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TELECOM
Following Protests From Democrats, Martin Delays=20
Debate On AT&T-BellSouth Merger

BROADCASTING & PUBLIC SERVICE
Journal Fires Back At Political Coverage Study
"There's a failure of process here"
Private-Public Pact Spurs Localism in NYC
Bangor TV Stations Cut Live Late Newscasts
Fake News Lobby Group Gears Up

SPECTRUM
Spectrum policy committee remains shrouded in secrecy

QUICKLY -- Moyers Weighs In On Net Neutrality;=20
Media =93Resegregation=94; 2007 eRate features=20
changes, improvements; Statewide Franchises Still=20
Alive for N.J. Ops; Politicians caught on=20
Internet candid cameras; As U.S. Is Reviled=20
Abroad, American TV Charms; The Latest Chapters=20
On the War; Access To Gov't Info Is 'Human Right', Inter-American Court Rul=
es

TELECOM

FOLLOWING PROTESTS FROM DEMOCRATS, MARTIN DELAYS DEBATE ON MERGER
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin delayed a vote on the=20
acquisition of BellSouth by AT&T after the two=20
Democrats on the FCC requested more time to study=20
last-minute concessions proposed by=20
AT&T. Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and=20
Michael Copps asked for the delay until they were=20
able to evaluate AT&T's proposals and make them=20
available for public comment. Chairman Martin,=20
who is scheduled to leave the country Saturday=20
for a 10-day business trip to Asia, told=20
Adelstein and Copps in a letter that he would=20
make AT&T's proposals available for public=20
comment for 10 days. He also set a FCC meeting=20
date for Friday, Nov. 3, but a FCC spokeswoman=20
said a decision on the AT&T-BellSouth deal could=20
occur earlier through private deliberations among=20
the Commissioners. There is widespread=20
speculation that Chairman Martin wants the agency=20
to act before Election Day to shelter its=20
decision from repercussions if Democrats take=20
over one or both houses of Congress. Friday's=20
action came two days after the FCC's two=20
Democrats harshly criticized the Justice=20
Department for approving the $80 billion AT&T-=20
BellSouth merger without conditions.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-RONK1160597560735.html
* Commission Seeks Comment on Proposals Submitted by AT&T
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2035A1.pdf
* Letter From Chairman Martin Concerning Next=20
Steps for Review of AT&T/Bell South Transfer of Control Application
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267892A1.pdf
* Commissioners Copps & Adelstein letter to Chairman Martin
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267893A1.pdf
* FCC vote on AT&T/BellSouth merger postponed
http://news.com.com/FCC+vote+on+AT38TBellSouth+merger+postponed/2100-103...
-6125831.html?tag=3Dnefd.top
* House, Senate Leaders Push AT&T/BellSouth Vote
The leaders of the House and Senate Commerce=20
Committees have asked the FCC to get on with the=20
vote on the AT&T/BellSouth merger. In a statement=20
Friday, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted=20
Stevens (R-Alaska) and House Energy and Commerce=20
Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), said the=20
FCC has had plenty of time to consider the merger and plenty of input alrea=
dy.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381172.html
* FCC Releases AT&T's Proposed Modifications
The FCC late Friday released proposed AT&T=20
modifications to its merger with BellSouth for=20
public perusal. AT&T said that, in order to speed=20
the process, it was willing to accept some=20
conditions, including promises of Internet Access=20
to 100% of homes in AT&T/BellSouth territory by=20
the end of next year; donating $1 million to=20
promote public safety; and conducting at least 10=20
wireless broadband tests, and numerous other phone-related conditions.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381201.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* Consumer advocates criticize AT& T deal
Consumer advocates say the new concessions AT&T=20
has offered to close its $80 billion merger with=20
BellSouth don't go far enough to preserve competition.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20061016/2b_phonemerger16.art...

