* Apologies for not mentioning two key Senate=20
Commerce Committee hearings this week: 1) on=20
Tuesday, a discussion on Universal Service and 2)=20
on Thursday spectrum auctions and public=20
safety. For these and other upcoming media=20
policy events, see http://www.benton.org/?q=3Devent *
NEWS FROM THE FCC
FCC formally opens XM-Sirius merger review
FCC Announces Localism Hearing in Portland, Maine on June 28
Indecency, Violence Roil TV Legal Waters
Old Indecency Fine Still on FCC Books
FCC Announces Rechartering of the Consumer Advisory Committee
FCC Announces Rechartering of the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee
Indian Telecommunications Initiatives Workshop and Roundtable July 10-11
Commissioner Robert McDowell at Broadband Policy
FCC Cites More Stores For Labeling Violations
SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
Report Encourages Commercial Technologies for First Responders
Spectrum Warriors
OWNERSHIP
Mr. Murdoch and The Journal
Parsons: Cable Biz Shakeout Coming
Treating Downloads Like Drug Deals
Lincoln Inviting Bids for its 3 TV Stations
Canada TV Merger OK, But Rogers Deal Foiled
CABLE
After 11 Years, Relief in Store for Boxed-In Cable Customers
Verizon Unlikely to Sue Cable on VoIP
Connecticut Legislators Approve Franchise-Reform Bill
INTERNATIONAL/GOV & COMMUNICATIONS
Musharraf Rescinds Media Regulations After Public Outcry
Vietnam Frees =91Cyber Dissident=92 Before Leader=92s Visit to U.S.
TV station news chief quits amid criticism
QUICKLY -- DTV Transition Threat Thwarted;=20
Microsoft Finds Legal Defender in Justice Dept;=20
Watchdog group pans Google's privacy policies as=20
worst on the Web; Growing Up in Public
NEWS FROM THE FCC
FCC FORMALLY OPENS XM-SIRIUS MERGER REVIEW
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The Federal Communications Commission on Friday=20
took a step forward in reviewing Sirius Satellite=20
Radio's proposed acquisition of XM Satellite=20
Radio Holdings. The Commission said it formally=20
opened its review of the deal for public comment,=20
a move that starts a 180-day review clock. The=20
FCC has a 180-day target for completing merger=20
reviews, although the target is not binding and=20
the agency sometimes takes longer to evaluate major transactions.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DindustryNews&storyID=
=3D2007-06-08T231219Z_01_N08416903_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-XM-SIRIUS-DC.XML
* FCC Begins Review of Sirius Purchase of XM Satellite
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=3D20601204&sid=3DaiddDZdqJiRk&refer=
=3Dtechnology
* FCC Docket -- Public comment due July 9; reply comments due July 24
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2417A1.doc
* Public can comment on proposed XM-Sirius deal
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20070611/2b_story11.art.htm
FCC ANNOUNCES LOCALISM HEARING IN PORTLAND ON JUNE 28
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission announced=20
it will hold a localism hearing in the afternoon=20
and evening in Portland, Maine, on Thursday, June=20
28, 2007. The purpose of the hearing is to gather=20
information from consumers, industry, civic=20
organizations, and others on broadcasters'=20
service to their local communities. Along with=20
competition and diversity, promoting localism is=20
a key goal of the Commission's media ownership=20
rules. The hearing format will enable members of=20
the public to participate via an "open=20
microphone" session. Further details will be=20
released as they become available. The=20
Commission will release the specific times and=20
hearing venue by Tuesday, June 12, 2007.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273793A1.doc
INDECENCY, VIOLENCE ROIL TV LEGAL WATERS
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Michael Berg]
On April 25, the FCC released a landmark report=20
-- =93Violent Programming and Its Impact on=20
Children=94 -- that recommends that Congress use=20
indecency regulation as a basis to enact=20
first-ever limits on TV violence and authorize=20
the FCC to enforce them. But last Monday=92s court=20
ruling in Fox v. FCC added to significant=20
concerns about indecency regulation as a model=20
for new violence rules. Striking down parts of=20
the FCC=92s recent toughening of it indecency=20
policy, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals found=20
that fines against =93fleeting and isolated=94=20
indecent words in live programming, and a new FCC=20
definition of profanity, were adopted in=20
violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.=20
The APA requires, among other things, that the=20
FCC articulate a rational basis for changing=20
agency precedent, and consistent enforcement that=20
gives adequate notice to potential violators of=20
what is prohibited. The court also noted strong=20
concerns about the constitutionality of the FCC=20
changes, although they were not the basis of the=20
ruling. This column provides a guide to the FCC=20
violence report in light of the indecency ruling.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/06/08/daily.4/
* A %$#( at ) slippery slope on raw talk?
