For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
TELEVISION
Stevens: DTV Bill This Month
Verizon, SBC Push for Reform of Video Rules
Missing the Big Picture on PBS
New Worlds To Censor
The Sky over TV-land may not be Falling
Moonves: Prepare for Plugs Aplenty
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Verizon Presses Bush to Name new FCC Commissioners
1st Meeting of Newly Rechartered Consumer Advisory Committee
FCC Office of Inspector General Reports to Congress
QUICKLY -- Seattle tops list of Wireless Web Communities; Scripps Captures
Shopzilla; Iraqi reality-TV
TELEVISION
STEVENS: DTV BILL THIS MONTH
Sen Ted Stevens plans to unveil his version of DTV transition legislation
by the end of June and predicts he can quickly move the bill though the
Senate, reconcile his bill with a separate version in the House and have a
final bill ready for the President's signature in October. [He's also
promised to paint my house!] Sen Stevens told the Federal Communications
Bar Association he can draft a bill with bipartisan consensus and wide
industry support because of information he and fellow Commerce Committee
Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye are gleaning from a series of closed-door
"listening sessions" they and their staffs are conducting with TV industry
executives and other affected parties. Sen Stevens predicted his bill will
be similar to draft DTV legislation floated by his counterpart at the House
Commerce Commerce Committee, Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX). His legislation
will include a subsidy for DTV convertors, but he's not sure how the
program will work yet -- or how big it will be. Sen Stevens also said he
would like Congress to approve a standard local franchise that would allow
Bell phone companies to roll out video without the need for lengthy
franchise negotiations with each municipal government. But Cheryl Leanza,
telecommunications counsel for the National League of Cities, says because
of familiarity with their communities, cities are better positioned to set
buildout terms that prevent "redlining," the serving of upper income areas
without providing adequate service to lower income neighborhoods. "Cities
have been instrumental in ensuring that competition comes to all Americans."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA606639?display=Breaking+News&...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
Listen to the speech yourself:
http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/stevensfcba6_6.mp3
* Stevens Looking to Help Bells
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA606782.html?display=Breaking+News&...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
VERIZON, SBC PUSH FOR REFORM OF VIDEO RULES
On Monday, SBC and Verizon called for lower legal barriers to launching
their own video services, amid worries that their plans could be delayed by
regulators. They are spending billions of dollars to launch residential
video services over the next 12 months, which they see as essential to
competing against cable companies targeting their customers with telephone
and high-speed Internet services. Each says their plans could be threatened
by regulations requiring them to get permission for selling video services
from many of the cities they're targeting, a process that can take years.
Verizon says that of a possible 10,000 franchise agreements with cities, it
has reached six so far.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Justin Hyde]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=BQUR00H5FNZJQCRBAEZS...
MISSING THE BIG PICTURE AT PBS
[Commentary] As the growth of cable TV ushered in the 500-channel universe,
public television had one key asset that could have made it distinctive: It
was noncommercial, meaning that programming did not have to depend on
audience ratings or please advertisers. Higher social values could drive
the content. But, instead, PBS has chosen to become increasingly
market-driven. While it still is a home for quality educational programs,
it is becoming more difficult to define how it is "noncommercial."
Programming decisions are deeply intertwined with concerns about funding
sources, audience size and demographics, and with a general desire to avoid
offending vocal constituencies. But is this really necessary? The idea of
public television is far more popular than the ratings of its specific
programs suggest. Public opinion surveys show that a vast majority of
Americans support public television and are willing to pay for it with
their tax dollars - even though PBS' audience has always been small and has
declined in prime time by more than 30 percent since the late 1980s. People
like to think that public television is valuable, even if they rarely watch
it. This gives PBS an opening to become far more valuable in our politics
and in our culture. But to do this, it needs to return to its roots -- it
must get back to being noncommercial.
[SOURCE: Newsday, AUTHOR: William Hoynes, Vassar College]
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-ophoy054291619jun05,0,4755348.sto...
NEW WORLDS TO CENSOR
[Commentary] A troubling shift is underway in how lawmakers censor media in
this country. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.),
chairmen of the Senate and House commerce committees, as well as Kevin
Martin, the new head of the Federal Communications Commission, are
proposing to broaden federal broadcast "indecency" regulations to cover
cable and satellite television. And a separate measure recently introduced
in the Senate would regulate "excessively violent" programming, not just in
broadcasting but on cable and satellite service as well. No doubt, some
parents will welcome efforts to extend indecency censorship, feeling
somewhat overwhelmed by all the new media outlets out there. As a parent of
two children, I can certainly sympathize. But technology gives parents more
ways to control media exposure every day. And just because the job of being
a good parent is difficult, we should not call in government to act as a
surrogate parent and make these decisions for all of us.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Adam Thierer, Progress and Freedom
Foundation]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/06/AR200506...
