Benton RSS Feed

* Next week, expect more research on media=20
ownership concentration, a FCC meeting on Indian=20
telecommunications, a discussion on broadband and=20
older adults, the Flow Conference on the future=20
of TV, and a New America event -- "From TV to=20
Public Safety." For these and other upcoming=20
media policy events, see http://www.benton.org *

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC Gets Flurry of Media Ownership Studies
Crime Is On TV, But TV is Often The Bigger Crime
MGM Deal a Bold Miscalculation for Sony

BROADCASTING
CBS Radio Settles With NY Over Payola
NBC Says Viewers Won't Notice Cuts in News Staff

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Iraq Propaganda Program Legal: Pentagon report
Ads get nasty in fight for Congress
NBC Tries a New Tack for 8 P.M

QUICKLY -- Reporters Without Borders criticizes=20
Cuba for controlling Web; Key ed-tech survey to=20
open Nov. 1; Noncoms Need To Speak Up, Says CPB=20
CEO; NBC won't show Madonna on the cross; YouTube=20
erases 29,000+ Japanese clips; Cellphones May Help Literacy Rates

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC GETS FLURRY OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP STUDIES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Media & Democracy Coalition announced=20
Thursday a study of 36 media markets in 12 US=20
states showing that all were concentrated and=20
that virtually all the smaller markets were=20
highly concentrated according to viewership=20
numbers. As the Federal Communications Commission=20
considers allowing crossownership of newspapers=20
and TV stations in the same markets, the study=20
shows that the 50% viewer share of dominant=20
market players in L.A. could escalate to 80%,=20
which would be "disastrous for democracy." When=20
asked whether the Internet should be factored=20
into the concentration equation, Mark Cooper of=20
the Consumer Federation of America argued that it=20
is not a primary source of local news, and that=20
the local ownership rules are about a diversity=20
of local sources of news and information. Cooper=20
said that maybe someday the Internet will be such=20
an alternative, but that for now it is a good=20
source of national and international news, but it=20
doesn't help you figure out who to vote for for=20
city council. And even its local component is=20
often a trip to the Web site of the local TV=20
station and newspaper. On top of this study,=20
Cooper announced he will also file a study on the=20
economics of consolidation and on allowing more=20
multiple station ownership in markets.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6383270.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* Media Consolidation Reports from Selected States
http://www.hearusnow.org/mediaownership/10/
* New Research Shows FCC Media Ownership Rule=20
Changes Will Harm Local Communities -- and Democracy -- Across Nation
"A healthy democracy requires that local media=20
outlets compete with each other, not consolidate,=20
to ensure the public has access to diverse and=20
independent sources of news and opinion. The=20
FCC's proposed rules are bad for consumers and bad for democracy."
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=3D178
* Media Ownership Research Talking Points
http://www.hearusnow.org/mediaownership/6/
* NAB response: "We're hopeful that public=20
policymakers recognize the seismic changes in the=20
media landscape in the three decades since many=20
of the media ownership rules were adopted.=20
Broadcasters are not seeking elimination of all=20
ownership rules. However, measured relaxation of=20
regulations will preserve localism and ensure=20
that free, high quality programming enjoyed daily=20
by millions of Americans does not migrate to pay platforms."
http://www.nab.org/AM/TemplateRedirect.cfm?template=3D/CM/ContentDisplay...
m&section=3DNews_Room&ContentID=3D7054
* Consumer Coalition: Media Ownership Already Too Concentrated
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=3D10923
* Cross-Ownership Opponents' Study: Local Media=20
Markets Already Too Concentrated
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/departments/business/article_dis...
y.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D1003285450
* Consumer Coalition: Media Ownership Already Too Concentrated
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=3D10923
* Advocacy Groups Blast Media Consolidation
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/10/19/daily.12/

