Headlines

The loss of Tim Russert comes just as journalists are feeling besieged. Their bosses are slashing staffs, their advertisers are drifting away, and their prerogatives are being challenged by bloggers and YouTubers: a diffuse army of the uncredentialed, uninhibited and--most terrifyingly--unpaid.

A new report, "Journalists Give Workers Business," finds that "the media ignores ordinary workers and instead covers economic issues from the perspective of business." The analysis by David Madland, Director of the Center for American Progress' American Worker Project, looked at newspaper and television coverage of unemployment, minimum wage, trade, and credit card debt issues in 2007 and concluded that "the perspective of workers is largely missing from media coverage, while the views of business are frequently presented."

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has released a report addressing the growing concern and critical need for high-speed Internet access among our districts and schools. Although national statistics boast almost 98% connectivity in US schools, the substance and bandwidth of the connection is often problematic and insufficient.

French culture and communications minister Christine Albanel has called for greater awareness among broadcasters and parents of the potential dangers of TV aimed at very young children, such as US-based channels Baby TV and BabyFirst.

In an amendment to the Deficit Reduction Act, the Senate decided to 1) free up "leftover funds" from the DTV-to-analog converter box program to help assist senior citizens minorities and rural viewers in preparing for and making the transition and 2) make funding available to help low-power broadcasters make the switch to digital.

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday agreed to give Sprint Nextel more time to swap some wireless spectrum frequencies with public safety agencies. Sprint was facing a June 26 deadline to vacate channels that its Nextel wireless network uses in the 800 MHz band.

Days after the nation's top telecommunications policymaker signaled his approval of a merger between the two satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, a negative report released yesterday on the future of the companies sent shares of each firm sharply lower.

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday granted Sprint Nextel's request to continue operating temporarily on airwaves designated for firefighters and police officers. Sprint has been ordered to relocate to different channels in order to stop interference with communications among public safety agencies.

As the 2008 presidential race heats up, school stakeholders are anxious to hear the candidates' views on public education. For major education and ed-tech advocacy groups, the topic is about more than just a political agenda; it could well determine the success of the United States in the new global economy.