March 2008

SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
March Madness Hits FCC Auction Results
FCC Delinks 700 MHz Upper D Block from Other Blocks
D-Block dustup casts questions on Martin, Frontline, Cyren Call
NTIA Releases Federal Strategic Spectrum Plan
Dish Network's Wireless Win Could Nix Merger
The Call for a Wireless Bill of Rights

INTERNET/BROADBAND
New survey finds gaps in U.S. broadband
Will the FCC endorse filtering?
McSlarrow: We're only trying to help our Internet subscribers
Voice, Broadband Poised For 'Bumper Year': Study
Sweden proposes law, seeks open broadband market

BROADCASTING
Study: Most Viewers Aware of DTV Want it Free

JOURNALISM
In nightly news, little that's really new
Murdoch makes a play for Newsday

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC May Be Nearing Sirius-XM Decision

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Wiretaps and Blue Dogs
YouTube Unplugged

DIGITAL CONTENT
Younger Online News Consumers Are Not Newspaper Readers
Canadian university faces off with digital generation

QUICKLY -- Local telephone competition report;=20
Larry Lessig: Time to reject corporate influence=20
on Washington; Red Tape Rising From Blog To Riches?; The Stuff of White Peo=
ple

SPECTRUM/WIRELESS

MARCH MADNESS HITS FCC AUCTION RESULTS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
AT&T and Verizon, the country's two largest cell=20
phone companies, dominated bidding in a=20
record-setting government airwaves auction. They=20
combined to account for $16 billion of the $19.6=20
billion bid in the Federal Communications=20
Commission latest auction of valuable spectrum.=20
Verizon Wireless bid $9.4 billion and AT&T $6.6=20
billion. The third leading bidder was Qualcomm=20
Inc., which pledged $1 billion. The results=20
raised concern that the auction failed to attract=20
any new competitors to the cellular telephone=20
market to challenge the dominant companies.=20
Multichannel News repots that women-owned bidders=20
failed to win any licenses and minority-owned bidders won less 1% of licens=
es.
* AT&T, Verizon Win at Airwaves Auction
http://ca.biz.yahoo.com/ap/080320/airwaves_auction_winners.html?.v=3D1
* Verizon Wireless wins large chunk of 700MHz spectrum
Verizon was the winning bidder in the 22MHz band=20
of spectrum called the C block in the FCC's=20
700MHz auction. The company bid $4.7 billion for=20
the spectrum, which covers nearly all of the=20
United States. The FCC put so-called open-access=20
provisions on the C block, meaning Verizon must=20
allow outside devices such as mobile handsets=20
from other carriers and must allow users to run=20
outside applications on the network. Verizon=20
originally filed a lawsuit against the FCC's=20
open-access rules, but dropped out while trade=20
group the CTIA continued with the lawsuit.=20
Google, which had expressed interest in the C=20
block, did not win any of the C-block licenses.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/20/Verizon-Wireless-wins-huge-blo...
of-700MHz-spectrum_1.html
* Verizon and AT&T dominate airwaves auction
"It means that the two big guys just got much=20
bigger," said Rebecca Arbogast, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2042023420080320
* Verizon wins 'open access' licenses in FCC auction
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9899829-7.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&tag=
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
* Verizon Wireless wins bids on 'open' spectrum
http://www.marketwatch.com/enf/rss.asp?guid=3D%7BDE7234BA-A8EC-4108-BDD7...
54F9355AC8%7D&siteid=3Drss
* Google affects FCC auction without spending big
[Commentary] Even without coming through with any=20
winning bids for any of the wireless spectrum,=20
Google managed to have an impact on the auction=20
process. While Google did not end up with any=20
spectrum, its moves had an effect. Verizon bid on=20
the C block of spectrum, which by FCC rules is=20
now required to be open to devices and=20
applications not necessarily approved or sold by=20
owners of the spectrum. This could be the first=20
