MEDIA OWNERSHIP
House Democrats Ask Regulators to Delay Media Ownership Decision
IFJ Says United States Media Plan "A Dangerous Shift of Power at the
Expense of Democracy"
FCC
Wireless Carriers Soon May Lease Airwaves
DIGITAL DIVIDE
HP and Magic Johnson Foundation Double Team to Help Defeat Digital
Divide in Lansing
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
HOUSE DEMOCRATS ASK REGULATORS TO DELAY MEDIA OWNERSHIP DECISION
In a letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, 92 Democratic members of the
House of Representatives and one independent member asked that the
Commission delay its media ownership proceedings, which are scheduled for
June 2nd. "The notion that a handful of corporations and their executives
could wind up controlling much of the information, news and cultural options
available to Americans should be a chilling concept to most people," the
lawmakers wrote, adding that the FCC should allow Congress and the public to
review and comment on the proposal before ruling. The letter coincides with
a formal request from Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein to
delay the vote for one month and is the most recent in a string of letters
from policymakers attempting to ply Powell in one direction or the other. In
a related story, the National Rifle Association has joined other consumer
groups in fighting to maintain the current regulations, stating, "big media
conglomerates are already pushing out diversity of political opinion."
[SOURCE: The San Francisco Gate; AUTHOR: David Ho]
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/05/14/nat...
l1715EDT0746.DTL
IFJ SAYS UNITED STATES MEDIA PLAN "A DANGEROUS SHIFT OF POWER AT THE EXPENSE
OF DEMOCRACY"
The International Federation of Journalists called on federal regulators to
"come clean and give full disclosure" regarding the FCC's impending ruling
on media ownership. IFJ charges that the proposed changes, which are being
kept under wraps until the June 2nd vote, "will diminish the diversity of
ideas and opinions and will marginalize minority opinions and dissent." The
group suggests that a tightening of the rules, not a relaxation, is needed
in order to serve the public interest, citing cases in Canada and Italy in
which lax regulation has led to increased homogeneity in editorial content
and conflicts of interest between government officials and media companies.
Journalist unions also oppose relaxed regulation, noting that relaxed rules
will lead to a decline in the quality of reporting.
[SOURCE: International Freedom of Expression eXchange]
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/49597/?PHPSESSID=50b2083560510b...
ede989800130fc
FCC
WIRELESS CARRIERS SOON MAY LEASE AIRWAVES
The FCC is considering altering its policy against cellular spectrum license
leasing, as Chairman Michael Powell's push for a market-based mechanism has
gained favor within the cellular service industry. "Today's marketplace
demands that we provide license holders with greater flexibility to respond
to consumer wants, market realities and national needs without" getting the
"FCC's permission," Powell said. The new rules would allow companies to rent
out unused spectrum for short or long periods of time and is designed to
promote a more efficient use of existing spectrum. Small companies would
also benefit, says Powell, by leasing spectrum from bigger companies as
opposed to participating in multi-billion dollar license auctions in which
they would undoubtedly be outbid. Analysts differ on the immediacy of the
new rule's impact, with some positing that leasing spectrum will allow
existing carriers to fill in coverage gaps right away without having to
invest in new towers. A ruling may come as early as today.
[SOURCE: USA Today; AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-05-14-airwaves_x.htm
DIGITAL DIVIDE
HP AND MAGIC JOHNSON FOUNDATION DOUBLE TEAM TO HELP DEFEAT DIGITAL DIVIDE IN
LANSING
The Magic Johnson Foundation announced the opening of the 11th Magic Johnson
HP Inventor Center at the Black Child and Family Institute in Lansing,
Michigan. Sponsored by HP, the Inventor Center will offer training and
skills development as well as Web access for youth and adults in the
community. "Thanks to ... HP, my Foundation can come into the community and
provide the necessary training and education that the kids and the residents
of the community may not be getting otherwise," said founder Earvin Johnson.
The Centers are funded at $1 million over a three-year rollout and contain a
high-powered lineup of HP products, ranging from desktops and servers to
digital scanners and cameras.
[SOURCE: Press Information Worldwide]
http://www.pressi.com/int/release/66387.html
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