Benton RSS Feed
The State Department took issue with the timing of Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt's forthcoming trip to North Korea with former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, saying it's not "particularly helpful."
Schmidt and Richardson are heading on a private trip to North Korea that could take place as soon as this month, The Associated Press reported, citing two people familiar with the group's plans. "Frankly, we don't think the timing of this is particularly helpful, but they are private citizens, and they are making their own decisions," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters at a press briefing when asked about the AP report. She pointed to North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket last month. Nuland said the former governor and Google executive are traveling in an "unofficial capacity" and will not be accompanied by any U.S. officials. She added that the two are "well aware" of the department's views on their trip and declined to comment further on whether they contacted the department about their travel plans.
State Department: Timing of Google exec's trip to North Korea not 'helpful' Google Exec to Visit North Korea (AP)
A new order released by the Federal Communications Commission in December will expand broadband access for some health-care providers. But the program may also hamstring the use of telemedicine by doctors who will need to pay more out of pocket to get online.
Called the Healthcare Connect Fund, the program will subsidize 65 percent of broadband costs for participating providers. That’s down significantly from the 85 percent subsidy in the FCC’s existing Rural Health Care pilot program, which was established by the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Eric Brown, president and CEO of the California Telehealth Network (CTN) — an organization that works with stakeholders to establish broadband connectivity for communities to improve the quality of health care — called the change an “obvious concern,” as some providers will not be able to pay the 35 percent contribution as the Healthcare Connect Fund requires. Brown explained those members of CTN that have a 1.5 Mpbs T1 connection pay roughly $62.50 per month under the Rural Health Care program. If additional subsidies can’t be found, those same health providers will be paying approximately $200 per month for the same connectivity under the Healthcare Connect Fund.
Will Rural Health-Care Providers Pay More for Broadband?
Warner Brothers has settled a big part of a significant lawsuit that alleged the creators and executive producers of Smallville were cheated out of tens of millions of dollars through sweetheart license-fee deals that the studio made with its sister TV networks.
Tollin/Robbins Productions submitted papers in Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss its claims. The Tollin/Robbins lawsuit from Smallville showrunners Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins seeking more than $100 million in damages was filed in March 2010, about a year before the long-running show about Superman's earthly upbringing ended after 10 lucrative seasons on the air. The case touched upon a sensitive issue in Hollywood: so-called "vertical integration." The producers contended they were deprived of significant profits when WBTV allegedly undersold the series to affiliates the WB Network and then The CW instead of licensing the series to outside companies. Part of the case from Killara Productions, run by Smallville co-developer Miles Millar and Leonardtown Productions and operated by Alfred Gough, will continue.
Warner Bros. Settles Big 'Smallville' Vertical Integration Lawsuit
The Federal Communications Commission granted Liberty Media its approval to finish its takeover of SiriusXM.
Liberty has been buying shares of the satellite radio company for the past few years. The transfer is expected to be complete within 60 days. Sirius has 23.4 million subscribers and rose to profitability in 2010 after more than 10 years of losses. Its radios are installed in about two-thirds of all new automobiles sold in the United States.
FCC Approves Liberty Media Taking Control of SiriusXM Radio
Sprint is set to introduce a pay-as-you-go service on January 25 to compete with mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) like Boost Mobile and Virgin, but the company will not allow regular Sprint phones to cross over to the service. Instead, a set of lackluster phones are available for monthly plans that are slightly more expensive than what competitors offer.
Sprint is set to unleash pay-as-you-go service at $70 per month
Google is putting the sprawling, 84-acre corporate campus of Motorola Mobility in Libertyville up for sale, five months after announcing plans to move about 2,200 employees to downtown Chicago from the far northern suburbs. The complex totals 1.1 million square feet. Located at 600 N. U.S. 45 in the northern suburb, the campus includes four connected buildings with offices and laboratories, a distribution facility and employee amenities such as a cafeteria and gymnasium, according to the news release. There is parking for 3,400 vehicles.
