April 16, 2009 (Wiretaps Exceed Limits Set by Congress)

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY APRIL 16, 2009

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Wiretaps Exceed Limits Set by Congress
Journalists need a federal shield law

JOURNALISM
   The Future of Journalism Is Not in the Past
   The Internet's Role in Campaign 2008
   Do You Think Bandwidth Grows on Trees?
   Sam Zell on Tribune Co. acquisition: 'I made a mistake, I was too optimistic'
   Lack of news about China has nothing to do with bias

THE STIMULUS
   Fresh Hope for Broadband
   Here Comes The Connected Nation Sales Pitch
   RUS Broadband Program Criticized by USDA Inspector General
   NTIA, RUS flooded with comments about broadband stimulus
   Broadband stimulus hopefuls get application advice: Hurry
   BTOP Should Be About Stimulating Deployment Not Solving It
   Broadband stimulus: Is it really free money?
   Broadband stimulus working, Adtran says
   Wireless Firms Eye 'Smart Grids'

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
Time Warner Cable tells FCC to shut up about Network Neutrality
On Testing Consumption Based Pricing Models

RADIO
Clear Channel Launches 'Localism' Initiative
Pacifica Radio at 60: KPFA Remains a Sanctuary of Dissent Six Decades After Its Founding

AGENDA
   Lawmakers Plan Cybersecurity Agendas
   Senate Commerce Schedules Two Hearings
   House Online Privacy Hearing

QUICKLY -- Study Shows TV's Impact on Consumer Purchasing Behavior; Google widens lead in US searches - comScore; PFF to FCC: Tread Lightly in Content Control Technologies Review; Digital Dashboard Will Track California Technology Projects; Latino coalition, others call for Census boycott; A Web you can wear; AT&T launches family-tracking service; Study: Open source worth $387 billion (in savings); NAB Lobbyist Departs

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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Wiretaps Exceed Limits Set by Congress

WIRETAPS EXCEED LIMITS SET BY CONGRESS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Lichtblau, James Risen]
The National Security Agency intercepted private e-mail messages and phone calls of Americans in recent months on a scale that went beyond the broad legal limits established by Congress last year. The NSA has been engaged in "overcollection" of domestic communications of Americans. The legal and operational problems surrounding the NSA's surveillance activities have come under scrutiny from the Obama administration, Congressional intelligence committees and a secret national security court. Classified government briefings have been held in recent weeks in response to a brewing controversy that some officials worry could damage the credibility of legitimate intelligence-gathering efforts. While the N.S.A.'s operations in recent months have come under examination, new details are also emerging about earlier domestic-surveillance activities, including the agency's attempt to wiretap a member of Congress, without court approval, on an overseas trip.
http://benton.org/node/24366
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JOURNALISTS NEED A FEDERAL SHIELD LAW
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] The 1st Amendment protects freedom of the press in the broad sense, not just the freedom to publish what a reporter has learned. That's why the U.S. Supreme Court erred in 1972 when it ruled 5 to 4 that reporters don't have a constitutional right to protect the confidentiality of news sources. Fortunately, laws in two-thirds of the states offer protection for journalists who abide by their promise -- which should never be given lightly -- that a source's identity will be safeguarded. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) should make passage of a companion bill a priority when Congress returns from spring recess next week. Each of the bills accomplishes the essential goal of creating legal protection for investigative reporting, and each has elements that would strengthen the other. President Obama can speed the process by re- iterating the support for a so-called shield law he offered during last year's campaign.
http://benton.org/node/24360
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JOURNALISM

THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM IS NOT IN THE PAST
[SOURCE: The Huffington Post, AUTHOR: Mark Cooper]
The question of "How to save Journalism?" is a front-burner issue, as major metropolitan dailies, like the Rocky Mountain News and the Philadelphia Inquirer, implode. Calls for bailouts in the tens of billions of dollars have gone up, even from critics of the industry, and some are calling for further relaxation of limits on media ownership so newspapers and television stations can merge, presumably to improve the financial prospects of both. After excoriating the commercial mass media for decades, should we spend huge sums of public money to prop it up or abandon our concern about large mass media outlets and chains dominating local markets? We need to step back and ask some tough questions. What do we mean by "good" journalism and why should we "save" it? What is the problem with the newspaper business? Will saving newspapers save journalism? Will allowing mergers solve the economic problem or improve the quality of content? What alternatives are available? No one can predict which models will succeed, but in the rapidly changing environment, solutions that preserve the past are more likely to fail or make matters worse. The outcome will be much better if we confront the right and hard questions from the get-go in order to arrive at a sustainable journalism that serves its function in society. If we intend to build an institution of journalism as the four estate in the 21st century, we need to build it from the fresh clay of alternative media in cyberspace and the moment of the collapse of 20th century journalism is the ideal time to start.
http://benton.org/node/24345
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THE INTERNET'S ROLE IN CAMPAIGN 2008
[SOURCE: Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, AUTHOR: Aaron Smith]
Some 74% of Internet users--representing 55% of the entire adult population--went online in 2008 to get involved in the political process or to get news and information about the election. This marks the first time that a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey has found that more than half of the voting-age population used the Internet to get involved in the political process during an election year. Several online activities rose to prominence in 2008. In particular, Americans were eager to share their views on the race with others and to take part in the online debate on social media sites such as blogs and social networking sites. •Nearly one in five (18%) Internet users posted their thoughts, comments or questions about the campaign on an online forum such as a blog or social networking site. Fully 45% of Internet users went online to watch a video related to the campaign. One in three Internet users forwarded political content to others.
http://benton.org/node/24350
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DO YOU THINK BANDWIDTH GROWS ON TREES?
[SOURCE: TheBigMoney.com, AUTHOR: Farhad Manjoo]
Everyone knows that print newspapers are our generation's horse-and-buggy; in the most wired cities, they've been pummeled by competition from the Web. But it might surprise you to learn that one of the largest and most-celebrated new-media ventures is burning through cash at a rate that makes newspapers look like wise investments. It's called YouTube: According a recent report by analysts at the financial-services company Credit Suisse, Google will lose $470 million on the video-sharing site this year alone. To put it another way, the Boston Globe, which is on track to lose $85 million in 2009, is five times more profitable—or, rather, less unprofitable—than YouTube. YouTube's troubles are surprisingly similar to those faced by newspapers. Just like your local daily, the company is struggling to sell enough in advertising to cover the enormous costs of storing and distributing its content.
http://benton.org/node/24338
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SAM ZELL ON TRIBUNE CO ACQUISITION: 'I MADE A MISTAKE, I WAS TOO OPTIMISTIC'
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, AUTHOR: Phil Rosenthal]
Tribune Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Zell now says that his heavily leveraged 2007 acquisition of the Chicago Tribune parent was "a mistake" in that he did not anticipate the steep decline in the newspaper business. "By definition, if you bought something and it's now worth a great deal less, you made a mistake and I'm more than willing to say I made a mistake," Zell said. "I was too optimistic in terms of the newspaper's ability to preserve its position." Zell, who took Tribune Co. private in a leveraged $8.2 billion deal, reiterated that his goal is to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings begun in December to manage its $13 billion in debt with its assets intact. But the billionaire investor also said the company is looking at "all options." "It's very obvious that the newspaper model in its current form does not work and the sooner we all acknowledge that the better," Zell said. "Whether it be home delivery, whether it be giving content away for free -- these are critical issues.
http://benton.org/node/24346
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LACK OF NEWS ABOUT CHINA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BIAS
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Timothy Garton Ash]
[Commentary] In China, there is a widespread belief that Western media give a distorted picture of what's happening there. There's some truth in this, but it's not for the reasons that Chinese Communist Party members or nationalist "netizens" imagine. Most Westerners with a mild interest in China probably see a lot of stories about Tibet, the upcoming anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, corruption and popular discontent. They see less about the extent of popular support for the system, bright students still joining the Communist Party or experiments in economic and political reform, especially at the provincial and local levels. However, this slant is not because of "anti-China" policy or prejudice. Hard as it may be for many Chinese to believe -- because their own media reflect the policy of their party-state -- Western governments have almost nothing to do with it. The cause lies in the West's commercial news business, which is going through one of those "gales of creative destruction" that Joseph Schumpeter saw to be characteristic of capitalism. The point now is to work out how to exploit the tremendous potential of new media so as to expose more of the people, more of the time, to reliable and interesting foreign news. More than just the future of journalism will depend on it.
http://benton.org/node/24361
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THE STIMULUS

