A Rock 'n Roll Station Is Pushed Off the Air In Bureaucratic Morass
The Costs of Online Government
Journalistic Muddle
UDC to Sell Radio Station
Motorola to Compete With Satellite Project
Deep Cuts Proposed For Arts
Senate Commerce Committee Approves Budget Plan With Major Amendments to
Administration's Bill
CBO "Score" of House Budget Bill Down By $9.7 Billion
CORRECTION: Monday 6/16's Headlines reported that "Billy Tauzin of the House
Telecom Sub-committee is against spectrum fees." The Broadcasting&Cable
article reported that Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain is
"opposed to spectrum fees," and "that he believes they are another tax."
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Title: A Rock 'n Roll Station Is Pushed Off the Air In Bureaucratic Morass
Source: Wall Street Journal (A1)
Author: John R. Wilke
Issue: Radio
Description: Sub-title: No more lost pig reports. WZLS in Asheville, North
Carolina was
shut down after it lost a confusing battle with a rival group of investors
at the FCC. "Beyond Asheville, hundreds of FM licenses lie in limbo at the
FCC. The agency hasn't decided a contested radio case since 1994, when a
court threw out its old rules and ordered new ones. Its backlog is now 873
undecided applications for 212 new stations." FCC Chairman Reed Hundt
agrees that there is a problem. He would like to change the license
granting process from what he calls "subjective judgements" to
auction licenses for cash or for what he referred to as "quantifiable
public-service commitments." Hundt says, "Broadcasting is about serving the
public interest."
Title: The Costs of Online Government
Source: Washington Post (A15)
Author: Barbara J. Saffir
Issue: Federal Government
Description: A new General Accounting Office report explains that
executive branch organizations in the federal government spent $349 million
over three years on Internet-related activities. The Defense Department
led the branches in spending. In 1996, 42 agencies and departments spent
$190 million on 4,300 web sites, 215 computer bulletin boards, and 4,200
copies of tetrus (ok not the last part). Ann Lewis, White House
communications director, explained that, "We have an obligation to provide
to the American people...as much information as we can about policies
that make a difference in their lives." Greater than 1/3 of the employees
at the federal agencies that were surveyed are connected to the Internet and
1.7 million workers have e-mail access. The extent workers use email varies
from agency to agency. Article has a nice chart detailing Internet-related
spending by department.
Title: Journalistic Muddle
Source: Washington Post (A17)
Author: David S. Broder
Issue: Journalism
Description: In his column, Broder asserts that the 25th anniversary of
the Watergate break-in is marked with uncertainty for the journalism
community. Citizens who are eager to be in the know have more easily
available and more informed sources than ever before. The broader public,
however,is not faring better. "In far too many cases, inadequate reporting
or wide-spread indifference have left people ignorant of essential
information they need to function as citizens." A disengaged public and
dropping readership is pushing newspapers to develop new solutions. Some
are trying civic journalism, which has had mixed results according to a
recent study by Pew. "More organizations are dumbing down the public, going
for soft, human-interest stories or private scandals to attract a jaded
public." Corporate news executives, who aren't aware that good
journalistic values are developed by practicing journalism, are giving "the
most visible and influential jobs in their organizations to transplants
from the world of partisan politics."
Title: UDC to Sell Radio Station
Source: Washington Post (B6)
Author: Valeris Strauss and Marc Fisher
Issue: Radio
Description: University of the District of Columbia will help ease its
debt by selling its radio station WDCU (90.1) and leave the District without
any full-time jazz stations. UDC Trustees were not happy about the
decision, but felt there was no other way to help the university's debt. An
organization affiliated with Salem Communications is rumored to be the
successful bidder for the station. "Salem's format consists primarily of
paid programming from fundamentalist Christian organizations. The company
also syndicates the Oliver North talk radio show as well as other
conservative talk shows."
Title: Motorola to Compete With Satellite Project
Source: Washington Post (C11)
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Info Tech
Description: Since Microsoft chose Boeing, and not Motorola, to help
build its (dum de de dum) Internet in the Sky, Motorola has transformed
itself from mild-mannered potential partner, to supreme rival. Motorola
filed with the FCC saying that it wants to create a 63 satellite, global
network for $12.9 billion. These satellites would beam video and data down
to land-dwelling consumers. Scientists are developing Orville Redenbacker
clones that can live in the oxygen free environment of deep space to send
popcorn down as well.
Title: Deep Cuts Proposed For Arts
Source: Washington Post (D1)
Author: Jacqueline Trescott
Issue: Arts & Culture
Description: The House Appropriations sub-committee voted to cut the budget
of the National Endowment for the Arts by 90% to $10 million. The Senate is
expected to support a budget of $99.6 million. The large difference between
the Senate and the House numbers will be worked out in conference committee.
Title: Senate Commerce Committee Approves Budget Plan With Major Amendments
to Administration's
Bill
Source: Telecommunications Reports
Issue: Budget Issues
Description: The Senate Commerce Committee approved the communications
section of the budget reconciliation bill with 16 amendments many offered by
the committee's chairman, Sen John McCain (R-Ariz). Despite criticism from
committee members, the provisions include estimated revenues from spectrum
license auctions over the next five years. The amendments prevent the FCC
from collecting license payments from bankrupt companies, block new fees on
spectrum users, eliminate a requirement that the FCC auction off "vanity"
888 phone numbers, and allow the FCC to lease spectrum for private mobile
radio systems. In regards to the digital TV spectrum giveback, an amendment
was approved will language similar to the House's: broadcasters will be able
to retain their analog spectrum until 95% digital TV penetration is reached.
Title: CBO "Score" of House Budget Bill Down By $9.7 Billion
Source: Telecommunications Reports
Issue: Budget Issues
Description: The Congressional Budget Office "scored" the House Commerce
Committee's budget reconciliation bill at $9.7 billion, down from an
original score of $19.4 billion. The reduction was a result of amendments by
Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) that will void future spectrum auctions that do not
reach two-thirds of projected revenue and allow television broadcasters to
retain extra spectrum until digital television penetration reached 95%.
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