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-indecency11jun11,1,62...
58.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
OLD INDECENCY FINE STILL ON FCC BOOKS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Speaking of broadcast indecency =85 remember the=20
bill that jacked up indecency fines tenfold, to=20
$325,000 per incident? The bill the president=20
signed a year ago with such fanfare? The one the=20
FCC pushed for so breathlessly in its quest for=20
toothier enforcement? Turns out the commission=20
wasn't so breathless when it came to updating its=20
own rulebook: As recently as June 3, the FCC=20
still hadn't changed the maximum per-incident=20
fine at $32,500. It wasn't until June 4, the day=20
a federal court reversed the commission=92s ruling=20
on =93fleeting expletives=94, that the FCC officially=20
published the order implementing the rule change.=20
So what gives? =93This was a procedural matter that=20
was handled in due course,=94 said an FCC spokesman.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6450596.html?rssid=3D193
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6450521.html?rssid=3D193
FCC ANNOUNCES THE RECHARTERING OF THE CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The FCC established the Consumer Advisory=20
Committee in November 2000 for the purpose of=20
making recommendations regarding consumer issues=20
within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to=20
facilitate the participation of consumers=20
(including people with disabilities and=20
underserved populations, such as American Indians=20
and persons living in rural areas) in proceedings=20
before the Commission. The Committee was renewed=20
for a 3rd two-year term on November 17, 2006. On=20
June 8, 2007, the FCC announced the re-chartering=20
and appointed the new committee. A principal=20
focus of the Committee will be the digital=20
television transition as the Commission continues=20
its efforts to assist consumers in understanding=20
and preparing for the transition which, by law,=20
must be completed by February 17, 2009. . In=20
addition to digital television, other topics to=20
be addressed by the Committee will include, but=20
are not limited to, the following areas: Consumer=20
protection and education (e.g., cramming,=20
slamming, consumer friendly billing, detariffing,=20
bundling of services, Lifeline/Linkup programs,=20
customer service, privacy, telemarketing abuses,=20
and outreach to underserved populations, such as=20
Native Americans and persons living in rural=20
areas); Access by people with disabilities (e.g.,=20
telecommunications relay services, video=20
description, closed captioning, accessible=20
billing and access to telecommunications products=20
and services); Impact upon consumers of new and=20
emerging technologies (e.g., availability of=20
broadband, digital television, cable, satellite,=20
low power FM, and the convergence of these and emerging technologies).
