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The Debate on the Future of TelevisionThe Debate on the Future of Television
Table of Contents
What's Going On Putting It In Perspective What's Working Key Players And While We've Got Your Attention...The most powerful communication medium of the 20th Century is going through a radical transformation. As television broadcasting transitions into the Digital Age, we have a critical opportunity to unlock its educational, cultural, and civic potential. Since the marketplace cannot alone serve the diverse needs of America's people, we must reassert the principles of society and apply them to the new world of digital television. If advanced television is to serve America as a people and not just as a market, then we must seize this critical time to harness television's full potential to serve the public good. What's needed is a strong message from the public: the airwaves belong to us—thus our rights as viewers, listeners, information providers and producers are paramount. Digital television will serve democracy in the years to come as long as the public secures a guarantee from station owners to serve our diverse educational, cultural and civic needs.
What's Going On
Still Charting the Digital Broadcasting Future:The Third Anniversary of the PIAC Report Ongoing: Digital Promise, a plan to create the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT), a nonprofit, nongovernmental agency designed to unlock the potential of the Internet and other new information technologies for education in the broadest sense; to stimulate public and private sector research into the development and use of new learning techniques, and to encourage public and private sector partnerships and alliances in education, science, the humanities, the arts, civic affairs and government. Headed by former-PIAC member Newt Minow. Charting the Digital Broadcasting Future:The 2nd Anniversary of the PIAC Report FCC rulemaking on Digital Televison Broadcasters Children's Television ObligationsComments period ended January 17, 2001 FCC rulemaking on Standardized and Enhanced Disclosure Requirements for TV Licensee Public Interest Obligation
Comments period ended January 17, 2001 Arguing Over the Future of TV
Many groups have weighed in on the debate over the public interest obligations of digital broadcasters -- now its your turn. In Market Conditions and Public Affairs Programming: Implications for Digital Television Policy
What's local about local broadcasting? Still not much. (.pdf file) See also a two-page summary Benton's comments in FCC proceeding. FCC Opens NOI on Public Interest Obligations of Digital BroadcastersRead our full covergae including: Deciding the Future of Television
Outlines the opportunity for the public to express its view of the public interest performance of television broadcasters and the public interest potential of digital broadcast technology being deployed around the nation. Your Chance to Make TV Better
Op-ed by Mark Lloyd, People for Better TV and Civil Rights Forum on Communications Policy Time Is Right For Digital Television Proceeding
Op-ed by Charles Benton, Chairman of the Benton Foundation Vice President Gore's Letter to FCC Chairman William Kennard -- Calling for Commission to begin proceeding on digital broadcasters' public interest obligations -- focusing on Improving the Quality of Political Discourse, Disaster Warnings in the Digital Age, Disability Access to Digital Programming, and Diversity in Broadcasting 10/20/99 Charles Benton's Remarks The Public Interest Potentials of the Transition to Digital before the Korean Broadcasting Institute People for Better TV , a broad-based, national coalition, is calling for action to define the public interest obligations of television broadcasters in the digital age. Find out how you can take action.
Recent Coverage in Benton's The
Digital Beat
Deciding the Future of Television
Outlines the
opportunity for the public to express its view of the public interest performance
of television broadcasters and the public interest potential of digital broadcast
technology being deployed around the nation.
The Public and Broadcasting
On June 7, the Federal Communications Commission released The Public and
Broadcasting to provide the public with a general overview of broadcasting
regulations. The FCC's goal in releasing this revised manual is to increase public
participation in broadcasting by giving people the tools needed to encourage
stations to provide high quality programming.
The Viewers' Bill of Rights
A discussion about the need to redefine the compact between broadcasters and the
communities they are licensed to serve.
Public Interest Obligations in
Broadcasting: International Comparisons
What do others countries ask of broadcasters?
The Future of Television in the Balance
Examines the Administration's proposed spectrum fees for commercial television
broadcasters; reviews responses from broadcasters, advocates, and Congress; and provides
tips for you to have your say.
Also see our weekly Broadcast Extra for
the latest updates.
Putting It In Perspective
Benton has offered The Viewers' Bill of Rights, a set of principles to guide the process of defining public interest obligations. Picture This, an introduction to the technology and regulations that make digital television possible. Education and Digital Television: Seizing the Opportunity to Realize the Medium's Potential. Findings from focus groups and a national survey conducted for the Benton Foundation. Broadcast Spectrum and the Debate on the Future of Television is an introduction to the broadcast spectrum issues raised in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and their possible affects on free, over-the-air television. The debate covers a range of issues including the proposed transition to Digital TV, broadcast time for political debate, children's educational programming, and public broadcasting.The President's Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters What's Local About Local Broadcasting?
