INTERNET
Survey: Net Crucial but Suspect
Colorado Public Libraries Bridge Digital Divide for Two-Thirds of
Patrons
OWNERSHIP
Radio Giant Defends Its Size at Senate Panel Hearing
INTERNET
SURVEY: NET CRUCIAL BUT SUSPECT
Web users surf the Net to find information, but they are wary of what they
find, according to a UCLA Internet Report released today. While people view
the Internet as a highly important resource, less than 53% of the users
believe that the information they find comes from credible sources. The
study also indicates that Internet users surf at the expense of watching TV
- non-users watch over five hours more television.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-982882.html?tag=fd_top)
COLORADO PUBLIC LIBRARIES BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR TWO-THIRDS OF PATRONS
Colorado's public libraries are going the extra mile when it comes to
bridging the digital divide in their state. According to a recent study by
the Library Research Service, the state's libraries provide the only
Internet access to two-thirds of their patrons, almost evenly distributed
among age groups. The study also shows that 82% of library visitors report
visiting the library expressly for computer access, with more than half
attending twice a week or more. Thirty-six percent of the respondents
reported using the library Web access to look for a job, and blacks and
Hispanics were more likely than other racial groups to use it for that
purpose. Entitled "Colorado Public Libraries & the Digital Divide 2002," the
report concludes that the Web has become the primary - if not only - source
for many government, information, education and health-related services,
making public access points all the more crucial.
(Link to the Report:
http://www.lrs.org/documents/DD_2002/DDSR_W-appendix.pdf)
OWNERSHIP
RADIO GIANT DEFENDS ITS SIZE AT SENATE PANEL HEARING
In a hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, Clear Channel Communications chief L. Lowry Mays claimed
that deregulation and economies of scale have allowed his company to make
the radio industry "more robust than ever before." Other panelists, such as
Recording Artists' Coalition founder Don Henley, countered that Clear
Channel has used its size to force promotional deals with the company in
exchange for airplay, skirting payola laws and using its concert production
arm to further manipulate artists. The hearing also focused on the true size
and nature of Clear Channel's market share.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Jennifer S. Lee]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/business/media/31RADI.html)
----------------------------------------------------------------------