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TELECOM REFORM
Selling His Fellow Senators
Cerf Sets Record Straight
CDT Sends Letter Opposing Mandatory Labeling
NEWS FROM THE FCC
Faltering Telecom Bill May Spur FCC Action On Video Services
FCC pushes for Broadband over Power Lines
Spectrum Auction Rules Get Fresh Look
Spectrum for Sale
FCC orders Time Warner to reinstate NFL Network
Staff Changes in Commissioner Tate's Office
JOURNALISM
TV News: Watched But Decreasingly Trusted
McClatchy Completes Sale of 12 Orphan Knight Ridder Papers
QUICKLY -- Specter's NSA Plan Hits Snag; Fox Responds to NCTC
Complaint; Advertisers Turn to eBay To Buy TV Time; Antigua and
Barbuda, the US, the WTO and Internet Gambling; Liberia's Blackboard Headlines
TELECOM REFORM
SELLING HIS FELLOW SENATORS
[SOURCE: Forbes.com, AUTHOR: Jessica Holzer]
Desperate to get his massive and controversial telecom bill through
Congress this year, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska has gone, well,
postal: a glossy direct-mail-style brochure trumpeting the
legislation. But the two-sided tri-panel pamphlet put out by the
Senate Commerce Committee that Stevens, 82, heads is anything but
slick. Presumably aimed at fellow senators, it features kitschy shots
of the wonders of modern technology--iPods, laptops and flat-screen
TVs. It also lists groups supporting "major pieces" of the bill, from
the telecom and cable-TV lobbies down to the Christian Musician
Publishers Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Sen.
Stevens' brochure defends the bill's hands-off treatment of net
neutrality with a string of quotes from favorable newspaper
editorials. "I've never seen anything like this," said Art Brodsky, a
spokesman for Public Knowledge, a communications think tank that
opposes the bill. "It's just amazing."
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/08/03/stevens-brochure-net-neutral...
** See the brochure:
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/_files/CommBillPamphletEDITED.PDF
* Senate Commerce Committee Promo Brochure on Communications Bill
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/574
CERF SETS RECORD STRAIGHT
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Vinton Cerf, chief Internet evangelist for Google, has written Senate
Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens saying he definitely does not
believe that net neutrality legislation is "unnecessary this year."
Cerf was referring to what he said were quotes of his in a July 4
story in Reuters that were taken out of context by net neutrality
opponents to make the "absurd" assertion. Nothing could be further
from the truth," he said, repeating his contention that without
"meaningful" anti-discrimination protections, "discriminatory
behavior on the part of network operators is inevitible."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359401?display=Breaking+News
CDT SENDS LETTER OPPOSING MANDATORY LABELING
[SOURCE: Center for democracy & Technology]
CDT today urged lawmakers to remove a provision in a major
telecommunications bill that would force Internet speakers to place
government-sanctioned "warning labels" on a broad range of online
content. "Mandatory labeling of legal online content under threat of
criminal sanction is ineffective, unwise, and unconstitutional," CDT
wrote in a letter addressed Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted
Stevens and ranking Democrat Daniel Inouye. As written, the provision
would apply to a broad range of Internet content, and could force
online publishers to tag legal, and often socially valuable, material
with a "digital scarlet letter." CDT supports voluntary labeling
efforts and has long endorsed the use of voluntary parental control
tools such as filters.