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2426A1.doc
FCC ANNOUNCES THE RECHARTERING OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The FCC has rechartered its Intergovernmental=20
Advisory Committee which -- comprised of 15=20
representatives from local, state and tribal=20
governments -- advises the Commission on a range=20
of telecommunications issues for which their=20
governments explicitly or inherently share=20
responsibility or administration with the=20
Commission. A principal focus of the IAC for this=20
2-year term will be the nation's transition to=20
digital television (DTV) as the Commission=20
continues its efforts to assist consumers in=20
understanding and preparing for the transition=20
which, by law, must be completed by February 17,=20
2009. Other topics to be addressed by the IAC=20
include, but are not limited to, homeland=20
security and public safety; impact of new and=20
emerging technologies, provision of=20
telecommunications services in rural and=20
underserved areas, broadband deployment, access=20
by persons with disabilities and consumer education and outreach generally.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2427A1.doc
INDIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES WORKSHOP AND ROUNDTABLE ON JULY 10 AN=
D 11
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
As part of the Federal Communications=20
Commission=92s (FCC) Indian Telecommunications=20
Initiatives (ITI), and in cooperation with Native=20
Public Media, the National Congress of American=20
Indians, Native American Public=20
Telecommunications, Native American Journalist=20
Association, Native American Television, Koahnic=20
Broadcast Corporation, the FCC will host its=20
sixth ITI Regional Workshop and Roundtable on=20
July 10 and 11, 2007, in Albuquerque, New Mexico=20
(ITI Albuquerque). ITI Albuquerque will focus on=20
the transition to DTV and the steps that=20
consumers will need to take to continue viewing=20
over-the-air signals when analog broadcasting=20
ceases on February 17, 2009. The workshop will=20
discuss various aspects of the DTV transition,=20
including such issues as: What is DTV, DTV=20
transition deadline, Why the DTV transition is=20
important, Benefits of DTV, Types of DTV,=20
Consumer options=ADbuying a new TV or using a=20
converter box for existing TVs, Tuner mandate, TV=20
labeling requirements; and Consumer buying tips.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2424A1.doc
COMMISSIONER ROBERT MCDOWELL AT BROADBAND POLICY SUMMIT OF 2007
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell spoke at the=20
Broadband Policy Summit of 2007 on June 7. He=20
discussed five points: 1) The most recent world=20
rankings regarding broadband penetration are not=20
what they appear to be; 2) Countries with=20
command-and-control government-knows-best=20
broadband policies actually have stagnating=20
broadband markets; 3) Regulatory certainty,=20
regulatory parity and de-regulation are spurring=20
an accelerating broadband penetration rate in the=20
U.S. -- and a light regulatory touch is America=92s=20
broadband policy; 4) Our broadband policies to=20
open new windows of opportunity for the=20
construction of new delivery platforms --=20
especially wireless platforms -- will enable=20
American entrepreneurs to lunge ahead of our=20
international competitors; and 5) Nonetheless, we=20
can and will do more to strengthen America=92s=20
position by maximizing competition and encouraging investment.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273742A1.pdf
FCC CITES MORE STORES FOR LABELING VIOLATIONS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The list of retailers the FCC has citing for=20
violating the TV set labeling rules is growing,=20
and it now includes: Amazon.com, Sears, J&R Electronics and Frys Electroni=
cs.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6450352.html
SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORT ENCOURAGES COMMERCIAL=20
TECHNOLOGIES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
[SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration]
The U.S. Department of Commerce's National=20
Telecommunications and Information Administration=20
(NTIA) in a report released Friday encourages the=20
federal, state and local public safety community=20
to consider utilizing commercial technologies in=20
satisfying broadband interoperable communications=20
among first responders. The report also=20
recommends agencies consider commercial broadband=20
services, when feasible. NTIA's report, "A Public=20
Safety Sharing Demonstration," analyzed the=20
District of Columbia's Wireless Accelerated=20
Responder Network (WARN). The WARN pilot is a=20
city-wide broadband wireless public safety=20
network. The system uses commercial broadband=20
technology for remote surveillance, chemical and=20
biological detection and several other emergency=20
related services. The WARN has been used by more=20
than a dozen federal, District and local agencies=20
during events such as the Presidential=20
Inauguration, International Monetary Fund=20
demonstrations, and Fourth of July celebrations=20
to provide the agencies access to critical data.=20
The report addresses planning, usage and sharing=20
of spectrum, and the feasibility of using=20
commercial services to meet the increasingly=20
complex, public safety, wireless, broadband=20
communications needs. Later this year, NTIA is=20
expected to award $1 billion in grants to assist=20
public safety agencies in the acquisition of,=20
deployment of, or training for the use of=20
interoperable communications systems. This=20
funding may be used by state and local public=20
safety officials in utilizing the report=92s=20
recommended commercial technologies and broadband=20
services in satisfying their own public safety needs.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/2007/WARN_060807.html
* Report: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2007/NTIAWARNReport.htm
SPECTRUM WARRIORS
[SOURCE: Forbes.com, AUTHOR: Brian Caufield]
Think Apple's iPhone is cool? You haven't seen=20
anything yet, tech entrepreneurs promise--that=20
is, if the phone companies would just get out of=20
their way. And they're asking the Feds to help=20
them out. This year the Federal Communications=20
Commission will auction off another chunk of=20
wireless spectrum; the U.S. Senate will hold=20
hearings on the plans for the sale this week. Now=20
a band of technology veterans and wireless=20
entrepreneurs is asking the FCC to set aside a=20
chunk of that spectrum as a kind of sandbox for=20
entrepreneurs. The folks backing the idea aren't=20
crunchy idealists, either. Their gripe? The group=20
argues that the "Big Four" wireless carriers --=20
Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile -- act as a=20
bottleneck to innovation. In order to tap into=20
their wireless networks, entrepreneurs have to=20
sell their devices through the carriers, who slow=20
down some of their wilder new features and shy=20
away from ideas like wireless voice-over-Internet=20
Protocol services that could threaten their=20
business models. The fix? The group is asking for=20
what they call an "open access" block.
