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PublicStuff helps cities create ways to digitally connect with their citizens. In Philadelphia, though, the 311 app they made is becoming much more than just a place to report potholes and noise complaints.
This App Is Expanding 311 To Create A Robust Community-Engagement Platform For Philadelphia
TechNet, a trade association that represents Google, Yahoo, Cisco and Oracle has come out in support of a controversial cybersecurity bill that is slated to be voted on in the House next week.
In a letter sent to the leaders of the House Intelligence panel, TechNet CEO Rey Ramsey said the cybersecurity bill addresses the need for industry and government to be able to send and receive information about cyber threats to one another in real time. He also commended the Intelligence panel leaders for taking steps to address privacy concerns with their bill, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), but also said the trade group looked forward to continuing talks on "further privacy protections." Several high-profile tech executives sit on TechNet's executive council, including Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Oracle President Safra Catz and venture capitalist John Doerr.
Tech group representing Google, Yahoo backs CISPA
Netflix streamed more than 4 billion hours of video in the first three months of the year. BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield crunches those numbers and concludes that this makes Netflix the equivalent of the most-watched cable TV network: He figures there are 28 million U.S. Netflix subscribers watching an average of 87 minutes of Netflix per day, or 43 hours per month. That puts it on par with the Disney Channel.
If Netflix Were on TV, It Might Be the Biggest Network on Cable. But About That New Show … Netflix users watched more than four billion hours of video in Q1 (paidContent.org)
MetroPCS’s largest shareholder, Paulson & Co., said it now supports a merger with Deutsche Telekom AG’s T-Mobile USA after the offer was revised to include less debt. “While Paulson needs to review the revised proxy statement before making a final decision, Paulson intends to vote for the merger as restructured,” the firm said. P. Schoenfeld Asset Management, the MetroPCS investor that led the fight against the original deal, said it plans to drop its opposition to the merger.
MetroPCS’s Largest Shareholder Paulson Backs Sweetened Bid
The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2013. The FCC will consider:
- A Second Report and Order to streamline the foreign ownership policies and procedures that apply to common carrier radio licensees and certain aeronautical radio licensees under section 310(b) of the Act, significantly reducing regulatory burdens while ensuring the Commission continues to receive the necessary information to protect the public interest.
- A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry on expanding direct access to telephone numbers to promote competition and innovation by IP-based providers, while protecting consumers and the reliability of phone calls. It will also consider an Order to allow a limited trial of direct access to numbers for VoIP providers.
In addition, the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau will provide a status report of participating carriers' compliance with CTIA's revision to its Code of Conduct for Wireless Service. CTIA member wireless carriers must provide their subscribers with four specified types of alerts to allow consumers to avoid unexpected charges for wireless usage exceeding their plan limits, and for additional charges for international roaming by April 17, 2013.
FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, April 18
As Digg prepares to launch its own alternative to Google Reader — which is set to shut down on July 1 — the site surveyed about 17,000 Google Reader users to find out how they use the RSS service.
Digg has gotten 8,000 responses so far. One stat that sticks out is that 80 percent of respondents check Google Reader “many times a day,” and 40 percent subscribe to over 100 feeds. “This is a product for power users,” Digg concludes, “and we’ll need to make sure we have some serious infrastructure in place to support that kind of usage for launch.” The survey also finds that most respondents use Google Reader for both work and non-work stuff, suggesting that while this is definitely a product beloved by journalists, they aren’t the only ones using it.
Most Google Reader users check it “many” times a day, according to Digg survey
Two programs funded under the 2014 budget show the Obama Administration is moving forward with plans to free up more airwaves for wireless broadband as Americans’ demand for wireless devices grows.
Next year, the Federal Communications Commission plans to begin the process of auctioning television airwaves that have been voluntarily relinquished by station owners. The Administration’s 2014 budget allocates $500 million for broadcasters as they rework their infrastructure during that process. Wireless carriers are expected to be the major bidders at the auction, which hasn’t been scheduled yet, so they can provide customers with better service for smartphones, tablets and other devices. The budget also provides $7.5 million in funding for a spectrum-monitoring program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which oversees spectrum used by federal agencies and is within the Commerce Department. Under the program, NTIA would study usage patterns in 10 major metropolitan areas. The goal, according to the budget document, is to find ways to potentially repurpose some of the airwaves currently used by government agencies or the military for commercial uses.
FCC Budget Aids Wireless Broadband
The chairman of the House committee that oversees most government information technology spending criticized the $82 billion IT request included in President Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal, saying the figure is likely misleading.
The Obama Administration has prided itself on holding overall IT spending essentially flat following increases of about 7 percent annually between 2000 and 2009. If that growth rate had continued, annual IT spending would be about $111 billion today. The $82 billion figure reported by the Office of Management and Budget does not include IT spending by intelligence agencies or by numerous small independent agencies, however. As a result, it’s difficult to say it represents a genuine slowing or halting of government IT spending growth, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said.
House Oversight Chairman calls IT Budget Request Misleading
President Obama's fiscal year 2014 budget proposal generally provides increased funding for health IT-related initiatives. The IT portions of Obama's budget do not appear to be controversial. Under the proposal, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT would receive nearly $78 million for FY 2014 -- a 28% increase from the $61 million allocated for ONC in FY 2012.
That total includes:
- $56.3 million in public health service evaluation funding;
- $20.6 million in budget authority; and
- $1 million in certified electronic health record technology fees to support program activities.
Budget Plan Includes Increased Funding for Health IT
PBS’s year-to-date financial results show a net income of $22 million instead of the estimated $100,000 net loss anticipated in its fiscal year 2013 budget, the PBS Board of Directors heard at their meeting April 9.
“I may never get to say this again, but that’s pretty impressive,” said Molly Corbett Broad, finance committee chair. Thanks to the influx, PBS’s FY14 budget contains an increase of $11 million for National Program Service content without a hike in dues for member stations. The draft budget, unanimously approved by the finance committee and full board, will arrive at public television stations in the coming weeks for comment. Total member assessment is $185.5 million, the same as FY13. Broad explained that the 2013 windfall was “primarily driven” by four factors: higher income from PBS Distribution (PBSd) due in part to the “tremendous success” of Masterpiece’s megahit Downton Abbey; ancillary revenues from PBS Kids’ properties; short-term investment gains; and more overhead reimbursements from grants.
PBS FY14 draft budget has $11M content hike, no dues increase, thanks to income influx