CRIME IS ON TV, BUT TV IS OFTEN THE BIGGER CRIME
[SOURCE: MediaChannel, AUTHOR: Danny Schechter]
[Commentary] You just know this happens. A group=20
of media mavens in suits sit around a big table=20
to come up with new ways to get us to pay for=20
stuff we already get for free. The airwaves, as=20
we know, belong to all of us, but thanks to=20
regulations shaped by big industries, they were=20
allocated (ie. handed out) FOR FREE to big=20
commercial enterprises who then used their clout=20
to monopolize the marketplace and dominate the=20
spectrum. Cable was conceived as a Community=20
Antenna system (CATV) to help viewers get better=20
reception. Franchises were handed out to the=20
highest bidder in city after city to bidders who=20
made healthy political contributions. Suddenly we=20
were bombarded with tons of choices but without=20
many distinctive new voices. It became largely a=20
market-driven recycling operation aimed at key=20
demographics. Public TV watched as its nature=20
programs and historical docs were cloned and spun=20
off by specialized commercial outlets. Home=20
shopping became a vogue and recycled news a=20
commodity. There was soon more on the air but=20
less to watch. Now there are 500 channels with=20
very little worth watching. Now, the cable giants=20
want to erode and end what few public interest=20
obligations they have. Today, there is a new=20
fight underway to keep the Internet free. We have=20
to find a way to fight for better media=97to push=20
for reform and build unified campaigns for more responsible journalism.
http://www.mediachannel.org/articles/2006/10/18/Crime_Is_On.html

MGM DEAL A BOLD MISCALCULATION FOR SONY
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Claudia Eller]
When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer went on the block in=20
2004, Sony's Howard Stringer so lusted after the=20
studio's coveted library that he told his boss he=20
would resign if he didn't win a last-minute=20
bidding war with Time Warner. Stringer, who at=20
the time headed Sony's U.S. arm, figured the=20
library's 4,000 film titles would give Sony more=20
clout with DVD retailers and fuel the growth of=20
its high-definition Blu-ray technology.=20
Stringer's resignation wasn't required: He=20
engineered a clever deal to buy the storied=20
studio for $4.9 billion with a consortium of=20
investors that shouldered most of the financial=20
risk. But the deal that Stringer hoped would help=20
cement his legacy has instead marred it. In late=20
May, amid rising tensions among the partners,=20
MGM's board voted unanimously to dismiss Sony=20
Pictures Entertainment as its domestic DVD=20
distributor after it failed to meet performance=20
goals. It was a humiliating blow for Stringer,=20
who lost control of the very prize he was after.=20
Sony now finds itself on the sidelines. The deal=20
hasn't been a total wash. Sony remains a 20%=20
investor in MGM and is sure to recoup its initial=20
$250-million investment. MGM's commitment to=20
Blu-ray remains intact, giving Sony an edge in a=20
format war with Toshiba Corp.'s competing HD-DVD=20
technology. And Sony Pictures gets to share in=20
the proceeds of the James Bond sequel opening=20
next month and a future installment of the=20
popular spy series, which could mean hundreds of=20
millions of dollars in additional revenue. But=20
being jilted as MGM's DVD distributor in favor of=20
News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox movie studio cost=20
Sony at least $50 million a year in future fees,=20
not to mention public embarrassment in Hollywood and on Wall Street.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-mgm20oct20,1,7788724....
ry?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