significant opening up of wireless networks. Let's see how this plays out.
http://www.marketwatch.com/enf/rss.asp?guid=3D%7B7603135A-61E5-49DD-AD1B...
DEB3A3A778%7D&siteid=3Drss&rss=3D1
* EchoStar, Cox Among 700-MHz Auction Winners
EchoStar won sizable amounts of spectrum in the=20
government=92s 700-Megahertz wireless spectrum=20
auction =96 and Cox Communications emerged as the=20
largest winning cable entity. EchoStar won 168=20
licenses in the E block, spectrum covering most=20
of the United States, for a total of $711=20
million. Cox, which was bidding as Cox Wireless,=20
will pay $304.6 million for 22 licenses, in the A=20
and B blocks, in California, Virginia, Georgia,=20
Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas and=20
Oklahoma. Cox=92s largest single winning bid was=20
$84.1 million for an A-block license in San=20
Diego. Paul Allen=92s Vulcan Ventures secured two A=20
Block licenses, in the Pacific Northwest, for=20
$112 million. Analyst firm Stifel, Nicolaus & Co.=20
predicted that spectrum will overlap with his=20
cable holdings. Comcast and Time Warner Cable did=20
not participate in the auction. Cablevision=20
Systems registered to bid but did not win any=20
licenses. BendBroadband won a license in the B=20
block in Oregon for $6.7 million.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6543745.html?nid=3D4262
* FCC: Spectrum Auction Expanded Wireless Competition
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6543752.html?desc=3Dtopstory
* FCC Public Notice
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-595A1.doc
* Winning bidders
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-595A2.pdf
* FCC Chairman Kevin Martin: "A bidder other than=20
a nationwide incumbent won a license in every=20
market. As a result of the 700 MHz Auction, there=20
is the potential for an additional wireless=20
'third-pipe" in every market across the nation.=20
Additionally, 99 bidders, other than the=20
nationwide wireless incumbents, won 754 licenses=20
- representing approximately 69 percent of the=20
1090 licenses sold in the 700 MHz auction. The=20
Auction therefore drew wide-ranging interest from=20
a number of new players. For example, Frontier=20
Wireless LLC (EchoStar), which is widely viewed=20
as a new entrant, won 168 licenses in the E block=20
to establish a near nationwide footprint for its services for consumers."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280968A1.doc
* Commissioner Adelstein: "It's appalling that=20
women and minorities were virtually shut out of=20
this monumental auction. It's an outrage that=20
we've failed to counter the legacy of=20
discrimination that has kept women and minorities=20
from owning their fair share of the spectrum.=20
Here we had an enormous opportunity to open the=20
airwaves to a new generation that reflects the=20
diversity of America, and instead we just made a=20
bad situation even worse. This gives whole new=20
meaning to "white spaces" in the spectrum."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280973A1.doc
* AT&T, Verizon In Airwaves Grab; A Win for Google?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120603843805652459.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
* FCC Names Winners of Wireless Auction
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR200803...
2140.html
* Verizon Wireless, AT&T win big in airwave auction
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20080321/fccauction21.art.htm
* Verizon, AT&T win big in airwave auction
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-airwaves21mar21,1,634...
3.story
* Auction takes 'first step' to open-access wireless
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8648269
* FCC Auction: 'The Big Get Bigger'
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080320_680397...
m?campaign_id=3Drss_tech
* Google's wireless-auction loss called possible win
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2022757820080321
* Verizon and AT&T Win Big in Auction of Spectrum
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/technology/21auction.html?ref=3Dtodays...
er

