Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service =
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday =
through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry =
developments, policy issues, and other related news events. Headlines =
are compiled this week by Norris Dickard (norris( at )benton.org) -- we =
welcome your comments.
MICROSOFT
Microsoft Bid to EU Fails
MEDIA
Friday Night Film Club: A NetClick Away
Center for Creative Voices Conference Recap
FCC
FCC Finally Rules on F-Word, Other Indecencies
CONGRESS
Satellite Hearing Materials Online
MICROSOFT
MICROSOFT BID TO EU FAILS
EU regulators announced settlement talks with Microsoft collapsed; =
leaving it near certain an antitrust ruling will be issued against the =
company. The ruling could limit Microsoft's ability to add new features =
to its software in one of the largest and wealthiest markets in the =
world, where the company generates about a third of its $11 billion in =
annual global sales from Windows. While the concerns of media player =
competitors were at the core of the case, some industry analysts argue =
that Europe's proposed remedies might have a greater effect on future =
software products than on the market for media players.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: John Burgess]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6364-2004Mar18.html
(requires registration)
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Paul Meller and John Markoff]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/19/technology/19SOFT.html
(requires registration)
MEDIA=20
FRIDAY NIGHT FILM CLUB: A NETCLICK AWAY
Have you heard of film director Mario Bava? Upstart company, Netflix, =
and its proprietary software might help make the connection for you. =
Netflix, founded in 1998, is an online movie-rental company "that could =
be described as the anti-Blockbuster." It distributes only DVD's for =
which customers pay a flat monthly fee of $19.95 to rent an unlimited =
number of films -- keeping three at a time. According to the author, =
"{Netflix} turned me into a different kind of movie watcher. Culturally, =
I am no longer the same person. The flat-fee system elicits two =
responses: more frequent renting, and more adventurous renting." Other =
companies, including WalMart, are seeking to get in on the game and =
undercut NetFlix, but the company has niche offerings like Netflix =
First, where a small number of independent films are made available =
exclusively to subscribers. And who is Mario Bava? Why none other than =
the seminal influence on Dario Argento, a cult Italian horrormeister. =
But, you knew that.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Paul Grimes]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/19/movies/19NETF.html
CENTER FOR CREATIVE VOICES CONFERENCE RECAP
Speaking of independent production and artists, the Center for Creative =
Voices posted on their website materials, including press articles, =
related to their media policy conference held in L.A. last weekend. =
Executive Director Jonathan Rintels opened the conference by asking, "if =
what brought together so many prominent representatives of the public =
interest with so many prominent representatives of America's media =
creators, for perhaps the first time, is not the question of whether =
America's media artists can survive media consolidation, but whether =
America's democracy and culture can?" Declared Common Cause President =
Chellie Pingree, "Everyone has something to be mad about."=20
[SOURCE: Center for Creative Voices]
http://www.creativevoices.us/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=3D76
FCC=20
FCC FINALLY RULES ON F-WORD, OTHER INDECENCIES
The Federal Communications Commission issued an Order concluding that =
the live broadcast of the phrase "f***ing brilliant," spoken by Bono of =
U2 during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards, violated the statutory =
prohibitions on indecency and profanity. The agency also fined radio =
shock jock Howard Stern $27,500 for a show aired on a Detroit radio =
station. Mr. Stern works for Infinity Broadcasting, a unit of Viacom, =
Inc. Another Infinity station -- WLLD-FM, in Holmes Beach, Fla. -- was =
fined $7,000 for violating the commission's indecency rules, as was a =
subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications Inc.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Joe Flint]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107965150517659677,00.html?mod=3DINDU=
STRY
(requires subscription)
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/
CONGRESS
Testimony, the archived web cast, and related materials are now online =
for the March 10, House Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on =
Telecommunications and the Internet oversight hearing on the Satellite =
Home Viewer Improvement Act. Try repeating that as a tongue twister.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee]
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/03102004hearing1227/hearing.=
htm#List =
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/03102004hearing1227/hearing=
.htm
...And, I'm outta here. Kevin Taglang will return as editor on Monday. =
Have a good weekend, Norris
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