BROADCASTING

CBS RADIO SETTLES WITH NY OVER PAYOLA
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
CBS Radio has paid $2 million to settle with the=20
State of New York over charges of payola and has=20
agreed not to use independent promoters to gain=20
radio station airplay for its music. But it has=20
not admitted to any wrongdoing and said it was=20
settling because that outcome was better for its=20
company and investors than a drawn-out court=20
fight. According to state Attorney General Eliot=20
Spitzer, in addition to the money, CBS has agreed=20
to "undertake company-wide reforms, including the=20
immediate cessation of receiving payments and=20
other inducements from record labels in exchange=20
for airplay; discontinue using independent=20
promoters as a pass-through for securing airplay;=20
hire a compliance officer to monitor promotion=20
practices; and implement an internal system to=20
detect any future abuses." The settlement was=20
actually the smallest of four that have been=20
struck between the state and record companies=20
over payments in cash and merchandise--vacation=20
packages, gift cards, etc.--for getting songs spun on the radio.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6383282.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* Commissioner Adelstein Commends New York=20
Attorney General Payola Settlement With CBS Radio
"I commend Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for=20
once again achieving a breakthrough with this=20
settlement. CBS Radio is leading the radio=20
broadcasting industry by agreeing to improve its=20
practices. This should provide new fuel to drive=20
the FCC payola investigation to=20
completion. Since payola saps the vitality out=20
of radio, this is a win not only for listeners=20
everywhere, but also for the radio industry itself."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267990A1.doc
* CBS Radio Tightens Policies in Settlement Over Payola
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/business/media/20payola.html
* CBS Radio to Pay $2 Million To Settle Payola Probe
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116129250171298118.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
* CBS Radio Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Settle Payola Probe
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-cbs20oct20,1,1431723....
ry?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business

NBC SAYS VIEWERS WON'T NOTICE CUTS IN NEWS STAFF
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jacques Steinberg]
NBC executives predicted that budget cuts=20
announced yesterday across the breadth of its=20
newsgathering operation would barely ripple with=20
viewers, though their effect off camera is=20
expected to be substantial. Virtually every=20
corner of the news division will be affected in=20
some way, including the =93Today=94 show and =93NBC=20
Nightly News With Brian Williams=94; the cable=20
channel MSNBC; the news desks of the 10 NBC-owned=20
stations, which include WTVJ in Miami and WNBC in=20
New York; and its Spanish-language network,=20
Telemundo. As an example of how the company=92s=20
strategy might change, Steve Capus, the president=20
of NBC News, compared how it would have typically=20
approached a school shooting, as opposed to how=20
it might in the near future. In the past,=20
=93Nightly News,=94 =93Today=94 and =93Dateline,=94 all=20
programs on NBC, might have sent individual=20
correspondents and camera crews to the scene,=20
along with representatives of MSNBC, MSNBC.com,=20
NBC News Channel (which provides=20
wire-service-style video feeds to affiliates) and=20
several NBC stations themselves. =93I'm not saying=20
that now every story will get just one person who=20
is going to meet the needs of every entity,=94 said=20
Capus. =93That=92s not the point. But maybe, instead=20
of 30 people, we can send 25. I believe we can do=20
that, and viewers will have no idea that behind=20
the scenes, those are the conversations going=20
on.=94 To accommodate the consolidation of its=20
newsgathering, Capus said he was planning to=20
build a central newsroom on the third and fourth=20
floors of the network=92s headquarters at 30=20
Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. Currently, its=20
news operations are scattered throughout that=20
building, as well as in two New Jersey suburbs.=20
Bill Kovach, the chairman of the Committee of=20
Concerned Journalists, a membership organization=20
seeking to ensure a place for high-quality=20
journalism in the Internet age, said that=20
announcements like NBC=92s yesterday portend =93a=20
disturbing trend, one that anyone who worries=20
about democratic society has to be concerned=20
about. If a major news organization like NBC is=20
going to reduce the number, and it sounds like a=20
significant number, of the people who go out and=20
gather information to go into the daily stream of=20
news, it=92s going to thin our knowledge of the world somewhat."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/business/media/20nbc.html
(requires registration)
* NBC Universal plans cost cuts, layoffs
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20061020/1b_nbc_cov20.art.htm
* TV Takes a Page Out of Newspaper Hardships
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fi-news20oct20,1,17...
42.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section