FRESH HOPE FOR BROADBAND
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Spencer Ante, Arik Hesseldahl]
On the campaign trail and in the White House, President Barack Obama has embraced the idea of providing high-speed Internet access to every community in America. Now, the Obama Administration's broadband plan looks to be getting a new group of unexpected partners: state and local governments eager to play a leading role in bringing fast Internet connections to the nooks and crannies of the American landscape. Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia are planning to seek broadband stimulus money. Tennessee says it expects to receive as much as $150 million in broadband grants. The money comes at an opportune time for states and municipalities. Many are facing huge budget deficits but would like to finance the broadband plans to help stimulate economic development. How the states use the money has not yet been determined. Some, including Virginia, are leaning toward hiring private companies to own and operate networks on behalf of the states. Others may do the job themselves. If state governments hire AT&T and others to help them build broadband networks, private companies could potentially tap into stimulus funds while sidestepping whatever rules the federal government ends up attaching to its money. One source says AT&T is interested in working with state and local governments on their projects. Regardless of what regulations may come to be written, states see the broadband program as a great opportunity to create jobs for their constituents.
http://benton.org/node/24365
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HERE COMES THE CONNECTED NATION SALES PITCH
[SOURCE: DSLReports.com, AUTHOR: Karl Bode]
Consumer advocates believe that Connected Nation is little more than a policy and PR front for the nation's largest carriers. The group was crafted under the guise of mapping and promoting broadband availability, but with a board of directors stocked with some of the biggest lobbying names in telecom, critics argue the group's real goal is to actually prevent more substantive reform, derailing more accurate mapping efforts that highlight competitive shortcomings. Another alleged function of the group is to steer taxpayer funds away from smaller competitors, and toward the group's principle incumbent backers. With that in mind, it's not too surprising to see Rep Joe Barton (R-TX), traditionally one of AT&T's favorite politicians, pushing new legislation that attaches a few strings to broadband stimulus funds. The idea that taxpayer funds could be spent on a mapping operation that's really an AT&T lobbying apparatus in disguise is worrisome, as is the fact this data wouldn't be independently verifiable or owned by the taxpayer. Despite lofty rhetoric from carriers, their best interest remains in portraying a broadband market that's robust, highly competitive and largely without gaps -- given correcting any shortcomings could result in greater competition and reduced revenues.
http://benton.org/node/24364
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RUS BROADBAND PROGRAM CRITICIZED BY USDA INSPECTOR GENERAL
[SOURCE: Department of Agriculture, AUTHOR: Robert Young]
The Department of Agriculture's inspector general on Monday released a report which finds that the Rural Utilities Service continues to grant loans to areas that already have broadband service and to communities near major cities. "We remain concerned with RUS' current direction of the broadband program, particularly as they receive greater funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," Assistant Inspector General Robert W. Young wrote. "RUS' broadband program may not meet the Recovery Act's objective of awarding funds to projects that provide service to the most rural residents that do not have access to broadband service." In 2005 the USDA Office of Inspector General made 14 recommendations on how to improve RUS. In this new audit, the IG finds that RUS has not implemented 8 of them including: adopting an appropriate definition of "rural area," focusing loans in areas where broadband service does not already exists, developing and implementing internal guidelines for the grant and loan programs, recovering funds from defaulted loans, and maintaining a database of all grant and loan information.
http://benton.org/node/24331
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NTIA, RUS FLOODED WITH COMMENTS ABOUT BROADBAND STIMULUS
[SOURCE: IDG News Service, AUTHOR: Grant Gross]
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), soliciting comments about how to spend US $7.2 billion in broadband deployment money, have received about 1,400 comments, with conflicting views on Network Neutrality among them. Free Press, a media reform group, urged the NTIA and RUS to go farther than current net neutrality rules. The agencies should also set speed guidelines, with no projects that deliver speeds of less than 200k bits per second funded by the agencies, Free Press said in its comments. Grant applicants should report the minimum and average speeds they intend to deliver, wrote Derek Turner, Free Press' research director.
http://benton.org/node/24355
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BROADBAND STIMULUS HOPEFULS GET APPLICATION ADVICE: HURRY
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Ed Gubbins]
Thomas Cohen, partner in the law firm of Kelley Drye & Warren, says of all the myriad requirements and guidelines governing the dissemination of the federal government's $7.2-billion broadband stimulus package, perhaps the most important - applicants would do well to keep in mind - is that the administration wants to get the money out as quickly as possible to experienced recipients. All funds must be awarded by September 30, 2010, including at least one award in each state, and the total amount received may actually exceed $7.2 billion, depending on how much is used to secure loans rather than grants. Funds are likely to be awarded in three tranches, Cohen said: in the fall, winter and next spring. Applications for the first tranche will probably begin pouring in early this summer, since it will take some time to rank them and pick recipients. "If you're not working on an application already -- even if you don't know what it looks like - you're almost too late for the first [tranche] in the summer because I know of others who are [working on their applications]," Cohen said.
http://benton.org/node/24354
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BTOP SHOULD BE ABOUT STIMULATING DEPLOYMENT NOT SOLVING IT
[SOURCE: App-Rising.com, AUTHOR: Geoff Daily]
[Commentary] The discussion on how the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program should distribute money is off track. The focus should be on how to get money into the system stimulating the economy as quickly as possible. Instead there's been a series of policy debates around things like defining the terms unserved and underserved. BTOP is not about getting everyone online; it's about spurring deployment to stimulate the economy as quickly as possible. With this in mind, determining who should get what at this initial juncture should be a lot easier. What we should be doing is rounding up all of the projects that are truly shovel-ready, those that would've already been deploying if it hadn't been for lack of available capital, and funding them to get moving. For this first round of subsidies let's not get too caught up in unserved vs. underserved definitions and let's not welcome in all applications equally. In the same way, let's not allow ourselves to settle for lesser forms of broadband. Instead let's focus on those shovel-ready projects that bring connectivity with the capacity to serve a community for decades to come, that pledge to strive for operating open networks, and that have been developed from the perspective of the public good rather than solely for private profit.
http://benton.org/node/24353
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BROADBAND STIMULUS: IS IT REALLY FREE MONEY?
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Ed Gubbins]
Perhaps the most unappetizing aspect of broadband stimulus money as far as the Bells are concerned is not its potential Network Neutrality requirements, as some have suggested, but the much more basic mission of bringing residential broadband to very rural areas, which the Bells have repeatedly demonstrated is not a particular prize for them. True, rural broadband is more appealing when it comes with "free money," but much of telecom carriers' costs are operational and persistent long after infrastructure builds are complete. Even where government loans are available, delivering broadband to 'unserved areas' is not an attractive proposition to many companies. That may be why so many of those chasing broadband stimulus funds are not profit-seeking entities. Maybe there really is no such thing as free money.
http://benton.org/node/24352
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BROADBAND STIMULUS WORKING, ADTRAN SAYS
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Ed Gubbins]
The federal broadband stimulus program is already churning up activity among lower-tier carriers that had previously fallen into malaise, according to Adtran, the access equipment vendor that reported first-quarter earnings exceeding Wall Street expectations. Adtran Chief Executive Officer Tom Stanton reported seeing a "change in tone" among tier-two and tier-three carriers attributable to anticipation over broadband stimulus funds. "The amount of activity in that space has gone up dramatically," Stanton said. "I'm not saying orders. I'm saying planning."
http://benton.org/node/24351
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WIRELESS FIRMS EYE 'SMART GRIDS'
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Rebecca Smith]
Wireless carriers are setting their sights on so-called smart grids as a big business opportunity that could juice up earnings by utilizing excess capacity on their cellphone networks. The upshot for consumers is they may eventually be able to monitor and control home-energy use through a cellphone that talks to a digital meter and other devices, though that service is still in development. Carriers are making an aggressive push to provide the wireless communications link to millions of "smart meters" being installed by electric and gas companies. Unlike older electric meters that tallied up energy use until a utility employee came to read the meter, smart meters record more information, such as when the power is being consumed and at what price. This can help utilities manage the power, and potentially aid consumers in finding cost savings. To win smart-grid business from utilities, wireless companies are slashing the monthly fee they charge to provide the communications link, providing that service, in some cases, for pennies a month for each meter. As a result, the latest technology is being pushed down to the household level instead of being restricted to commercial or industrial customers who have typically paid about $5 a month for that service.
http://benton.org/node/24363
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NETWORK MANAGEMENT

