BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016
Robert Rosencrans, Who Helped Propel C-Span
NEWS FROM THE FCC
FCC Adopts Sustainable, Affordable Inmate Calling Rates - press release
FCC Makes Permanent The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program - press release
FCC Charts Course to Comprehensive Hearing Aid Compatibility for Consumers with Hearing Loss - press release
Twelfth Broadband Progress Notice of Inquiry - public notice
FCC’s Tom Wheeler Has Big Agenda, but Time Grows Short
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Speedtest: Fastest ISPs in U.S. are Comcast Xfinity and Verizon Fios [links to telecompetitor]
Academics’ letter supporting net neutrality is misguided and misleading - AEI op-ed [links to Benton summary]
New Brookings report highlights advances in financial and digital inclusion - press release [links to Benton summary]
ELECTIONS 2016
Clinton wants high-speed Internet in every home [links to Washington Post video]
Trump is paying a price for being late to the TV ad party [links to American Public Media]
Cable News (Except Fox) Increasingly Using On-Air Graphics To Combat Trump’s Lies [links to Media Matters for America]
Hackers grapple with a once-unthinkable idea: Political action [links to Christian Science Monitor]
Insiders game out Clinton's Cabinet
The most compelling reason to never talk politics on Facebook [links to Benton summary]
Many Trump supporters don’t care about the controversies dominating media coverage [links to Washington Post]
Despite Email Debacle, Prominent Cybersecurity Leaders Favor Clinton [links to National Public Radio]
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Lansing Tops List of Cities with Best Mobile Networks [links to telecompetitor]
CONTENT
How a Justice Department Ruling Could Affect Your Favorite Musician [links to New York Times]
Facebook Moves to Push ‘Clickbait’ Lower in the News Feed [links to New York Times]
New York Governor Signs Bill to Allow Daily Fantasy Sports [links to Associated Press]
FTC to Crack Down on Paid Celebrity Posts That Aren’t Clear Ads [links to Bloomberg]
TELEVISION
Wheeler: Set-Top Proposal Should Include Some Cable Suggestions [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
Gray executives say a number of FCC actions recently have been positive for broadcasters [links to TVNewsCheck]
Betting Billions on Rio, Comcast Hopes to Win the Future of Television [links to New York Times]
DIVERSITY
Media ownership by people of color is on the brink of extinction - op-ed [links to Benton summary]
Opinion: The value of talking to girls about technology [links to Christian Science Monitor]
GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE
OMB Policy Revamps Mobile Device Buying [links to nextgov]
POLICYMAKERS
Robert Rosencrans, Who Helped Propel C-Span
back to top
NEWS FROM THE FCC
FCC ADOPTS SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE INMATE CALLING RATES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
The Federal Communications Commission took additional steps to ensure that inmate calling service rates are just, reasonable and fair for inmates and their families, and that jails, prisons and providers are fairly compensated for the costs of providing the service. The Order adopted by the Commission builds on its landmark inmate calling service reforms of 2013 and 2015 by responding to issues raised in the record of the proceeding since then. The FCC’s careful review showed that a modest increase in the rate caps set in 2015 is warranted. By covering the legitimate costs of jails and prisons, this adjustment will ensure continued availability and development of inmate calling services, while still resulting in significant savings for inmates and their families. The rate caps adopted are, on average, significantly lower than the 2013 interim rate cap of 21 cents a minute that currently applies to interstate long-distance calls. The new caps will govern both in-state and interstate calling, reducing the price for most inmates of an average 15-minute call by nearly 35 percent. The FCC’s inmate calling rate cap functions as a ceiling, not a floor, and so does not prevent states where calling costs are lower from reducing rates further. The Order adjusts the FCC’s 2015 rate caps, which were blocked by a court stay pending appeal. Recognizing higher costs in small institutions, the new rates for debit/prepaid calls are as follows (2015 rate caps in parentheses):
State or federal prisons: 13 cents/minute (11 cents/minute)
Jails with 1,000 or more inmates: 19 cents/minute (14 cents/minute)
Jails with 350-999 inmates: 21 cents/minute (16 cents/minute)
Jails of up to 349 inmates: 31 cents/minute (22 cents/minute)
Rates for collect calls are slightly higher in the first year and will be phased down to these caps after a two-year transition period. Approximately 71 percent of inmates reside in state or federal prisons, and approximately 85 percent of inmates reside in institutions with populations exceeding 1,000.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-adopts-sustainable-affordable-inmate-calling-rates | Federal Communications Commission
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