A Study from Benton and the Media Access Project was submitted to the President's Advisory Committee in April 1998.
FCC Rulings: Commission Adopts Rules for Digital Television Service. Separate Statements issued by Chairman Hundt and Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong. 4/4/97 Commission Adopts Table of Allotments for DTV: Establishes Policies and Rules. Separate Statements issued by Chairman Hundt and Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong. 4/4/97 Speeches by FCC Chairmen on the Future of Television National Association of Black Journalists (7/30/98) National Cable Television Association (5/5/98) "An Era of Opportunity" National Association of Broadcasters (4/7/98) 35th Annual National Association of Television Program Executives Conference (1/19/98)
What's Working
Public Service Media in Action -- Hampton Roads (VA)Looks at what is in practice in the area we call "public service media" -- delivering community service and a diversity of content through a variety of media. Public Service Media in Action -- Seattle Public service media in action -- Seattle, Washington. We'd like to profile successful efforts to implement new models for public service television;
Key Players
The Benton Foundation has been named the home of the legacy of the The President's Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters acting as the institutional memory and tracking the debate on and progress of the Advisory Committee’s report and recommendations. People for Better Television are parents and teachers and doctors and viewers and voters -- everyday ordinary people across the political spectrum -- who have joined together to push for appropriate regulation of television as it moves away from analog into the digital environment. Media Access Project (MAP) For over a quarter of a century this public interest law firm has promoted the public's First Amendment right to hear and be heard on the electronic media of today and tomorrow. Civil Rights Forum works to bring civil rights organizations and community groups into the debate over the future of our media environment “ that environment which is the key to the future of the nation. Center for Media Education is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of electronic media, especially on the behalf of children and families.And while we've got your attention...
Free Air Time for Political Candidates
"Channeling Influence: The Broadcast Lobby and the $70 Billion Giveway," Common Cause report on the sprectrum giveaway and free time for candidates (April 1997). Benton's review of the report. President Clinton Favors Free Time for Candidates (3/11/97) FCC Clears the Way for Network Proposals to Provide Time to Presidential Candidates. (8/23/96)Children's Educational Television
Accountability Watch: Educational TV by Caitlin Johnson, Connect for Kids The Campaign for Kids TV aims to improve the quality of children's television through public education and organizing. The campaign resulted in a 1996 decision by the FCC that requires TV stations to air a minimum of three hours per week of educational children's television. Benton's Summary of the FCC's Children's TV Rules (9/96) FCC Adopts New Children's TV Rules (FCC 96-335). News Release includes separate statements issued by Chairman Hundt and Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong.[ Text Version | WordPerfect Version | News Release ] (8/9/96)
The V-Chip
The V-Chip Education Project a national education campaign to teach interested parents, children, educators, and other members of the public how to use the television ratings system and new V-Chip TVs. The launch of project, a partnership of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Center for Media Education (CME), coincided with the July 1st deadline for V-Chip TVs to make their federally-mandated debut. Viewing Television Responsibly: The V-Chip, the FCC's V-Chip homepage. V-Chip Update(2/27/97) The FCC released a Public Notice askinhg for comment on broadcasters' rating system. File comments by email at The Future of Public Broadcasting The Role of Public Service Media in the Digital Communications Age: Defining a Strategic Vision, a national conference co-sponsored by Penn State University, Penn State Public Broadcasting, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Hartford Gunn Institute, and the Benton Foundation. The Future of Public Service Television with Press and Policy Updates Digital Education Act Where public television, education, and digital technology meet. See alsoBenton's Cyber page on Public BroadcastingCable Television
Cable Television: Sunset Marks A New Day March 31 marked the end of Federal cable rate regulation. April Fool's Day marks a new day for a quickly consolidating industry that is refocusing on broadband services like high-speed Internet access and telephony. But public interest advocates continue to fight battles to access cable networks.The Benton Foundation promotes public interest values and noncommercial services for the National Information Infrastructure through research and policy analysis, outreach to nonprofits and foundations, and print, video, and online publishing.
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Last updated: 06 November 2000 kjt