INTERNET
FCC Fight Erupts Over Internet Access (WP)
Lottery May Decide Competition in Internet Name System (NYT)
Web Publishers Testify Against Anti-Porn Law (CyberTimes)
ISPs and Database Sued in Abortion Case (CyberTimes)
Race Is on to Foil E-Music Pirates (WSJ)
MERGERS
AT&T May Sell Internet-Access Lines, Including WorldNet,
To At Home Corp. (WSJ)
DirecTV Is Near Pact To Acquire PrimeStar In Cash, Stock Deal (WSJ)
Time Warner Holds Talks With Lycos, Others in Bid to Expand
Online Role (WSJ)
JOURNALISM
Chicago Newscasts Earn C's and D's On New Report Card (Chi Trib)
PUBLISHING
The Big Bind (Chi Trib)
REGULATION
Speech: Deregulation: Pursuing Congress's Vision (FCC)
WIRELESS
Setting New Mobile Telecommunications Standards (FCC)
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ERATE
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INTERNET SUBSIDIES DISBURSED
Issue: E-Rate
Another 4,500 commitment letters are being mailed out by the Schools and
Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company promising
more than $211 million to schools and libraries to help for connections to
the Internet. The administrator of the "e-rate" program said applicants in
all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands will receive money. This commitment was the third in a series of
disbursements begun late last year and raises the total money released to
more than $427 million. The money comes from fees imposed on telecommunications
companies by the Federal Communications Commission.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (Online), AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990122/V000046-012299-idx.html
SENATE OFFERS INTERNET SCHOOLS BILL
Issue: E-Rate
A Senate bill offered Wednesday by two key lawmakers would require schools
and libraries getting federally subsidized Internet hookups to install
computer software to block material inappropriate for children. Senate
Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Ernest
Hollings
(D-SC) introduced the bill. The legislation, which aims to shield kids from
sexually explicit material on the Web, leaves it to schools and libraries to
decide what screening device to use. Schools and libraries that have
already received federal money for computer hookups would be required to
retrofit computers with the screening device. Civil liberty groups said a
different version of the bill offered last year was unconstitutional.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (Online), AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990120/V000874-012099-idx.html
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INTERNET
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FCC FIGHT ERUPTS OVER INTERNET ACCESS
Issue: Internet/Broadband
In the past few weeks the Federal Communications Commission has been flooded
with comments from communications and technology companies about who should
have access to America's cable networks. Internet service providers, such as
AOL, are asking the FCC to force cable operators to allow rivals to provide
high-speed Internet access over their cable lines. Cable and technology
companies, however, are fiercely opposed to such a plan. They argue that any
regulation will hamper the rapid deployment of high-speed technologies to
American homes. The recent debate was sparked by a portion of a FCC draft
report on the development of "broadband" capabilities, which considers
regulating the use of cable networks for high-speed Internet access. The
intense lobbying that has ensued includes some of the biggest players in the
communications business. "You name a company, they've all been here," observed
one FCC staffer.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: Bryan Gruley]
http://wsj.com/
LOTTERY MAY DECIDE COMPETITION IN INTERNET NAME SYSTEM
Issue: Internet
As a next step in the transfer of power over the Internet from the
government to the private sector, the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN) is considering a lottery to select 5 companies
that will end the domain-name monopoly held by Network Solutions Inc. For
the past 5 years, Network Solutions has held the exclusive right to assign
Internet addresses ending in .com, .net, or .org, charging $70 apiece.
