January 2008

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Wiretapping battle heats up on Capitol Hill
Afghan sentenced to death after sharing Web printouts

MEDIA & ELECTIONS
Who decides who'll be allowed on TV debates?

INTERNET/BROADBAND
FCC, Bush have failed on broadband reform
Broadband Policy
Frustrated Irish Senator to produce Broadband Bill

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Media Activists Seek Dismissal of Tribune=92s FCC Waiver Challenge
FCC Adds Ownership Studies to Official Record

BROADCASTING/CABLE
Airwaves sale is payoff for digital move
The Unavoidable Update
Dingell to Constituents: Get Your Converter-Box Coupons
NCTA Seeks Stay of FCC=92s MDU Order

DIGITAL CONTENT
MPAA Admits Mistake on Downloading Study
OMB, GAO to Go Digital on Key Reports
Last.fm, music labels launch free music on-demand
The next Facebook privacy scandal
Web Talent Tests Ads

POLICYMAKERS
Democrats likely to step up oversight efforts
Fritts Adds a Fourth

QUICKLY -- Newspapers thriving? Yes =96 in Asia.
=09

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

WIRETAPPING BATTLE HEATS UP ON CAPITOL HILL
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Walter Alarkon]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urged=20
President Bush on Wednesday to support a=20
one-month extension of an interim=20
foreign-intelligence surveillance law that=20
expires on Feb 1. In a letter to President Bush,=20
Sen Reid wrote that it is doubtful the Senate can=20
pass its update of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence=20
Surveillance Act (FISA) by the expiration date.=20
The House passed a Democratic-written bill last=20
fall. Democrats and the White House are at=20
loggerheads over whether to include in the bill=20
immunity for the telecommunications companies=20
that complied with the government=92s warrantless=20
wiretapping programs after Sept. 11, 2001. They=20
also disagree on whether once again to require=20
Congress=92s reauthorization of the program. The=20
House bill does not contain any immunity=20
provision, while the base bill awaiting action in=20
the Senate does. But several Senate Democrats are=20
planning to alter, if not strike, the immunity=20
language through the amendment process. A=20
temporary extension of the interim bill, passed=20
last summer over the objections of many=20
Democrats, would effectively buy them more time.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/wiretapping-battle-heats-up-on-hill-...
8-01-23.html
* Senate Opens Debate On Wiretap Measure
The Senate yesterday began debating whether to=20
grant legal immunity to telephone companies for=20
assisting in warrantless wiretaps of terrorism=20
suspects, with Democrats divided and their=20
leadership pleading with the White House for more time to consider the issu=
e.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR200801...
2179.html
* President will lay out four themes
President Bush=92s last State of the Union address=20
next week will feature four big themes: fixing=20
the economy, renewal of the Foreign Intelligence=20
Surveillance Act (FISA), recent successes in Iraq=20
and ratification of trade agreements.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/president-will-lay-out-four-themes-2...
-01-24.html
* Cheney urges action on surveillance law
Vice President Cheney prodded Congress on=20
Wednesday to extend and broaden an expiring=20
surveillance law, saying "fighting the war on=20
terror is a long-term enterprise" that should not=20
come with an expiration date.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080124/a_capcol24.art.htm
* Cheney: Telecoms deserve immunity for NSA aid
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9856843-7.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&tag=
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
* Presidential Candidates Speak Out on FISA
Sen Barack Obama and former Sen John Edwards=20
released statements opposing retroactive immunity in the FISA bill.
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3D3395
* Collins, Snowe back immunity clause
New legislation that would grant retroactive=20
immunity from lawsuits to telephone companies=20
that took part in a domestic surveillance program=20
could be approved by the Senate this weekend with=20
strong bipartisan backing, including Maine=92s two=20
Republican senators. The immunity provision is=20
strongly opposed by elected officials and civil liberties groups in Maine.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=3D164397&ac=3DPHnws

