April 2010

How Google wants to change telecom

Google says it doesn't want to be your Internet service provider; rather, it wants to make your ISP behave in a more Google-friendly manner. This is why, over the past several years, the Internet search giant has used its financial clout and the strength of its brand to make regular forays into the telecommunications industry. From lobbying for network neutrality legislation to developing its own mobile phone and operating system to creating an experimental high-speed broadband network, Google hasn't been shy about throwing its weight around on the carriers' turf. And what does Google want from all this? Essentially it wants to give carriers less control over what they can and cannot do with their networks.

This article takes a look at Google's major telecom initiatives -- Network Neutrality, Android and the Google nexus One, experimental broadband network(s) -- while breaking down their overarching goals and the level of success they have achieved.

New test measures students' digital literacy

Employers are looking for candidates who can navigate, critically evaluate, and make sense of the wealth of information available through digital media—and now educators have a new way to determine a student's baseline digital literacy with a certification exam that measures the test-taker's ability to assess information, think critically, and perform a range of real-world tasks. The test, iCritical Thinking Certification, created by the Educational Testing Service and Certiport, reveals whether or not a person is able to combine technical skills with experiences and knowledge. Today's students need to be able to think critically and effectively solve problems while using technology, Certiport explains -- going beyond simply searching for information. They also must evaluate the legitimacy of the information, put it in context, and then apply problem-solving and decision-making skills.

NBC Blocks Free TV Episodes on iPad

The NBC broadcast network has, for now, ditched its plans to stream full television episodes onto the Apple iPad. There are business reasons for the decision. Some media companies want to encourage people to pay for television episodes and films through Apple's iTunes store rather than streaming them free through the Web browser.

FCC's rules on product placement disclosure, in case you're wondering

The March 31 episode of ABC's "Modern Family" with its plot about Apple's new iPad might have you wondering if there are rules regarding product placement and whether networks are required to disclose placement deals to viewers.

The answer to both those questions is "yes". The Federal Communication Commission's sponsorship identification rules say, "when money or other consideration for the airing of program material has been received by or promised to a station, its employees or others, the station must broadcast full disclosure of that fact at the time of the airing of the material, and identify who provided or promised to provide the consideration." The rule goes on to say that the public should know "who is trying to persuade them with the programming being aired."

NBC: Americans had 'record' access to Olympics coverage

Even though some online coverage of the Winter Olympics required subscriptions, NBC chief executive officer Jeffrey Zucker said viewers had access to more coverage than in any prior Winter Olympics.

Zucker's letter, sent to Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) office March 31, was in response to a pointed letter sent by the senator back in February. Sen Kohl said he was "concerned" NBC had appeared to restrict online access to Olympics content to only those viewers who subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay TV service with whom NBC has partnered. Zucker said NBC spent close to $1 billion covering the Vancouver Games. In an attempt to recoup those costs, NBC had three ways to offer coverage. More than 190 hours of programming were available on NBC's free, over-the-air network stations, with additional coverage on NBC's national cable networks (USA, CNBC, MSNBC). NBC supplemented its coverage on NBCOlympics.com, where ad-supported video content was available as well as long-form content available only to subscribers who had paid to receive additional Olympics coverage via the NBC Universal cable networks. After a certain time period, that subscription-required content was made available to everyone, Zucker said.

AT&T May Find Apple's IPad Adds to Strain on Wireless Network

AT&T, facing criticism for jams in its network in cities like New York, may find the Apple iPad adds more strain than officials anticipated.

The biggest U.S. phone carrier has played down the expected impact of Apple's iPad tablet computer, which goes on sale this weekend in the U.S., saying many consumers will choose to run it on Wi-Fi hot spots rather than on AT&T's wireless network. "AT&T seems to be convinced that most of the time users will be connected to Wi-Fi," said Craig Moffett, a Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst who rates the shares "market perform." "That's a pretty big stretch, given it's a new device nobody's used before."

UK Regulator Calls for Cut in Mobile-Phone Charge

UK communications regulator Ofcom on Thursday proposed new caps on the price mobile operators can charge to transfer calls from other networks, meaning lower revenue for the major mobile firms but potentially improved deals for customers.

Ofcom called for mobile termination rates -- the wholesale charges that operators make to connect calls to each others' networks -- to fall from around 4.3 pence (6.5 U.S. cents) a minute to 0.5 pence a minute by March 2015. Cuts will be staggered from 2011 to 2015. As a result, rates will fall by "a whopping 88%" on average, said Matthew Howett, senior telecommunications analyst at Ovum. The ruling will benefit fixed-line operators such as BT Group PLC, their customers and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.'s 3 UK, said Collins Stewart analyst Morten Singleton, who described the cuts as "aggressive." Large operators Vodafone Group PLC, Telefonica SA's O2, France Telecom's Orange and Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile are the "key losers from this move," he added. Ofcom said the changes "will enable cheaper calls to mobiles for the 32.7 million U.K. homes and businesses with a landline. The proposals will also mean that both landline and mobile operators have more flexibility in designing competitive call packages, promoting competition for the benefit of consumers."

