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March 2009

The Mobile Difference

Some 39% of Americans have positive and improving attitudes about their mobile communication devices, which in turn draws them further into engagement with digital resources - on both wireless and wireline platforms. Mobile connectivity is now a powerful differentiator among technology users. Those who plug into the information and communications world while on-the-go are notably more active in many facets of digital life than those who use wires to jack into the Internet and the 14% of Americans who are off the grid entirely. "For a sizable minority of Americans, mobile connectivity expands their digital horizons as they do more with their suite of wireline and wireless tools," said John B. Horrigan, Associate Director of the Pew Internet Project and author of the typology report. "Mobile services complement existing broadband assets, and these Americans find it increasingly hard to be without their connectivity traveling with them as they go."

Cable Programers Stick to Traditional Business Model

[Commentary] Cable operators are wary of any challenges to their existing business model because, hey, it works for them. Those who believe that the Internet makes it impossible for cable operators and content producers to prevent rival models from emerging need to think again. But copyright licensing gives the programmers (many of whom are vertically integrated with cable/broadband access providers) the ultimate say over who gets to (legally) put programming online. This gives the programmers considerable input into how the business model will evolve. So anyone wanting to distribute programming needs to stop thinking about the supposed inevitable march of technology and start trying to cut some deals that keep the current players happy.

NCTA: Almost 14 Million CableCards Deployed Since July 2007

The National Cable & Telecommunications Association reports to the Federal Communications Commission that nearly 14 million CableCARDS have been deployed -- either as add-ons or in set-tops -- in the past 21 months. That is the period since July 1, 2007, when the FCC, over the industry's objections, started requiring operators to separate out the security and channel surfing functions in the operator-supplied cable boxes, saying it was trying to promote a retail market for the boxes. The FCC requires operators to file status reports on that effort and NCTA has been compiling numbers from the top operators and filing it in a single update.

Media Giants Want to Top Google Results

Major media companies are increasingly lobbying Google to elevate their expensive professional content within the search engine's undifferentiated slush of results. Many publishers resent the criteria Google uses to pick top results, starting with the original PageRank formula that depended on how many links a page got. But crumbling ad revenue is lending their push more urgency; this is no time to show up on the third page of Google search results. And as publishers renew efforts to sell some content online, moreover, they're newly upset that Google's algorithm penalizes paid content.

Broadcast TV or Cable, It's All the Same to Consumers

Most TV viewers see less and less of a distinction between television giants such as NBC, ABC and CBS and cable cousins such as USA, TNT and MTV. And that view is starting to travel from consumers to advertisers. Jim Spiropoulos, VP-research director of marketplace analytics at Publicis Groupe's MediaVest, predicts that all but the most premium broadcast shows will end up with ratings on par with some cable options within a few years. "The way things are going, we could see the broadcast networks air prime-time shows in repeats in different dayparts the way the cable networks do to keep audiences and keep selling those viewers." No one's saying broadcast doesn't have its mass-audience moments. No other media venue can offer the broad reach of a Super Bowl, an Olympics or even an episode of "The Mentalist" on CBS or the finale of "American Idol" on Fox. Those big-tent shows, however, are growing harder to find. And audiences are starting to dwindle.

Schneider Joins Copps' Staff

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps has named Jennifer Schneider his Legal Advisor. She will primarily be working on broadband, universal service and wireline competition issues with Acting Senior Legal Advisor Scott Deutchman. Since April 2007, Schneider has worked as Legislative Counsel to Representative Rick Boucher, Chairman of the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee. From September 2001 until March 2007, she worked at the FCC as an Attorney Advisor in the Wireline Competition Bureau and a Legislative Analyst in the Office of Legislative Affairs.

Crawford to join White House Staff?

Apparently Internet law expert Susan Crawford has joined President Barack Obama's lineup of tech policy experts at the White House. She could hold the title of special assistant to the president for science, technology, and innovation policy.

Senators Press Obama To Name IP Czar

The PRO IP Act of 2008 created the position of Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator within the Executive Office of the President. Now four driving forces behind the law -- Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), ranking member Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Sens Evan Bayh (D-IN) and George Voinovich (R-OH) -- are pushing President Barack Obama to fill the position. Contenders include Victoria Espinel, who served as the first assistant trade representative for IP, and Shira Perlmutter, a former associate general counsel for Time Warner.

Call for Papers: Beyond Broadband Access

A Call for Proposals (Abstracts) for papers for a three day by-invitation Experts Workshop on approaches to developing data-based information policy. The deliverables are expected to be policy recommendations, a book and a new research agenda. Abstracts are due by April 15, 2009.