ICANN is still deciding how best to open up the Internet to registration
business to full-scale competition.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: Jeri Clausing]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/01/cyber/articles/22domain.html
WEB PUBLISHERS TESTIFY AGAINST ANTI-PORN LAW
Issue: Internet Regulation
The challenge to the Child Online Protection Act continued Thursday with
representatives of Internet companies testifying that the new law would
hinder their ability to publish information on the Web. Christopher Barr,
editor-in-chief of San Francisco-based CNET, a company that publishes
information about technology on the Web, testified that if the law stands,
the company's Web sites would likely start exercising what he called
"self-censorship." Mr. Barr's fears were repeated by other witnesses
throughout the day. Ted Hirt, a lawyer for the US Department of Justice,
countered with a line of questioning that disputed claims that these
websites would violate the law which targets sexual content that appeals to
the prurient interest of young people and lacks scientific, literary,
artistic or political merit
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Pamela Mendels mendels( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/01/cyber/articles/22copa.html
ISPs AND DATABASE SUED IN ABORTION CASE
Issue: Internet/Legal Issues
Are Internet service providers and electronic databases that offer
subscribers look-up information about state motor vehicle records recklessly
and illegally assisting anti-abortion groups to track down and harass
abortion clinic patients? That's the question at the heart of a Internet
privacy lawsuit recently filed in federal district court in Orlando (FL).
"There are important reasons to have open government and accountability, but
at the same time public records are being used in novel and unforeseen
ways," said Peter P. Swire, a law professor at Ohio State University who
specializes in privacy law. "This case shows there are many issues about
public records that have not been resolved yet." Among those issues are the
Free Speech rights of companies vs. the privacy rights of medical patients.
The case will also help determine the legal liability and responsibilities
of Internet companies that place revealing information -- like the name and
address of a particular car owner -- into the hands of aggressive political
advocates, Kaplan reports.
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Carl S. Kaplan kaplanc( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/01/cyber/cyberlaw/22law.html
RACE IS ON TO FOIL E-MUSIC PIRATES
Issue: Intellectual Property
A portable Walkman-like player called Rio has IBM, AT&T and other big names
in technology swarming to help the music industry fight music piracy from
the Internet [the Internet doesn't steal music -- people do]. At issue is
the secure delivery of digital media products -- music, e-books, and movies -
via the Internet and the current ease of piracy. The goal is to come up with
a way to ensure a company gets paid each time its song, movie, or whatever
is downloaded. Presently the Rio can download music directly from the
Internet.
Music-industry executives say Microsoft also is quietly considering marketing a
device like the Rio. The IBM system, about to be tested, will allow people to
order albums and download them from the Internet to their own CD recorders.
The CDs made would not be capable of being copied. The A2B Music unit of
AT&T has been
used to securely deliver songs over the Internet and is being pushed by AT&T
as the centerpiece of a digital delivery system. The issue has become
important since the MP3 format has made it easier to compress and transmit
music data digitally.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: Eben Shapiro]
http://wsj.com
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MERGERS
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AT&T MAY SELL INTERNET-ACCESS LINES, INCLUDING WORLDNET, TO AT HOME CORP.
Issue: Internet/Mergers
AT&T is considering selling its Internet access business, WorldNet, to the
top cable modem provider, At Home. While WorldNet is the second largest
Internet access provider in the nation, it lags far behind AOL. Analysts
suggest that this sale might be an attempt by AT&T to boost its Internet
audience. Once AT&T's deal with TCI - a major shareholder in At Home -- is
finalized, AT&T will have considerable influence over At Home. For this
reason, AT&T might be planing to place all of its Internet interest in At
Home, who already has an inside track in high-speed Internet access.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: Kara Swisher and Rebecca
Blumenstein]
http://wsj.com/
AT&T MAY SELL WORLDNET TO ( at )HOME
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/breaking/headline1/003621.htm
DIRECTV IS NEAR PACT TO ACQUIRE PRIMESTAR IN CASH, STOCK DEAL
Issue: Merger
Hughes Electronics Corp.'s DirectTV is close to purchasing the assets and
subscribers of Primestar Inc. in a deal valued at $1.3 billion in cash and
stock. Some executives said that the deal could be announced today or could
still fall apart. Primestar is controlled by a group of television cable
companies. In a separate deal DirectTV, the largest satellite television
broadcaster, is also expected to announce the acquisition of the satellite
assets of Tempo, a Denver satellite company owned by some of the same cable
companies which own Primestar. Tempo possesses rare high-powered satellite
slots. That deal is valued at $500 million.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B2), AUTHOR: WSJ Staff Reporter]
http://wsj.com
TIME WARNER HOLDS TALKS WITH LYCOS, OTHERS IN BID TO EXPAND ONLINE ROLE
Issue: Merger
Time Warner Inc., maneuvering to become a major player in the online world,
is discussing taking a stake in several Internet businesses. Time Warner
apparently is looking at minority stakes in companies such as record
retailer CDnow Inc. and search-engine company Lycos. Interest in Lycos has
intensified since rival Excite was purchased recently by At Home Corp.