BROADCASTING & PUBLIC SERVICE

JOURNAL FIRES BACK AT POLITICAL COVERAGE STUDY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Journal Broadcast Group, whose stations were=20
included in a University of Wisconsin study=20
critical of the amount of political news coverage=20
on Midwest TV stations, fired back Friday. Doug=20
Kiel, Vice Chairman and CEO of Journal Broadcast=20
Group and President, Journal Communications,=20
called the study "disappointingly narrow" and=20
failing to provide a "complete or accurate"=20
picture of the commitment to election coverage of=20
Journal stations WTMJ Milwaukee and WGBA-TV=20
Appleton/Green Bay, Wisconsin, two of the nine=20
markets surveyed by the University of Wisconsin's=20
NewsLab with funding from media reformer The=20
Joyce Foundation. "By limiting the scope, the=20
authors of the study have made a choice to=20
exclude potential election coverage included in=20
more than thirty hours of news programming each=20
week in Wisconsin's two largest television=20
markets," said Kiel. "Our broadcast group has=20
made a significant commitment of five minutes per=20
day for the thirty days leading up to the=20
November 7th general election," he said. "We have=20
broadcast debates, public service announcements=20
urging people to vote, and significant news and public affairs programming.=
=94
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381164.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* D=E9j=E0 View From the Real World
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] We hope this does not turn into an=20
annual event, but once again, broadcasters'=20
campaign coverage is being criticized in a study=20
that leaves a bad impression while leaving out=20
reams of data that could paint a very different=20
picture. Not included in the University of=20
Wisconsin study were morning news shows; a Ball=20
State University study of Midwest viewers in 2004=20
found that more people were getting their news in=20
the morning than in the evening.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381194.html?display=3DOpinion
* What Community Service?
"Roughly half of the local TV news hole not=20
devoted to weather, traffic and sports is devoted=20
to crime and accidents. 30% of morning news shows=20
are devoted to weather and traffic."
http://www.benton.org/benton_files/whatservice.doc

"THERE'S A FAILURE OF PROCESS HERE"
[SOURCE: Lasar's Letter on the FCC, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
On September 12th, the Federal Communications=20
Commission granted closed-captioning exemptions=20
for two religious broadcasters, a fairly rare=20
occurrence until recently. But this decision went=20
further, noting that in future cases if a=20
non-profit demonstrates that it receives no=20
compensation from video program distributors and=20
that "in the absence of an exemption, may=20
terminate or substantially curtail its=20
programming," the FCC will favor a closed=20
captioning exemption request. The American=20
Association of People with Disabilities quickly=20
denounced the decision. Rep Edward Markey (D-MA)=20
sent an open letter to FCC Chair Kevin Martin=20
expressing his concern. Karen Peltz Strauss, who=20
served as attorney for the National Association=20
for the Deaf and helped to draft language=20
included in the Telecommunications Act of 1996=20
that created closed captioning mandates, says=20
she's "very concerned about the process that the=20
FCC has followed, or failed to follow, in taking=20
this new step." She adds, "The new standard seems=20
to suggest that a non-profit organization can get=20
an exemption when it does not receive=20
compensation from program distributors and when=20
it claims that, without getting an exemption, it=20
might terminate or substantially curtail its=20
programming or curtail other activities important=20
to its mission. Being able to get an exemption=20
when the entity even alleges that activities=20
important to their mission would be=20
curtailed=97that is not a standard in the rules.=20
It's a standard that is created by this order.=20
There was no notice and public comment. So it is=20
very upsetting that the FCC would go ahead and=20
create a standard like this without issuing=20
notice and comment to the public. Now on top of=20
that there have been hundreds of additional=20
letters sent out from the FCC granting additional exemptions."
http://lasarletter.com/freepage.php?id=3D200610101

