March 5, 2009 (Kundra, Kalil, Kohlenberger)
"There are people in Kansas who are alive today who can remember what it was like when rural electrification came to their home. It was a game changer in terms of the way they lived their life and the way they operated their farm. ... The broadband component has that same potential to have that same level of change."
-- Mike Matson, Kansas Farm Bureau
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2009
THE TRANSITION
DC Tech Chief Headed For White House Slot
Kalil And Kohlenberger Join Obama White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Excitement over Genachowski FCC pick... will it last?
Running On Empty
Interagency Collaboration on Transparency and Open Government
Former Tech Lobbyist Joins Senate Commerce Committee Staff
THE ECONOMY
Lingering policy questions could impact broadband stimulus allocation
Will/Should States Decide Who Gets Broadband Stimulus Dollars?
Farmers eye broadband in stimulus package
Rural Broadband's Struggles [Video]
What are cities' "shovel-ready" broadband projects?
Time for Business to Develop a Meaningful, National Broadband Policy
Broadband Speeds Our Economy
Stimulus to Help Retool Education, Duncan Says
TELEVISION
NTIA Gets Access To DTV Funds; Coupons to Flow Next Week
The Digital Transition, TV's Long-Running Horror Show
DirecTV OK with Cable's Online Plan
Community Broadcasters Association: Protect Our Diversity
QUICKLY -- CTIA: Can The Industry Adapt?; More Time Spent Online Communicating Than Getting Entertained; Limbaugh dares Obama to on-air debate; Don't get taken by these stimulus scams; Bishops give thumbs down to technology for Lent
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A Broadband Action Plan for America by jinxdog2008
The state of journalism in the US by Kodjo
THE TRANSITION
DC TECH CHIEF HEADED FOR WHITE HOUSE SLOT
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
Apparently, President Obama plans to announce today that Vivek Kundra, chief technology officer for the District, will be the federal chief information officer. It's a job that did not exist in previous administrations; President Obama, who leveraged social networks, text messages and other Internet tools on the campaign trail, promised to create a technology czar with the aim of helping the government operate more efficiently. The newly created federal position will operate under the auspices of the White House. Kundra, 34, is expected to oversee how government agencies purchase and use information technology and will be in charge of all federal technology spending. He also will be responsible for making sure agencies' networks and systems work together and share information while maintaining security and privacy standards. President Obama also plans to appoint a chief technology officer who will work closely with Kundra. Kundra will have budgetary authority to launch entirely new systems within government departments, or kill existing multimillion-dollar IT projects. His decisions could have a large impact on government contractors.
http://benton.org/node/22910
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CLINTON-GORE ADVISORS KALIL AND KOHLENBERGER JOIN OBAMA WHITE HOUSE STAFF
[SOURCE: Center for American Progress, AUTHOR: Brad Johnson]
Apparently, Thomas Kalil and Jim Kohlenberger will join the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) even as Dr. John Holdren awaits confirmation to direct the office. Thomas Kalil, who was responsible for technology policy at the National Economic Council in the Clinton White House, is the new OSTP associate director for policy. Before joining the Obama White House, Kalil ran the Big Ideas @ Berkeley program at UC Berkeley. Kalil was also a member of California's Blue Ribbon Nanotechnology Task Force, the scientific advisory board of Nanomix, and Q Network Inc. He has served on several committees of the National Academy of Sciences, including the Committee to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Research. As a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Kalil developed a "National Innovation Agenda" and was on the advisory board of Science Progress. Jim Kohlenberger, who was Vice President Al Gore's senior policy adviser, is the new OSTP chief of staff. As one of Gore's chief technology policy advisers, Kohlenberger "worked to help pass the Telecommunications Act of 1996, help shape the administration's hands-off approach to the Internet and e-commerce, and help spearhead administration efforts to bridge the digital divide and connect every classroom to the Internet." Before joining the OSTP, Kohlenberger was the executive director of the Voice on the Net (VON) Coalition, and a senior fellow at the Benton Foundation, where he supported universal broadband service.
http://benton.org/node/22909
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EXCITEMENT OVER GENACHOWSKI FCC PICK... WILL IT LAST?