FCC DELINKS 700 MHz UPPER D BLOCK FROM OTHER BLOCKS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission released an=20
Order de-linking the Upper 700 MHz D Block from=20
the other blocks offered in the 700 MHz Auction=20
(Auction 73), which closed on March 18,=20
2008. The D Block did not meet its $1.3 billion=20
reserve price established in advance of the=20
auction, while the other blocks - the A, B, C,=20
and E Blocks - met and exceeded their reserve=20
prices. The Commission is committed to making=20
this spectrum available for use quickly after the=20
DTV transition on February 17, 2009. The action=20
enables the FCC to proceed with releasing the=20
information on the winning bidders in the A, B,=20
C, and E Blocks and to move forward with=20
licensing this spectrum. The FCC decided that it=20
will not re-offer the D Block immediately in=20
Auction 76 but will consider its options for how=20
to license this spectrum in the future.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280948A1.doc
* FCC D-block order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-91A1.doc
* Commissioner Adelstein: "It is nothing short of=20
a tragedy that the D block failed to sell. I am=20
pleased, though, that this Order represents a=20
hopeful effort to get back on track. I am also=20
pleased we are acting with the haste that is=20
justified by the urgency of this problem. We=20
have a special moral responsibility to act=20
quickly to set new rules that can lead to a=20
workable partnership. The public-private=20
partnership approach could have succeeded, and I=20
still believe we can make it work. Admittedly,=20
finding a balance was fraught with difficulty,=20
but we failed to make it viable, and heed=20
concerns about finding a balance on issues of=20
concern like penalties. We need to do a=20
top-to-bottom review of what went wrong so we can=20
make it work in the next round."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-91A3.doc
* Commissioner Copps: "Seven years after the=20
wake-up call of 9/11, America's first responders=20
still need a national, interoperable wireless=20
broadband network. This is quite literally a=20
matter of life and death. Until they receive the=20
communications resources they need, our nation's=20
police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical=20
technicians and other first responders will=20
remain unable to adequately protect=20
themselves--and all of us. It is a travesty that=20
our nation has failed, so far, to meet this=20
urgent public safety challenge. Now we have=20
another chance to build the network that public=20
safety and the American public need. I remain=20
committed to working with my colleagues to=20
succeed in this most important task."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-91A2.doc

D-BLOCK DUSTUP CASTS QUESTIONS ON MARTIN, FRONTLINE, CYREN CALL
[SOURCE: RCRWireless News, AUTHOR: Jeffrey Silva]
A coalition of consumer and public-interest=20
groups, the Ad Hoc Public Interest Spectrum=20
Coalition (PISC), asked the Federal=20
Communications Commission to probe the 700 MHz=20
auction=92s failure to attract a winning bidder for=20
the national commercial-public safety D-Block=20
license, an outcome of growing interest to=20
Congress. =93In particular, PISC asks the=20
commission to investigate carefully the=20
allegations surrounding a purported meeting=20
between Frontline [Wireless L.L.C.], its=20
financial backers, and Morgan O=92Brien of Cyren=20
Call [Communications Corp.] that may have had the=20
effect of preventing Frontline from attracting=20
needed capital and discouraging other bidders,=94=20
stated the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition in=20
a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. PISC=20
members include the Consumer Federation of=20
America, Consumers Union, EDUCAUSE, Free Press,=20
Media Access Project, National Hispanic Media=20
Coalition, New America Foundation, Public=20
Knowledge and U.S. Public Interest Research=20
Group. The organizations also want the FCC to=20
explore alternative uses of D-Block spectrum,=20
such as fostering broadband competition and deployment.
http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20080320/FREE/667571...
1072
* MAP Responds to 700 MHZ Auction Results
"This auction proves two things. First, anonymous=20
bidding works. Second, that auctions alone will=20
not bring competition to the wireless world or=20
break the current cable/DSL broadband duopoly."
* Public Knowledge Comment on FCC Spectrum Auction Actions
"It was no surprise that Verizon paid more than=20
$4.7 billion for a national block of spectrum in=20
the most valuable band. From what we have seen,=20
the company has started a process to comply with=20
the open access parts of the FCC order that have=20
the potential to bring many benefits to consumers=20
through more flexibility in using their own=20
handsets and other devices and the use of=20
applications other than those supplied by=20
Verizon. We look forward to hearing more details=20
about how Verizon implements its program, and we=20
hope the rest of the industry will adopt a=20
similar view to giving consumers more choice. We=20
are grateful to Google for stepping up and making=20
certain the minimum bid in the =93C=94 block was=20
achieved, so that the open access provisions=20
would be required to be followed. At the same=20
time, however, it is disappointing that new=20
competitors and innovators won't have access to=20
the spectrum to give consumers the benefits of real broadband competition."
http://feeds.publicknowledge.org/~r/publicknowledge-main/~3/255171452/1465

