You might think things'll slow down in Washington with the holidays
quickly approaching, but au contraire... three events to keep an eye
on next week: 1) the FCC media ownership hearing in Nashville on
Monday, 2) the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee
kicks off on Tuesday and 3) the Spectrum Management Advisory
Committee begins work on Wednesday. For these and other upcoming
media policy events, see http://www.benton.org
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Media Groups Dispute Collaboration Charge
Report Says TV Diversity Increasing, Slowly
The End of Program-Access Rules?
CHILDREN & MEDIA
Senators propose to track sex offenders online
More families playing video games but concerns remain
Group Advocates Video Game Rating System
Teens and media: a full-time job
Poll Shows IM Gap Between Teens, Adults
QUICKLY -- FTC to Host Workshop on Broadband Connectivity Competition
Policy; Still Hope for Kneuer Vote; Keep the E.P.A. Libraries Open; Lebanese TV
http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=taxonomy/term/21MEDIA OWNERSHIP
MEDIA GROUPS DISPUTE COLLABORATION CHARGE
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle 12/7, AUTHOR: Ryan Kim]
MediaNews Group and Hearst Corp., the two companies that own nearly
all of the large daily newspapers in the Bay Area, are disputing
charges that they are collaborating on a business deal that is
anti-competitive and illegal. In a brief filed in federal court
Wednesday, attorneys for MediaNews -- which owns the San Jose Mercury
News, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune and several smaller Bay
Area newspapers -- and Hearst Corp., parent company of The Chronicle,
challenged the arguments behind a temporary restraining order that
prevents them from taking steps toward consolidating advertising or
distribution. The two companies said a restraining order is
unnecessary because they have no plans to work together immediately.
But if they do pursue shared business operations, there is no
evidence the collaboration would be illegal and would cause
irreparable harm, company lawyers argued. "No one ... is threatened
with imminent harm by agreements that do not yet exist, are not being
pursued at this time, would be limited to lawful arrangement if they
were, and, in all events, could be undone by Court order at any
time," according to the joint brief. [You know, the "Hey, trust us" defense.]
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/07/BUGETMQNHP1.DTL
REPORT SAYS TV DIVERSITY INCREASING, SLOWLY
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Lynn Elber]
Civil-rights groups seeking greater ethnic diversity in the TV
industry said Thursday the major broadcast networks are making
improvements but it's time for greater progress -- and pressure. In
annual "report cards," ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox are graded in areas
including their hiring of minority actors, writers and directors,
development of programs with ethnic diversity and overall commitment
to diversity issues. This year, for shows airing from fall 2005 to
fall 2006, the National Latino Media Coalition gave ABC the highest
overall grade, A-minus, followed by a B-plus for CBS and a B each for
NBC and Fox. The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition gave NBC, ABC
and Fox a C-plus each, while CBS earned a C. In the coalition's first
report card, in 2000, the networks received mostly Ds. There was yet
again a sharp slap from Americans Indians in film & TV: The virtual
absence of any American Indians on screen or in the industry earned a
flurry of Fs and Ds, with just a handful of higher grades.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/12/08/daily.4/
THE END OF PROGRAM-ACCESS RULES?
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Program-access rules, enacted by Congress in 1992, were extended by
the Federal Communications Commission in 2002 for five years. FCC
Chairman Kevin Martin said Wednesday that the agency would soon
consider whether to extend the rules or allow them to sunset in
October 2007. Under the rules, cable operators are required to sell
their satellite-delivered channels to any multichannnel pay TV
provider .Terrestrially-delivered channels are not covered, allowing
Comcast to withhold SportsNet Philadelphia from DirecTV and EchoStar
Communications.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6397951.html?display=Breaking+News
Also see --
* Specter Criticizes Cablevision Absence
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) was not
happy with the absence of Cablevision from a hearing Thursday on
cable sports programming.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6397950?display=Breaking+News
* Judiciary Chair Threatens NFL Antitrust Exemption
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6397982.html?display=Breaking...
http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=taxonomy/term/28CHILDREN & MEDIA
SENATORS PROPOSE TO TRACK SEX OFFENDERS ONLINE
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Sens Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) said on
Thursday they would introduce legislation that would potentially
protect users of popular social networking sites like News Corp's
MySpace from registered sex offenders. The bill, to be introduced in
January, would require registered sex offenders to submit their
active email addresses to law enforcement.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&story...
MORE FAMILIES PLAYING VIDEO GAMES BUT CONCERNS REMAIN
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Leah Schnurr]
A new generation of technologically savvy parents are turning gaming
into a family event, according to a new survey, but critics pushing
for greater monitoring of video game content remain concerned. 58% of
respondents in an online survey said they play video games and more
than half this time is spent with their children. The survey found 74
percent of parents are comfortable with video games becoming a part
of their family life and most are familiar with an industry ratings
system used to assess what age group should play certain games and
used as a guide to the kind of content in the games, such as the
levels of violence. But David Walsh, president of the National
Institute on Media and the Family, said the numbers did not represent
parents in general as online surveys are more likely to be completed
by people who are technologically inclined. The survey comes as a
bitter political battle over violent content in video games shows
some signs of cooling with two of the industry's fiercest critics,
Sens Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), due
later Thursday to join forces with the industry's own rating board in
a nationwide educational television campaign.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&story...