Google puts Motorola Libertyville campus up for sale
Consolidation of Austria's cut-throat telecoms market moved ahead when Hutchison Whampoa Ltd completed its 1.3-billion-euro ($1.7 billion) takeover of Orange Austria, making it the country's third-biggest mobile operator.
Its purchase from Mid Europa Partners (MEP) and France Telecom-Orange followed extensive negotiations that finally won European and Austrian regulatory approval last month. Hutchison and Orange Austria are the country's two smallest operators and have a combined market share of about 24 percent. Their deal will cut the number of mobile operators in Austria from four to three.
Hutchison closes deal to become No. 3 in Austria
Google has agreed to change some of its business practices to resolve Federal Trade Commission concerns that those practices could stifle competition in the markets for popular devices such as smart phones, tablets and gaming consoles, as well as the market for online search advertising.
Under a settlement reached with the FTC, Google will meet its prior commitments to allow competitors access – on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms – to patents on critical standardized technologies needed to make popular devices such as smart phones, laptop and tablet computers, and gaming consoles. In a separate letter of commitment to the Commission, Google has agreed to give online advertisers more flexibility to simultaneously manage ad campaigns on Google’s AdWords platform and on rival ad platforms; and to refrain from misappropriating online content from so-called “vertical” websites that focus on specific categories such as shopping or travel for use in its own vertical offerings.
In response to the agency’s concerns about several of its business practices, Google has agreed to take the following steps:
- Google will not seek injunctions to block rivals from using patents essential to key technologies
- Google will remove restrictions hampering advertisers’ management of their ad campaigns across competing ad platforms
FTC’s investigation into allegations of search bias
The FTC also conducted an extensive investigation into allegations that Google biased its search results to disadvantage certain vertical websites; and that Google entered into anticompetitive exclusive agreements for the distribution of Google Search on both desktop and in the mobile arena. The agency decided not to take action in connection with these allegations.
Google Agrees to Change Its Business Practices to Resolve FTC Competition Concerns FTC's settlement with Google: In brief (FTC briefing) Google and FTC Get Their Deal: Company Cleared on Search Bias Claims (WSJ) Google strikes deal with FTC to end antitrust probe (LATimes) FTC: Google to license patents in antitrust case (AP) Google dodges federal antitrust lawsuit, agrees to settlement with FTC (The Hill) Search stays the same: feds and Google settle antitrust issues (GigaOm) FTC won't bring charges against Google on search, patents (ars technica) Google dodges major antitrust bullet (CNNMoney) Google agrees to not abuse mobile patents, search ads, or search results (InfoWorld)
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) was reelected Speaker of the House after a week of rumors of a possible GOP revolt. Speaker Boehner won a bare majority in a vote that saw nine Republicans vote for other GOP members, and several others who abstained from voting or voted "present."
Two years ago, Speaker Boehner won all 241 available GOP votes. In a vote that opened the 113th Congress, Speaker Boehner received 220 votes, compared to 192 for Rep Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the minority leader. Fourteen members voted for other candidates or present. Speaker Boehner needed 218 votes to win reelection. Defectors from Boehner included Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), who voted for Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho). Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and two freshmen, Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) and Ted Yoho (R-FL), all voted for Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), but Rep Cantor himself voted for Rep Boehner. Reps. Paul Broun (R-GA) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX) voted for outgoing member Allen West (R-FL). Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) voted for former Comptroller General David Walker. Speakers of the House do not have to be members of the House, although historically they all have been.
Rep Boehner reelected as Speaker; nine Republicans defect in vote
Google has hired a research company, GfK Custom Research, to send out old-fashioned letters seeking cooperation for its Screenwise Panel project, a tracking effort intended to help not only Google but “experts at universities” conduct “important research on trends in the way people use media.” Full-scale participation, the letter promises, will reap even more loot: $50 a month “or even more.” As usual with Google, it wants information to flow in only one direction: toward Google.
Data Dump: Are Potential Panelists Scorning Google?