NTIA RELEASES FEDERAL STRATEGIC SPECTRUM PLAN
[SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration]
The Commerce Department's National=20
Telecommunications and Information Administration=20
(NTIA) today released a comprehensive report on=20
the use of the nation=92s airwaves used by the U.S.=20
federal government, based on submissions of=20
spectrum plans from 15 Federal agencies. The=20
report titled, The Federal Strategic Spectrum=20
Plan, is a key component of President Bush=92s 21st=20
Century Spectrum Policy Initiative for improving=20
the management of spectrum by federal agencies.=20
The report provides extensive data on federal=20
spectrum use and plans, including frequency=20
bands, radiocommunication services, and=20
spectrum-dependent systems. Among several=20
recommendations provided in the report, federal=20
agencies should over the next five years: 1) use=20
commercial services where feasible; 2) implement=20
=93smart=94 radio technologies to improve more=20
dynamic access to needed frequencies, wherever=20
and whenever needed; 3) work with NTIA on=20
identifying economic and other incentives to=20
promote more efficient use of spectrum; 4)=20
facilitate sharing among federal users and=20
between federal and non-federal users; 5) improve=20
interoperability among public safety agencies;=20
and 6) ensure spectrum support for continuity of=20
government operations. Within the five-year=20
timeframe, NTIA will upgrade the federal spectrum=20
management system; consider possible user fees=20
for federal use of spectrum; develop improved=20
interference models for optimizing spectrum use;=20
implement methods to better forecast future=20
requirements; and continue to promote interagency=20
and federal/private sector coordination.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/2008/SpectrumPlan_080320.html
* The Federal Strategic Spectrum Plan
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2008/FederalStrategicSpectrumPlan2008.pdf

DISH NETWORK'S WIRELESS WIN COULD NIX MERGER
[SOURCE: TVPredictions, AUTHOR: Phillip Swann]
Dish Network's win in the federal wireless=20
spectrum auction makes it unlikely it will be=20
purchased by AT&T or perhaps even satellite rival=20
DIRECTV. That's the conclusion of an analysis=20
from Citigroup. Dish Network, a sister network of=20
EchoStar, has been rumored for months to be=20
considering buyout deals from telco AT&T. The=20
satellite TV service has been struggling to keep=20
pace with better-financed competitors such as=20
DIRECTV on services such as High-Definition TV.=20
However, Citigroup says Dish's decision to pay=20
$711 million for 163 licenses for wireless=20
spectrum indicates that it wants to go alone in=20
the battle against DIRECTV and cable services.
http://phillipswann.c.topica.com/maakASCabFR62bsRVLVeaeQCSn/http://www.tv=
predictions.com/dishwire032108.htm=20

THE CALL FOR A WIRELESS BILL OF RIGHTS
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Spencer E. Ante]
Shortly after becoming a state senator in=20
Minnesota in 2006, Mary A. Olson discovered some=20
unsettling information: Wireless operators=20
generated more consumer complaints each year than=20
any other business, including 1,000 gripes in=20
2007. So last month, Olson, a Democrat,=20
introduced a proposal in the state legislature=20
for a cell-phone-user bill of rights, aimed at=20
stopping many of the industry's most criticized=20
activities. "The cell-phone industry has been=20
making a lot of money on [questionable] consumer=20
practices," says Olson. Minnesota is at the=20
forefront of a growing movement. Lawmakers have=20
introduced some version of a wireless bill of=20
rights in 22 states, including Arizona,=20
California, Massachusetts, and New York. The=20
proposals vary widely, but they typically include=20
clearer disclosure of fees and taxes and the end=20
of unauthorized charges for ringtones and other=20
third-party services. The Minnesota bill, which=20
consumer advocates say appears to have the best=20
chance of becoming law, could be voted on in the=20
next two weeks. "I'm feeling pretty good about it right now," says Olson.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_13/b4077080431634.htm?ca...
ign_id=3Drss_tech

INTERNET/BROADBAND

NEW SURVEY FINDS GAPS IN US BROADBAND
[SOURCE: Lightwave]
Sixty-five million Americans depend on broadband=20
services for work, education, entertainment, and=20
communications. But too many other Americans have=20
no access to broadband services, according to a=20
new telecom industry survey of readers of leading=20
U.S. telecom publications, commissioned by=20
Tellabs. Respondents strongly support expanding=20
broadband availability in the United States,=20
especially in under-served rural areas. The lack=20
of broadband availability, whether due to=20
geographic or economic reasons, hurts=20
productivity. 89% of respondents think lack of=20
broadband access hurts an individual's=20
educational, productivity, and employment=20
potential. 81% think America should use some of=20
the current Universal Service Fund to expand=20
rural broadband. 79% think where you live should=20
not dictate broadband availability. 77% think=20
economic status should not determine broadband=20
availability. Industry professionals called for a=20
new definition of broadband. An overwhelming 94%=20
of respondents said that the current FCC=20
definition of broadband does not deliver a true=20
broadband experience. In fact, 84% of respondents=20
feel that a better definition of broadband is a=20
service that can deliver high-quality streaming video.
http://lw.pennnet.com/display_article/323620/13/ARTCL/none/none/1/New-su...
y-finds-gaps-in-US-broadband/

