June 2008

House Committee OKs Advance Funds for Public Broadcasting

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education [Labor-HHS for those of you abbreviating at home] approved the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations bill that provides funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a $430 million advance appropriation for FY 2011, as well as $40 million for digital conversion and $27 million for the public radio interconnection system for FY 2009. It also provides $24 million for the Department of Education-backed Ready To Learn programming project. The bill is expected to be marked up in the full committee next week. A Senate version could be marked up as early as next week, as well. "On behalf of the tens of millions of Americans who utilize public service media, we would like to thank Chairman Obey, Ranking Member Walsh and the other members of the Labor-HHS Subcommittee for the funding provided to CPB in this bill," said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. "The subcommittee had to make many difficult decisions in allocating resources given today's extraordinary budgetary pressures. We appreciate that the bill provides CPB with an advance appropriation, which affords public broadcasters a measure of certainty in their business planning, interconnection funding as well as an increase in funding for digital conversion, which will help public broadcasters tap the potential of digital technology."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6571740.html?rssid=193

Ed-tech groups give candidates a wake-up call

As the 2008 presidential race heats up, school stakeholders are anxious to hear the candidates' views on public education. For major education and ed-tech advocacy groups, the topic is about more than just a political agenda; it could well determine the success of the United States in the new global economy. To emphasize the importance of education to the nation's future and to drive home how much schools need to change in order to educate the children of tomorrow, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), and the National Education Association (NEA) have teamed up to develop a public service announcement (PSA) campaign aimed at the presidential candidates. The campaign calls on the next president to respond to the groups' vision for a 21st-century learning environment, says Keith Krueger, CoSN's chief executive.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=54183;_hbguid=c2ecd83f-00fe-...

Watch Dogs Warn FCC about Trojan Horse Ads

The Campaign For a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) wants the Federal Communications Commission to take steps to keep TV, including cable and satellite TV, from being a "Trojan horse" for embedded advertising. The campaign has united to address the issue a diverse group of children's activists including Free Press, the Benton Foundation, the Parents Television Council and health care professionals. "We must not allow television programs to become Trojan horses, carrying messages that would otherwise be criticized by the public or even deemed illegal," CCFC wrote. "Manufacturers of alcohol, tobacco, and junk food, as well as other industries, have all exploited the lack of regulation concerning product integration."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6571714.html?rssid=193

FCC: Cable Nets Can't Fight Dual Carriage Rule

The six cable networks that have mounted a judicial challenge to a new federal rule on the carriage of some digital TV stations have no legal standing to attack the rule in federal court, according to the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC said the cable networks shouldn't be allowed to pursue their court claims because the DTV carriage rule applied just to cable operators and has a built-in incentive that would actually benefit cable networks looking for distribution from capacity-constrained cable systems.

Study: consumers lust after high-speed broadband, not HDTV

Broadband services and speeds are ranked higher than any other "new" service when it comes to their importance to consumers. New survey results from Pike & Fischer Broadband Advisory Services show that while HDTV and digital phone service were important to some consumers, high-speed data came out ahead of the rest. When asked to rank a number of "advanced communications services" on a scale of one to five (five being the highest), almost 40 percent of Pike & Fischer's survey respondents gave high-speed data the highest rating. Comparatively, only about 25 percent ranked HDTV as high, and digital phone service was at the bottom of the list, with under 10 percent ranking it a five.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080612-study-consumers-lust-after...

Consumer Reports DTV Converter Box Ratings

Consumer Reports has reviewed and rated digital-to-analog converter box and the news is good: some of the cheaper DTV converter boxes now on the market work just as well or even better than more expensive models. Currently, there are only about 25 models of digital converter boxes available, all of which cost more than $50. The 14 models Consumer Reports tested are available for purchase either online or at stores including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Radio Shack and have been approved for the government’s converter box coupon program. For those considering a DTV converter, CR advises first choosing models with better picture quality, and then narrowing choices down to those that have desired features. The Tivax STB-T9, $50, was among those with the best picture quality. The Microgem MG200, $65, also stood out in CR tests for its picture quality. But there is a very big problem those coupons expire 90 days after they are issued. Since the government began issuing the coupons in March, many have already expired, despite the fact that there is still only a limited number of models and units available to consumers. Many more coupons will expire soon. “This is a consumer Catch-22,” says CU policy analyst Joel Kelsey. “Those who acted early in requesting coupons face limited or expensive choices in converter boxes, but can't wait for more options because their coupons are expiring.”
http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/06/now_hear_this_newsletter...

Parents, Not Peers, Lead Young People to Newspapers

A new study from the World Newspaper Congress on the media habits of young people in three countries found that television continues to be their most important source of news and information for the young, despite the rise of the Internet. Nevertheless, the study showed that newspaper companies are well placed to attract young readers if newspapers are committed to the task. The study found: 1) Young people are interested in news and see the value of being informed, 2) Parents (especially mothers) and teachers have successfully influenced young people to become newspaper readers, 3) newspaper editorial content, in general, is disconnected from youth interests, and when it is about youth, it is mostly negative.
http://blogs.mediapost.com/research_brief/?p=1732

Markey Introduces Bipartisan Telecom Accessibility Bill

Representative Edward Markey (D-MA), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet today introduced the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act to enhance access to broadband technology and services for persons with disabilities. Rep Heather A. Wilson (R-NM) joined Rep Markey as an original co-sponsor of the bill. Rep Markey said, "New Internet-based technologies have revolutionized the way Americans interact, learn and conduct business. However the wizardry of the wires and the sophistication of software programs do little for those who cannot affordably access or effectively use them. This bill is an opportunity to ensure that all Americans are offered equal access to these exciting and innovative new technologies." "This bill will help people with all kinds of disabilities be able to get emergency information by using advances in technology we all take for granted," Rep Wilson said. The bill would amend the Communications Act to ensure that new Internet-enabled telephone and video services and equipment are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities and closes existing gaps in telecommunications laws. From extending hearing aid compatibility and Internet closed captioning to real-time text support for emergency services, the bill seeks to provide a smooth migration to the next-generation of Internet-based and digital communication technologies.
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3398&I...

Broadcasters Petition FCC to Boost Digital Radio Signals

A large collection of commercial and non-commercial radio broadcasters is petitioning the Federal Communications Commission in support of a proposed power increase for digital FM HD Radio broadcasts across the country. "As HD Radio technology moves further toward the mainstream, it's crucial that we continue to add new features and enhance the technology's basic capabilities," says iBiquity Digital representative Michele Clarke. iBiquity is the developer and licenser of HD Radio technology. "Working with the broadcast industry and equipment makers, iBiquity Digital has completed extensive testing on higher-power FM HD Radio broadcasts and the results are clear. Increasing from one percent to 10 percent of analog broadcast power greatly improves digital performance without meaningfully increasing interference." With the filing, broadcasters and equipment makers argue that it's time to increase the power devoted to FM HD Radio broadcasts. The initial HD Radio rollout was structured to ensure minimal interference of analog signals while also offering a strong digital service, and with the first gone smoothly, there was minimal interruption of traditional radio broadcasts.
http://www.cedailynews.com/2008/06/broadcasters-pe.html

Many Hollywood celebrities rally behind Obama

Many Hollywood heavyweights who had supported Hillary Clinton are rallying behind Barack Obama, pledging money and star power to his U.S. presidential bid before a big fundraiser next week. Experts say that since Clinton conceded defeat this month after a grueling Democratic nominating contest, celebrities have quickly united behind Obama. The result, they said, could be a campaign cash windfall for the senator from Illinois, but star support doesn't necessarily translate directly to votes.

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