TIME WARNER CABLE TELLS FCC TO SHUT UP ABOUT NETWORK NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
Responding to the outcry over its proposed regimen of price-gouging bandwidth caps, Time Warner Cable says that it's anxious to explain its intentions to the public. "We appreciate the feedback we've received," Time Warner Chief Operating Officer Landel Hobbs wrote in a blog entry last week. "We'll look forward to more dialogue as we progress in these trials." But, apparently, not at the Federal Communications Commission. TWC told the FCC that the agency should watch its words as it advises the government on how to spend the recovery plan's broadband stimulus money. "Now is not the time, nor is this the appropriate proceeding, to engage in a debate about the need for net neutrality obligations," two TWC lawyers warned the FCC on Monday. The discussion should stay strictly focused on broadband deployment, the company insists. "Debates in this proceeding about new net neutrality regulations would only divert attention from these important goals, delaying the distribution of funds while generating considerable contention when the Commission should instead be fostering a spirit of collaboration."
http://benton.org/node/24348
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ON TESTING CONSUMPTION BASED PRICING MODELS
[SOURCE: National Cable and Telecommunications Association, AUTHOR: Kyle McSlarrow]
[Commentary] Free Press is gathering signatures calling on Congress to "investigate" plans by Time Warner Cable to conduct trials in four US cities to test customer response to "consumption based" billing for its high-speed Internet access service. At a time of economic and financial challenges for our country, I for one would rather Congress spend its time on real problems, not fictional ones. While it is certainly appropriate for all of us and anyone interested in the deployment and use of broadband technology to monitor the results of Time Warner's experiment, we should recognize the Free Press petition drive as the publicity stunt it so obviously is.
http://benton.org/node/24347
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RADIO