CDT Letter: http://www.cdt.org/speech/20060803labeling.pdf
NEWS FROM THE FCC
FALTERING TELECOM BILL MAY SPUR FCC ACTION ON VIDEO SERVICES
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
The prospect that Congress may not pass telecommunications
legislation this session could spur the FCC to help the Bell
telephone companies more rapidly enter the video market. The FCC is
considering two potential vehicles for obtaining regulatory relief,
although action is not imminent. One item concerns municipalities'
review of cable franchises, and the other addresses the definition of
Internet-enabled services, including video programming. The proposals
could put the FCC at the core of faltering telecom legislation by
undercutting municipal review of the Bells' video services. The
House-passed bill, H.R. 5252, which would pre-empt municipal cable
franchises with a national one, is stuck in the Senate over whether
some telecom firms could be empowered to have tighter control over
network providers' content.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-DQVV1154635568093.html
FCC PUSHES FOR BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
Federal regulators renewed on Thursday their push for a wider rollout
of what has been hailed as a viable "third pipe" for the many areas
where broadband choices have been limited to DSL or cable modems. If
broadband over power lines, or BPL, takes off, then more Americans,
particularly in rural and underserved areas, will be able to plug
into high-speed Internet access, and markets dominated by cable and
DSL (digital subscriber line) should be forced to lower consumers'
bills, members of the Federal Communications Commission said at their
monthly meeting here. The FCC unanimously adopted an order designed
to reaffirm and build on the first set of rules issued for the
technology in 2004, which had drawn a number of reservations from
both inside and outside the industry. The original guidelines focused
on preventing the nascent Internet service from causing harmful
interference with radio signals that rely on nearby frequencies, such
as those commonly used in aviation and in zones near U.S. Coast Guard
and radio astronomy stations. "It is my hope that our rules will
allow BPL systems to flourish," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said
Thursday. Commissioner Michael Copps said he believed the order
strikes an "acceptable balance" but warned that the FCC would
continue to keep a close eye on complaints about interference.
http://news.com.com/FCC+pushes+for+broadband+over+power+lines/2100-1028_...
* FCC order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-266773A1.doc
* Broadband Over Power Lines Gets Government Push
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359053?display=Breaking+News
* FCC Votes To Free Up Airwaves, Boost Power Line Broadband
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-ZTVR1154636379331.html
SPECTRUM AUCTION RULES GET FRESH LOOK
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC voted unanimously Thursday to review and finalize rules on
the reclamation, auctioning, and re-deployment of broadcast spectrum
in the 700 mHz band. It was one of two votes, both unanimous and
collegial--advancing new forms of wireless broadband in competition
to cable and telephone. The other was to tweak rules to promote
provision of broadband over power lines (BPL). As part of the
transition to DTV, Congress charged the FCC with auctioning spectrum
in the 700 mHz band for advanced wireless service and collect
billions for the treasury. The auction is less than two years -- Jan.
28, 2008 -- away and companies seeking the spectrum need some
regulatory certainty to raise capital and plan their services.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359106?display=Breaking+News
* FCC order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-266772A1.doc
SPECTRUM FOR SALE
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Amol Sharma amol.sharma( at )wsj.com
and Amy Schatz Amy.Schatz( at )wsj.com]
Satellite companies, cable providers and small telephone companies
are vying for stakes in a precious slice of the nation's airwaves as
they seek to provide the wireless Internet and phone services that
consumers increasingly demand. The Federal Communications Commission
will kick off one of its largest auctions of radio spectrum next
Wednesday, and dozens of companies -- including many that aren't
traditional wireless-industry players -- have qualified to bid.
Cellular operators like T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless will be at
the table, looking to complement their existing holdings and expand
their cellular broadband services. But they'll be joined by some
powerful and deep-pocketed new entrants that are aiming to offer
consumers their own versions of wireless Internet and cellphone
service within a few years. The broad interest in the spectrum
auction may be good news for consumers, foreshadowing more
competition in the high-speed Internet-access market, which is
dominated by large phone and cable companies. It could also lead to
more offerings of advanced cellphone services such as music and video
downloads. "You're not going to see anything overnight, but this is
the first step in potentially bringing very different competitors to
the marketplace," says Sharon Armbrust, senior media and telecom
analyst for Kagan Research, a unit of JupiterKagan Inc. "It's a
defining moment for the wireless industry."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115465230827726461.html?mod=todays_us_ma...
