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MARTIN SAYS CONGRESS COULD MANDATE A LA CARTE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's push for cable a la rate just became a shove. The chairman said Tuesday that Congress may want to mandate a la carte as a way to help viewers deal with controlling indecent and/or violent content. That came in a House appropriations committee hearing where Chairman Martin was defending his agency's budget but also responding to questions about content issues. Chairman Martin was asked about indecency and explained that he had been suggesting a la carte to the cable industry as a way to control content and prices, but that the industry had not been receptive to the suggestion. He then agreed with one legislator that it might be time for Congress to step in and that that would be a good thing.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434492.html
* Chairman Martin Prepared Testimony
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-272381A1.doc
* Martin Endorses a la Carte Legislation
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6434611.html
* Religious Broadcasters: A La Carte Is a 'Dagger'
The Faith and Family Broadcasting Coalition -- which represents religious broadcasters including Dr. Paul Crouch of Trinity, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson -- said cable a la carte is a "dagger aimed at the heart of religious broadcasting in America."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434589.html
Martin Says Congress Could Mandate A La Carte
MARTIN ASKS CONGRESS FOR DTV EDUCATION MONEY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable]
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin made his pitch to a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday for $1.5 million for a DTV education campaign. That would be in addition to the $5 million the National Telecommunications & Information Administration got for its campaign to promote the DTV converter box subsidy program. The request was part of a pitch for an extra $4.5 million for four projects. The DTV money, said Chairman Martin, would " allow the Commission to initiate a wide range of outreach projects to help educate consumers about the DTV transition," though he didn't say what those efforts would be.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434480.html
-- See also --
FCC'S COPPS WORRIED ABOUT DTV TRANSITION
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Seth Sutel]
FCC Commissioner Michael Copps on Tuesday called for greater efforts to educate the public about a government-mandated switch-over to digital television signals in two years. Commissioner Copps, appearing alongside fellow Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, told the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters that there was a possibility of serious disruptions when analog TV signals go off the air on Feb. 17, 2009. ''I am really worried about this entire transition process,'' Copps said at the NAB convention in Las Vegas. The guiding principle, he said, should be ''no consumer left behind.'' Commissioner Copps called for more efforts in both the private and public sector to educate the public about the issue.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/04/17/daily.8/
* Copps 'Really Worried' About Digital Transition
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434582.html
* FCC chief derides 'stealth process' of digital TV transition
http://www.rfdesignline.com/news/199100288;jsessionid=TCIFZBHM2KKW4QSNDL...
Martin Asks Congress For DTV Education Money
VIOLENCE REPORT IMMINENT, COMMISSIONERS SAY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Speaking to the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Deborah Tate promised a report to Congress on violent programming will be released soon. A group of powerful Congressmen asked the FCC to produce the report back in 2004. So far, all the commissioners but one -- Jonathan Adelstein -- are said to be on board with the report, which a commission source says concludes that TV has become more violent. It also reveals that studies indicate violence has an adverse effect on kids, and that Congress could find a constitutional way to expand the FCC's regulatory authority to include violence.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434472.html
Violence Report Imminent, Commissioners Say
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES EYES MEDIA VIOLENCE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The National League of Cities (NLC) used Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech as a springboard for a media violence conference in Indianapolis April 17. Indianapolis Mayor and NLC President Bart Peterson noted that communities have seen too many incidents of extreme violence by and against children and a "prominent" concern "is the heightened exposure of children to graphic violence in video games, television, movies, and music." He said rather than government intervention, he favors action that would likely take the form of "partnering with industry and other interested organization," an approach similar to the one being advocated by the FCC and legislators on the issue of childhood obesity.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434593.html
* Summit on Media Violence Held in Shadow of Virginia Tech Tragedy
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp;jsessionid=46CBB248A9B2729...
