BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017
INTERNET/BROADBAND
FCC Votes to Reverse Charter Overbuild Condition
Statement Of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai On Decision To Reverse Charter Communications Overbuild Requirement, Modification Will Help Close the Digital Divide - press release
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Blackburn on FCC’s Charter Decision [links to House of Representatives Commerce Committee]
Public Knowledge Responds to FCC Revision of Charter Merger Conditions [links to Public Knowledge]
2015 Digital Divide Index - research
Frontier Leverages CAF Program to Expand Texas Broadband Footprint [links to telecompetitor]
SECURITY/PRIVACY
The Conservative Case Against Trashing Online Privacy Rules - Wired analysis
Dem super PAC hits GOP senators over internet privacy repeal [links to Hill, The]
Congress was right to save consumers from privacy rules imposed under net neutrality - Scott Cleland op-ed [links to Benton summary]
After vote to kill privacy rules, users try to “pollute” their Web history [links to Benton summary]
New details emerge about 2014 Russian hack of the State Department: It was ‘hand to hand combat’ [links to Washington Post]
COMMUNICATIONS & DEMOCRACY
LA Times President Trump Editorial Part 1: Our Dishonest President - LA Times editorial
LA Times President Trump Editorial Part 2: Why Trump Lies - editorial [links to Benton summary]
Rep Swalwell (D-CA) on Trump Surveillance Claims: 'It's a distraction, it's a smoke bomb' [links to Hill, The]
The Daily Spicer: Barely comprehensible mainstream media criticism edition [links to Washington Post]
Wikileaks releases code that could unmask CIA hacking operations [links to Ars Technica]
GOVERNMENT
Congress is trying to give even more power to Hollywood
Records show deep ties between FBI and Best Buy computer technicians looking for inappropriate content [links to Benton summary]
Reaching a Web Traffic Milestone on Congress.gov [links to Library of Congress]
POLICYMAKERS
Chairman Ajit Pai Announces Formation Of The Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force - press release
Tom Sorley to lead FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee - press release [links to Benton summary]
Mitch Glazier Named President of Recording Industry Association of America [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
USTelecom Names Sally Aman New Communications Director [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
The campaign to put science and tech leaders in public office starts now [links to Ars Technica]
United States Digital Service Co-Founder Erie Meyer Joins Code for America [links to Government Technology]
OWNERSHIP
Fox News and Roger Ailes Hit With New Sexual Harassment Suit [links to Benton summary]
Fox News renews Bill O'Reilly's Contract Despite Recent Sexual Harassment Settlements [links to Hill, The]
Yahoo and AOL will form new company called Oath [links to Benton summary]
Entercom-CBS Merger Public Notice - public notice [links to Benton summary]
JOURNALISM
From cyberattacks to fake news: notable recent changes in AP style [links to Columbia Journalism Review]
What I learned about journalism after 27 years in prison [links to Columbia Journalism Review]
Media Consumption Of 2016 Political News: Strong Gains, Cable TV Soars [links to TVNewsCheck]
Margaret Sullivan: Don’t get fooled again by bogus links, bots and pure bunk. Here’s how. [links to Washington Post]
LABOR
Trump administration cracks down on visas for computer programmers
Trump Has Done Nothing to Fix America’s Tech Talent Shortage [links to Wired]
Companies start implanting microchips into workers' bodies [links to Los Angeles Times]
Tech’s Wealthy Enclaves Hurt the Country—and Tech Itself [links to Wired]
CONTENT
End of an Era: Android Surpasses Windows as World’s Most Popular OS for Internet Access [links to telecompetitor]
TELEVISION
It’s ‘absurd’ broadcasters could be forced off air by channel repack, NAB says [links to Fierce]
ADVERTISING
Google Training Ad Placement Computers to Be Offended [links to New York Times]
CHILDREN & MEDIA
The simple idea to make kids more empathetic? Get them reading the news. [links to Washington Post]
COMPANY NEWS
AT&T Creates New Public Sector Sales Arm [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
DIVERSITY
How Google's Code Next Lab Is Tackling Tech's Diversity Problem [links to Fast Company]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Mexican Newspaper Shuts Down, Saying It Is Too Dangerous to Continue [links to New York Times]
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
FCC VOTES TO REVERSE CHARTER OVERBUILD CONDITION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, John Eggerton]