WILL THE FCC ENDORSE FILTERING?
[SOURCE: Content Agenda, AUTHOR: Paul Sweeting]
[Commentary] Federal Communications Commission=20
member Jonathan Adelstein gave the Hollywood=20
studios some reason for concern but more reason=20
for cheer in comments Tuesday on Network=20
Neutrality. Commissioner Adelstein said, =93All of=20
the Net neutrality proposals that have been=20
promulgated include exemptions for illegal=20
activity,=94 including the illegal downloading of=20
copyrighted content. =93The Commission=92s policy=20
statement [on net neutrality] applied to legal=20
activities, not illegal activities.=94 In other=20
words, the MPAA, whose recent harsh denunciation=20
of Net neutrality has been all the buzz in=20
Washington telecom circles, is getting worked up=20
over nothing. =93We have to be very careful about=20
the use of the Internet for illegal purposes, and=20
that includes the illegal downloading of=20
copyrighted works, which is a very serious=20
problem,=94 he said. =93What we=92re talking about is=20
legal activity.=94 So content filtering is OK? Not=20
necessarily. =93The problem is, how can you ever=20
tell what=92s illegal?=94 Commissioner Adelstein said.
http://www.contentagenda.com/blog/1500000150/post/1800023580.html?nid=3D...
* FCC commish: Net neutrality shouldn't extend to illegal acts
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080320-fcc-commish-net-neutrality...
ouldnt-extend-to-illegal-acts.html

MCSLARROW: WE'RE ONLY TRYING TO HELP OUR INTERNET SUBSCRIBERS
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
With discontent still festering over Comcast's=20
admitted slowing of file-sharing uploads, the=20
cable industry's chief on Thursday set out to do=20
a little damage control. Kyle McSlarrow,=20
president of the National Cable and=20
Telecommunications Association, said he's=20
"amused" that in all the coverage of the=20
Comcast-BitTorrent spat, no one's talking about=20
the cable industry's role in getting high-speed=20
Internet service to millions of American=20
households and, by extension, enabling online=20
applications and services to take off. [People in=20
Washington do have an odd sense of humor.]=20
McSlarrow said it is important to allow network=20
engineers to tackle "challenges" that arise from=20
heavy peer-to-peer file-sharing use, particularly=20
at peak hours where the potential for=20
"congestion" is high. They're only trying to help=20
cable Internet subscribers have the smoothest=20
possible surfing experience, he suggested.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9899366-7.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&tag=
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
(Cable chief: Let us 'experiment' with our networks)

VOICE, BROADBAND POISED FOR 'BUMPER YEAR': STUDY
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Todd Spangler]
Even as the U.S. economy appears to be in a=20
recession, two cable industry services =96 voice=20
over Internet Protocol and broadband =96 will see=20
double-digit growth in 2008, according to a study=20
by research firm IBISWorld. VoIP service topped=20
IBISWorld=92s list of the top 10 growth sectors for=20
the year, with the firm predicting a 24.3% annual=20
increase in revenues, to reach $3.19 billion.=20
IBISWorld expects the number of VoIP subscribers=20
to rise by 21.2% this year, to 16.6 million. The=20
firm also expects broadband to be a top growth=20
area, with high-speed Internet connections=20
forecast to rise by 15.1% and Web search portal revenues rising 13.4%.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6543641.html?nid=3D4262