GROUP ADVOCATES VIDEO GAME RATING SYSTEM
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Andrew Miga]
With the holiday shopping season underway, an industry group for
video games is trying to encourage parents to use its voluntary
ratings to protect children from graphic images of sex and violence.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board said Thursday it would
distribute four public-service television spots to more than 800
broadcast and cable stations nationwide. "Just like movies and TV
shows, video games are created for a diverse audience of all ages,
and some are simply not intended for children," ESRB president
Patricia Vance said. Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Hillary Rodham
Clinton (D-NY) lent their support at a Capitol Hill news conference.
Both have been active in the fight to protect children from sexually
explicit and graphically violent videos, music and movies.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VIDEO_GAME_RATINGS?SITE=WSAW&SECT...
TEENS AND MEDIA: A FULL-TIME JOB
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Stefanie Olsen]
According to a study released this week, Americans aged 13 to 18
spend more than 72 hours a week using electronic media--defined as
the Internet, cell phones, television, music and video games. Because
teens are known for multitasking, their usage of devices can overlap.
So much technology makes teens feel they are playing a starring role
in their own reality TV show, said Jim Taylor, vice chairman of the
Harrison Group, which conducted the 2006 Teen Trend study. "This
generation is unique," Taylor said. "Teen life has become a
theatrical, self-directed media production."
http://news.com.com/Teens+and+media+a+full-time+job/2100-1041_3-6141920....
POLL SHOWS IM GAP BETWEEN TEENS, ADULTS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Will Lester]
A new AP-AOL survey finds that almost half of teens, 48 percent of
those 13-18, use instant messaging -- more than twice the percentage
of adults who use it. Additional findings include: 1) Almost
three-fourths of adults who do use instant messages still communicate
with e-mail more often. Almost three-fourths of teens send instant
messages more than e-mail. 2) More than half of the teens who use
instant messages send more than 25 a day, and one in five send more
than 100. Three-fourths of adult users send fewer than 25 instant
messages a day. 3) Teen users (30 percent) are almost twice as likely
as adults (17 percent) to say they can't imagine life without instant
messaging. 4) When keeping up with a friend who is far away, teens
are most likely to use instant messaging, while adults turn first to e-mail.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INSTANT_MESSAGING_AP_POLL?SITE=TX...
QUICKLY
FTC TO HOST WORKSHOP ON BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY COMPETITION POLICY
[SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission]
The Federal Trade Commission will host a two-day public workshop on
"Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy" in Washington, DC on
February 13 and 14, 2007. The workshop will bring together experts
from business, government, and the technology sector, consumer
advocates, and academics to explore competition and consumer
protection issues relating to broadband Internet access, including
so-called "network neutrality." FTC staff plans to invite panelists,
but interested parties can also propose themselves. Applications can
be submitted to broadbandpanelists( at )ftc.gov by Jan. 15, 2007.
http://ftc.gov/opa/2006/12/broadbandworkshop2.htm
STILL HOPE FOR KNEUER VOTE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
According to Senate Republicans, there is still a chance that acting
National Telecommunications & Information Administration head John
Kneuer could get the acting lifted from his title before the Senate
finishes its business. It still has Friday and perhaps Saturday to
vote the nomination. Kneuer's nomination was approved unanimously by
the Senate Commerce Committee back in September along with that of
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Martin has been confirmed, but the Senate
has yet to vote on Kneuer's nomination.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6398267.html?display=Breaking...
* Congress to Try to Convene 110th Session
The Republican era in Congress staggered toward a close with
lawmakers trying to hold together a fragile agreement on a massive
tax and trade legislation considered essential before they can
adjourn. Both the House and Senate could vote on the measure Friday.
Another vote, on a bill to keep federal programs funded through next
February, would conclude work for the year.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CONGRESS_RDP?SITE=COSTE&SECTION=H...
KEEP EPA LIBRARIES OPEN
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Leslie Burger, American Library Association]
[Commentary] The president of the American Library Association writes
an op-ed challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's plan to
dismantle the agency's "crown jewel": its 29 regional libraries.
"While the agency says the closings are all part of a commitment to
modernize and digitize, we are not assured that its public plan is
adequate or its skills sufficient. Users within the E.P.A. and the
American public need information specialists, like librarians, to
manage paper collections and to help them get access to digital
material and organize online information."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/08/opinion/08burger.html
(requires registration)
* Closure of 6 federal libraries angers scientists
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-libraries8dec08,...
(requires registration)
LEBANESE TV HAS SPLIT PERSONALITY
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Raed el Rafei]
On Hezbollah's channel, the prime minister is a U.S. puppet. That's
not quite the spin of the government's channel.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-lebtv8dec08,0,69...
(requires registration)
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...and we're outta here. Remember -- it's the thought that counts.
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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.
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