gap, which affects everything=20
from the marketing of new technology to=20
attracting more women for engineering careers, is=20
elegantly illustrated in an academic study just=20
published by a researcher from Northwestern=20
University. The study found "no statistically=20
significant difference between men's and women's=20
ability to find content on the Web," after taking=20
into account external factors such as income,=20
education and years of online experience. But the=20
data "suggests that gender is a very strong=20
predictor of how one rates one's Internet-user=20
skills; being female leads to a significantly=20
lower self-assessment of skill." (The Internet=20
gets more like real life every day, doesn't it?)
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/15163972.htm

TEMPERING THE TEMPTATION OF WEB CASINOS
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] If, within just a few years, 4.5=20
percent of college students took on a new form of=20
addiction, one might expect quick national action=20
to curb it. Not so in the US Senate, which left=20
last week for a long holiday without passing a=20
House bill to clamp down on online casinos.=20
Internet gambling has skyrocketed in recent=20
years, reaching a vulnerable few who can ruin=20
their lives through compulsive betting, ignoring=20
responsibilities, and losing livelihood. College=20
kids away from parental oversight seem especially=20
drawn to the ease and anonymity of Web casinos,=20
notably poker, on their PCs. The Senate's=20
purposeful delay in cracking down on illegal=20
Internet gambling shows just how far the public=20
interest has been perverted. Governments need to=20
be on constant guard to control and tax the=20
industry. With the Internet allowing Americans to=20
play at foreign-based casinos and sports-betting=20
operations, a special vigilance is needed.=20
Federal prosecutors sent that message last month=20
with the arrest of the British chief executive of=20
BetOnSports, David Carruthers, who was caught=20
during a flight layover in the US. BetOnSports is=20
based in London and Costa Rica. Prohibiting all=20
gambling would be difficult, but gambling should=20
not be difficult for government to control. The=20
Senate should pass the House bill quickly upon its return.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0801/p08s02-comv.html

AT THE WHITE HOUSE

WHITE HOUSE PRESSROOM GETS MAKEOVER
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John D. McKinnon john.mckinnon( at )wsj.co=
m]
For a decade, the daily White House news briefing=20
has been televised. Now it is becoming=20
television. Earlier this year, Fox News talk show=20
host Tony Snow was hired as press secretary. Next=20
up: a renovation of the briefing room, likely=20
with a video wall that could display everything=20
from "flags waving in the breeze [to] detailed=20
charts and graphs," according to a senior White=20
House official working on the project. For TV=20
viewers, the video feed could be the sole=20
on-screen image, or could share the space with=20
the speaker. White House officials say they are=20
weighing how -- and how often -- to use the video=20
capability. But the new technology could help=20
transform White House briefings -- midday=20
exchanges with reporters in a utilitarian setting=20
-- into more interesting viewing. Both the=20
planned video capabilities and Mr. Snow's hiring=20
appear to be part of a subtle but sweeping effort=20
by administration officials to deliver their=20
message directly to the public, particularly=20
through video. The Bush administration has taken=20
the practice of managing its official message to=20
new levels -- for example, by providing packaged=20
video stories to local TV news shows, as well as=20
paying conservative columnists for positive=20
coverage -- a practice the president since has=20
criticized. On the campaign trail and in many=20
public events, President Bush has used backdrops=20
with vivid images or repeated slogans to=20
reinforce the words of his speeches. Some media=20
observers say the moves to upgrade the White=20
House briefing reflect a focus on minimizing or=20
circumventing criticism of the Bush=20
administration in the place where it has been=20
most concentrated -- the dingy and often unruly press briefing room.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115438835036522799.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)

WHITE HOUSE APPOINTS CONSERVATIVE SCHOLAR TO REGULATORY POST
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Bob Davis bob.davis( at )wsj.com ]
The White House named Susan Dudley, a=20
conservative regulatory scholar, to oversee=20
regulatory review, a little known but powerful=20
post at the Office of Management and Budget. The=20
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs=20
reviews major agency regulations with an eye=20
toward reducing compliance costs, and according=20
to critics, easing burdens on companies. It takes=20
an especially active role in overseeing proposals=20
involving environmental, transportation and labor=20
issues. In the first Bush administration, the=20
agency operated in secrecy and was widely seen as=20
a way to make end-runs around agencies. In the=20
current Bush White House, the agency operates=20
with a great deal more transparency, though it=20
retains a very conservative tilt. In the early=20
Bush years, for instance, the agency sought=20
suggestions for government regulations to kill or modify.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115438386077322687.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)
* Whit House press release:=20
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060731-7.html

QUICKLY

STUDY: YOUNG ADULTS SNAPPING UP NEW TECH
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Karen Brown]
Generation Y young adults aged 18-26 are plugging=20
into technology at a faster rate than any other=20
generation, but they are doing so instead of=20
spending time in front of a TV, according to a=20
new Forrester Research study. Young adults spend=20
12.2 hours online, 28% longer than Generation X=92s=20
27- to 40-year-olds and twice as long as baby=20
boomers aged 51-61. The study also found that 41%=20
of all North American households are linked to a=20
broadband Internet connection, and of the 75% of=20
all households that have mobile phones, almost=20
one-half use them to make most of their=20
long-distance calls. In addition, 45% of=20
Generation Y users, 27% of Generation X users and=20
17% of baby boomers have bought into a=20
mobile-data service, mostly using it for text messaging, ring tones and gam=
es.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357818.html?display=3DBreaking+News
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------