Rate the Ratings: "C" for Complex
MCI's Loss Creates a Very Bad Trans-Atlantic Connection
A Microsoft Browser Tied Tighter to Windows 95
WB Gains 5 TV Stations From UPN
Senate Clears Way for Klein as Antitrust Chief
Low-Tech, Windup Radio Makes Waves
Time Warner Network Exults as Sinclair Agrees to Move Five Affiliates to WB
Evergreen Media, Chancellor to Buy Katz Media Group
Iridium Raises $800 Million in Debt For Satellite Communications System
Microsoft to Feature 250 Content Channels In New Web Browser
First Come, First Surfed? Firms Spar Over Net Domain Names
CNN's Last Picture Show
Take a memo to lazy media
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Title: Rate the Ratings: "C" for Complex
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(A23)
Author: Rosalyn Weinman, vice president at NBC
Issue: V-Chip
Description: In editorial, Weinman says, "More isn't always better." NBC is
rejecting the new ratings system that includes content warnings and is
"complicated" and "unwieldy." Weinman heads NBC's department on programming
standards: "My job is to uphold the network's contract with the audience, in
which we promise them no surprises." Weinman worries that the new ratings
system is Congress' first step in suppressing certain kinds of shows.
Title: MCI's Loss Creates a Very Bad Trans-Atlantic Connection
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(D1)
Author: Mark Landler
Issue: Competition
Description: Last week's news from MCI about higher-than-expected losses for
getting into local phone service was only the half of it. Perhaps even more
serious is the news that MCI is losing revenue in its core business -- long
distance. The long distance market is shifting towards deep discounts and
costly promotions. MCI is having problems similar to AT&T -- obscure
competitors are leasing lines from other carriers and reselling service at
low rates.
Title: A Microsoft Browser Tied Tighter to Windows 95
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(D5)
Author: John Markoff
Issue: Info Tech
Description: "True Web integration" is the promise of Microsoft's Internet
Explorer 4.0, which will be previewed today. The new software is closely
linked to Microsoft's Windows 95 software. Because of the link, the company
faces monopoly charges from competitors such as Netscape: "This is a scheme
that Microsoft has cooked up to tie users in to Internet Explorer. The key
anticompetitive issue is that the user doesn't get to choose. They trick the
user into using Internet Explorer when the user doesn't want to."
Title: WB Gains 5 TV Stations From UPN
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(D5)
Author: Lawrie Mifflin
Issue: Ownership
Description: Five Sinclair Broadcast group TV stations will drop UPN
programming and pick up WB network programming in January. WB and UPN are
vying to become the nation's fifth major network. The WB network is owned by
Time Warner; UPN is owned by Viacom.
Title: Senate Clears Way for Klein as Antitrust Chief
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(A2)
Author: John Wilke
Issue: Telephone Regulation
Description: In one of those wacky Washington situations, Republicans ended
efforts by Democrats to block the nomination of a Democrat to a leading
Department of Justice position. A vote by the Senate will end a filibuster
and allow for the confirmation of Mr Klein as antitrust chief. Some
Democrats think Mr. Klein's efforts in telecommunications aren't tough
enough. In a joint letter to Congress, the Consumer Federation of America
and Consumers Union wrote Klein "bears significant responsibility for these
unintended, monopolistic results" in the tel;
Title: Low-Tech, Windup Radio Makes Waves
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(B1)
Author: Kimberley Strassel
Issue: Radio/Info Tech
Description: This isn't you grandfather's radio -- or is it. Freeplay is a
new battery/electricity free radio. Just 30 seconds of windup offers 40
minutes of AM, FM or shortwave tunes.
Title: Time Warner Network Exults as Sinclair Agrees to Move Five
Affiliates to WB
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(B3)
Author: Kyle Pope
Issue: Ownership
Description: Sinclair Broadcast Group will switch five TV stations from UPN
to WB programming. Sinclair will receive $64 million over eight years.
Stations are located in Pittsburgh, baltimore, Cincinnati, San Antonio, and
Oklahoma City.
Title: Evergreen Media, Chancellor to Buy Katz Media Group
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(B3)
Author: John Lippman
Issue: Mergers
Description: Earlier this year, Chancellor and Evergreen announced they
would merge to create a radio ownership group of 98 stations. Now they want
to purchase Katz Media Group for $155.1 million. Katz sells national
advertising time on behalf of 2,000 local radio stations and 340 TV stations.
Title: Iridium Raises $800 Million in Debt For Satellite Communications System
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(B14)
Author: Quetin Hardy
Issue: Info Tech
Description: Iridium plans to offer global voice and paging service using 66
satellites and cellular phone networks. The company has raised $800 million
-- $50 million more than expected -- to help launch the service which will
cost some $5 billion.
Title: Microsoft to Feature 250 Content Channels In New Web browser
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(B14)
Author: Staff Reporter
Issue: Info Tech
Description: 250 channels are coming to your computer. Disney and Time
Warner have won "plum positions" as information channels on Microsoft's new
WWW browser, Internet Explorer 4.0. By choosing a channel and subscribing,
consumers will receive information from sites automatically.
Title: First Come, First Surfed? Firms Spar Over Net Domain Names
Source: Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (C1)
Author: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Issue: Trademarks
Description: Major companies are taking smaller companies and
individuals to court for trademark violations in order to get domain
names for their web site. Because of the lack of a law controlling the
distribution of domain names, these cases are judged using trademark
law. Chevy Chase Federal Savings Bank, for instance, contends that its
trademark on the name "Chevy Chase" also entitles them to the rights to
the domain name http://www.chevychase.com, which is held by a company
called Chevy Chase Computers, Inc.
Title: CNN's Last Picture Show
Source: Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (D1)
Author: Sharon Waxman
Issue: Journalism
Description: Criticism surrounding the appearance of 13 CNN reporters in
the new Warner Bros film "Contact" has lead the news network to
announce that its journalists would no longer be participating in films.
Many media critics have questioned the move by CNN, which is owned by
Warner Bros. parent company, Time Warner, asserting that journalistic
integrity is compromised when a news division is involved in the promotion
of a commercial venture of its parent company. The film's producer contends
that the use of CNN reporters in the film was merely a
way of adding realism to the story. "If people are watching a movie and
seeing familiar faces it feels more real, more immediate." In a related
story, White House counsel Charles Ruff sent an angry letter to "Contact"
director Robert Zemeckis over the splicing of footage of the President
in the film without prior consent from the White House. Clinton's
statements on the Oklahoma City bombing and the Mars probe were put
together in the movie so that he seemed to be answering questions about
aliens. According to Zemeckis, there was no need to get permission: "The
president works for us. He's in the public domain."
Title: Take a memo to lazy media
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www2.phillynews.com/inquirer/97/Jul/12/opinion/BOND12.htm
Author: Julian Bond, NAACP Board Member, teaches at American University and
the Univ of Virginia
Issue: Journalism
Description: In opinion piece, Bond addresses media's poor coverage of
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Convention. Bond examines media myths of NAACP's relevance in civil rights
activities today. [For more stories see
http://www.newsworks.com/NewsWorks/news/0,1009,,00.html]
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