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A company that relays excerpts of Internet news articles to its customers violates copyright laws, a judge said in a decision that gave The Associated Press a victory in its attempts to protect its online news content. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote rejected claims by Meltwater U.S. Holdings and its Meltwater News Service that its use of Web stories plucked from a scan of 162,000 news websites from more than 190 countries is a fair use of copyright-protected material.
"Investigating and writing about newsworthy events occurring around the globe is an expensive undertaking and enforcement of the copyright laws permits AP to earn the revenue that underwrites that work," Judge Cote wrote. "Permitting Meltwater to take the fruit of AP's labor for its own profit, without compensating AP, injures AP's ability to perform this essential function of democracy." The judge noted that commercial Internet news clipping services like Meltwater perform an important function for their customers, but that "does not outweigh the strong public interest in the enforcement of the copyright laws or justify allowing Meltwater to free ride on the costly news gathering and coverage work performed by other organizations. Moreover, permitting Meltwater to avoid paying licensing fees gives it an unwarranted advantage over its competitors who do pay licensing fees."
Judge: AP news can't be used for free
Cable and satellite operators, an activist, an academic, and a former Federal Communications Commission official took turns taking aim at the must-carry retransmission consent regime at a Free State Foundation forum in Washington -- there was no broadcaster on the panel.
The general thrust of the attacks was that the rules were monopoly based rules tailored to a market that doesn't exist. Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, said, "Consumers are held hostage by retrans fights and blackouts.” She also said that while getting rid of the regulations was preferable, alternatively the FCC should keep stations on during retransmission disputes and mandate outside arbitration, the latter which she said the FCC has the authority to do, although the commission has said it doesn't. Sohn thinks the FCC is reading that authority too narrowly. She called syndicated exclusivity, distant-signal protections and sports blackout rules decades-old regulatory nonsense that kept viewers from watching the TV stations they want to watch. Sohn suggested there was some talk in Congress about introducing legislation clarifying that the FCC has the authority to mandate arbitration.
Free State Panelists Free to Hammer Retransmission
The National Association of Broadcasters filed comments to the Federal Communications Commission claiming proposed changes to OET-69 software (TVStudy) used to calculate TV station coverage areas would violate the Spectrum Act and reduce the coverage of several TV stations across the country. “And even if the TVStudy software’s numerous defects could be rectified, the timing of the proposed changes — on the cusp of the incentive auction, yet before the auction’s procedures have been determined — is the height of arbitrary and capricious agency action,” NAB said.
NAB: OET-69 Changes Violate Law
Closing the digital divide – and getting all Americans online – requires a multipronged approach. It’s not enough just to provide affordable computer equipment and access to broadband at a reasonable price. Just as important is digital literacy training to teach people how to use the Internet and take advantage of everything it has to offer. That’s why NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) has invested roughly $200 million in public computer centers that provide Internet access for those who don’t have it at home, and roughly $250 million in broadband adoption programs that cover everything from how to navigate the Web and set up an email account to how to post a resume online and conduct an online job search. Today, we are pleased to spread the word about the launch of an important new effort to raise awareness of the benefits of digital literacy and promote programs working to ensure that all Americans can participate in our information-age society. Connect2Compete, a non-profit seeking to close the digital divide, has teamed up with the Ad Council to kick off the “EveryoneOn, 3-21” Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign just in time for March 21, or 3/21.
Promoting the Benefits of Digital Literacy
I am glad to see the [Federal Communications Commission] is taking steps to pair and auction together the 1755-1780 MHz and 2155-2180 MHz wireless spectrum bands, and I applaud Commissioner Pai for advocating the FCC use its notify-and-auction authority.
This letter begins that process, and Chairman Genachowski has once again shown he clearly understands the tremendous potential of commercial mobile broadband and the importance of making more public resources available to the private sector for development. While I am confident in the leadership of Assistant Secretary Strickling to provide an accurate and responsible relocation assessment related to the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands, I urge the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Obama administration to now concentrate their efforts on reallocating the 1755-1780 MHz band for as much exclusive, non-federal use as is feasible. Cleared spectrum is the best way to meet consumer demand and raise revenues needed to relocate current users and reduce the deficit.
Sen Thune Calls for More Cleared Wireless Spectrum
After his seven-year stint regulating the nation’s communications industry, Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell had his share of colorful moments and exchanges with lasting impacts. Take these, for example:
- Commissioner McDowell wanted to review every FCC regulation on the books.
- He sometimes clashed publicly with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
- Commissioner McDowell sounded the alarm on Internet freedom.
Memorable Moments from a Departing Telecom Regulator
Several commentators have recently noticed that, for all of the turnover in cable news these days, one thing is constant: the faces being shuffled around all seem to be white.
CNN, MSNBC Criticized Over Lack Of Diversity In Recent Reshuffles
Global ticket sales broke records in 2012, hitting $34.7 billion internationally, thanks to the strength of foreign markets and a rebound at the domestic box office. Overall, the box office rose 6 percent last year, according to a state of the movie industry report released by the Motion Picture Association of America.
The findings were further evidence that Hollywood's obsession with crossing language and cultural barriers to broaden its footprint is paying off in dividends. In particular, China, with its burgeoning population of moviegoers, announced itself emphatically as the dominant foreign market last year. It surpassed Japan to be the biggest international source of box office revenue, contributing $2.7 billion in total. That was a 36 percent jump from the previous year and may be partly attributable to the country loosening restrictions on the number of foreign films that can be shown in its theaters.
MPAA Report: Global Box Office Breaks Records, China Becomes 2nd Largest Market
For the first time, Hollywood is genuinely interested in learning something from Silicon Valley, which has created some impressively nimble and profitable companies. And as Hollywood’s traditional models struggle to adapt to the tech tsunami that has overtaken the entertainment industry, NoCal’s business culture and practices look all the more alluring.
Herewith are 6 lessons that Hollywood is learning from Silicon Valley:
- Take Equity Over Cash
- Hollywood is starting to see the wisdom in getting a product out fast and then making necessary tweaks based on consumer response.
- Chase Intellectual Property, Not Talent
- Treat YouTube As The Next Cable TV
- Lose The Corner Office
- Get Off The Phone
6 Lessons Hollywood Is Learning From Silicon Valley
Congress foiled the financially beleaguered U.S. Postal Service's plan to end Saturday delivery of first-class mail when it passed legislation requiring six-day delivery.
Congress traditionally has included a provision in legislation to fund the federal government each year that has prevented the Postal Service from reducing delivery service. The Postal Service had asked Congress not to include the provision this time around. Despite the request, the House of Representatives on gave final approval to legislation that maintains the provision, sending it to President Barack Obama to sign into law. The Senate already approved the measure. But some lawmakers who support the Postal Service's plan have said there may still be some room for it to change its delivery schedule. They point out that the language requiring six-day delivery is vague and does not prohibit altering what products it delivers on Saturdays.
Congress to force Postal Service to keep Saturday delivery