PRIVATE-PUBLIC PACT SPURS LOCALISM IN NYC
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Steve Passwaiter, BIA Financial Network]
[Commentary] Many station owners and GMs truly=20
want to do more locally-focused programming, but=20
lament that it is time consuming and expensive.=20
With most bottom lines under increasing pressure=20
these days, it=92s difficult to make heightened=20
localism a reality. As a result, most stations=92=20
localism defaults to local news and some Sunday=20
morning public affairs shows, but not much else.=20
A partnership between a public and a private=20
broadcaster shows that commercial TV stations can=20
make a real commitment to localism while=20
maintaining fiscal responsibility. In August,=20
WNBC New York General Manager Frank Comerford=20
announced that the NBC flagship would air five=20
local programs produced by city-owned WNYE, aka=20
NYC-TV, at 11 a.m. each weekday until the launch=20
of the new iVillage program in December. The=20
arrangement also includes airing the five=20
programs, plus two others, on WNBC=92s digital=20
multicast channel, WNBC 4.4, which is carried on=20
major cable systems in the market. Under the=20
deal, NYC-TV retains four minutes of advertising=20
avails in the shows with the remainder going to WNBC.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/10/13/daily.2/

WVII/WFVX CUTS LIVE LATE NEWSCASTS
[SOURCE: Bangor Daily News, AUTHOR: Andrew Neff]
How can you broadcast a newscast when there=92s=20
nobody in the studio? Bangor television station=20
and ABC network affiliate WVII (Channel 7) will=20
answer that question next week as it takes a new=20
approach to its late night newscasts. Starting=20
Monday, WVII and sister station/Fox Network=20
affiliate WFVX (Ch. 22) will pre-tape their=20
respective 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts. "We=92ll tape=20
it a couple of hours earlier because =97 frankly,=20
for the same reason there isn=92t an afternoon=20
newspaper =97 not a whole lot happens in Bangor,=20
Maine late at night," said Mike Palmer, WVII=92s=20
vice-president and general manager. "We can save=20
some efficiency that way by sending everyone home=20
a couple hours earlier and still have an 11=20
o=92clock newscast." Palmer said the 10 and 11 p.m.=20
newscasts will be the same, but they won=92t be the=20
same as the early evening (6 p.m.) newscast on WVII.
http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/sports.aspx?articleid=3D141755&zoneid=...

FAKE NEWS LOBBY GROUP GEARS UP
[SOURCE: PR Watch]
A group of producers of video news releases=20
(VNRs) have formed the National Association of=20
Broadcast Communicators (NABC) to campaign=20
against the mandatory disclosure of fake news.=20
NABC Vice-President Mike Hill, who is President=20
of News Broadcast Network, told PR Week that=20
"disclosure is something that TV and radio=20
stations should do as they feel necessary from a=20
news standpoint." Mandatory disclosure, Hill=20
claimed, "would be unworkable." The new group had=20
also enlisted support from the Public Relations=20
Society of America. "We all play an important=20
role in the news gathering and dissemination=20
process," said Michael Cherenson, the chair of=20
the PRSA's advocacy practice. NABC has hired the=20
Washington D.C. law firm Keller and Heckman and=20
the lobbying company Bryan Cave Strategies to=20
counter a Federal Communications Commission=20
investigation into the use of VNRs.
http://www.prwatch.org/node/5301