National League of Cities Eyes Media Violence
PTC GIVES NETS AN 'F' IN RATING PROGRAMS
[SOURCE: tvnewsday]
A new Parents Television Council study released Monday at the National Association of Broadcasters convention claims that the television ratings system is still not accurate, and thus grossly unreliable, due to the fact that content descriptors are being arbitrarily and inconsistently applied by the broadcast networks during primetime viewing hours. The study said that two-thirds of the shows reviewed containing potentially offensive content lacked one or more of the appropriate content descriptors, which, PTC says, “render the ratings system and V-chip virtually useless.†“The TV Networks are perpetrating a fraud on the American public, on the Congress, on the courts and even their on own advertisers when they say that the TV ratings and V-chip are sufficient to protect children and families from inappropriate content,†said PTC President Tim Winter.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/04/17/daily.5/
PTC Gives Nets an 'F' in Ratings Programs
TELEMUNDO JOINS NAB
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
On the heels of fellow NBC Universal television network NBC's announcement earlier this week, Spanish-language network Telemundo has joined the National Association of Broadcasters, NAB President David Rehr said Tuesday.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434607.html
Telemundo Joins NAB
STUDENT-RUN MEDIA MEET CHALLENGE
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Molly Hennessy-Fiske]
As major news outlets scrambled to learn about the Virginia Tech shooter, the wounded and the dead, they found themselves scooped by Virginia Tech's student-run media: The Collegiate Times newspaper and website, collegemedia.com; the web-only news site, planetblacksburg.com; and radio station WUVT-FM. The news marathon began shortly after 7 a.m. Monday, as unofficial reports of the first Virginia Tech shootings began trickling in through e-mails, text messages and cellphone calls. During the course of that day and through the next, student reporters fanned out to cover the shattering events that overwhelmed the campus — interviewing students, teachers, school administrators, police officers and hospital workers. Collegiate Times editor-in chief Amie Steele became a staple on CNN, explaining details of the shooting. Reporters for the student-run newspaper churned out stories even as phones failed, police evacuated them from their offices in the student center, and their website crashed as it was discovered by readers the world over.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-paper18apr18,1,7...
(requires registration)
* Editor of Virginia Tech Paper: On Scooping the Major Media
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
Student-run media meet challenge
US MEDIA REPORTS FAIRLY ON SUCCESS, FAILURE IN IRAQ
[SOURCE: Army Times, AUTHOR: Gian P. Gentile]
[Commentary] "From my foxhole-view as a tactical battalion commander in western Baghdad in 2006, the American press, although not perfect, has reported the reality of the Iraq war. Contrary to what most believe in the American military, as well as some conservative columnists and a few politicians, the American press does give a reasonably full, fair and balanced picture of what is happening in Iraq."
http://www.armytimes.com/community/opinion/army_opinion_gentile_070416/
U.S. media reports fairly on success, failure in Iraq
SIRIUS CEO FACES SKEPTICS IN SENATE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Matthew Perrone]
Senate Commerce Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) said Tuesday Sirius Satellite Radio has "a steep hill to climb" in showing that its proposed purchase of XM Satellite Radio will not hurt competition in the audio entertainment market. "Given the public interest in promoting competition and maximizing a diversity of media outlets, we should be skeptical of claims that new technologies necessarily 'change the equation' and provide competition sufficient to restrain monopoly power," Sen Inouye said. Sirius Chief Executive Mel Karmazin told members of the Committee a combined satellite radio provider would benefit consumers by letting them access both companies' services for a diminished price. Both companies currently have subscription fees of $12.95. Karmazin said a merged company would be able to provide both companies' programming on one "interoperable" radio for less than the $25.90 it would currently cost to subscribe to both services. Karmazin also said the merged company would offer consumers the option of subscribing to fewer channels for a monthly price lower than $12.95. The combined company would consider offering regulators a guarantee that they would not raise prices in order to complete the merger, Karmazin said.
http://www.latimes.com/technology/ats-ap_technology14apr17,1,6249215.sto...
(requires registration)
* Sirius CEO pitches US lawmakers again on XM merger
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1724611420070417
* Karmazin Commits To Merger Conditions
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6434583.html
* Statement of Senator Daniel K. Inouye on XM-Sirius and the Public Interest
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Det...
* Public Knowledge Testimony
http://feeds.publicknowledge.org/~r/publicknowledge-main/~3/109642088/911
Sirius CEO Faces Skeptics in Senate
GE, NBC UNIVERSAL DEBUT $250 MILLION MEDIA FUND
[SOURCE: Reuters]
General Electric Co. is launching a $250 million equity fund to invest in media and technology companies, an executive said Monday, part of a broader push by traditional media companies to get into hot areas such as digital advertising or social networks. Adify, a company whose technology helps build and support online ad networks, received the first $3 million investment announced by the fund, which is overseen by NBC Universal and GE Media, Communications and Entertainment. NBC Universal is 80 percent owned by GE (Charts) and 20 percent by Vivendi (Charts). Other investments by the fund will focus on companies developing technologies or businesses that NBC Universal can use in building its digital business, said Beth Comstock, NBC Universal's president of integrated media. The companies would most likely be involved in areas such as advertising services, wireless or digital content, she said.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/16/news/companies/bc.ge.fund.adify.reut/
GE, NBC Universal debut $250M media fund