http://www.forbes.com/2007/06/08/wireless-fcc-auction-tech-intel-cx_bc_0...
wireless.html
OWNERSHIP
MR MURDOCH AND THE JOURNAL
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Editorial pages generally do not=20
compliment the competition, but today we write in=20
praise of The Wall Street Journal. The Journal,=20
the crown jewel of Dow Jones & Company, produces=20
a balanced and trustworthy news report that is=20
required reading for corporate and political=20
leaders around the world. The question is whether=20
that news operation will survive if Rupert=20
Murdoch persuades the Bancroft family to sell Dow Jones, and thus The Journ=
al.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/opinion/10sun2.html
(requires registration)
* Why the Journal should not be sold to Murdoch
[Commentary] Rupert Murdoch is a great=20
businessman. The Wall Street Journal is a great=20
newspaper. Which of these reputations is likely=20
to survive Mr Murdoch's prospective purchase of=20
the Journal? Despite the high price he offers, "his" is the plausible answe=
r.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0f228084-1766-11dc-86d1-000b5df10621.html
(requires subscription)
* Other possible Dow Jones bidders surface
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Robert MacMillan]
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN0644066820070608
* GE, Microsoft Discussed Buying Dow Jones
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118153130903230887.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)
* More Signs of Murdoch/Dow Jones Deal: Managers Promised Payoff
Dow Jones & Co. has expanded a severance program=20
for senior executives in the event the company is sold.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003596371
* Capitol Hill eyes turn to Murdoch's bid
Rupert Murdoch's bid for Dow Jones and its=20
flagship title, the Wall Street Journal, is=20
breathing new life into the debate in Washington=20
over media ownership rules that limit the size of=20
companies like Mr Murdoch's News Corp. Activists=20
and industry lobbyists on Capitol Hill say it is=20
too early to tell whether a successful bid by=20
News Corp for Dow Jones would whip up a political=20
storm, in part because there are no laws to block such a transaction.
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=3DFT...
te=3D20070610&ID=3D7015700
PARSONS: CABLE BIZ SHAKEOUT COMING
[SOURCE: New York Post, AUTHOR: Peter Lauria]
If there was any doubt that the motto for=20
publicly traded cable companies is get big or get=20
out, Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons erased it.=20
Speaking at a Merrill Lynch conference in London,=20
Parsons said that as consolidation in the cable=20
industry continues he expects Time Warner's stake=20
in its cable unit to get smaller as its footprint=20
gets bigger. "Eventually, five years down the=20
road, it's conceivable to me that because of the=20
way that business grows... there could come a=20
point in time when there's two separate=20
stand-alone companies," Parsons said of a=20
potential split of Time Warner from its cable=20
division. Translation: Time Warner expects its=20
ownership of the cable unit to get diluted more=20
and more as the division uses its stock to buy=20
additional systems until eventually it and=20
Comcast are the only two cable companies left trading on the public markets.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06082007/business/parsons__cable_biz_shakeou...