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
The news that President Barack Obama has formally nominated Julius Genachowski to chair the Federal Communications Commission has been received with something slightly short of euphoria by a large portion of the broadcasting/telecommunications sector. These proclamations of hope and praise—coming from opposite poles—probably stem from a variety of expectations. Obviously media reform groups like the Innovation Plan's approach, especially the comment that Obama supports "the principle of network neutrality to preserve the benefits of open competition on the Internet." And chances are that, from the cable industry's perspective, things can't get any worse than they were under former FCC Chair Kevin Martin. But it is also possible that all this lovey dovey stuff is going to last exactly 1/(x cubed) seconds after Julius the Excellent Choice moves into his office on the eighth floor of the FCC's DC HQ. It may not even last past his Senate confirmation hearing. First, once confirmed, Genachowski's going to have two Democratic Commissioners with years of history on the FCC (and with each other) bending his ear about once every two hours. Then he's going to have to deal with Republican Robert M. McDowell—a formidable dude it should be noted—with another minority commish coming sooner rather than later. Then there are the issues.
http://benton.org/node/22877
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RUNNING ON EMPTY
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: David Broder]
[Commentary] In its first six weeks in office, the Obama administration has launched hugely expensive and ambitious programs, not only to spur employment and arrest a sickening slide in stocks, mortgages and profits, but to overhaul such complex and vital services as health care, education, and energy production and conservation. It has done this with a mere corporal's guard of key appointees in place. The White House itself is rather fully staffed, but the departments and agencies, where broad policies must be converted into real operations, have numerous openings. Decisions are being made by career bureaucrats, Bush administration carryovers -- or not at all.
http://benton.org/node/22908
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INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION ON TRANSPARENCY AND OPEN GOVERNMENT
[SOURCE: Office of Management and Budget]
To implement President Barack Obama's January 21 Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government, the Office of Management and Budget -- which calls for the development of recommendations for a directive which will instruct departments and agencies on specific actions that implement the memo's principles -- the Office of Science and Technology and the General Services Administration are hosting an online discussion intended to be an opportunity to propose topics, strategize alternatives, and make suggestions. Participation is limited to federal employees. This initial online conversation will be followed by an opportunity in March and April for each federal agency to submit official statements of position, collaborate on drafting a directive, and review the final draft directive.
http://benton.org/node/22878
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FORMER TECH LOBBYIST JOINS SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE STAFF
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Winter Casey]
Former lobbyist Bruce Andrews will be starting as general counsel of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on March 9. He previously worked for the lobbying firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates, where he focused on technology policy, telecommunications, judiciary, commerce and financial services issues. Clients of his included AT&T, Sony, Microsoft and Verizon. Andrews has also worked on public policy and telecommunications matters for Arnold & Porter.
http://benton.org/node/22874
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THE ECONOMY
LINGERING POLICY QUESTIONS COULD IMPACT BROADBAND STIMULUS ALLOCATION
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Stephanie Condon]
The US Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel of speakers Wednesday and the speakers contend that Federal regulators have some critical decisions to make in the coming weeks that could determine whether the $7.2 billion in stimulus funds designated for broadband will create the optimal number of jobs or be distributed wisely. The stimulus package includes $350 million for the creation of a broadband inventory map that will lay out in detail areas of the country that lack broadband access. Rob Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said he has heard some in Washington suggest that the rest of the broadband money be withheld until the mapping exercise is complete -- something he says would significantly mute the stimulative impact of the money. "I really think we should not try to layer on a lot of reforms here," he said. "The perfect should not be the enemy of the good." Yet without accurate information about where broadband is already deployed, agencies run the risk of distributing money inefficiently or to fraudulent programs, said Raquel Noriega, director of strategic partnerships for ConnectedNation, a nonprofit that promotes broadband adoption.
http://benton.org/node/22887
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WILL/SHOULD STATES DECIDE WHO GETS BROADBAND STIMULUS DOLLARS?
[SOURCE: App-Rising.com, AUTHOR: Geoff Daily]
According to the stimulus law, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is supposed to seek out and consider states' advice about which broadband projects should be funded. But should the states actually decide? The DC rumor mill says that because of the overwhelming wave of applications about to come crashing down on NTIA they're leaning towards shifting the responsibilities of making these decisions on who gets what to the states. Is that a good idea? It seems like there needs to be a federal role in deciding which projects to fund so that this money goes to the best, most ready projects not those with the best PR and political connections.
http://benton.org/node/22886
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FARMERS EYE BROADBAND IN STIMULUS PACKAGE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Roxana Hegeman]
With the nation in the grip of the Great Depression, then-President Franklin Roosevelt used rural electrification as part of his New Deal relief package — gambling that supplying isolated farmsteads with inexpensive power would modernize agriculture, create jobs and stimulate the rural economy. Decades later, President Barack Obama is placing the same bet by setting aside billions in the stimulus package for rural broadband Internet access — a move farming advocates say will help farmers work more efficiently, manage their operations and connect growers who work on land many miles from the nearest town. "There are people in Kansas who are alive today who can remember what it was like when rural electrification came to their home," said Mike Matson, spokesman for the Kansas Farm Bureau. "It was a game changer in terms of the way they lived their life and the way they operated their farm. ... The broadband component has that same potential to have that same level of change."