CLEAR CHANNEL LAUNCHES 'LOCALISM' INITIATIVE
[SOURCE: MediaWeek, AUTHOR: Katy Bachman]
Under new ownership, radio giant Clear Channel has announced an expanded local community affairs policy for its stations including charitable partnerships, increased airing of public-service announcements, more local public-affairs programming in better dayparts, the creation of local advisory boards and 24/7 access to station management for local officials. The Federal Communications Commission is considering new localism rules for broadcasters including establishing community advisory boards to consult stations on programming, couldn't have spelled it out any better.
http://benton.org/node/24342
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PACIFICA RADIO AT 60
[SOURCE: DemocracyNow!, AUTHOR: Amy Goodman]
On April 15th, 1949 at 3:00 p.m., a charismatic conscientious objector named Lewis Hill sat before a microphone and said, "This is KPFA Berkeley." With that, KPFA went on the air, and the first listener-supported radio station in the United States was born. Pacifica Radio is the oldest independent media network in the United States, and its sixtieth birthday comes as a deepening crisis engulfs mainstream media. To commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Pacifica Radio today, we feature a documentary about the first Pacifica Radio station: KPFA in Berkeley. It's called KPFA on the Air by filmmakers Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood and narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker.
http://benton.org/node/24340
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AGENDA

LAWMAKERS PLAN CYBERSECURITY AGENDAS
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman and ranking member Susan Collins will hold a hearing in late April to examine the 60-day cybersecurity review ordered by President Obama. The audit, which is slated to conclude Friday, is being led by Melissa Hathaway, a top adviser to Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair. After the hearing, Lieberman "will consider his legislative options," a spokeswoman said Wednesday. A number of bills intended to help secure U.S. computer networks, the power grid and other critical infrastructure are expected from committees that share jurisdiction over the issue. House and Senate committees covering commerce, homeland security, intelligence, judiciary and government reform have all introduced legislation in the past. On the other side of Capitol Hill, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson is focused on high-tech threats to the electrical system.
http://benton.org/node/24357
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SENATE COMMERCE SCHEDULES TWO HEARINGS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled two hearings to celebrate TV Tune Out Week. On Tuesday the Committee will consider the nominations of Sherburne B. Abbott of Texas, to be Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the Executive Office of the President; April S. Boyd to be Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce; and Cameron Kerry to be General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce among others. Kerry is the brother of Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) and a veteran cable lawyer. Kerry has represented the cable industry as an attorney with Mintz Levin in Boston and Washington. He has also taught and written about cable and telecommunications law. On Wednesday, the Committee will discuss reform of the Federal Communications Commission.
FCC Reform Hearing Scheduled for Next Week By Senate Commerce Committee
http://benton.org/node/24349
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HOUSE ONLINE PRIVACY HEARING
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
House Communications, Internet and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) has scheduled a April 23 hearing on Communications Networks and Consumer Privacy.
http://benton.org/node/24358
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QUICKLY