AFGHAN SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER SHARING WEB PRINTOUTS
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
A 23-year-old Afghani journalism student is=20
facing a death sentence in his home country for=20
distributing articles allegedly critical of Islam=20
that he had printed from a Web site, according to=20
various news reports. According to the Associated=20
Press, the judges arrived at their decision by=20
citing Article 130 of the Afghan Constitution,=20
which calls for "judicial discretion" when there=20
is no provision in the constitution or other=20
national laws to deal with a certain matter.=20
Court head Shamsurahman Momand was quoted by AFP=20
as defending the decision on Wednesday, saying=20
the student had been found to be "insulting Islam=20
and Prophet Mohammad." Local and international=20
press freedom groups, such as Reporters Without=20
Borders and the National Journalists Union of=20
Afghanistan, immediately condemned the verdict as=20
a violation of freedom of expression and called=20
on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to step in to overturn the ruling.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9856107-7.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&tag=
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
* Death Sentence for Afghan Student
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/world/middleeast/24afghan.html?_r=3D1&...
=3Dtodayspaper&oref=3Dslogin

MEDIA & ELECTIONS

WHO DECIDES WHO'LL BE ALLOWED ON TV DEBATES?
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Bob Egelko]
The Nevada Supreme Court's ruling allowing a=20
cable network to exclude Rep. Dennis Kucinich=20
from a Democratic presidential debate might prove=20
to be as significant as any of the political=20
events in the Nevada campaign. It constituted the=20
strongest judicial statement yet of news=20
organizations' near-absolute power to control=20
participation in pre-election forums.=20
Broadcasters' right to exclude candidates they=20
consider marginal has been established at least=20
since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a 1998 case=20
involving a state-owned television station in=20
Arkansas that had excluded a congressional=20
candidate from a debate. The court said the=20
public station couldn't factor candidates'=20
viewpoints into its decisions -- a constitutional=20
restriction on government conduct that probably=20
wouldn't apply to a private broadcaster -- but=20
could bar a candidate with little public support=20
on journalistic grounds. The bottom line:=20
Debates, the public's sole opportunity to see=20
competing candidates in a neutral setting, are=20
the prerogative of the sponsoring organizations=20
-- typically, these days, the news media - which=20
set the criteria and have free rein to alter them.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=3D/c/a/2008/01/23/MNJDUJ0TP....
&tsp=3D1

INTERNET/BROADBAND

FCC, BUSH HAVE FAILED ON BROADBAND REFORM
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Matt Hamblen, Computerworld]
The Center for American Progress, a progressive=20
Washington think tank, blasted the Federal=20
Communications Commission and the Bush=20
administration for failing to invest in and=20
develop a robust broadband network in the U.S.=20
that can support consumers as well as first=20
responders and anti-terrorist teams. "The policy=20
of relying on market forces that the Bush=20
administration claimed for seven years would=20
propel broad access is irresponsible and=20
insufficient," said CPA Senior Fellow Mark Lloyd.=20
"The result of administration neglect, industry=20
intransigence and the incompetence of the Federal=20
Communications Commission ... has left the=20
American people and most policymakers with no=20
clear idea where broad services are deployed in=20
the US," he added. He urged policymakers,=20
including the presidential candidates, to find=20
government funds to support the building of a=20
10Gbps, redundant and ubiquitous broadband=20
network. Lloyd said all branches of government=20
need to work with service providers in a=20
"necessary and forced partnership" to bring about a broadband network.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/23/Think-tank-says-FCC-Bush-faile...
n-broadband_1.html
* Haywire FCC Spectrum Auction: U.S. Needs National Broadband Strategy
[Commentary] The goal of federal investment in=20
broadband should be first and foremost to ensure=20
our ability to respond to threats to our homeland=20
security and to natural disasters. Directly=20
connected to this goal is the availability of=20
advanced telecommunications services in our=20
health care and educational systems=97the=20
modernization of which is key to our nation=92s=20
ability to respond to threats to our national=20
security and public safety immediately and over=20
the coming decades.... In meeting these goals,=20
federal investment should make certain that the=20
U.S. communications infrastructure is continually=20
upgraded, robust, redundant, and able to=20
withstand multiple threats and uses. The public=20
should not be left to rely on any one technology,=20
but rather on multiple technologies=97each able to=20
operate with the other, and each able to serve=20
important needs if the other technologies are=20
destroyed or compromised. Market forces will not guarantee this result.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/01/haywire_fcc.html
* Ubiquity Requires Redundancy
http://www.scienceprogress.org/2008/01/ubiquity-requires-redundancy/
DISCLOSURE: Mr Lloyd served as general counsel to the Benton Foundation.