FCC MAKES PERMANENT THE NATIONAL DEAF-BLIND EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order to make permanent its program that provides communications equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. The Commission launched the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as “iCanConnect,” as a pilot program in 2012. Since then, the program has provided up to $10 million annually to support programs that distribute communications equipment, helping Americans with hearing and vision loss to connect with family and friends and become more independent. Through iCanConnect, consumers who are deaf-blind and who meet income guidelines can receive free equipment designed to make telecommunications, Internet access, and advanced communications services accessible. Installation, training, and other technical support are also available. To date, thousands of Americans with hearing and vision loss have benefitted from the pilot program. Breaking down accessibility barriers for this population has afforded Americans with combined hearing and vision loss a means to enhance social interaction, acquire information, and obtain skills and training to become gainfully employed. The action, in the form of a Report and Order, uses the lessons learned over the past four years of the pilot program to adopt rules that will ensure a seamless transition to a permanent
program that is efficient and effective. First, the rules maintain the program structure used in the pilot program, by which the Commission certifies one entity per state or territory to distribute equipment and provide related services. These certified entities may carry out these responsibilities either on their own or through collaborative arrangements. In addition, as was previously the case in the pilot program, a single entity can apply for certification to serve the
residents of multiple states. The new rules also maintain existing certification criteria, which include expertise in the field of deaf-blindness, the ability to communicate effectively with individuals who are deaf-blind, adequate staffing and facilities, and experience with the distribution and use of communications equipment. Additionally, for the permanent program, the Commission will begin considering an entity’s administrative and financial management experience as a criteria for certification.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-makes-permanent-national-deaf-blind-equipment-distribution-program | Federal Communications Commission
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
FCC CHARTS COURSE TO COMPREHENSIVE HEARING AID COMPATIBILITY FOR CONSUMERS WITH HEARING LOSS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
The Federal Communications Commission took several steps to implement new rules to ensure that people with hearing loss have full access to innovative wireless devices. The action taken has several parts, all of which will modernize existing hearing aid compatibility rules while maintaining the balance between fostering accessibility and promoting innovation and investment. With this Report and Order, the Commission amends the hearing aid compatibility requirements that are generally applicable to wireless service providers and manufacturers of digital wireless handsets. Specifically, the Commission increases the number of hearing aid compatible handsets that service providers and manufacturers are required to offer by setting two new percentage benchmarks:
66 percent of offered handset models must be compliant following a two-year transition
period for manufacturers, with additional compliance time for service providers, and
85 percent of offered handset models must be compliant following a five-year transition
period for manufacturers, with additional compliance time for service providers.
The new rules establish a more limited obligation for entities offering only four or five handsets.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-charts-course-comprehensive-hearing-aid-compatibility-consumers-hearing-loss | Federal Communications Commission
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
BROADBAND PROGRESS INQUIRY LAUNCHED
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Public Notice]
On August 2, the Federal Communications launched a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) aimed at determining whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion. The FCC is seeking on the current state of advanced telecommunications capability deployment and availability. In particular, the FCC seeks comment on the appropriate criteria and benchmarks by which to measure whether fixed and mobile broadband services provide access to advanced telecommunications capability. As part of this inquiry, the FCC seeks comment on whether to update our existing 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload speed benchmark for fixed advanced telecommunications capability, as well as on whether the Commission should establish a speed benchmark for mobile broadband services and, if so, what that speed benchmark should be. The FCC also seeks comment on the relationship of non-speed performance metrics, including service consistency and latency, to advanced telecommunications capability, and on whether and how to adopt benchmarks for these metrics. Next, the FCC seeks comment on criteria and benchmarks by which to measure advanced telecommunications capability deployment to schools and classrooms, as well as on additional factors that may affect the deployment and/or availability of advanced telecommunications capability. Finally, the FCC seeks comment on the various data sources used by the Commission for the purposes of our annual Broadband Progress Report, and whether additional or alternative sources of data are available to inform the analysis under.