SWEDEN PROPOSES LAW, SEEKS OPEN BROADBAND MARKET
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: David Hulmes]
Sweden proposed on Tuesday its telecom regulator=20
be given extra powers to ensure the country's=20
broadband market was open, legislation that could=20
require TeliaSonera to make structural changes.=20
The legislation is aimed at making sure that=20
former monopoly provider TeliaSonera does not=20
discriminate in providing access to its copper=20
wire network. Last autumn, not long after draft=20
legislation was proposed, TeliaSonera created a=20
separate company for its copper and fibre=20
networks with a requirement that the unit sell=20
access to them on equal terms to all wholesale=20
companies. The move pre-empted government=20
legislation, but the bill announced on Tuesday=20
could give the regulator power to ask for further=20
changes if it believes the broadband market is not open.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSL18202213200...
18

BROADCASTING

STUDY: MOST VIEWERS AWARE OF DTV WANT IT FREE
[SOURCE: tvnewsday]
More than half of over-the-air consumers who are=20
aware of the digital transition prefer to receive=20
free digital television by buying a converter box=20
or digital TV set instead of pay TV services,=20
according to the latest survey from the=20
Association of Public Television Stations.=20
Roughly 62 percent of the approximately 14.5=20
million over-the-air consuming households who are=20
aware of the cut off to analog television=20
indicated that they would buy a converter box or=20
digital TV set between now and when the=20
transition takes effect Feb. 17, 2009, compared=20
to 10 percent who would opt for cable, satellite=20
or telecommunications service to receive digital=20
television. Consumer awareness of the transition=20
has also increased to 76.4 percent in February=20
2008 compared to 51 percent in November 2007.=20
Moreover, 55 percent, or 23 million of these=20
households, correctly identified the year when the DTV transition will occu=
r.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/03/20/daily.6/
* APTS Survey press release
http://www.apts.org/news/APTS-March-Survey-Finds-More-Than-Half-of-Over-...
-Air-Consumers-Prefer-Free-Broadcast-TV-After-The-DTV-Transition.cfm

JOURNALISM

IN NIGHTLY NEWS, LITTLE THAT'S REALLY NEW
[SOURCE: MediaLife, AUTHOR: Toni Fitzgerald]
Network evening news has seemingly gone through=20
tremendous changes in the past several years,=20
beginning with a complete turnover in anchors. If=20
anything, it's a more contentious race, with the=20
three networks, CBS, NBC and ABC, competing for=20
viewers not only with each other but with the=20
all-news cable networks and increasingly the=20
Internet. And yet across all media, the network=20
nightly news shows have changed the least over=20
the past three decades. Many of the stories that=20
dominated evening news shows then still dominate,=20
the formats are largely the same, and the way the=20
news is presented has changed hardly at all.=20
=93Network newscasts actually in many ways have=20
been more consistent across the board than any=20
other media in terms of staying with the=20
traditional story approach,=94 says Amy Mitchell,=20
deputy director of the Project for Excellence in=20
Journalism, based in Washington, D.C., which=20
recently completed a study on the state of media.=20
=93Cable is more live and extemporaneous. Network=20
news has very much stayed with packages that are=20
produced and edited.=94 What surprised PEJ=20
researchers is just how much that is so.
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Dayparts_update_51/In_n...
tly_news_little_that_s_really_new.asp

MURDOCH MAKES A PLAY FOR NEWSDAY
[SOURCE: Crain's New York Business, AUTHOR: Matthew Flamm]
Rupert Murdoch may not be done expanding his=20
newspaper empire. The News Corp. chairman, who=92s=20
still digesting Dow Jones & Co., is now believed=20
to have set his sights on Newsday. According to=20
one newspaper industry insider, the company has=20
made a bid for Tribune Co.=92s Long Island paper.=20
Newsday also owns amNew York, a daily tabloid=20
handed out free in New York City. Talk of the bid=20
has surfaced at the same time that Tribune=92s new=20
Chief Executive Sam Zell has said that an=20
advertising downturn has forced him to consider=20
selling off company assets. Additionally,=20
Standard & Poor=92s Ratings Services lowered its=20
corporate credit rating. Murdoch has long had an=20
interest in Newsday. A year ago, around the time=20
that Tribune was exploring a sale of the entire=20
company, he tried to establish a joint operating=20
agreement between the Tribune paper and News=20
Corp.=92s New York Post. He told analysts and=20
others that the agreement would create =93a very,=20
very powerful combination for advertisers=94 and=20
turn the money-losing Post into a viable business =93in five minutes."
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20080320/FREE/...
747293/1040
* Three New York Moguls in Talks to Buy Newsday
Add Mortimer B. Zuckerman, the real estate=20
developer and publisher who owns The Daily News,=20
and James L. Dolan, whose family controls=20
Cablevision, the cable television operator to the=20
list of possible buyers of Newsday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/business/media/21paper.html?ref=3Dtoda...
aper
* Newsday drawing looks from 3 buyers
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-fri-rosenthal-mar21,1,307200....
umn
* Tribune Considers Sale of Newsday; Cablevision Is a Potential Bidder
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120605271913453073.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
* Rivals Interested in Newsday
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR200803...
4095.html
* Tribune said to be in talks to sell Newsday
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-tribune21mar21,1,2217...
.story

