DIGITAL DIVIDE
Programs Help Adults Upgrade Skills, Jobs
Grant Provides Students with Free Computer Equipment
JOURNALISM
Foreign-Language Media Proliferates in US
OWENERSHIP
NBC is Said to be Close to Acquiring Bravo
Comcast and the Future of Cable and Internet Competition
DIGITAL DIVIDE
PROGRAMS HELP ADULTS UPGRADE SKILLS, JOBS
In these tough economic times, more and more adults are looking to learn
about technology and gain new skills that are valuable to employers. At the
Cypress Technology Center, which serves low-income residents of West and
East Oakland, CA, the average student age has risen in four years from 22 to
40. The center offers three programs: Foundations of Technology (no cost),
A+ Certification ($132) and Cisco Certification ($88). "We want to bridge
the digital divide for Oakland," says Misy West of the technology center.
"Technology is always going to change. What's consistent is the need for
lifelong learning."
[SOURCE: The Oakland Tribune]
(http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E10834%257E967805,00.htm
l)
GRANT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH FREE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
The Verizon Foundation has given Goodwill Industries of West Michigan a
$20,000 grant to provide free computer equipment to 20 less-fortunate
students in the area. The Goodwill program is intended to reach out to
students as well as their parents and guardians, who are required to attend
the six hours of computer training with the students. "We know that,
especially in the core urban areas, we have families that have no concept of
computer technology, but their kids are coming home from school certainly
with awareness of computers but with no way to connect," said Richard
Carlson of Goodwill. Carlson also noted that there is still a huge digital
divide in the area, even though it no longer receives much attention.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002-11-01-grant-pc_x.htm)
JOURNALISM
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE MEDIA PROLIFERATES IN US
The growing immigrant population in the US is reflected by a proliferation
of foreign-language media. In Los Angeles, for example, the Spanish-language
television station now draws more viewers than its English-language
competitors. While many mainstream newspapers report an audience decrease,
foreign-language publishers and broadcasters are reporting just the
opposite. Surveys also show that more politicians and advertisers are
turning to non-English language outlets to get out their message or sell
their products. Experts says that mainstream newspapers, magazines,
television and radio will need to re-think their approach if they want to
keep pace with ethnic media, especially as immigrant populations grow in
size and influence.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Laurie Kassman]
(http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=07FB07B9-5CE9-4235-A6A62258A899
290A)
OWENERSHIP
NBC IS SAID TO BE CLOSE TO ACQUIRING BRAVO
A new deal to purchase Bravo would end NBC's pursuit of an
entertainment-based cable channel. The sale of Bravo by Cablevision Systems,
the nation's seventh-largest cable television provider, would allow
Cablevision to shed assets and pay down debts. The deal would give NBC
access to one of the most upscale audiences in television, with 60 million
subscribers. NBC currently owns the news channels MSNBC and CNBC, as well
as the Spanish-language cable network, Telemundo.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHORS: Andrew Ross Sorkin And Bill Carter]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/04/business/media/04CABL.html)
COMCAST AND THE FUTURE OF CABLE AND INTERNET COMPETITION
The president of the nation's largest cable broadband provider, Comcast,
reportedly made a call last week urging FCC chairman Michael Powell to
permit AT&T and Comcast to keep their Internet service provider agreement
with AOL Time Warner out of public review. Consumer groups and competitors
have actively urged the FCC to include the agreement as part of its current
review of the pending merger between Comcast and AT&T. The groups contend
that the deal is relevant to the merger process and may reflect new concerns
about competition. Reports on the contract, for example, suggest that AOL
had to agree to not compete with Comcast in a number of content markets.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/comcastFilingsOnAOLAgre
ement.html)
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