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CONGRESS MUST MAKE CLEAR COPYRIGHT LAWS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Walter Mossberg]
[Commentary] Consumers won't be a party to the Viacom-YouTube case any more than they were in the room when the latest major copyright law was passed by Congress. That law, the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, was enacted at the behest of record labels and movie studios. Their purpose was to stop people from using computers and the Internet to distribute digital copies of material to which they didn't hold either the copyright or a distribution license. We need a new digital copyright law that would draw a line between modest sharing of a few songs or video clips and the real piracy of mass distribution. We need a new law that would define fair use for the digital era and lay out clearly the rights of consumers who pay for digital content, as well as the rights and responsibilities of Internet companies. If you don't like all of the restrictions on the use of digital content, the solution isn't to steal the stuff. A better course is to pressure Congress to pass a new copyright law, one that protects the little guy and the Internet itself.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117452094467244796.html?mod=todays_us_ma...
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117452094467244796.html?mod=todays_us_marketplac…
NOW YOU SEE 'EM, NOW YOU DON'T: GENDER & RACIAL DISPARITY IN TV FOR CHILDREN
[SOURCE: See Jane Run and Dads & Daughters, AUTHOR: Joe Kelly & Stacy Smith]
See Jane Run released a new report that documents a lack of diversity in television programming for children. USC researchers coded thousands of speaking characters in more than 1,100 children’s movies and TV shows. “Now You See ‘Em, Now You Don't†analyzes the ratio of male and female characters in television shows created for young children and how frequently these characters occupy narrowly prescribed gender roles. The research shows some areas of progress, but many areas of stubbornly entrenched gender and racial imbalance remain in children’s entertainment.
http://www.seejane.org/pdfs/TV.disparity.pdf
Now You See 'Em, Now You Don't
OBESITY TASK FORCE AIMS FOR JULY DEADLINE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The chairman of the Task Force on Media and Childhood Obesity said on Wednesday that the group planned to report back to Congress and the FCC in mid July with recommendations for attacking the growing health crisis of childhood obesity. The first meeting of the task force , which was postponed from February 14 because of weather, was the idea of either Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) or FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Both gave the other the credit for the idea. Sen Brownback said the first and last meeting would be public, and there would be private meetings in between to hash out ideas and best practices. Task Force Chairman Gary Knell of Sesame Workshop said that the goal was not to have a food fight, but to jointly issue a "declaration" on how to attack the problem, come up with an "inventory" of best practices that can be shared, and announce joint collaborations. Sen Sam Brownback said the time for finger pointing on the issue of childhood obesity was over. It's time for action, he said. But Dan Jaffe, EVP of government relations for the Association of National Advertisers, took the opportunity to point a finger at government. He said that while the industry had done a lot already to address the problem, like revamping its self-regulations and spending billions on education and engineering marketing to emphasize more healthy foods, they had not done enough and response had not been uniform across all sectors. He said that government had reduced or eliminated physical education programs and had not provided sufficient funding for nutrition education. He said he hoped one of the results of the task force would be for government to step up and restore those programs.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426599.html?display=Breaking...
* Sen Brownback press release: http://brownback.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=271054
* Chairman Martin's remarks: http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/martin_taskforcespeech.pdf
*FCC Commissioner Copps: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271677A1.doc
* Commissioner Tate: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271678A1.doc
* Tate wants more fruits, vegetables on TV
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070322/tv_nm/fcc_dc
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426599.html?display=Breaking%20News
GOOGLE'S MCI VET TO FIX 'NEUTRALITY' MESSAGE
[SOURCE: GigaOM, AUTHOR: Paul Kapustka]
[Commentary] Fear not, network neutrality fans: Google is still on your side, and is working hard to make sure its sometimes mixed messages on the topic are more harmonious in the future. That was the word from Rick Whitt Tuesday, as Google’s new “Washington Telecom and Media Counsel†made his net-neutrality big-stage debut, as part of a panel at the Spring 2007 VON show in San Jose. Before mixing it up with telco opponents at one of the historically premier events for NN debate, Whitt wanted to clear up any doubts raised by some recent public comments from other employees of the search colossus. “There is no change in Google’s [net neutrality] stance at all,†said Whitt, who didn't try to deny the quote from Senior Policy Counsel Andrew McLaughlin -- “Net neutrality will ultimately be solved by competition in the long-run†-- but rather to qualify it: “Andrew has given that pitch a lot,†said Whitt, who agreed that in the long run -- “about 20 years†-- competition might make net neutrality moot. “But it [broadband competition] is not there anytime soon, and that’s why now a strong network neutrality [law] has to be the solution.â€
http://gigaom.com/2007/03/21/googles-mci-vet-to-fix-neutrality-message/
Google’s MCI Vet to fix ‘Neutrality’ Message
NEWS CORP, NBC PULL TOGETHER TO CHALLENGE YOUTUBE
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Meg James and Dawn C. Chmielewski]
Several media giants are teaming up to challenge Google and its YouTube video-sharing service, seeking to blunt their incursion into the entertainment business. News Corp. and NBC Universal plan to announce as soon as today that they are creating an online video site stocked with TV shows and movies, plus clips that users can modify and share with friends, according to people close to the negotiations. The two companies enlisted help from some of Google's biggest Internet rivals. The News Corp.-NBC Universal partnership has deals with Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp., Time Warner Inc.'s AOL and News Corp.'s MySpace to place videos in front of their collective audience of hundreds of millions. Despite Hollywood's dismal track record in creating successful joint ventures, these players see little choice but to band together to compete against Google and Apple Inc., which are becoming powerful distributors of entertainment.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-youtube22mar22,1,40...