The Federal Communications Commission has voted to modify the Charter-Time Warner Cable deal conditions by removing the requirement that Charter overbuild a million internet access customers who could already get high-speed access from another provider, apparently. The idea of the condition, imposed under former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, was to promote price and speed competition. New FCC chairman Ajit Pai circulated the item in March, after which it was widely expected to be approved. The buildout requirement remains, but according to the item that could now all be buildouts to currently unserved homes, with no overbuilding. However, Charter could still choose to overbuild those one million, they are just no longer required to do so. Charter in 2016 said it intended to focus its overbuild activity against teleommunication broadband providers, not other cable companies.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-votes-reverse-charter-overbuild-condition | Broadcasting&Cable | The Hill | The Verge | FCC order on reconsideration | Pai Statement | Clyburn Statement | O'Rielly Statement
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PAI STATEMENT ON CHARTER OVERBUILD
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai]
My top priority is making sure that any American who wants high-speed Internet access is able to get it. Today, we take another step toward achieving that goal. [In 2016], Charter Communications agreed to build broadband out to two million new customers as part of its merger with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission appended an ‘overbuild’ condition to the order, requiring that half of those new locations be already served by another provider. Since these one million overbuilt deployments would be credited against the total, it would substantially reduce buildout to unserved areas. This is like telling two people you will
buy them lunch, ordering two entrées, and then sending both to just one of your companions. This condition was not and is not in the public interest, and it runs directly against the goal of promoting greater Internet access for all Americans. Following our decision today, Charter Communications is still obligated to build out to two million new locations. The difference now is that the beneficiaries will be consumers currently on the wrong side of the digital divide. That’s a major difference, and one that will go a long way toward helping deliver online opportunity to all Americans.
benton.org/headlines/statement-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-decision-reverse-charter-communications-overbuild | Federal Communications Commission | B&C
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2015 DIGITAL DIVIDE INDEX
[SOURCE: Mississippi State University, AUTHOR: Roberto Gallardo]
The digital divide is the number-one threat to community and economic development in the 21st century. Public policy 101 argues that, first and foremost, the problem needs to be defined and agreed upon in order to explore potential solutions. This report introduces a county-level digital divide index (DDI). The DDI ranges in value from 0 to 100, where 100 indicates the highest digital divide. This report presents findings for the 2014 updated version as well as the 2015 version. Some key findings include:
The percent of people without access to fixed broadband 25/3 decreased significantly between 2014 and 2015. However, this decrease took place mainly among counties with an already low digital divide. The number of people living in counties where the digital divide was higher (two higher quartiles) had a slight increase from 39.3 million in 2014 versus 39.5 million in 2015.
Efforts to reduce the digital divide will require public–private partnerships that deal with broadband infrastructure and digital literacy at the same time. Otherwise, residents may not subscribe to recently upgraded broadband connectivity, or those who increased their digital skills may run into lack of connectivity, expensive plans, and/or inadequate speeds.
benton.org/headlines/2015-digital-divide-index | Mississippi State University
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SECURITY/PRIVACY
THE CONSERVATIVE CASE AGAINST TRASHING ONLINE PRIVACY RULES
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Klint Finley]
Protecting Internet privacy should be a bipartisan issue, right? After all, Americans seem united in their dislike of the phone and cable behemoths that dominate internet service in the US. “At the end of the day, it’s your data,” says Rep Warren Davidson (R-OH), who voted against the repeal. “I don’t see how it could be anyone else’s.”For most Republicans, it seems, someone else’s private property rights took precedence: the cable and phone companies themselves. Rep Davidson says he believes most of his colleagues subscribed to the free-market reasoning that because the ISPs built the networks, they could do with them what they pleased. But many people don’t have access to more than one home broadband provider–particularly in many of the rural districts that Republicans represent. And, if money can’t really explain the polarization on internet privacy, then what? Republicans traditionally recoil from government regulation—but the FCC’s regulations carried a special taint: the agency passed them under the Obama administration.