SPECTRUM

SPECTRUM POLICY COMMITTEE REMAINS SHROUDED IN SECRECY
[SOURCE: RCR Wireless News, AUTHOR: Jeffrey Silva]
Nearly two years after President Bush authorized=20
the creation of an advisory committee as part of=20
spectrum policy initiative launched in 2003, the=20
National Telecommunications and Information=20
Administration has yet to disclose identities of=20
members, whether any meetings have been held or=20
explain what progress has been made on White=20
House-driven spectrum program that from the=20
beginning has been shrouded in secrecy and=20
yielded few tangible results to date. NTIA, a=20
unit of the Commerce Department that advises the=20
president on telecom policy and manages federal=20
government spectrum, last week declined to=20
provide any details on the status of advisory=20
committee and the Bush spectrum initiative. Todd=20
Sedmak, an NTIA spokesman, said the agency may=20
say more publicly by the end of the year or early=20
2007. But Sedmak did not elaborate on what NTIA=20
planned to announce. The spectrum advisory=20
committee, which is allotted between five and 20=20
members, is chartered for two years. The charter=20
can be renewed. While NTIA has tried to keep the=20
matter quiet, criticism has surfaced about=20
financial disclosure statements required of=20
advisory committee participants. At least one top=20
industry lobbyist invited to join the panel is=20
said to have refused to be part of the advisory=20
committee as a result of financial filing=20
requirements. Some federal advisory committees do=20
not require financial disclosures. It is unclear=20
whether the structuring of the Commerce spectrum=20
management advisory committee, with its financial=20
disclosure requirements, has caused NTIA to lose=20
talent that otherwise it might have been able to attract.
http://www.rcrnews.com/lockland.cms?articleId=3D51823
(requires subscription)

QUICKLY

MOYERS WEIGHS IN ON NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
With the network neutrality battle being waged=20
among large-walleted lobbyists for big computer=20
and media companies, "Big Media" critic Bill=20
Moyers will tackle the subject in the final=20
installment of his Moyers on America series of=20
specials on PBS. The Oct. 18, 90-minute special=20
is meant to raise the issue's profile with the=20
general, says a spokesperson for producing=20
station WNET (it couldn't get much higher inside=20
the Beltway). "While attention to the issue is=20
low, the stakes are high with no less than the=20
public and private sectors access to the Internet=20
is being threatened," said the release announcing the show.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381159.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

MEDIA "RESEGREGATION"
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
BET, Radio One, Inner City, Viacom,=20
Post-Newsweek, Emmis, Granite and LIN TV were=20
among 24 companies that weighed in on school=20
desegregation at the Supreme Court, arguing that=20
=93a ruling that racial diversity in K-12 public=20
education is not a compelling government interest=20
would send a devastating message to Americans and=20
to the world that, as a nation, we believe that=20
we have done enough with respect to racial=20
integration and are prepared to accept the=20
resegregation of our schools.=94 Elizabeth G.=20
Taylor, counsel to the petitioners, says she sent=20
questionnaires to the communications companies=20
about their positions and found, =93to a company,=20
they all said it really does make a difference=20
that people don't just go through diversity=20
training when they are hired but learn it from a=20
young age. I don't think it is something they are=20
making up. They really believe it.=94 David Honig=20
of the Minority Media and Telecommunications=20
Council helped to assemble the group and points=20
out that the companies are hoping a finding that=20
diversity is a compelling government interest=20
could help in the effort to restore the FCC's=20
tax-certificate policy, which gave media=20
companies a tax break for selling to minority=20
owners. =93Congress' consideration of whether to=20
bring back tax certificates could be affected by=20
what the court says about diversity in education,=94 says Honig.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381206.html?display=3DNews

2007 eRATE FEATURES CHANGES, IMPROVEMENTS
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Corey Murray]
As the filing window for the 2007-08 funding year=20
draws near, schools and libraries applying for=20
discounts under the $2.25 billion-a-year federal=20
eRate program have at their disposal a host of=20
new resources intended to help them navigate the=20
complex funding process. Though the 2007 filing=20
window cannot open until officials at the Federal=20
Communications Commission (FCC) approve a revised=20
list of services that are eligible for discounts=20
under next year's program, the Schools and=20
Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service=20
Administrative Co. (USAC), the independent outfit=20
tapped by the FCC to help oversee the eRate, says=20
it expects to begin processing applications as=20
early as mid-November, giving schools about a=20
month to make final preparations. In this special=20
feature, eSchool News talks with SLD Vice=20
President Mel Blackwell about what's new for the=20
2007 funding year and examines the strides=20
program administrators are taking to streamline=20
the process for applicants, many of whom have=20
voiced frustrations over the program and its track record of abuse.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=3D6648

