In our 3/8 summary:
COMPANY TROLLS FOR SCUTTLEBUTT ON THE INTERNET [New York Times]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/biztech/articles/08grim.html we
mistakenly reported the annual fee for the service as $130,000. Ewatch
actually charges just $13,000/yr.
TELEPHONY
AT&T Completes $55 Billion Purchase Of TCI (SJ Merc)
SCHOOLS/LIBRARIES
Schools Split on Using Internet Filters (CyberTimes)
Homeless Find A Home Base On the Net (ChiTrib)
INTERNET
Entering The High-Speed Sprint (B&C)
AOL to Launch Online Photo Service (WP)
BROADCASTING
NBC Moves to Sell Goods to Its Viewers (NYT)
TELEPHONY
AT&T COMPLETES $55 BILLION PURCHASE OF TCI
Issue: Merger
Tele-Communications Inc. is now a part of AT&T. The $55 billion acquisition
was completed Tuesday creating a one-stop shop for local, long distance and
cellular phone service, Internet access, and cable television. The
acquisition gives AT&T direct access into customers homes, something it has not
had since the creation of the Baby Bells. Using TCI's cable TV wires, AT&T
intends to offer a variety of services, including telephone service over the
cable networks in 10 US cities by year-end. AT&T and TCI together reach
about one-third of the nation. AT&T forged a joint venture with Time Warner
and is looking at alliances with other cable companies to provide similar
services in other parts of the country. Under the acquisition TCI becomes
AT&T's newest business unit, AT&T Broadband & Internet Services.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/reuters/docs/222915l.htm
SCHOOLS/LIBRARIES
SCHOOLS SPLIT ON USING INTERNET FILTERS
Issue: Edtech/Content
Although 39 of public schools already use filters on computers from which
students access the Internet, Congress is currently considering legislation
that would require such filters to be used in all schools that receive the
federal E-rate subsidy. Several education groups, including the National
PTA, the National Education Association and the National School Boards
Association oppose the measure, which they say would interfere with their
ability to make this decision locally. "The main issue for us is not that we
are supporting kids going to bad sites on the Internet," explains Jefferson
G. Burnett, director of government relations for the National Association of
Independent Schools. "It is the federal government even thinking about
dictating to the schools how to approach this issue." While many schools are
grateful for software that blocks material harmful to minors, some school
districts have had problems with filters that prevent students from
accessing legitimate sites.
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Pamela Mendels]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/cyber/education/10education.html
HOMELESS FIND A HOME BASE ON THE NET
Issue: Universal Access/Libraries
Some 2 million people spent at least some time homeless last year. A growing
number of them are starting to use Internet access at public libraries to
stay connected. "As an interurban library we've always had people coming in
here smelling bad or looking tattered," said Cathy Camper, a librarian with
the Minneapolis Public Library. "Our library has always been used in that
way and the Internet is just an extension of that. My sense is what really
changed things was Hotmail. When free services started popping up, that's
when I noticed more people regularly coming in." Free email accounts and
Internet access can provide the homeless with "lockers" -- a place to keep
addresses and notes that are too important to use. The Internet can also
become their main news source. And, of course, its a great place to connect
with people. "It's like that famous cartoon that says, `On the Net, nobody
knows you're a dog,' " said Katherine Venturella, editor of "Poor People and
Library Services." "Well, on the Internet, nobody knows you're homeless."
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 5, p.1), AUTHOR: Margie Wylie, Universal Pres
Syndicate]
INTERNET
ENTERING THE HIGH-SPEED SPRINT
Issue: Broadband
US West will select two urban markets to test an integrated telephone and
Internet service on TV using Network Computer software, says Micki Jacoby,
director of US West.net product development. The trial is set to precede
the introduction of a new service, US West ( at ) TV, which will run across 14
states at the end of 1999, enabling viewers to make and receive phone calls
on TV using speakerphones built into set-top boxes. They will also be able
to use the Internet with technology that will reduce the video signal to
small window on the TV screen. Jacoby says users will also have access to
email and electronic programming guides and eventually video-on-demand will
be available. Sean Kaldor of Internet Development Corpotation (IDC) says it
is an appropriate response to partnerships AT&T has developed with cable
operators, especially TCI.
[SOURCE: Broadcast & Cable (p. 53), AUTHOR: Richard Tedesco]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/
AOL TO LAUNCH ONLINE PHOTO SERVICE
Issue: Online Services
Your opportunity to trade family photographs via the America Online service
may come by this summer, earlier if you are located in the test markets of
Cleveland, Orlando, and Tampa. AOL announced the "You've Got Pictures"
service almost a year ago but has been cautious to proceed because of the
need to assure their network can support the transmission of huge numbers of
electronic images. "It is much more traffic than anybody technically thought
we could deliver as we began to do the research," said Bob Pittman,
president of AOL. The service would allow consumers to drop off their
ordinary film with participating retailers and check the AOL box on the
envelope. After processing electronic versions of the pictures would be
loaded to the user's AOL account for distribution or printing. (The consumer
also would get paper copies.)
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E1), AUTHOR: Shannon Henry]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/daily/march99/aolphoto10.htm
BROADCAST
NBC MOVES TO SELL GOODS TO ITS VIEWERS
Issue: Broadcasting
NBC announced Tuesday that it plans purchase a portion of Value Vision, a
cable shopping network. In becoming the first broadcast network to own a
portion of a home shopping channel, NBC's ultimate goal "is to turn viewers
into buyers and consumers," says president of NBC cable, Thomas Rogers. NBC
plans to link the shopping channel to CNBC, MSNBC, and eventually "re-brand
Value Vision in conjunction with an Internet portal." Rogers says that in
exploring a commerce relationship between broadcast, cable and Internet, the
network is "figuring out ways to drive sales of product though our broadcast
platform."
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/nbc-ad-column.html
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