BROADBAND POLICY
[SOURCE: Broadband Hub, AUTHOR: Laura Spining]
[Commentary] During the release of his new=20
report, Framing a National Broadband Policy, Dr.=20
Rob Atkinson offered three points on universal=20
broadband deployment: 1. Identifying the gaps --=20
he mentioned a number of existing programs that=20
hold great promise including ConnectKentucky, and=20
a dynamic online mapping program. 2. Funding=20
Deployment -- He addresses the need for focusing=20
the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities=20
Service loan and grant programs to those markets=20
where broadband has not yet been deployed. He=20
also suggested tax incentives to promote rural=20
build out. 3. Closing the Digital Literacy Gap --=20
He pointed to some of the applications that have=20
been developed by Microsoft, One Economy and E-=20
North Carolina that have been successful in=20
educating folks on how to use broadband=20
technology and many of its applications. Others=20
at the event noted political complexities of the issues.
http://blog.internetinnovation.org/2008/01/broadband-policy/
* Framing a National Broadband Policy (ITIF)
http://www.itif.org/index.php?id=3D118
http://commlaw.cua.edu//articles/v16/16.1/Atkinson.pdf

FRUSTRATED IRISH SENATOR TO PRODUCE BROADBAND BILL
[SOURCE: siliconrepublic, AUTHOR: John Kennedy]
If proposals to establish universal 20MB=20
broadband coverage in Ireland by 2012 are adopted=20
under a new Broadband Bill, some 85,000 new jobs=20
could be created over the next 10=20
years. Outspoken Irish senator and business=20
journalist Shane Ross said he intends to produce=20
a bill on the subject. Ross attacked the =93abject=20
failure=94 of the Irish Government to provide a=20
high-quality broadband service to every household and business in the count=
ry.
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=3Dsingle10079

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

MEDIA ACTIVISTS SEEK DISMISSAL OF TRIBUNE'S FCC WAIVER CHALLENGE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The United Church of Christ and the Media=20
Alliance, represented by Media Access Project,=20
asked the D.C. Court of Appeals to dismiss=20
Tribune's challenge of the Federal Communications=20
Commission's decision to grant it waivers of the=20
newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule. Tribune=20
asked the Commission for indefinite waivers and=20
instead got two-year waivers, or six months after=20
the end of any litigation over the waivers. At=20
the time, FCC Democrats saw that as giving=20
Tribune an invitation to take the entire rule to=20
court, which it proceeded to do only days later.=20
While that gave Tribune the regulatory certainty=20
it needed to complete its deal to sell itself to=20
investor Sam Zell and Tribune stockholders -- a=20
deal the FCC approved at the same time it granted=20
the waivers -- it also appeared to provide the=20
company its chance to challenge the=20
newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule in its=20
entirety since Tribune did not get all it had=20
asked for. The UCC et al motion says that since=20
the FCC had granted the transfer of control=20
application to Zell et. al., the court had no=20
jurisdiction to hear the case. They also argued=20
that the issue, which Tribune raised, of whether=20
the cross-ownership rule is arbitrary and=20
capricious is not ripe for review and should be=20
reviewed in the Third Circuit in Philadelphia at=20
any rate since it was in response to that court's=20
remand that the FCC loosened the rule. And they=20
said Tribune would suffer no hardship from the=20
dismissal since the FCC waiver gave it sufficient=20
time to seek permanent waivers under the FCC's new rules.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6524964.html?rssid=3D193