http://benton.org/node/22885
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RURAL BROADBAND'S STRUGGLES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Amol Sharma]
Critics have attacked municipal Internet projects, calling them taxpayer-sapping money-losers and ventures better served by the private sector. But if President Barack Obama is serious about wiring rural America with high-speed Web access, these efforts will play a key role. The reason: Commercial operators don't want to lay cable and erect cell towers in the hinterland. Telecom and cable providers say they'll eventually reach the rural areas where 10 million Americans are stranded with dial-up access. But for communities wanting to ring in the 21st century sooner rather than later, municipal projects might be their best hope.
http://benton.org/node/22884
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STIMULUS BILL PROPOSALS INCLUDE BROADBAND NETWORKS AND OTHER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Paul Taylor]
[Commentary] The US Conference of Mayors made a list of 18,750 local infrastructure projects from 779 cities of all sizes. The collection amounts to infrastructure investments worth $149.8 billion that carry a promise of 1.6 million jobs. All the projects were ready to go. But the Center for Digital Government studied the conference's report to see how IT fared. It identified 107 IT-specific projects valued at $287,977,622 that promise to create 2,092 jobs. In this subgroup, nine cities have as-yet-unfunded plans for broadband network installations - some for public safety, libraries and citywide access. The projects have a combined $106 million price tag and bring the prospect of 800 new jobs and new public wireless infrastructure. The list's other 98 IT-specific projects are a grab bag of things that haven't attracted local funding, but together represent a $182 million need that's gone begging. Unlike the broadband projects, these projects have a decidedly blocking and tackling feel to them. There are requests to replace and upgrade aging hardware and software for police departments, libraries and schools.
http://benton.org/node/22883
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TIME FOR BUSINESS TO DEVELOP A MEANINGFUL, NATIONAL BROADBAND POLICY
[SOURCE: xchange, AUTHOR: ]
Larissa Herda of tw telecom says the competitive telecom industry sits at a crossroads and must decide whether to continue permitting consolidation and deregulation, or whether to "take a fresh look and develop a meaningful broadband policy." "We're leaving one of the most unfriendly regulatory environments possible and, guess what? We're still here, we survived," said Herda, chairman, president and CEO of the Colorado-based Ethernet services provider. "Getting through the past eight years has been nothing short of phenomenal like a scary reality show, 'Survivor FCC.'" But there's no immunity on this island, Herda said, and with a new presidential administration in place and in spite of the recession it's time to head straight for the "new telecom economy." This is the environment that embraces collaboration, Web 2.0, Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud computing or, services that require "massive amounts" of bandwidth. However, success will require help from regulators. CLECs must get federal officials to understand that broadband on which the new telecom economy rests must be extended to businesses and enterprises, not just residential customers. For that to happen, Herda said, the FCC needs to take three steps: 1) effectively regulate special access rules, including those overseeing Ethernet services and UNEs; 2) regulate interconnection for data and IP voice; and 3) either reform or eliminate the forbearance process. But competitive providers have to talk to politicians in Washington, emphasizing that a national broadband policy must encompass business broadband too.
http://benton.org/node/22882
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BROADBAND SPEEDS OUR ECONOMY
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: John Chambers]
[Commentary] Broadband is a fundamental technology upon which other things are built. It enables collaboration, innovation and operational excellence, and positions the U.S. to compete on a global basis. Increasing our broadband speeds to 100 Mbps from the current U.S. median of 2.3 Mbps will have a transformative effect on our economy and our society. High-speed networking enables new human collaboration at a profound level, and such collaboration will radically change the way we think. If 100 Mbps at home seems ambitious, consider this: Japan and South Korea are already reaching that level. As our policymakers work on maintaining U.S. competitiveness, they should keep in mind that broadband is the vehicle by which our citizens can be more productive, health care can be modernized, our economy can become more efficient and innovation can flourish. To continue our nation's growth, add jobs and drive innovation, we must invest in broadband. [John T. Chambers is the chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems]
http://benton.org/node/22881
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STIMULUS TO HELP RETOOL EDUCATION, DUNCAN SAYS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Bill Turque, Maria Glod]
To help struggling schools, the federal government will use stimulus funding to encourage states to expand school days, reward good teachers, fire bad ones and measure how students perform compared with peers in India and China, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. The stimulus law, which will channel about $100 billion to public schools, universities and early childhood education programs nationwide, will help prevent teacher layoffs, overhaul aging schools and educate low-income children. But it also gives Sec Duncan unusual power to shape change. Duncan said he wants struggling schools to use federal aid to adopt on a grander scale ideas that are producing results on a trial basis in some locales. He pointed to longer school days, instituted by some public charter schools, as essential to help struggling students make up lost ground. Sec Duncan said schools should be treated as community hubs that provide health care, meals and other services to support at-risk families. "School buildings don't belong to us. They don't belong to the unions. School buildings belong to the community," Duncan said. "Almost every school building has classrooms. They have computer labs. They have libraries. . . . Why are they open six hours a day? It's crazy."