NBC TRIES A NEW TACK FOR 8PM
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
As part of an extensive cost-cutting program it=20
announced yesterday, NBC intends to drastically=20
alter its prime-time programming, starting in the=20
fall of 2007, filling the 8 p.m. hour each=20
weeknight with lower-cost, unscripted programs=20
and saving its more expensive comedies and dramas=20
for the 9-to-11 p.m. block. One major impetus=20
for the move, said Jeff Zucker, the chief=20
executive of the NBC Universal Television Group,=20
is the upheaval TV networks face because of=20
ever-increasing incursions from digital media=20
like Internet sites. But some of NBC=92s=20
competitors argued that NBC was simply reacting=20
to its own consistent failure to find scripted=20
programs that worked at 8 p.m. The network has=20
struggled to find hit shows for that first hour=20
of prime time; that weakness contributed=20
significantly to NBC=92s free fall from first place=20
to last in the ratings three seasons ago.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/business/media/20drama.html
(requires registration)
* NBC's Cuts Will Alter the Look of Prime Time
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-nbc20oct20,1,309582...
ory?coll=3Dla-headlines-frontpage
* TV and Ad Industries Warily Weigh In On NBC's Plans to Revamp Prime Time
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116130651678198467.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
* NBC Taking Big Step Back From TV
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/19/AR200610...
0205.html
*NBC's Reilly Backs Off 'Reality at 8' Mandate
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117952294.html?categoryid=3D14&cs=3D1

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

IRAQ PROPAGANDA PROGRAM LEGAL: PENTAGON REPORT
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Kristin Roberts]
The U.S. military acted legally when it hired a=20
contractor to pay Iraqi news organizations to run=20
pro-American stories, the Pentagon's inspector=20
general has found. An unclassified summary of=20
results of the inspector general's probe,=20
released on Thursday, said: "We concluded that=20
the Multi-National Force-Iraq and Multi-National=20
Corps-Iraq complied with applicable laws and=20
regulations in their use of a contractor to=20
conduct Psychological Operations and their use of=20
newspapers as a way to disseminate information."=20
stories were planted with the help of=20
Washington-based Lincoln group. The inspector=20
general, the Pentagon's internal watchdog agency,=20
reviewed three Lincoln Group contracts. In one of=20
those cases, it found that a military contracting=20
office did not maintain enough documentation to=20
verify expenditures under the program. Because of=20
that, the inspector could not determine if the=20
contract was awarded properly or if payments made=20
were appropriate, the summary results stated.=20
"This Department of Defense report shows that the=20
Pentagon cannot account for millions paid to the=20
Lincoln Group for their propaganda program and=20
that basic contracting rules were not followed,"=20
said U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) who sought=20
the inspector general's review. "Broader policy=20
questions remain about whether the=20
administration's manipulation of the news in Iraq=20
contradicts our goal of a free and independent press there," Sen Kennedy sa=
id.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DpoliticsNews&storyID=
=3D2006-10-19T220741Z_01_N19456425_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-USA-PROPAGANDA.xml&WTm=
odLoc=3DPolNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-9
* Planted news reports were legal, report says
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20061020/a_iraqbox20.art.htm
* Pentagon: Planting Stories in Iraqi Press Was Within Law
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003285543

ADS GET NASTY IN FIGHT FOR CONGRESS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: John Whitesides]
Candidates in the fight for Congress quickly=20
learn the cardinal rule -- if you can't say=20
something nice about your opponent, buy some air=20
time. On television screens, over the radio and=20
through the mail, a blizzard of negative attack=20
ads call U.S. congressional candidates cheating,=20
extremist hypocrites -- or worse. The overall=20
tone of campaign ads as the November 7 vote=20
approaches is harsher than in the past few=20
elections, analysts said. Contributing to the=20
shift are the high stakes -- Democrats need to=20
gain 15 House seats and six Senate seats to win=20
control of Congress -- a polarized political=20
environment and the subject matter.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DpoliticsNews&storyID=
=3D2006-10-19T180808Z_01_N19447028_RTRUKOC_0_US-ADS.xml&WTmodLoc=3DPolNewsH=
ome_C2_politicsNews-4