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News Corp., NBC pull together to challenge YouTube
CRASHING THE CHARTS FOR INDEPENDENT MUSIC
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Mike Musgrove]
Today might be a bigger day than usual for an unsigned California band called Black Lab, whose song "Mine Again" has become an anthem of sorts for podcasters hoping to make a point. The goal is to get enough music fans to buy copies of "Mine Again" to land the song on Apple's iTunes bestseller list -- and in doing so prove that bloggers and podcast hosts have market-moving power.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/21/AR200703...
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* Podcasters aim to push song to top of iTunes chart
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/16946520.htm
Crashing the Charts for Independent Music
FCC PROPOSES MORE FINES FOR KIDS RULE VIOLATIONS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC has proposed another $26,000 in fines against TV stations -- in this case two Arkansas outlets owned by Clear Channel -- for what it called "willful and repeated" violations of commercial limits in children's programming and kids TV reporting violations.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426530?display=Breaking+News
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426530?display=Breaking%20News
MISSOURI GOV EXPECTED TO SIGN FRANCHISE BILL
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is expected to sign a bill that will assign video franchising authority to the state’s Public Service Commission. The language of the bill was negotiated between the state’s Municipal League, potential new provider AT&T and incumbent cable operators. However, three provisions that the incumbents sought to add to the bill were cut from the final version, which was overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate (32-2) and House (143-4). Cable companies argued that the new legislation should require state-based fees on direct-broadcast satellite service. That would equalize the tax burden to customers of cable, Internet-protocol television and DBS, the companies argued. Also, companies lobbied for non-severability language. If one part of the new regulation is struck down by the courts or through a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission, the whole bill should become void. But legislators did not agree and refused those amendments to the bill.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6426584.html?display=Breaking+News
CABLE PART OF PROPOSED MICHIGAN TAX
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Video providers in Michigan are waiting to see if legislators act on a budget proposal from Gov. Jennifer Granholm that would place a 2% tax on a range of services, from janitorial contracts to cable TV. The state is facing a $900 million deficit, with the prospect of a revenue shortfall next year when a business tax expires. The governor has stated that revenue measures need to be in place by June 1 to avoid cuts in state services. “We’re definitely opposed to a 2% tax,†said Chris Horak, government-affairs director for the Michigan Cable Telecommunications Association. Cable operators have been meeting individually with legislators to express their objections to a new tax.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6426477.html?display=Breaking+News
YOU'D KNOW IF YOU WERE CONGRESSIONAL
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Elizabeth Williamson]
This week, Congressional Research Service chief Daniel P. Mulhollan issued a memo to all staffers in the service, known as Congress's think tank. From now on, he wrote, CRS researchers will require a supervisor's approval before giving any CRS report to a "non-congressional" -- that is fellow researchers in "U.S. government entities and nongovernmental entities, the media and foreign governments, like embassies. The CRS works exclusively for Congress and is legendarily closefisted with its reports. For years, open-government groups and some members of Congress have fought unsuccessfully to put the reports online. Now it comes out that CRS researchers have been trading reports like baseball cards with these special non-congressionals, sharing knowledge on North Korean counterfeiting, wheat subsidies and other topics commissioned by Congress. That can continue, according to Mulhollan's memo, but "prior approval should now be requested at the division or office level."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/21/AR200703...
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* Not Congressional? Try Open CRS
http://www.opencrs.com/
You'd Know if You Were Congressional
FAMILIES KEEP IN TOUCH, BY VIDEO
[SOURCE: Reuters]
A growing number of immigrants in the United States are staying in touch through videoconferencing technology developed for use in the corporate world. Entrepreneurs from California to New Jersey are connecting relatives using high-quality cameras and fast broadband Internet links, helping them to maintain family ties at a cost of $40 for half an hour. The service connects offices placed near consulates or wire transfer agencies in Latino neighborhoods in the United States with an ever-expanding network of offices across Mexico, Central America and South America. Growth is driven by strong demand among Latin American immigrants, some 15 million of whom live in the United States both legally and illegally, coupled with falling costs for broadband and videoconferencing technologies.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-video22mar22,1,538463...
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Families keep in touch, by video