FCC ADDS OWNERSHIP STUDIES TO OFFICIAL RECORD
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday=20
entered its peer-reviewed, and=20
media-activist-criticized, ownership studies into=20
the docket for comments on its media-ownership=20
review. That review was effectively over as of=20
Dec. 18, when the FCC voted to modify its ban on=20
newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership but do no=20
more to loosen -- or tighten -- its=20
media-ownership rules. But according to Media=20
Bureau chief Monica Desai in a letter also filed=20
in the docket, the commission was making them=20
part of the official record to comply with the=20
Office of Management and Budget's rules on=20
publicizing peer-reviewed studies used in making regulatory decisions.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525152.html?rssid=3D193

BROADCASTING/CABLE

AIRWAVES SALE IS PAYOFF FOR DIGITAL MOVE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
So far, the decade-long transition to digital=20
broadcasting has mostly been about pain.=20
Beginning Thursday, the public will start to see=20
the gain. That's when the government will begin=20
auctioning off the airwaves that are being made=20
available thanks to the transition. The auction=20
will raise billions for the U.S. Treasury and the=20
transition will free up badly needed space for=20
emergency communications. It's "probably the most=20
important auction we've had to date and the most=20
important one we're going to have in the=20
foreseeable future," because of the quality of=20
the spectrum, said Federal Communications=20
Commission Chairman Kevin Martin. The airwaves=20
are currently occupied by television UHF channels=20
52 through 69. The spectrum can carry lots of=20
information across long distances and easily=20
penetrate walls. It is so desirable that analysts=20
have taken to calling it "beach-front property."=20
Chairman Martin calls it the "key building block"=20
in making wireless Internet service competitive=20
with cable and DSL (digital subscriber line)=20
offerings. Customers could do things like watch=20
TV shows and transmit loads of data "wherever and=20
whenever" they want. Skeptics say Martin is overly optimistic.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/01/23/airwave...
ale_is_payoff_for_digital_move/
* As U.S. spectrum auction opens, questions linger
One of the major questions as the U.S. Federal=20
Communications Commission kicks off a=20
multibillion-dollar spectrum auction Thursday is=20
whether the auction will produce a winning bidder=20
that will challenge telecom and cable-based=20
broadband providers with a national wireless=20
broadband network. Will Google or another bidder=20
buy enough spectrum to launch a "third pipe"=20
broadband network? Will any bidders step forward=20
and pledge to build a nationwide broadband and=20
voice network for emergency response agencies?=20
The bids to watch in the 700MHz auctions are for=20
the C block, a 22MHz band of spectrum broken up=20
into 12 regional licenses, and the D block, 10MHz=20
of auctioned spectrum paired with another 10MHz=20
set aside for a combined national=20
commercial/emergency response agency network.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/23/US-spectrum-auction-questions_...
tml
* FCC auction draws repeat entrepreneurs
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/23/FCC-auction-draws-repeat-entre...
neurs_1.html
* Google could cause a stir in FCC's auction of airwaves
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20080124/fccauction24.art.htm

THE UNAVOIDABLE UPDATE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Roy Furchgott]
While people like to complain that there is=20
nothing to watch on television, about 21 million=20
American households may find that literally true=20
in February 2009. On the 17th of that month, most=20
TV stations will quit broadcasting analog TV=20
signals over the air, and older sets will go=20
blank. And despite advertising that proposes=20
cable TV as the remedy for a dark screen, cable=20
viewers with older sets -- 40 million of them,=20
according to the Federal Communications=20
Commission -- will be given a reprieve but not=20
immunity. Three years after the over-the-air=20
change, cable customers with analog sets could=20
see the same blank screen. (By that time, most=20
analog sets would be ancient.) The picture isn't=20
entirely bleak for old sets. There are simple=20
steps consumers with old TVs can take to ensure=20
that =93American Idol=94 is still on their screen=20
next February. But consumers ready to make the=20
transition may have a hard time learning how to prepare.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/technology/personaltech/24basics.html?...
=3Dtodayspaper
(requires registration)