QUICKLY

MEDIA WATCHDOG CRITICIZES CUBA FOR CONTROLLING WEB
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Reporters Without Borders accused Cuba on=20
Thursday of trying to prevent people from reading=20
independent media, saying less than 2 percent of=20
Cubans connect to the Web at closely monitored=20
Internet access points. Cuba, like China,=20
controls access to the Internet. Direct access to=20
the World Wide Web is generally only available to=20
government-approved individuals, though passwords=20
can be purchased on the black market. The Cuban=20
government says Internet access is restricted due=20
to limited bandwidth available. Havana blames=20
U.S. economic sanctions that bar Cuba from=20
hooking up to submarine fiber optic cables and=20
force the country to use costly satellite communications for Internet traff=
ic.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-10-19T212112Z_01_L1984892_RTRUKOC_0_US-RIGHTS-CUBA-INTERNET.xml&WTm=
odLoc=3DInternetNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-8

KEY ED-TECH SURVEY TO OPEN NOV 1
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Corey Murray]
From Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, the national nonprofit=20
organization NetDay will be collecting responses=20
to its annual survey on educational technology=20
attitudes and opinions from students, parents,=20
and teachers. Besides releasing the national=20
results in aggregate form, NetDay also will give=20
local school administrators the data collected=20
from their own communities. In the past,=20
districts have used the information collected=20
through the survey to help lobby local policy=20
makers for technology investments in their=20
schools and to make decisions about how best to=20
integrate technology into the classroom.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=3D6653

NONCOMS NEED TO SPEAK UP, SAYS CPB CEO
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
In an interview for C-SPAN's Communicators=20
series, Patricia Harrison, CEO of the Corporation=20
for Public Broadcasting, praised public=20
broadcasting but said it has done a "terrible=20
job" of telling its "amazing" story. She also=20
said she was very concerned about the indecency=20
crackdown, and that CPB is committed to balanced=20
and objective broadcasting, but not interested in=20
pigeonholing people or ideas in 'blue state' or 'red state' boxes.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6383224.html?title=3DArticle&...
cedesc=3Dnews

NBC WON'T SHOW MADONNA ON THE CROSS
[SOURCE: Reuters]
After weeks of complaints from Christian groups,=20
NBC has decided not to show pop star Madonna=20
suspended from a giant cross and wearing a crown=20
of thorns when the network airs a special of her=20
"Confessions" tour. A number of NBC affiliate=20
stations expressed uneasiness to the network=20
about carrying the broadcast if it included=20
Madonna singing from the cross. Madonna has=20
defended her mock crucifixion scene, saying it=20
was not meant to be "anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous."
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=3DentertainmentNews&...
ryID=3D2006-10-19T205020Z_01_N19336136_RTRUKOC_0_US-LEISURE-MADONNA.xml

YOUTUBE ERASES 29,549 CLIPS ON JAPAN MEDIA DEMAND
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Google's YouTube.com removed 29,549 video files=20
from its popular Web site after receiving a=20
demand from a group of Japanese media companies=20
over copyright infringement, an industry group=20
said on Friday. The television, music and movie=20
clips had been posted without the permission of=20
copyright holders, the Tokyo-based Japan Society=20
for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers said.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-10-20T105130Z_01_T165986_RTRUKOC_0_US-INTERNET-JAPAN-YOUTUBE.xml&WT=
modLoc=3DInternetNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-2

CELLPHONES MAY HELP LITERACY RATES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
According to a study funded by PBS' Ready To=20
Learn Initiative, cell phones could be one way to=20
increase literacy rates among poorer kids. After=20
viewing a streamed segment of "Learning Letters=20
with Elmo" on GoTV, parents said that their kids=20
did better on their ABCs. The survey was of=20
eighty California parents with three and=20
four-year-olds who were all given video phones=20
and asked to listen to streamed literacy tips and=20
have their kids watch the streamed Elmo clips at=20
least three times a week. The study found the=20
most impact was on those with households at or below the poverty level.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6382972?display=3DBreaking+News
--------------------------------------------------------------
...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend.=20
Who do you have, Cards or Tigers?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online=20
news summary service provided by the Benton=20
Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday=20
through Friday, this service provides updates on=20
important industry developments, policy issues,=20
and other related news events. While the=20
summaries are factually accurate, their often=20
informal tone does not always represent the tone=20
of the original articles. Headlines are compiled=20
by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------