Lycos has held past discussions with several major corporations about
minority investment, usually in the 5% to 35% range. Time Warner is
interested in CDnow to add heft to its business of selling books and music
over the Internet.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B3), AUTHOR: Eben Shapiro & Jon G. Auerbach]
http://wsj.com
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JOURNALISM
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CHICAGO NEWSCASTS EARN C'S AND D'S ON NEW REPORT CARD
Issue: Journalism
A new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism examined two weeks
of newscasts from 61 stations in 20 cities. The study finds, contrary to
industry "wisdom," that quality sells. Sixty-three percent of stations
earning A grades are also rising in the ratings. The Chicago stations
studied did better than their counterparts in New York and LA, but that
isn't saying much: the Big Three network affiliates in Chicago scored two
C's and one D. The best newscasts in the nation came from a Evansville (IN)
-- population 126,000. The full report is available online at
www.journalism.org.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 5, p.1), AUTHOR:Steve Johnson]
http://chicagotribune.com/
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PUBLISHING
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THE BIG BIND
Issue: Ownership/Publishing
The largest book store chain, Barnes and Noble with 1,011 stores, is poised
to purchase the country's largest distributor of books, Ingram Book Company.
B&N will pay $400 million to acquire Ingram. Crown Books, which filed for
bankruptcy last year, owes million to Ingram -- possibly giving it and B&N
say about Crown Books future. "It's a great scam," said Adam Brent, an
independent bookstore owner in Chicago. "The perception is that there's a
lot out there, but the truth is that a high, high percentage of hat's out
there is being controlled by very few hands." If the B&N/Ingram deal goes
through (and since there is no formal opposition to the deal, it is expected
to be approved by the Federal Trade Commission in February or March)
independent bookstores will have to rely on their biggest competitor --
Barnes and Noble -- for their books. But "indies" do have something going
for them, Obejas writes, knowledgable staffs and commitment to their customers.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 5, p.1), AUTHOR: Achy Obejas]
http://chicagotribune.com/
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REGULATION
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SPEECH: DEREGULATION: PURSUING CONGRESS'S VISION
Issue: Regulation
Commissioner Ness' Remarks Before the Federal Communications Bar
Association: "In my speech four years ago, I spoke of the FCC's
responsibility to guide a transition "of epic proportions." This has, in
fact, been our mission for the past four-plus years. The FCC stands at
Ground Zero in the transition from a world of telecommunications monopolies
to global competition. Where are we headed and how far have we come? How
sharp is our vision? How refined are our tools to meet these challenges? As
we celebrate the third anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996,
the time is ripe to assess our progress -- and prospects for the
future....Our challenge during this "transition of epic proportions" is to
have the courage to know when to intervene and when not; to use creatively
and judiciously the wide assortment of tools available as we move from
monopoly to competition; and, at all times, to keep the interest of
consumers paramount. Only then will we be fulfilling Congress's vision of
competition and deregulation for the benefit of all Americans."
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Ness/spsn903.html
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WIRELESS
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SETTING NEW MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS
Issue: Wireless/International
From the FCC News Release: In a letter from Commissioner Martin Bangemann to
the United States' top foreign policy, trade and telecommunications
officials, the European Commission reaffirmed its support for the outcome of
an important, industry-led, multilateral negotiation in the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU's goal is to produce standards for
the next generation of mobile telecommunications equipment. The United
States had sought reassurances that European industrial policy would not
inhibit efforts to use any standards in the European market that emerge from
the ITU's industry-led talks. The European response fell short, however, of
addressing several specific U.S. concerns regarding Europe's acceptance of
all standards that are adopted by the ITU.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Kennard/Statements/stwek905.html
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...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend. See you Monday.