oming_business_peter_lauria.htm
TREATING DOWNLOADS LIKE DRUG DEALS
[SOURCE: Business Week, AUTHOR: Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge]
[Commentary] The good news about recent proposals=20
from the Justice Dept -- regarding the=20
enforcement of intellectual property protection=20
-- is that they show the DOJ is committed to=20
recycling. The bad news is that it's recycling=20
ideas that were bad in 2005 when they first=20
appeared, and continue to be ill-conceived today.=20
The proposal clearly demonstrates the dreams of=20
many in the content community, including trade=20
groups such as the Recording Industry Association=20
of America and the Motion Picture Association of=20
America. For the rest of us, and for technology=20
companies like Google, Cablevision, Sling Media,=20
or TiVo, the proposals are a nightmare. We=20
support the enforcement of copyright law and the=20
protection of copyright holders' rights. But we=20
are concerned that the DOJ proposals would=20
enforce copyright law in ways never before=20
contemplated. Indeed, the DOJ is better suited to=20
chasing down drug dealers and terrorists than it=20
is to dealing with small tech companies or=20
individual computer users. This proposal even=20
drags the Homeland Security Dept. into copyright enforcement.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2007/tc20070605_037315...
LINCOLN INVITING BIDS FOR ITS THREE TV STATIONS
[SOURCE: tvnewsday]
The Lincoln Financial Group announced that it has=20
retained Merrill Lynch & Co. to help sell its=20
media division or figure out what else it can do=20
with it. Lincoln Financial Media operates three=20
TV stations, 17 radio stations and a sports=20
syndication unit. The TV stations: WBTV=20
Charlotte, N.C. (DMA 26); WWBT Richmond, Va. (DMA=20
61); and WCSC Charleston, S.C. (DMA 100). Lincoln=20
Financial picked up the media properties when it=20
merged with Jefferson-Pilot Corp. in 2006.=20
Lincoln Financial is the third company in the=20
past month to dangle broadcast properties out for=20
potential bids. The others were pure-play TV=20
broadcasters LIN TV and Nexstar Broadcasting. The=20
Lincoln Financial Group=92s main line of business=20
is financial products and services.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/06/08/daily.5/
CANADA TV MERGER OK, BUT ROGERS DEAL FOILED
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Kent Gibbons]
Canada=92s broadcast regulator Friday approved the=20
sale of Chum to CTVglobemedia but with a=20
condition that apparently wipes out a planned=20
sale of some Chum TV stations and other assets to=20
leading Canadian cable operator Rogers Media. The=20
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications=20
Commission nixed the sale of five Chum-owned=20
Citytv stations in Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton,=20
Calgary and Vancouver to CTVglobemedia, owner of=20
the CTV network, citing a policy that bars any=20
entity from operating more than one conventional=20
television station in one language in a given=20
market. The $137.5 million Rogers deal with=20
Chum, struck in April, was based on there being=20
no significant conditions attached to the bigger, $1.4-billion Chum sale.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6450502.html
CABLE
AFTER 11 YEARS, RELIEF IN STORE FOR BOXED-IN CABLE CUSTOMERS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar & Deborah Yao]
It has been 11 years since Congress voted to=20
break the cable television industry's=20
stranglehold on set-top boxes _ the devices that=20
consumers need to receive digital programming and=20
change channels. So why are you still paying $5=20
or more a month for that thing on top of your TV?=20
When Congress rewrote the nation's communications=20
laws in 1996, it envisioned a thriving retail=20
market where subscribers could actually buy their=20
own boxes rather than make monthly payments to=20
the cable company in perpetuity. Things haven't=20
quite worked out that way. The retail market for=20
the boxes has failed to materialize, and the=20
cable industry has filed numerous appeals and=20
continued to press a furious lobbying and public=20
relations campaign to make sure it never does,=20
foes say. Come July 1, the gloves come off. After=20
two years of deadline extensions, that's when the=20
Federal Communications Commission will require=20
cable companies to make hardware changes in all=20
new set-top boxes that it hopes will lead to a competitive market.
http://rhodeisland.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=3Dview&_state...
maximized&view=3Darticle&id=3DD8PL4TEG0&_action=3Dvalidatearticle
* Change in set-top boxes could increase cable bill
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun_settop_0610jun10,0,133729...