(requires registration)
THE SKY OVER TV-LAND MAY NOT BE FALLING
Viacom's CBS, according to industry insiders, was on track Friday to sell
about $2.5 billion to $2.6 billion in prime time ads, a 10 percent increase
from a year ago. Reaping the benefits of an impressive comeback, Walt
Disney-owned ABC saw total ad commitments surge more than 20 percent, to
$2.1 billion. Fox was flat year-over-over at roughly $1.6 billion, leading
some analysts to speculate that the News Corp. unit held onto more
inventory than usual in the hopes of getting higher rates closer to
air-time. Only NBC is down -- from $400 million to $600 million in ad
dollars this year.
[SOURCE: CNN/Money, AUTHOR: Krysten Crawford]
http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/03/news/fortune500/networks_upfront/index.htm
MOONVES: PREPARE FOR PLUGS APLENTY
TV viewers better brace themselves for even greater product placement in
their favorite TV shows because CBS Chairman Les Moonves is planning a big
increase. CBS will be heavily salting much of its programming with
placements. "We're making more and more of those deals: The kind of cars
they drive in CSI; the kind of orange juice they drink in Two and A Half Men."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA606786?display=Breaking+News&...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
Also --
Moonves Vows to Pursue Retrans Fees for CBS
Viacom co-President and co-Chief Operating Officer Leslie Moonves on Monday
repeated his commitment to pursue retransmission fees from cable operators,
saying that although it might take three to five years before he can start
charging cable to carry the CBS and UPN signals, it's a goal he intends to
achieve.
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Jay Sherman]
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7946
(requires free registration)
* Moonves: CBS to Seek Cash for Retrans
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA606768.html?display=Breaking+News
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
VERIZON PRESSES BUSH TO NAME NEW FCC COMMISSIONERS
Benevolent neglect has been great, but we need a fully-functioning FCC,
Verizon announced yesterday. The telephone company needs the FCC to bless
its plan to acquire long-distance and data company MCI. Since former FCC
Chairman Michael Powell stepped down earlier this year, the Commission is
evenly split with two Republicans and two Democrats. Additionally, FCC
Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy, also a Republican, plans to leave the
agency soon. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens has recommended
his aide Christine Kurth fill one slot and several names have been floated
for the other position. Democrat FCC Commissioner Michael Copps' term
expires this month but he can serve until replaced or through late 2006. He
has received support from Sen Stevens and the top Senate Commerce Committee
Democrat Sen. Daniel Inouye to be renominated.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=BQUR00H5FNZJQCRBAEZS...
FIRST MEETING OF NEWLY RECHARTED CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) will hold its next meeting on Friday,
June 10, from 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Commission's Headquarters
Building, Room TW-C305, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. The
meeting is open to the public. The agenda includes briefings regarding CAC
goals and objectives, the Committee's bylaws, the responsibilities of CAC
members, an overview of the FCC's processes and procedures, the role of the
working groups and subcommittees, and issues pending before the FCC of
interest to consumers. Members of the public may address the Committee or
may send written comments to Scott Marshall, Designated Federal Officer of
the Committee, at scott.marshall( at )fcc.gov. [Note: My beloved boss, Charles
Benton, is serving on CAC and welcomes your input. Just email me at
headlines( at )benton.org]
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-259166A1.doc
FCC OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS
The FCC Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports it made "significant
progress" in designing and carrying out its Universal Service Fund (USF)
oversight program, but "more work remains to be done." In a semiannual
report to Congress, OIG said, "The primary obstacle to implementation of
effective, independent oversight has been a lack of adequate resources to
conduct audits and provide audit support to investigations. This lack of
resources has prevented us from completing the body of work necessary to
assess fraud, waste and abuse at the program level." OIG said it sought
$3.17 million for USF oversight in the FY2006 budget and began to explore
alternatives for getting contract audit support.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily]
(Not available online)
See the report at:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-259144A1.pdf
QUICKLY
SEATTLE TOPS LIST OF WIRELESS WEB COMMUNITIES
A new Intel-sponsored study finds that Seattle had more places for its
residents to connect to the Internet via wireless, or Wi-Fi, hot spots than
any other U.S. city. Second on the list was San Francisco's metropolitan
area, followed by Austin, Texas. Fourth was, Portland, Oregon, and fifth
was, you guessed it, Glass City -- Toledo, Ohio.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=H3I05CRELF02ICRBAEZS...
SCRIPPS BUYS SHOPZILLA
E. W. Scripps Co. said it plans to buy price search engine Shopzilla for
$525 million. Shopzilla collects prices on electronics, clothes, and other
consumer product from thousands of retailers who then pay referral fees.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John M. Higgins]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA606790?display=Breaking+News&...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
IRAQI REALITY-TV HIT TAKES FEAR FACTOR TO ANOTHER LEVEL
A look at reality TV in Iraq: "Terrorism in the Grip of Justice." Critics
say the show violates prisoner rights by publicly humiliating suspects
before they are proven guilty.
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor , AUTHOR: Neil MacDonald]
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0607/p01s03-woiq.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
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. While the summaries are
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------