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC MAY BE NEARING SIRIUS-XM DECISION
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sarah=20
McBride sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com and Amy Schatz]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin=20
Martin asked his staff to draft documents on the=20
planned merger of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and=20
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., signaling the=20
agency is nearing its decision on whether to=20
approve the deal. The move signals that the FCC=20
has finished its lengthy research phase, and will=20
be prepared to act once the Justice Department,=20
the other regulatory body that must rule on the=20
proposal, issues its decision. Chairman Martin=20
said it was unlikely a ruling from the FCC would=20
come by the end of the first quarter, in contrast=20
to remarks he has made recently. He said he'd=20
like the agency to act soon after the Justice Department makes its decision.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120604671159252807.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

WIRETAPS AND BLUE DOGS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Democratic cynicism on national=20
security reached new heights with a House vote=20
last Friday that deserves more public scrutiny.=20
Lawmakers approved a bill that not only fails to=20
provide liability protection for phone companies=20
that assisted the government after 9/11 but=20
actually greases the skids for trial lawyers.=20
This exercise shows that the Democratic left that=20
runs the House is a danger to American security.=20
Senate Democrats would be doing their party a=20
favor by killing this bill before voters figure=20
out they really believe this stuff.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120605503807153155.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

YOUTUBE UNPLUGGED
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Jane=20
Spencer jane.spencer( at )wsj.com and Kevin J. Delaney]
On Sunday, access to Google Inc.'s YouTube inside=20
China was cut off after the Web site was flooded=20
with graphic images from Tibet, including videos=20
of burning trucks and monks being dragged through=20
the streets by Chinese soldiers. Blocking Western=20
Web sites is routine in China, where the=20
government has tightly controlled the flow of=20
information. But the new YouTube blackout is the=20
latest in a string of clashes between the site=20
and foreign governments in Asia and the Middle=20
East that's forcing the company to grapple with=20
the consequences of its increasingly global reach.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120605651500353307.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

DIGITAL CONTENT

YOUNGER ONLINE NEWS CONSUMERS ARE NOT NEWSPAPER READERS
[SOURCE: Center for Media Research, AUTHOR: Jack Loechner]
A new comScore, study of the differences in=20
online behavior among heavy, medium, light and=20
non-newspaper readers showed that non-newspaper=20
readers are likely to be younger, but are=20
actually heavier than average online news=20
consumers. Meanwhile, heavy newspaper readers are=20
more likely than average to engage with=20
traditional print news brands online. Several key=20
takeaways emerged from this study, says the=20
report: 1) Based on their heavier than average=20
visitation across most key news sites, those who=20
do not read print versions of newspapers are not=20
necessarily light news consumers. In fact, they=20
show a high propensity to visit the majority of=20
sites studied, including print (e.g. LA Times),=20
TV (e.g. FoxNews.com), and Internet (e.g.=20
Topix.com) brands. 2) Both the heavy print=20
newspaper readers and the non-readers show heavy=20
consumption of print news brands online, which=20
suggests that print news sites are not merely an=20
extension of their offline brands but have a=20
stand-alone brand presence in the online=20
world. The Web sites for three of New York=20
Times, LA Times and Chicago Tribune show above=20
average visitation from both heavy newspaper=20
readers and non-readers. 3) TV news brands are=20
also heavily visited by non-print newspaper=20
readers, underscoring the importance of sight,=20
sound and motion to the digital news experience.=20
Non-readers were 29 percent more likely than the=20
average Internet user to visit FoxNews.com and 15=20
percent more likely to visit CBS News Digital.
http://blogs.mediapost.com/research_brief/?p=3D1664http://blogs.mediapost=
.com/research_brief/?p=3D1664=20