STATEWIDE FRANCHISES STILL ALIVE FOR NJ OPS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, seeking=20
comment on implementing a new statewide video=20
franchise law, is proposing new rules that would=20
allow any company currently providing cable to=20
convert any or all of its existing franchises to=20
a system franchise without NJBPU or municipal=20
approval. Such an amendment will be subject to=20
public hearings, planned for December and=20
January. Final adoption of implementation policies is planned early next ye=
ar.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6381115.html?display=3DBreaking+News

POLITICIANS CAUGHT ON INTERNET CANDID CAMERAS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Deborah Charles]
Want to catch a senator napping during a=20
congressional hearing? Or letting a possible=20
racial slur slip out at a campaign rally? Then=20
log on to Internet video-sharing Web sites like=20
YouTube.com -- the latest weapon in U.S. politics=20
where a candidate's missteps can be viewed by=20
hundreds of thousands of people. Political=20
campaigns for the November 7 congressional=20
elections have sent out mass e-mails with links=20
to videos of opponents in unscripted, often=20
embarrassing, situations. Some campaigns have=20
even dispatched young staffers known as=20
"trackers" armed with video cameras. Their sole=20
job is to track a rival candidate's every move=20
and make sure their cameras are rolling in case the politician makes a gaff=
e.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-10-15T120806Z_01_N15301440_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-POLITICS-VIDEOS.xml&WT=
modLoc=3DTechNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-5

AS US IS REVILED ABROAD, AMERICAN TV CHARMS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Pfanner]
In the parliaments and pubs of Europe, the United=20
States may wallow in least-favored-nation status.=20
But on European television, American shows have=20
been enjoying a popularity not seen since the=20
1980=92s heyday of =93Dallas,=94 =93Dynasty=94 and =93The=20
Dukes of Hazzard.=94 United States producers are=20
taking more risks, creating edgier shows,=20
analysts say, and they are spending more on them=20
in an effort to appeal to European audiences.=20
With revenue from sales of American rights flat,=20
they are also increasingly dependent on=20
international sales to recover costs. Meanwhile,=20
European programming budgets are getting=20
squeezed. Advertising revenues at many of the=20
leading channels are stagnant or falling as=20
viewers defect to the Internet and other new=20
media. Yet broadcasters have to fill many more=20
hours of air time as cable, satellite and digital=20
channels proliferate. Buying the rights to=20
American shows is much less expensive than=20
producing original ones. To be sure, analysts=20
say, the appetite for local content remains=20
strong. And European producers have been adept at=20
developing reality TV series and game shows that=20
can be replicated in export markets, including the United States.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/16/business/media/16tv.html
(requires registration)

THE LATEST CHAPTERS ON THE WAR
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
In an age of blogging, podcasting, BlackBerrying=20
and instant messaging, when any thought can be=20
expressed within nanoseconds, an old-fashioned=20
form of technology is making a comeback. It's=20
called the book, a collection of pages, bound=20
between hard covers, that generally takes at=20
least two years to report, write, edit and=20
publish, using the kind of presses that date to=20
the 15th century. With striking swiftness, a=20
series of books about the Iraq war has exposed=20
deep flaws in its planning and execution, made=20
the Bush administration appear dysfunctional at=20
times and generated enormous news coverage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/15/AR200610...
1029.html
(requires registration)

ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFO IS 'HUMAN RIGHT,' INTER-AMERICAN COURT RULES
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher, AUTHOR: Mark Fitzgerald]
For the first time ever, an international court=20
has declared that access to government=20
information is a human right. Ruling in a case=20
brought by three Chilean environmental activists,=20
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared=20
that a "right of general access" to=20
government-held information is protected by=20
Article 13 of the American Convention on Human=20
Rights. Article 13 deals with "freedom of thought=20
and expression." The court further ruled that=20
government information that isn't otherwise=20
restricted "should be provided without a need to=20
demonstrate a direct interest in obtaining it, or=20
a personal interest, except in cases where there=20
applies a legitimate restriction."
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003254197
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------