http://benton.org/node/22907
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TELEVISION
NTIA GETS ACCESS TO DTV FUNDS; COUPONS TO FLOW NEXT WEEK
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
According to the Office of Management and Budget, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration now has access to funding to help unclog the DTV-to-analog converter box coupon program. "We apportioned these funds earlier this week; coupons will start being received next week," confirmed an OMB official. The $40 coupons, up to two per household, allow analog over-the-air TV's to display a digital signal. Over a third of TV stations have now gone all digital after more than 400 pulled the plug on the original DTV hard date of Feb 17.
http://benton.org/node/22880
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THE DIGITAL TRANSITION, TV'S LONG-RUNNING HORROR SHOW
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Rob Pegoraro]
The digital television transition has been far too disorganized to be the product of any conspiracy. Consider how a few major DTV issues have played out over the past decade or so. Could they have been better managed? Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- and in one case, the DTV transition went better than many people expected. Pegoraro looks at DTV vs HDTV; TVs without tuners; digital-to-analog converter boxes; reception issues; and the role of local cable operators.
http://benton.org/node/22906
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DIRECTV OK WITH CABLE'S ONLINE PLAN
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: ]
DirecTV Group Inc. said Tuesday that it's open to giving subscribers exclusive online access to television shows such as HBO's "Entourage" that are normally not available for free over the Internet, agreeing with a growing consortium of cable companies and networks. Web content should be an extension of a customer's satellite TV viewing experience, not a competing platform, Chief Executive Chase Carey said. The rising popularity of online video should be embraced instead of rejected, he said.
http://benton.org/node/22905
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COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION: PROTECT OUR DIVERSITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Community Broadcasters Association, which represents low-power TV stations, has been making its case to Washington for some help in getting carriage for stations it said provided the kind of programming and ownership diversity -- opportunities for women, small businesses, and minorities -- that the Federal Communications Commission is looking to promote. That comes against a backdrop of the high-profile dust-up between African American targeted progammer TV One and would-be programmer Urban TV/Ion Media over the latter's request that the FCC give the Ion TV station multicast channels that would program Urban TV mandatory cable carriage as a way to promote diversity. It is also in the wake of FCC Chairman Michael Copps' announcement that he was already preparing the legal and factual underpinnings for the FCC's promotion of diversity.
http://benton.org/node/22879
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QUICKLY
CTIA: CAN THE INDUSTRY ADAPT?
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Sarah Reedy]
CTIA's wireless industry trade show hits Las Vegas soon and the question is: Can the industry adapt — to the economy, to the increasing demand for anywhere content and to the increased pressure today on wireless networks? This year, CTIA is promoting the theme "mobile life," defined as boundless connectivity to people and information when you want it, how you want it and where you want it. Given the economy, the focus is more of a back-to-basics approach that values productivity — communications, mobile Internet, data — over entertainment.
http://benton.org/node/22876
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MORE TIME SPENT ONLINE COMMUNICATING THAN GETTING ENTERTAINED
[SOURCE: ClickZ, AUTHOR: Enid Burns]
Netpop Research predicts that as the number of people engaged in social media increases, people are more likely to be involved in communicating than seeking out entertaining activities online such as viewing Web sites for fun. Consider these trends identified in the study: 1) Of the 105 million Americans who participate in social media, seven million are considered "heavy" social media contributors -- defined as people who participate in six or more activities and connect with at least 248 people on a one-to-many basis on a typical week. 2) Time spent communicating online went from 27 percent of time online in 2006 to 32 percent in 2008. 3) Time devoted to entertaining activities online went from 49 percent of the time spent online in 2006 to 20 percent two years later. 4) Despite what Jon Stewart says 54 percent of micro-bloggers post content or "tweet" daily.
http://benton.org/node/22875
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LIMBAUGH DARES OBAMA TO ON-AIR DEBATE
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Jill Lawrence]
Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday challenged President Obama to debate him on his radio show — the latest chapter of a political saga that's elevated Limbaugh's profile, united Democrats and thrown Republicans into disarray.
http://benton.org/node/22904
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DON'T GET TAKEN BY THESE STIMULUS
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: David Colker]
The Federal Trade Commission is warning against Web ads that promise you a chunk of the federal stimulus package -- for a fee or your personal information.
http://benton.org/node/22903
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BISHOPS GIVE THUMBS DOWN TO TECHNOLOGY FOR LENT
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Alana Semuels]
Roman Catholic bishops are urging people to give up technology such as iPods and behavior such as text messaging until Easter. "It's a small way to remember the importance of concrete and not virtual relationships," one diocese said.
http://benton.org/node/22902
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