STUDY SHOWS TV'S IMPACT ON CONSUMER PURCHASING BEHAVIOR
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Jon Lafayette]
A new study by the Television Bureau of Advertising offers insights into how advertising affects consumers as they make their way toward purchase decisions. The report, called "How Media Works: Advertising and the Purchase Funnel," was conducted by Yankelovich for the TVB to determine the role TV plays as part of a multiplatform environment for advertising. At a time when economic conditions make it more important than ever to maximize their advertising expenditures to get consumers to purchase their goods, the study examines the role of television advertising in driving consumer actions throughout the purchase decision process; how television interacts with other media platforms and how purchase decisions are made as a result of interactions with media. The study looks at the "Purchase Funnel," a continuum that tracks a consumer from when he first becomes aware of a product through his actual purchase. In between are steps including interest, consideration, desire and store and Web site visits.
http://benton.org/node/24341
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GOOGLE WIDENS LEAD IN US SEARCHES
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Alexei Oreskovic]
Google took its widest-ever lead in the US search market in March, according to new figures released on Wednesday by comScore. Google had a 63.7 percent share of the 14.3 billion U.S. searches in March, up 0.4 percentage points from February, and above the 63.5 percent level that was its previous high. Yahoo saw its U.S. search share inch downwards in March to 20.5 percent, from 20.6 percent in February.
http://benton.org/node/24344
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PFF TO FCC: TREAD LIGHTLY IN CONTENT CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES REVIEW
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Progress and Freedom Foundation has advised the Federal Communications Commission to tread lightly in its review of content control technologies. PFF Senior Fellow Adam Thierer argues that the Commission has no authority over most of the media platforms whose content control it will be reviewing, and that most homes don't need parental control technologies because parents either rely on other methods or there are no kids in the house.
http://benton.org/node/24343
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DIGITAL DASHBOARD WILL TRACK CALIFORNIA TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Steve Towns]
In May, California plans to unveil a Web-based dashboard that will let anyone track the progress of major state government technology projects. The online tool will show if projects are on time and within budget, as well as track a series of other "vital signs" like user acceptance, political risk, technical viability and business value. [more at the URL below]
http://benton.org/node/24339
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LATINO COALITION, OTHERS CALL FOR CENSUS BOYCOTT
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Haya El Nasser]
Some Hispanic advocacy groups are calling for illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 Census unless immigration laws are changed. The move puts them at odds with leading immigrant-rights advocates and creates another hurdle in the Census Bureau's quest to count everyone in the USA. [more at the URL below]
http://benton.org/node/24362
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A WEB YOU CAN WEAR
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Brian Whitley]
Pranav Mistry, a postdoctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wants online life to converge with real life. His latest project is a "wearable computer" dubbed Sixth Sense which seems disarmingly simple: a Web cam, projector, and battery pack hang around Mistry's neck on a lanyard. The components, which together cost about $350, plug into an Internet-enabled mobile phone that rests in the wearer's pocket.
http://benton.org/node/24359
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AT&T LAUNCHES FAMILY-TRACKING SERVICE
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Marguerite Reardon]
AT&T is offering a new service that allows parents to track loved ones using their phones. AT&T's service, called FamilyMaps, allows people to track the location of any cell phone on AT&T's network from a mobile phone or PC. The person being tracked receives a text message informing him or her that he or she is being watched. The service periodically informs the tracked individual that he or she is being watched, just in case one text message reminder wasn't enough. Users can either track someone in real time by viewing the location on a map or they can set up the service to send them text message alerts or e-mails with location information.
http://benton.org/node/24337
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STUDY: OPEN SOURCE WORTH $387 BILLION (IN SAVINGS)
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Matt Asay]
Black Duck Software estimates that companies can save $387 billion in development costs by using open-source software [although not each individual company -- that would be some kind of record]. Additionally, the company estimates that 10 percent of IT application development spending is redundant with existing open-source projects, (which means that) U.S. companies could realize savings of more than $22 billion a year through the reuse of (open-source software) in application development.
http://benton.org/node/24336
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NAB LOBBYIST DEPARTS
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
Douglas Wiley is leaving the National Association of Broadcasters. He was hired by NAB in 2006 to lead the government relations team as executive vice president of government relations but his position was latter shifted to executive vice president in charge of the administration and agencies. A source familiar with NAB's team said Wiley's position was eliminated last month. NAB's lobbying team is currently being headed by Laurie Knight, a Democrat who formerly worked as the legislative director for Rep. Jim Turner (D-TX). Prior to joining NAB, she spent more than five years with the National Beer Wholesalers Association.
http://benton.org/node/24356
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