CANADIAN UNIVERSITY FACES OFF WITH DIGITAL GENERATION
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Natasha Elkington]
A Canadian university has instilled a culture of=20
fear by threatening to expel a student for=20
cheating because he set up an online study group=20
on Facebook, critics said this week. Toronto's=20
Ryerson University threatened to expel first-year=20
computer engineering student Chris Avenir last=20
week, arguing that his study group on the=20
Facebook networking site might encourage=20
cheating. Ryerson decided to lift the expulsion=20
threat on Tuesday, but Avenir will get zero=20
credits for the course work discussed on the=20
Facebook forum last autumn, and the university=20
has put a disciplinary notice on his record.=20
Canadian media analyst Jesse Hirsh said Ryerson's=20
actions send the wrong message to students, most=20
of whom spend a lot of their time on the Internet.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSPAR06572420080320

QUICKLY

LOCAL TELEPHONE COMPETITION
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission released=20
new data on local telephone service competition=20
in the United States. 1) End-user customers=20
obtained local telephone service by utilizing=20
approximately 134.5 million incumbent LEC=20
switched access lines, 28.7 million CLEC switched=20
access lines, and 238.2 million mobile telephony=20
service subscriptions at the end of June 2007. 2)=20
7.7 million lines were provided over coaxial=20
cable connections. 3) Mobile telephony service=20
providers reported 238.2 million subscribers at=20
the end of June 2007, which is 21 million, or 10%, more than a year earlier.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280942A1.doc

LARRY LESSIG: TIME TO REJECT CORPORATE INFLUENCE ON WASHINGTON
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
Stanford law professor Larry Lessig may have cast=20
off plans for a congressional bid of his own, but=20
he still wants to turn the political process as=20
we know it upside down. No more money from=20
corporate political action committees and=20
lobbyists. No more earmarks to fund pet projects=20
in federal spending bills. Public financing for=20
all congressional campaigns. And throughout it=20
all, transparency. Those are the four pillars of=20
Lessig's "Change Congress" movement, which he=20
unveiled, along with a beta Web site, which he=20
describes as a "mash-up applied to politics."
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9899828-7.html?part=3Drss&subj=3Dnews&tag=
=3D2547-1_3-0-5
* Change Congress
http://change-congress.org/

RED TAPE RISING
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] A look at the recent Bush=20
regulatory record makes one wonder why the=20
party's candidates aren't holding it up as a=20
model of Democratic governance. Last year Bush=20
rule-making agencies imposed $11 billion of net=20
new economy-wide regulatory costs (mostly in the=20
environmental area). The cost of new regulations=20
has increased every year on Mr. Bush's watch, but=20
last year was by far the highest. What's more, a=20
new Heritage Foundation report concludes that the=20
Administration's agency czars are in a "clear the=20
decks" mode of promulgating rules during the=20
Presidency's final 10 months. With the economy=20
stalling and capital markets looking like sludge,=20
this red-tape roll out makes no sense. The Small=20
Business Administration calculates that the total=20
cost in 2005 of complying with 145,000 pages of=20
federal rules and procedures was $1.1 trillion.=20
This is the rough economic equivalent of imposing=20
a second federal income tax on the economy.=20
George Mason University's Mercatus Center reveals=20
in a soon-to-be released study that every measure=20
of regulatory activity is up in recent years --=20
agency staffing, budgets, pages of rule making=20
and compliance costs. Those numbers contradict=20
the stream of attacks against this Administration=20
for "weakening" federal consumer and=20
environmental protections. Excluding homeland=20
security regulations, the budgets of Uncle Sam's=20
50 largest agencies, such as the Federal=20
Communications Commission and the Consumer=20
Products Safety Commission, are up almost=20
one-third since 2001. There are now some 200,000=20
full-time government employees writing and enforcing federal commandments.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120605621913453267.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

FROM BLOG TO RICHES? THE STUFF OF WHITE PEOPLE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Monica Hesse]
A look at a funny website -- Stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR200803...
3518.html
(requires registration)
--------------------------------------------------------------
...and we are outta here. Have a great weekend.=20
Go, student-athletes of your choice!
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------