Smart meters to be rolled out to 2m homes

Two million UK homes will be wired for smart energy meters within two years, telling customers in real-time how much they are spending on gas and electricity.

The smart energy meters will include an in-home display with live readings of the bill in pounds and pence. Information will also be sent as it's gathered to the energy supplier, making estimated energy readings a thing of the past. The announcement of the roll-out of the meters to two million homes was made on Monday by British Gas. The energy supplier has been trialling the technology since early 2009 in 50,000 homes and businesses, but says it lacked the technology suitable for nationwide uptake.

Carlyle Plan to Sell Taiwan's Kbro Stake Said to Have Stalled

Carlyle Group's planned sale of a $1 billion stake in Kbro Co. to Taiwan Mobile Co. may be delayed until the government eases restrictions on state ownership of media companies, two people involved with the discussions said.

Taiwan Mobile, which the government partially owns through Fubon Financial Holding Co., may extend the June 30 deadline to buy control of the cable-television operator, the people said, asking not to be identified because of confidentiality agreements. Neither side expected the restrictions to obstruct the deal when negotiations began last year, the people said. The rules hamper Taiwan Mobile's plans to pass China Network Systems Inc. and Taiwan Broadband Communications to become the largest operator in a market where more than 80 percent of homes tune in to cable TV. The National Communications Commission is in talks with the Cabinet to allow government-related entities to indirectly own as much as 10 percent of media companies, Commissioner Lee Ta-sung said.

Federal Communications Commission
April 30, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-297224A1.doc

As part of its project on the Future of Media and the Information Needs of Communities, the Federal Communications Commission will hold a workshop on noncommercial media entitled "." The workshop will focus on:

The current structures and activities of public and other noncommercial media entities, as well as relevant government policies;
The ways in which public and other noncommercial media entities do and could contribute to the information needs of communities across multiple platforms, focusing in particular on journalism, cultural, and educational content;
The possibilities for greater collaboration among noncommercial media entities such as public broadcasters, PEG channels, noncommercial web-based outlets, and other new media entities;
The role of public and other noncommercial media in serving the information needs of the underserved, including language minorities, ethnic minorities, children, the disabled, and the economically disadvantaged;
The infrastructure needs and assets of public and other noncommercial media in delivering information to communities;
Innovative uses of social media, gaming, Internet applications, citizen journalism, mobile technologies, and other technological and organizational innovations; and
The possibilities for new kinds of noncommercial media networks and associated funding models.

Agenda and Panelists
(All times EST; Panelists in alphabetical order)

9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

Chairman Julius Genachowski
Steven Waldman, Senior Advisor to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, (Moderator)
Ellen Goodman, Professor, Rutgers School of Law and Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Future of Media Project (Co-Moderator)

9:15 a.m. Framing Presentation: A 1967 Moment... A Vision for Public Media

Luis Ubiñas, President, Ford Foundation (Taped address)
Ernest Wilson, Chair, Corporation for Public Broadcasting

9:30 a.m. Panel Discussion I: Varieties of Public and Noncommercial Media

Patricia Harrison, President and CEO, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Jose Luis Rodriguez, Founder & CEO, Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN)
Jan Schaffer, Executive Director, J-Lab, The Institute for Interactive Journalism
Vivian Schiller, President & CEO, NPR (Via Remote Video)
Hari Sreenivasan, Correspondent, NewsHour

Presenter: Sue Schardt, President, Association of Independents in Radio

10:45 a.m. Panel Discussion II: Purposes of Public and Noncommercial Media

David Fanning, Executive Producer, Frontline
James T. Hamilton, Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
Paula Kerger, President, Public Broadcasting Service
Randolph J. May, President, The Free State Foundation
James O'Shea, Editor & Co-Founder, Chicago News Cooperative

12:00 p.m. Break

1:00 p.m. Panel Discussion III: New Platforms, Approaches and Structures

Joaquin Alvarado, Senior Vice President for Digital Innovation, American Public Media
Bill Buzenberg, Executive Director, The Center for Public Integrity
Maxie Jackson III, President and CEO, National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Nan Rubin, Chairperson of the Board, Prometheus Radio Project
Jake Shapiro, Executive Director, Public Radio Exchange (PRX)

Discussant: Kinsey Wilson, SVP and General Manager NPR Digital Media

2:15p.m. Panel Discussion IV: New Strategies for Supporting Public and Noncommercial Media

Craig Aaron, Managing Director, Free Press
Orlando Bagwell, Director, Freedom of Expression, Ford Foundation
Dean Baker, Co-Director, Center for Economic and Policy Research
Lee Bollinger, President, Columbia University
Steve Coll, President, New America Foundation

3:30 p.m. Panel Discussion V: Communications and Regulatory Policy

Rod Bates, General Manager, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications
Terry Clifford, Co-CEO, SRG/ Station Resource Group
Susan Harmon, Managing Director, Public Radio Capital
Ken Ikeda, Executive Director, Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC)
Bill Kling, President & CEO, American Public Media
Craig L. Parshall, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, National Religious Broadcasters

5:00 p.m. Adjournment

Read more about Public and Other Noncommercial Media in the Digital Era

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