benton.org/headlines/conservative-case-against-trashing-online-privacy-rules | Wired
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COMMUNICATIONS & DEMOCRACY
LA TIMES TRUMP EDITORIAL PART 1
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] In the days ahead, The Los Angeles Times editorial board will look more closely at President Donald Trump, with a special attention to three troubling traits:
1) Trump’s shocking lack of respect for those fundamental rules and institutions on which our government is based. He has lashed out at journalists, declaring them “enemies of the people,” rather than defending the importance of a critical, independent free press. His contempt for the rule of law and the norms of government are palpable.
2) His utter lack of regard for truth.
3) His scary willingness to repeat alt-right conspiracy theories.
benton.org/headlines/la-times-president-trump-editorial-part-1-our-dishonest-president | Los Angeles Times
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GOVERNMENT
CONGRESS IS TRYING TO GIVE EVEN MORE POWER TO HOLLYWOOD
[SOURCE: The Verge, AUTHOR: Mike Masnick]
On March 23rd, Reps Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and John Conyers (D-MI) introduced a controversial bipartisan bill with over 100 years of history behind it, though you wouldn’t know it from its boring name. It’s called the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017 — the key part is that it makes the Register of Copyright a political position appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. That’s in contrast to the current state of affairs, which has been in existence since the creation of the Copyright Office in 1897. This seemingly small change could have a big impact on a variety of different issues concerning how the internet functions. The simple version is that the music and movie industries have always had an uneasy relationship with the internet, and they worry that the Library of Congress might appoint a Register of Copyrights who thinks expanding copyright protections might not be the best thing for the public or individual creators. And one of the best ways to prevent that from happening is to have much more control over who will be in charge of the Copyright Office. The new bill gives the copyright industry the means to do that by lobbying the president and Congress directly. The long version is a fascinating glimpse at the collision of politics, the internet, and history.
benton.org/headlines/congress-trying-give-even-more-power-hollywood | Verge, The
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POLICYMAKERS
RURAL BROADBAND AUCTIONS TASK FORCE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced the formation of the Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force to implement the upcoming Universal Service Fund-related auctions. The Task Force will oversee both the Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF-II) and Mobility Fund II (MF-II) auctions. The CAF-II auction will offer almost $2 billion to bidders to connect unserved and underserved locations over the next decade. The MF-II auction will make available more than $4.5 billion in new funding over ten years for expanding 4G LTE mobile coverage across rural America and in Tribal lands. Chairman Pai named Chelsea Fallon as Director of the Task Force, with Michael Janson and Kirk Burgee as Deputy Directors. Thom Parisi will serve as the Chief of Staff of the Task Force.
benton.org/headlines/chairman-ajit-pai-announces-formation-rural-broadband-auctions-task-force | Federal Communications Commission
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LABOR
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON VISAS FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Harper Neidig]
The Trump Administration has quietly issued new policy guidance that would make it harder for companies to use the H-1B visa program to bring foreign computer programmers into the US. A policy memo from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services changes the way the agency will process visa applications for computer programming positions, making companies jump through extra hoops to fill those jobs with foreign workers. "Based on the current version of the Handbook, the fact that a person may be employed as a computer programmer and may use information technology skills and knowledge to help an enterprise achieve its goals in the course of his or her job is not sufficient to establish the position as a specialty occupation," the memo reads.
benton.org/headlines/trump-administration-cracks-down-visas-computer-programmers | Hill, The | read the memo | Vox
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