DINGELL TO CONSTITUENTS: GET YOUR CONVERTER-BOX COUPONS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
House Commerce Committee chairman John Dingell=20
(D-MI) encouraged all of his constituents to=20
apply ASAP for digital-to-analog converter-box=20
coupons good for $40 toward their purchases. "It=20
is my goal that everyone in my district be=20
prepared for the digital transition well ahead of=20
the deadline,=94 Chairman Dingell told his=20
constituents, according to a release from the=20
committee. =93If your family has any television=20
sets that receive signals over-the-air or using=20
rabbit ears, I strongly recommend that you apply=20
for and redeem your converter-box coupons at your=20
earliest convenience,=94 he said. =93The new digital=20
technology will benefit all Michigan residents=20
with more and higher quality over-the-air=20
programming, new advanced wireless services and=20
better connectivity for first-responders and=20
other public-safety communications."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525139.html

NCTA SEEKS STAY OF FCC'S MDU ORDER
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The cable industry continued to fight a Federal=20
Communications Commission order that disallows=20
exclusive contracts with the owners of apartments=20
and condos. The National Cable &=20
Telecommunications Association late Tuesday asked=20
the D.C. U.S. Court of Appeals to stay the=20
portion of the order that invalidates existing exclusive contracts.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6524952.html?rssid=3D193
* NCTA Seeks Court Stay on MDU Rules
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6524970.html?rssid=3D196

DIGITAL CONTENT

MPAA ADMITS MISTAKE ON DOWNLOADING STUDY
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Justin Pope]
Hollywood laid much of the blame for illegal=20
movie downloading on college students. Now, it=20
says its math was wrong. In a 2005 study it=20
commissioned, the Motion Picture Association of=20
America claimed that 44 percent of the industry's=20
domestic losses came from illegal downloading of=20
movies by college students, who often have access=20
to high-bandwidth networks on campus. The MPAA=20
has used the study to pressure colleges to take=20
tougher steps to prevent illegal file-sharing and=20
to back legislation currently before the House of=20
Representatives that would force them to do so.=20
But now the MPAA, which represents the U.S.=20
motion picture industry, has told education=20
groups a "human error" in that survey caused it=20
to get the number wrong. It now blames college=20
students for about 15 percent of revenue loss.=20
The MPAA says that's still significant, and=20
justifies a major effort by colleges and=20
universities to crack down on illegal=20
file-sharing. But Mark Luker, vice president of=20
campus IT group Educause, says it doesn't account=20
for the fact that more than 80 percent of college=20
students live off campus and aren't necessarily=20
using college networks. He says 3 percent is a=20
more reasonable estimate for the percentage of=20
revenue that might be at stake on campus networks.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=3D/n/a/2008/01/22/entertainm...
/e142552S47.DTL&type=3Dtech
* Studios admit error in piracy study
http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN2365001520080124
* Congress Should Demand MPAA Data on the Cost of Piracy
Public Knowledge: "Hollywood can pay for all the=20
studies it wants, but when it seeks to use those=20
studies as =93evidence=94 of the need for legislation=20
to impose technology mandates on industry and on=20
higher education institutions, the public has the=20
right to see whether that =93evidence=94 is at all=20
valid. Until then, Congress should refuse to=20
consider any legislative proposals based on this=20
or other studies purporting to demonstrate the cost of piracy."
http://feeds.publicknowledge.org/~r/publicknowledge-main/~3/222032598/1363

OMB, GAO TO GO DIGITAL ON KEY REPORTS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Stephen Barr]
They operate in different parts of the=20
government, but both have decided to go digital=20
and phase out their signature paper products. The=20
Office of Management and Budget will not print=20
3,000 copies of the president's budget to hand=20
out to members of Congress, the Cabinet and their=20
staffs on Feb. 4. Instead, the four books that=20
lay out the president's spending priorities will=20
be put on the Web at http://www .budget. gov.=20
Across town, the Government Accountability=20
Office, which investigates and reviews federal=20
agency operations and policies, is dropping=20
publication of its famed blue-cover reports for=20
distribution on Capitol Hill, at agencies and at=20
conferences. For longtime policy wonks, it's all=20
something of a shock, especially the end of free=20
budget books. "It's the one document that people=20
actually look at," a staff member of the House=20
Appropriations Committee said. But the=20
president's budget books have a short life most=20
years. After congressional aides, lobbyists and=20
others scrutinize lines of small print involving=20
their areas of interest, the 10-pound sets of=20
books often end up as door props or on shelves collecting dust.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR200801...
3382.html
(requires registration)