Interested parties have until September 6 to file comments in the proceeding – and until September 21 to reply to those comments.
benton.org/headlines/twelfth-broadband-progress-notice-inquiry | Federal Communications Commission | Commissioner Pai | Commissioner O’Rielly
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
WHEELER’S AGENDA
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John McKinnon]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has never been known for aiming low, and he started 2016 with an ambitious agenda to reshape the rules on everything from cable TV to internet privacy. Chairman Wheeler has yet to bring up any of his major proposals for a final FCC vote, amid industry opposition and fraying support on the commission and in Congress. And time could be running out on some of Wheeler’s big plans. Even some fellow Democrats question whether it is feasible for Chairman Wheeler—who in 2015 succeeded in pushing through a landmark network neutrality rule—to accomplish all his goals in 2016. Wheeler’s plans are complicated by election-year politics, including his reluctance to commit to departing when President Barack Obama’s tenure ends. These complexities could hamper his three big goals for the year.
benton.org/headlines/fccs-tom-wheeler-has-big-agenda-time-grows-short | Wall Street Journal
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
ELECTIONS 2016
CABINET TALK
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Edward-Isaac Dovere]
HillaryClinton's inner circle insists that any talk about what her administration would look like is premature. But the conversations are happening anyway. Here’s Politico’s rundown of some of the most prominent chatter, based on conversations with top Democrats, people who speak regularly to Clinton and her senior aides, as well as leaders in their respective fields.
Chief of staff: a choice between Cheryl Mills, Clinton’s chief of staff at the State Department, and Tom Nides, Clinton’s deputy secretary of state for management
Press secretary: Brian Fallon
Senior advisors: Jake Sullivan, Minyon Moore, Jennifer Palmieri, Huma Abedin, Neera Tanden, Ann O’Leary, Maya Harris, Robby Mook, and Marlon Marshall
Secretary of State: Wendy Sherman, Bill Burns, Nick Burns, Kurt Campbell, Strobe Talbott, or James Stavridis, if Sec John Kerry isn’t asked to continue.
Attorney General: Tom Perez, Janet Napolitano, Jennifer Granholm, or Tony West
Commerce: Gov Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) or Export-Import Bank President Fred Hochberg
benton.org/headlines/insiders-game-out-clintons-cabinet | Politico
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
POLICYMAKERS
ROBERT ROSENCRANS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Sam Roberts]
Robert Rosencrans, a daring cable television industry pioneer who was instrumental in creating C-Span, the unfiltered public affairs network that faithfully covers government proceedings and civic events, in Greenwich (CT). He was 89. “There probably wouldn’t be a C-Span without him,” Brian Lamb, the network’s founder and executive chairman, said. C-Span, a private, nonprofit, industry-financed service, began as the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network in 1979, at a time when fewer than one in five homes was wired for cable. Today it comprises several television and radio channels and a web presence, offering a variety of gavel-to-gavel coverage of Congress, presidential campaign events and other public affairs programming, including lectures and forums, book reviews, viewer call-in programs and interviews. After Lamb pitched the concept to cable operators, Rosencrans wrote a $25,000 check on the spot and persuaded other industry executives to pony up $450,000 in seed money to start the network. He became C-Span’s founding chairman. Rosencrans, joined by equally audacious engineers, investors and programmers, perceived that cable’s potential was in exclusive programming, not merely serving viewers in sparsely populated areas beyond the reach of broadcasters.
benton.org/headlines/robert-rosencrans-who-helped-propel-c-span | New York Times
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
