DIVERSITY
FCC Is Expected to Readopt Rules on Equal Employment
WIRLESS
FCC Eases the Way for 3G Wireless
Mobiles used to tackle truancy
LEGISLATION
GOP Senate Promises Tech Policy Shift
Crooked Path Ahead for Digital TV
DIVERSITY
FCC IS EXPECTED TO READOPT RULES ON EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
Minority and female workers continue to be underrepresented in the media.
The FCC will attempt to readopt rules that require cable and satellite
operators and broadcasters to expand their recruiting initiatives for
females and people of color. The new rules would require broadcasters and
pay TV providers to participate in jobs fairs, advertising campaigns and to
list every available job on the Internet. The National Association of
Broadcasters complains that the new rules would violate their rights and
potentially increase the number of discrimination lawsuits. Equal employment
rules were first adopted in 1960 and most recently dismissed in 2001 when a
provision was found to be unconstitutional. This is the third attempt by the
FCC in enact employment diversity rules, which current chairman Michael K.
Powell thinks are imperative for increasing diversity on television.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Edmund Sanders]
(http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/cotown/la-fi-fcc7nov07,0,559043.stor
y?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dbusiness%2Denter)
MOBILES USED TO TACKLE TRUANCY
Web-enabled wireless phones introduced in the Boston public school system
allow school officials to more closely monitor student attendance. Before
the wireless phones were implemented, "truancy teams" had to carry around a
large print out of all of the 63,000 students in the school system. Now, the
teams are able to access student information instantly, look up the student
behavioral history, view a picture of the student and notify parents when
their children are not in school. The Boston school system already had a
good attendance rate, currently at 92%. But the integration of the phones
has resulted in a reduced property crime by 40%. The phones were developed
with wireless assistance from Nextel and AirClic, a software company.
[SOURCE: BBC News]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2406077.stm)
WIRLESS
FCC EASES THE WAY FOR 3G WIRELESS
The next generation of wireless came closer to reality Thursday as the FCC
allocated 90 mHz of spectrum for 3G products and services. The spectrum had
previously been licensed to government and commercial providers. Uses for
the newly available spectrum are virtually unlimited. While broadcast TV and
satellite are out of bounds, providers have nearly a carte blanche to
develop goods such as wireless broadband Internet. The Spectrum Policy Task
Force also released its final recommendations on Thursday, including
adoption of more flexible interference standards, market-based spectrum
allocation policies and a switch to time-based spectrum allocation from the
current geographic model.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Michael Grebb]
(http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,56268,00.html)
LEGISLATION
GOP SENATE PROMISES TECH POLICY SHIFT
The Republican Party's return to power in the Senate may signal a
pro-business stance on several key technology issues, including broadband
deregulation and Internet privacy. The change will be most notable in the
Commerce Committee, where Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will replace Senator
Ernest Hollings (D-SC) as chairman. Hollings has been a strong advocate of
broadband bills that emphasize federal spending and has left
Republican-sponsored measures off the table. Hollings' controversial
anti-piracy measure, which would require consumer electronics makers to
embed copy-protection technology into their products, is also likely to die
in favor of McCain's more moderate proposal.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Brian Krebs]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23863-2002Nov7.html)
CROOKED PATH AHEAD FOR DIGITAL TV
The transition from analog to digital television continues to create tension
between broadcasters, the consumer electronics industry and the government.
Senator John McCain of Arizona will oversee legislation related to the
conversion, as takes over as leader of the Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee beginning in January. Senator Hollins of South
Carolina currently oversees the committee. Andy Davis, a spokesman for
Senator Hollins says, "the goals will be similar", but "the details will be
different" - a change that could further complicate the future of digital
television. Congress hopes to make money from the sale of broadcasters
analog airwaves licenses to wireless providers, but the broadcast insustry
is pushing for a laissez faire approach to the transition. While McCain is
in the middle of "developing our agenda and our priorities," he is skeptical
that the analog broadcasters are going to give the spectrum over to the
government as they agreed to do in 1998, said his spokeswoman Pia Pialorsi.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Elisa Batista]
(http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,56244,00.html)
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