(requires subscription)
FCC ORDERS TIME WARNER TO REINSTATE NFL NETWORK
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday ordered Time Warner
Cable to immediately reinstate the NFL Network to the cable systems
it acquired from Adelphia Communications Corp., just days before
preseason games kick off. "The commission is concerned about the
impact of the dispute and the potential impact of the NFL Network
from being removed from the new systems that Time Warner purchased in
the Adelphia transaction," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told reporters.
Citing a threat of irreparable harm to the NFL Network, the agency
ordered Time Warner Cable to put the channel back on those systems
with the same terms before it was removed until the agency can rule
on the petition by the television network. The FCC noted particular
harm against consumers in cities where there are NFL teams, such as
Buffalo and Dallas. The agency also said it appeared Time Warner
merely wanted to carry the channel on different terms than reached
with Adelphia.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=televisionNews&story...
* FCC order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1587A1.doc
* FCC Orders TW To Carry Ball for Now
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359098.html
* Time Warner Mulls FCC's NFL Order
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6359223.html?display=Breaking+News
STAFF CHANGES IN COMMISSIONER TATE'S OFFICE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate announced that John Grant,
Special Advisor for Policy, will be departing her office to join the
Majority Staff of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs. Regarding the announcement,
Commissioner Tate said, "My loss is Senator Collins' gain. Homeland
Security is a crucial area in which to be serving our government at
present, and I wish John the best in this new role." Commissioner
Tate also announced that Chris Robbins has been detailed to her
office to assist in handling media issues. Mr. Robbins is currently
an Attorney Advisor in the Audio Division of the Media Bureau. Prior
to joining the Commission, Chris was an attorney in the media
practice group at Wiley, Rein, and Fielding. He received his
undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and received his J.D.
from Vanderbilt Law School.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-266775A1.doc
JOURNALISM
TV NEWS: WATCHED BUT DECREASINGLY TRUSTED
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Americans still get most of their news from TV, but believe
increasingly less of what they see and hear there. Those are some of
the findings of a Pew Research Center biennial study of news
consumption. According to the study, 57% of the respondents said they
regularly watch TV news, compared to 40% for reading newspapers, 36%
for radio and 23% for online. The TV figure is down from 60% in 2004,
but up over 2002 (54%) and 2000 (56%). But while TV still tops the
list, the number of people who say they believe "all or most" of what
those news outlets had to say continues its precipitous slide.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359382?display=Breaking+News
MCCLATCHY COMPLETES SALE OF 12 ORPHAN KNIGHT RIDDER PAPERS
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher]
The McClatchy Co. announced on Tuesday that it has completed the
divestiture of all 12 former Knight Ridder papers. McClatchy received
a total north of $2 billion for the transactions, which represents a
multiple of 11 times the last 12-month cash flows. Earlier this week,
McClatchy also announced it has taken a 15% stake in CareerBuilder
and ShopLocal.com and an 11.25% stake in Topix.net. McClatchy plans
to use the cash received from the divestitures and Internet
properties -- approximately $1.6 billion net -- to pay down its debt.
The company borrowed a little more than $3 billion to acquire Knight Ridder.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
* It's official: New era begins for Times
The Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News were bought by
MediaNews Group Inc. on Wednesday, in a deal that creates the Bay
Area's biggest newspaper empire and a conglomerate that aims to marry
print news with the fast-growing power of the Internet. The Times and
Mercury News fill in two key gaps in the MediaNews gambit to surround
its chief rival, the San Francisco Chronicle. MediaNews now has
papers based in six of the nine Bay Area counties. Together, the
company's Bay Area papers have a combined weekday paid circulation of 703,000.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/15187479.htm
* MediaNews now owns Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/15187384.htm
QUICKLY
SPECTER'S NSA PLAN HITS SNAG
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Dan Eggen]
A White House-endorsed plan to formally legalize the National
Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program ran into more
political problems yesterday in the Senate, as Democrats successfully
maneuvered to block a committee vote on the proposal. In addition,
three of the committee's leading Democrats announced that they would
block the confirmation of a senior Justice Department official in
protest of a recent move by President Bush. The president effectively
stopped a probe into the NSA program by denying security clearances
to Justice Department investigators. The developments spell further
difficulties for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter
(R-PA), whose surveillance proposal has earned the endorsement of
Bush and Vice President Cheney but has run into fierce opposition
from Senate Democrats and a competing proposal from House Republicans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR200608...