LAST.FM, MUSIC LABELS LAUNCH FREE MUSIC ON-DEMAND
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Yinka Adegoke]
Last.fm, the social music network owned by CBS=20
Corp, said on Wednesday it is introducing a free=20
service for fans to listen to their favorite=20
songs on-demand. The new service is being=20
launched in partnership with the four major music=20
companies, as well as over 150,000 labels and=20
artists. When fans in the United States, Britain=20
and Germany search for an artist on the Last.fm=20
Web site, they can now stream the artist's song=20
for nothing or pay to download an MP3 version of=20
the song via Amazon.com. Last.fm said the=20
streaming service is funded by advertising=20
revenue, which is shared with the music=20
companies. The move comes nearly six years after=20
Last.fm first started reaching out to music=20
companies to license songs to stream on its site.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2341167820080123
* CBS Betting Big on Last.fm
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525011.html?rssid=3D193
* In the free music space, can CBS succeed where others have failed?
[Commentary] It's no secret: ad-supported=20
streaming music, held up as an alternative to=20
both paid downloads and free-for-all piracy, has=20
hit some twists and snags. A number of=20
well-funded start-ups, like SpiralFrog, dove into=20
the space and few have emerged intact. Only one,=20
Imeem, can really claim to be a success--it has=20
licensing deals with all four major music=20
labels--but it's still been criticized for a=20
tepid user experience. So it was a bit of a=20
surprise when CBS' big announcement about=20
Last.fm, the music-based social network it=20
purchased last year, was the launch of a free,=20
ad-supported streaming music service.
http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9856582-36.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&...
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
* CBS to Make Internet Music Unit More Like Radio
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/business/media/24music.html?ref=3Dtoda...
aper

THE NEXT FACEBOOK SCANDAL
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Chris Soghoian]
[Commentary] Facebook is no stranger to the=20
complaints of privacy activists. First, it was=20
the site's News Feed feature back in 2006. Most=20
recently, the company's Beacon service drew=20
widespread criticism. This blog post will outline=20
yet another major privacy issue, in which=20
Facebook recklessly exposes user data. Facebook=20
launched its widely popular application developer=20
program back in May 2007. As of press time, there=20
were more than 14,000 applications. Some,=20
including most of the popular apps, are made by=20
companies, while a few of the popular apps, and a=20
significant number of the long tail of the less=20
popular applications are made by individual=20
developers. But a new study suggests there may be=20
a bigger problem with the applications. Many are=20
given access to far more personal data than they=20
need to in order to run, including data on users=20
who never even signed up for the application. Not=20
only does Facebook enable this, but it does=20
little to warn users that it is even happening,=20
and of the risk that a rogue application developer can pose.
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13739_1-9854409-46.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&...
=3D2547-1_3-0-5

WEB TALENT TESTS ADS
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Daisy Whitney]
Looking to increase revenues, a number of online=20
video creators are turning to new ad strategies,=20
including product placement. Besides product=20
placement, some video online creators are=20
focusing on selling ads on their own Web sites=20
and promoting that site as the preferred viewing=20
destination. Also, technology firms such as=20
Blip=92d and Blinkx are introducing technology=20
solutions that let ads travel with video around=20
the Web. They are doing this because most video=20
bloggers have learned that while some fans may=20
watch a Web show at the home site, most viewers=20
watch Web shows on YouTube, MySpace or Facebook.=20
But the ads don't always travel to those sites.=20
Product placement ensures an ad is married to the video.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/01/web_talent_tests_ads.php
(requires free registration)