Beyond Broadband Access:
Data-Based Information Policy For a New Administration

Penn State, Michigan State, Rutgers, the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and the New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
Sept 22-24, 2009
http://www.newamerica.net/events/2009/beyond_broadband_access

This is a Call for Proposals (Abstracts) for papers for a three day by-invitation Experts Workshop on approaches to developing data-based information policy. The deliverables are expected to be policy recommendations, a book and a new research agenda. Abstracts are due by April 15, 2009.

Scope and Overview

The stimulus bill just passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Obama allocates $7.2 billion to loan and grant programs for the deployment of broadband. Most recently the governments of Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom have committed more spectrum to wireless broadband services, However, it is widely acknowledged that in order to fully realize the potential of broadband for the promotion of social progress, economic development and democracy, mere access is not enough. Technology, applications, education, awareness, skills, and content are among many factors that are to be taken into account. Understanding the interplay of all these factors is essential in order to take information policy to the next level. However, this demands both firm empirical and theoretical foundations.

This Workshop is intended to propose a strategy for developing such a foundation - a comprehensive, data-based approach for understanding policy consequences and improving policy outcomes through the utilization of meaningful empirical analyses, statistical methods, and the development of new conceptual frameworks. The Workshop will assemble a small group of highly skilled experts to seek breakthrough insights, which can be applied to current policy challenges.

Important policy decisions are being made worldwide about information services that promote innovation, knowledge development, social equity and democratic values. These decisions can be improved if informed by empirical data that will assist decision makers in understanding the likely consequences of their policies.

Many numbers are thrown around in the global information policy discourse regarding matters such as "ereadiness",
the "digital divide", and the "information society". What do these numbers actually mean? Are they the numbers that matter? Are they loaded for or against certain outcomes? Can the underlying methods and data be transformed into truly useful policy tools? Most of the existing approaches to measurements that affect information policy produce results which are descriptive and comparative (e.g., which nation has more Internet access), which are only useful up to a point. Clearly, what is needed are approaches which are explanatory and predictive, that help understand not only what has happened but also why, and to assist in making predictions about what will happen. This presents significant methodological challenges that must first be guided by theory, and in this field, theory is remarkably lacking.

Description

The Workshop will bring together a group of about twenty experts on information metrology from around the world. They will meet for three days in Washington, D.C., where, during morning and afternoon sessions, they will make presentations, share research, hear guest experts, discuss concrete approaches and new theories, identify problems and challenges, and develop conclusions and a future research agenda. Each participant will write and present an original paper to the group, which will then be the subject of questions and discussion, followed by a final Workshop summary session. Participants will be selected based on their abstracts and their identified ability to make a significant contribution based on their expertise or experience.

Date and Location
DATE: September 22-24, 2009
PLACE: The New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Topics
Proposals should be based on current theoretical or empirical research, and may be from any disciplinary perspective. Subject areas of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

Theory: Specification of objectives; development of theoretical models; identification of testable hypotheses; selection of appropriate methodologies for analysis.

Data: Identification of key indicators; development of consistent data standards; data collection and verification; data access.

Modeling: Development of empirical models; dealing with institutional diversity and complexity; coping with dynamic technological change. Multidimensional visual modeling of large bodies of data.

Application: Formulating answerable questions; Making predictions about outcomes; Analyzing relevant data; Using outcomes to refine theory and hypotheses.

Policy Development: Organization of statistical resources; conversion of results of statistical analysis into policy guidance; incorporation of results in shaping policy or legislation; political use of findings.

Submission Deadline

Submissions are due by April 15, 2009. Submissions should be made to expwkshopDBIP2009@psu.edu. Abstracts are not to exceed 500 words. Abstracts should be accompanied by a brief biographical description of the author(s) (no more than two pages). Decisions will be announced by May 29, 2009. Accepted papers will be due on Sept. 1, 2009, and authors are expected to present the accepted submissions.

Support Funds

Final funding plans are still being developed, but it is expected that some funding will be available to help offset the costs of attendance for accepted papers, with a priority given to international participants.

Program Organizers

Johannes Bauer, Ph.D., Professor, Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, Co-Director, Quello Center for Telecommunication Management & Law, MSU
(https://www.msu.edu/~bauerj/)

Sascha Meinrath, Research Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation
(http://www.newamerica.net/people/sascha_meinrath)

Jorge R. Schement, Ph.D., Dean, School of Communication, Information and Library Science, RU (http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/directory/jschemen/index.html)

Richard Taylor, J.D., Ed.D., Palmer Chair and Professor of Telecommunications Studies, Co-Director, Institute for Information Policy (http://comm.psu.edu/people/rdt4)

Bin Zhang, Ph.D., Professor, School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (http://www.intramis.net/?q=node/4)

For information or questions, contact: Richard Taylor at rdt4@psu.edu


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