(requires registration)
FOX RESPONDS TO NCTC COMPLAINT
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Moss]
Fox Cable Networks told the Federal Communications Commission it
hasn't "stonewalled" the National Cable Television Cooperative in
negotiations for carriage of 13 regional sports networks. Fox's
letter to FCC chairman Kevin Martin denies allegations made by the
co-op in its July 25 missive to the regulator. The NCTC claimed it
had reached an impasse as it seeks to negotiate a master carriage
agreement for Fox sports channels because the programmer won't waive
confidentiality provisions in existing deals with co-op members.
Therefore, the co-op can't see what some of its members are already
paying for the regionals, the NCTC said in its letter.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6359454.html?display=Breaking+News
ADVERTISERS TURN TO eBAY TO BUY TV TIME
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Suzanne Vranica
suzanne.vranica( at )wsj.com ]
In a move that could revolutionize the way tens of billions of
dollars in ad revenue flows into the television industry, nine
prominent advertisers have joined forces to create and test an online
marketplace for buying advertising time. The proposal is still in its
early stages. Participating advertisers -- including Toyota Motor,
Wal-Mart Stores, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Home Depot -- have
made few approaches to broadcast or cable networks, whose
participation is critical to making any online system work. But
already, some TV executives have made their opposition clear. If
implemented, an Internet auction site for TV ad time could accelerate
the recent shift in bargaining power to advertisers and possibly
drive down average prices. The idea comes after several years in
which advertisers have scaled back their reliance on TV ads in favor
of ads on Web sites and other media. The advertiser group plans to
unveil details of its proposal publicly today. It has enlisted eBay
to build an auction site -- dubbed e-Media Exchange -- that would
sell national ad time available on a yet-to-be determined cable
network in a test tentatively set for January. The nine advertisers,
who have put up a combined $50 million for the test, are looking to
attract additional advertisers and plan to launch an information Web
site today, called admarketpilot.com. People involved say the new
system would help level the playing field of big spenders and little
guys and make the ad-sales market transparent. The current system,
which has been in place for decades, is anything but.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115465557186826555.html?mod=todays_us_ma...
(requires subscription)
AGAINST ALL ODDS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Paul Blustein]
Antigua and Barbuda, population 69,000, instigated a complaint at the
World Trade Organization claiming the US crackdown on online betting
might violate global trade rules. The case has become an
embarrassment to Washington, one that could result in economic pain.
It isn't quite over, but the world's only superpower may have to
capitulate to a country whose entire population could easily fit into
the Rose Bowl. Never has such a tiny nation brought a WTO complaint
against the United States, which is one reason the dispute has
implications well beyond the issue of gambling.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR200608...
(requires registration)
ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS: LIBERIA'S BLACKBOARD HEADLINES
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Lydia Polgreen]
In a country where wheelbarrows fill in for pickup trucks, water is
carried on little girls' heads instead of in pipes and gallon-size
jars replace gas pumps, it is perhaps no wonder that a battered
blackboard serves as newspaper and newsreel all in one. The man
behind what is surely the most widely read report here in the capital
is a self-taught newshound with little more than a high school
education and a nose for a good scoop. He is Alfred Sirleaf, the
33-year-old managing editor of The Daily Talk, a white plywood shed
trumpeting the latest headlines along Tubman Boulevard, one of the
capital's main thoroughfares.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/world/africa/04liberia.html
(requires registration)
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...and we are outta here. Have a great weekend and keep cool.
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Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary
service provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted
Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important
industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events.
While the summaries are factually accurate, their often informal tone
does not always represent the tone of the original articles.
Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we
welcome your comments.
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