Blame It on The Weather

After almost two years of breast-beating, hearings and legislative proposals, 2005 passed without any bill boosting FCC indecency fines, without much hope of resolution of the issue of regulating cable content, and no proposed indecency fines issued out of the FCC. The year ended with minimal progress on a rewrite of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and an FCC that is still at least one commissioner and maybe two short of full strength. New Commissioner Deborah Tate had been confirmed but not sworn in, while the White House had not submitted a nominee for another open seat. The FCC also has yet to take another shot at crafting new media ownership rules that will pass court muster. Why all the unfinished work? In part, policymakers can blame it on the weather: Gulf Coast hurricanes are to blame for pushing back some legislative and regulatory timetables, but political divisions over indecency and the digital transition also contributed to delays.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6295754?display=News&referral...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* Don't let Congress fool you with deficit ‘reduction' bill
[Commentary] In this year it would be nice to see in Washington a new commitment to fiscal restraint and a resolve to bequeath a solvent government and robust economy to future generations. Among the shortcomings in budget legislation waiting final approval from the House are dubious assumptions. Much of this measure's deficit reduction would come not from spending cuts but from accounting gimmicks. About $10 billion would come from auctioning the frequencies used for analog television broadcasts slated to end in 2009. Congress has tried this, but the broadcaster lobby has repeatedly put off auction dates. Bottom line: Don't count on this money until the checks are cashed.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060103/edit02.art.htm