tory?track=3Drss
VERIZON UNLIKELY TO SUE CABLE ON VOIP
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Todd Spangler]
Verizon Communications won big against Vonage=20
Holdings in the first round of their=20
patent-litigation bout, and even the most=20
propitious outcome for Vonage will end up costing=20
the Internet-phone company millions of dollars.=20
Now analysts wonder whether Verizon, if it=20
ultimately prevails against Vonage, would take a=20
swing at its real competitors: cable operators.=20
The short answer? Probably not, according to=20
several industry analysts. But given the=20
expansive interpretation of the patents in=20
question by the court in the Verizon/Vonage case,=20
some said the game may not be completely over yet.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6448592.html
CONNECTICUT LEGISLATORS APPROVE FRANCHISE-REFORM BILL
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Connecticut legislators, on the last night of=20
their session June 6, approved a franchise-reform=20
bill that will subject AT&T's U-verse TV product=20
to some regulation. The bill will require AT&T to=20
pay the same tax on gross earnings as do=20
incumbent operators. AT&T will also get a=20
three-year exemption from personal property taxes=20
on infrastructure upgrades. Incumbent operators=20
will be allowed to opt into state regulation 30=20
days after the entry of a new provider. All=20
providers will be relieved of current state=20
customer-service regulations: the state will now=20
recognize the standards set in federal law.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6450378.html
INTERNATIONAL/GOV & COMMUNICATIONS
Musharraf Rescinds Media Regulations After Public Outcry
MUSHARRAF RESCINDS MEDIA REGULATIONS AFTER PUBLIC OUTCRY
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Carlotta Gall]
Pakistan=92s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has=20
formally withdrawn his decree that imposed new=20
regulations on the news media, government=20
officials said over the weekend. The president=20
made his decision after he met with industry=20
leaders, and after journalists and opposition=20
parties strongly protested the decree, officials=20
said. The independent media channels agreed to=20
prepare a code of conduct to be incorporated into=20
government media regulations, the state news=20
organization reported. The formal withdrawal came=20
after Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, and his=20
information minister, Muhammad Ali Durrani, said=20
last week that the ordinance had been suspended=20
pending discussions. Commercial television=20
channels, whose numbers have grown during General=20
Musharraf=92s rule, have been pressured in recent=20
weeks to stop live coverage of events and live=20
political talk shows, and have had their cable transmissions blocked.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/world/asia/11pakistan.html
(requires registration)
VIETNAM FREES 'CYBER DISSIDENT' BEFORE LEADER'S VISIT TO US
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Vietnam has released a prominent government=20
critic convicted of spying against the Communist=20
government, two weeks before Vietnam=92s president=20
makes a historic visit to the United States, an=20
official said Sunday. Nguyen Vu Binh, 39, was=20
released from Nam Ha prison on Saturday under a=20
presidential amnesty, said Pham Hong Canh, deputy=20
director of the prison in Ha Nam Province, 40=20
miles south of Hanoi. Mr. Binh, a former=20
journalist, was one of Vietnam=92s first =93cyber=20
dissidents,=94 who used the Internet to spread=20
pro-democracy views. In late 2003, he was=20
convicted of spying and sentenced to seven years=20
in prison and three years of house arrest. The=20
court said he had committed espionage by=20
gathering antigovernment information and=20
documents for overseas =93reactionary organizations.=94
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/world/asia/11vietnam.html?_r=3D1&oref=...