POLICYMAKERS

DEMOCRATS LIKELY TO STEP UP OVERSIGHT EFFORTS
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Brian Friel]
A wide array of executive branch chiefs and=20
corporate leaders -- from the State Department to=20
the CIA to the Federal Communications Commission=20
-- are dealing with, or bracing for, the effects=20
of congressional Democrats' aggressive oversight.=20
"2007 was a remarkable year for both=20
congressional oversight and for congressional=20
investigations," said Raymond Shepherd, a former=20
Republican staff director of the Senate Homeland=20
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's=20
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.=20
Although congressional leaders plan to tackle=20
such big-ticket issues as economic stimulus and=20
global warming, the expectations are low for=20
lawmakers getting much significant legislation=20
enacted in this decidedly political year. In many=20
cases, differences between the parties and among=20
interest groups make final passage problematic.=20
And the hotly contested presidential election --=20
not to mention members' need to defend their own=20
seats on the campaign trail -- shortens the=20
window for wheeling and dealing. But Democrats=20
will still be looking to burnish their record and=20
score political points to boost their electoral=20
prospects. So their oversight efforts could thus=20
assume an even higher profile than in 2007. "If=20
anything, you'll see generally an increase in=20
oversight hearings," said former Rep. Gerry=20
Sikorski (D-MN), an investigations specialist at=20
the lobbying firm Holland & Knight. "It's an=20
even-numbered year. Congress is going to be=20
flushed out. The legislation all has to be=20
reintroduced or forgotten, and so too the ongoing=20
investigations will be flushed out. There's an=20
incentive to get it done before the new Congress=20
comes in." Democratic oversight efforts have=20
strongly influenced legislation making its way to=20
the House and Senate floors this year. Because of=20
probes by the Judiciary and Intelligence panels,=20
for instance, pending legislation to overhaul the=20
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act includes=20
numerous provisions to broaden congressional=20
review of the government's activities.
http://govexec.com/dailyfed/0108/012208nj1.htm?rss=3Dgetoday

FRITTS ADDS A FOURTH
[SOURCE: Influence, AUTHOR: Jeff Horwitz]
The Fritts Group, the two-year old boutique=20
lobbying firm of former NAB director Eddie=20
Fritts, has expanded its team from three to four.=20
Lobbyist Ken Inouye, who ran lobbying operations=20
on the Hill for first the Motion Picture=20
Association of America and then the Entertainment=20
Software Association, is joining the firm in mid=20
February. His hire marks the first non-NAB=20
addition to the small shop. (Fritts took Ramsey,=20
NABs former communications director, along with=20
former Director of Government Relations John=20
Lively, with him when he left the NAB to start=20
his own shop.) Since then, the small shop has=20
built a roster of nine high-dollar clients in the=20
communications field. Judging by the firm=92s=20
midyear lobbying reports, $320,000 a year appears=20
to be the standard retainer. The two most recent=20
clients, Comptel and the MPAA, signed on in the=20
second half of last year. Inouye happens to be=20
the son of the venerable Hawaiian Sen. Daniel=20
Inouye. The Fritts group, which doesn't seem to=20
mind keeping a low profile outside of the telecom=20
and broadcasting lobbying fields, didn't feel the=20
need to advertise his arrival.
http://legaltimes.typepad.com/influence/2008/01/fritts-adds-a-f.html

QUICKLY

NEWSPAPERS THRIVING? YES -- IN ASIA
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Simon Montlake]
Soaring circulation. Expanding newsrooms. A=20
growing public hunger for, and appreciation of, a=20
free media. As the ailing US newspaper industry=20
gasps for air, its counterparts in Asia are=20
breathing in the exhilarating oxygen of success.=20
Rising incomes and literacy levels -- in an era=20
of growing press freedom, democracy, and private=20
media ownership =96 have lit a rocket under=20
newsrooms across the region, say newspaper=20
editors, industry analysts, and media executives.=20
Seven of the 10 best-selling daily newspapers are=20
in Asia, which also has the three largest=20
markets: China, India, and Japan, in that order.=20
In 2006, circulation in Asia rose 3.6 percent,=20
compared with a 2 percent fall in North America,=20
according to the World Association of Newspapers.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0124/p06s01-woap.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------