login
(requires registration)
TV STATION NEWS CHIEF QUITS AMID CRITICISM
[SOURCE: USAToday]
The head of a U.S.-funded television channel that=20
is supposed to broadcast balanced news to the=20
Middle East resigned amid charges he was airing=20
anti-Israeli propaganda. Larry Register, vice=20
president of news for the Middle East=20
Broadcasting Networks (MBN) and editorial leader=20
of Alhurra television, said in his resignation=20
letter that he was the victim of a smear=20
campaign. Register, a former producer at CNN,=20
said he had been "professionally and personally=20
attacked" in the media, according to his=20
resignation letter submitted Friday. "In good=20
conscience I cannot allow the personal vendettas=20
and attacks to damage the credibility of MBN," he wrote.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070611/a_hurra11.art.htm
QUICKLY
DTV TRANSITION THREAT THWARTED
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
A lawsuit that could have derailed both the 2009=20
analog TV cutoff and a pending $10 billion=20
federal spectrum auction was tossed out of court=20
last week, based on a 115-year-old Supreme Court=20
precedent that tests whether Congress has legally=20
enacted a law. The case boiled down to this: Did=20
Congress legally pass the Deficit Reduction Act=20
of 2005 (signed by President Bush in February=20
2006) or was the law invalid because the House=20
and Senate approved slightly different versions?=20
The stakes were high because the DRA authorized=20
the shut down of analog over-the-air television=20
on Feb. 17, 2009; required the Federal=20
Communications Commission to sell some of the old=20
TV spectrum, in an upcoming auction expected to=20
yield at least $10 billion; freed up critical=20
spectrum for use by police, fire and rescue units=20
that have been plagued by interoperability=20
problems in disaster zones; and created a $1.5=20
billion program to subsidize consumer access to=20
digital-to-analog converter boxes. In a 24-page=20
ruling released May 29, a three-judge panel of=20
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit=20
held that the Supreme Court=92s 1892 ruling in=20
Marshall Field & Co. v. Clark was controlling and=20
required dismissal of suit challenging the law.=20
The D.C. Circuit explained that in Marshall=20
Field, the Supreme Court created the =93enrolled=20
bill=94 doctrine, which states that Congress has=20
constitutionally passed a bill if the version=20
presented to the president has been signed by the=20
presiding officers of the House and the Senate.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6448412.html
MICROSOFT FINDS LEGAL DEFENDER IN JUSTICE DEPT
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
Nearly a decade after the government began its=20
landmark effort to break up Microsoft, the Bush=20
administration has sharply changed course by=20
repeatedly defending the company both in the=20
United States and abroad against accusations of=20
anticompetitive conduct, including the recent=20
rejection of a complaint by Google. The=20
retrenchment reflects a substantially different=20
view of antitrust policy, as well as a=20
recognition of major changes in the marketplace.=20
The battlefront among technology companies has=20
shifted from computer desktop software, a=20
category that Microsoft dominates, to Internet=20
search and Web-based software programs that allow=20
users to bypass products made by Microsoft, the=20
world=92s largest software maker. In the most=20
striking recent example of the policy shift, the=20
top antitrust official at the Justice Department=20
last month urged state prosecutors to reject a=20
confidential antitrust complaint filed by Google=20
that is tied to a consent decree that monitors=20
Microsoft=92s behavior. Google has accused=20
Microsoft of designing its latest operating=20
system, Vista, to discourage the use of Google=92s=20
desktop search program, lawyers involved in the case said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/business/10microsoft.html?ref=3Dtodays...
er
(requires registration)
WATCHDOG GROUP PANS GOOGLE PRIVACY POLICIES AS WORST ON THE WEB
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Google's privacy practices are the worst among=20
the Internet's top destinations, according to a=20
watchdog group seeking to intensify the recent=20
focus on how the online search leader handles=20
personal information about its users. In a report=20
released Saturday, London-based Privacy=20
International assigned Google its lowest possible=20
grade. The category is reserved for companies=20
with "comprehensive consumer surveillance and=20
entrenched hostility to privacy." None of the 22=20
other surveyed companies - a group that included=20
Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp. and AOL - sunk to=20
that level, according to Privacy International.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/latestheadlines/ci_6103460
GROWING UP IN PUBLIC
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal 6/4, AUTHOR: Jason Fry]
Parents are more reticent about revealing=20
personal information on the Web, but teenagers=20
and 20somethings seem to have no problem growing=20
up in public. A report claims that nearly=20
one-quarter of human-resources decision makers=20
had rejected job candidates because of personal=20
information found online. One of the most=20
important background checks an employer can do=20
these days is to Google prospective job=20
candidates, and then scour the social-networking=20
universe for their personal profiles. The=20
conventional wisdom is that as those who grew up=20
with the Net get older, they'll pay the price for=20
their youthful indiscretions that can never be=20
removed. The big sociological question: Will=20
society simply adapt to the dichotomy between=20
"public" Web life and one's private offline life?=20
Will job candidates really be held to task like=20
politicians for something they wrote on a MySpace=20
page 15 years ago? The newspaper says it's highly=20
unlikely; the world will adapt. As for pictures=20
of beer and bong hits on a social-networking=20
profile, sooner or later applicants will realize=20
it's probably a good idea to take down those photos before applying for a j=
ob.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118063380245820288.html
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------