Sept 25, 2009 (US Broadband Coalition Releases Report on National Broadband Plan)

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009

Yes, it is Friday, but there's still a full agenda in DC http://bit.ly/xyp0g

NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN & THE STIMULUS
   US Broadband Coalition Releases Report on National Broadband Plan
   How Much Broadband Do We Need?
   Looking at BTOP/BIP Applications
   NIST releases more development standards for smart electric grid

NETWORK NEUTRALITY
   Neutrality vital to health of Internet
   Does Network Neutrality Stifle Innovation Or Boost It?
   Could wireless network neutrality be a boon for the enterprise?
   AT&T and the GOP: More than $400K donated to anti-Network Neutrality senators

BROADBAND/INTERNET
   Broadband Truth-in-Labeling
   Hispanic Broadband Access: Making the Most of the Mobile, Connected Future
   Is Bandwidth Addictive?
   States Must Share Internet Bandwidth With Local Governments for Higher Speeds and Big Savings
   Broadband May Help Cities Compete in Economic Recovery

NEWS FROM THE HILL
   Lawmakers weigh next move on public-safety spectrum
   Rep Matsui Unveils Broadband Assistance Bill
   NAA to Congress: Government Handouts Not Appropriate
   Senate Judiciary Passes Satellite TV Modernization Act

BROADCASTING DIVERSITY, LOCALISM, OWNERSHIP
   Honig Sends Letter To Genachowski In Support of Lloyd
   McDowell Still Concerned About 'Fairness Doctrine," Indecency
   McDowell says FCC has not forgotten broadcasting, diversity

WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
   Microsoft study says white spaces worth over $100 billion
   AT&T, Centennial Said Merger Delay Would Be 'Burden'

TRIBUNE
   Bondholders to See Tribune Documents
   Tribune gets OK for Cubs sale

ED TECH
   Training is key to schools' digital media use
   e-Rate wants to be user friendly

JOURNALISM
   Hellman nonprofit to boost local news coverage in San Francisco
   Bloggers Focus on Obama and Race

TELEVISION/RADIO
   Coalition Calls on FCC To Crack Down on Product Placement
   Cablevision Seeks To Encrypt Broadcast Basic Channels

MORE ONLINE
   Social networking sites leaking personal information to third parties, study warns
   Judge agrees to postpone Google Books hearing
   Agency Chief Makes the Case for Teleworking
   Telework expansion could save money and diversify hiring pool
   Coalition pushes for more healthcare IT legislation
   Carmakers favor US ban on texting while driving
   Feds Weigh Cell Phone Ban For Bus, Truck Drivers
   TV station consolidation draws more opposition
   New Zealand regulator to look into resale of Telecom services

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NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN & THE STIMULUS

US BROADBAND COALITION RELEASES REPORT ON NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN
[SOURCE: BroadbandCensus.com, AUTHOR: Andrew Feinberg]
A national broadband strategy must take steps to stimulate adoption and use of technology at a variety of levels, said a report by the U.S. Broadband Coalition, which presented the report at the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday. The coalition, a non-profit organization made up of more than 160 organizations that provide or depend on broadband services, came together to push for a national broadband plan in mid-2008. The release of the group's report is the culmination of 18 months of work that predates the passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act when the coalition issued a "call to action" to organize and create a national broadband strategy. Bridging the "digital divide" is a major barrier to universal broadband within the U.S., the report said. Among the issues affecting adoption include a lack of relevance to many communities, difficulty accessing training and technology literacy programs, and a dearth of affordable options for access to computers. Further, people with disabilities "often experience barriers of physical accessibility" to high speed Internet as well as computing technology in general.
benton.org/node/28193 | BroadbandCensus.com
Read the report
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HOW MUCH BROADBAND DO WE NEED?
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: Stacey Higginbotham]
In crafting a National Broadband Plan, do we set our sights on 100Mbps, or pull out all the stops and race to 1Gbps? Faster broadband speeds will drive innovation, new business models, and even change the way we interact with each other. But private companies, governments and even consumers have a finite amount to spend. Do we allocate those dollars to laying a faster pipe, or put more of our resources toward taking advantage of that speed and optimizing the pipe? Just as chipmakers have declared the Gigahertz race to be largely irrelevant, when do we look at broadband speeds and say, "Enough?"
benton.org/node/28185 | GigaOm
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LOOKING AT BTOP/BIP APPLICATIONS
[SOURCE: Endeavour Partners, AUTHOR: ]
Endeavour is analyzing broadband stimulus funding applications. New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska all have fewer than 20 people per square mile and actual broadband performance that is demonstrably lower than the US average. Of these laggards, only Alaska makes the cut in the top 10 for total funding requests, but four out of the six are represented in the top 10 on a per capita basis ­ and a fifth, Montana, is ranked 11th. This one piece of news is encouraging, at least: Some of the money is likely to head to the markets with the greatest need. Unfortunately, digging deeper provides reason for concern. Three of the top 10 states ranked on funding requests per capita are in the top 10 for actual broadband performance: Rhode Island, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. These are all densely populated areas with meaningful broadband competition. Looking at specific high value applications gets even more interesting. Among the top 10 applications, four are satellite, three are unlikely to qualify, and the remaining two have a disturbing, "bridge to nowhere" feel. These are all very large projects and most don't seem to fit the model the architects of the broadband stimulus program had in mind.
benton.org/node/28192 | Endeavour Partners | Fierce slideshow
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NIST RELEASES MORE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SMART ELECTRIC GRID
[SOURCE: nextgov, AUTHOR: Jill Aitoro]
The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a report on Thursday that identified 15 new standards that will guide the development of the smart electric grid, which will use two-way communication systems to better monitor energy use to lower consumption. NIST pulled the standards from the Internet and telecommunications sectors to address the security of the smart grid and to ensure interoperability of software and hardware, which different vendors will provide. The standards are aimed at improving technical capabilities, energy management, data exchange, and interoperability of vendor products and networks. The 15 new standards were developed from public comments that were submitted on the 16 initial standards that NIST released in April. Many of the standards require revision, according to the draft release of the framework and roadmap for smart grid interoperability standards, and NIST will release an additional 46 standards for public comment to decide if they should be included on the list as well. The report also included 70 gaps and issues that require standards to find solutions to be developed. Releasing the report is part of Phase 1 of a three-phase plan NIST developed to accelerate the identification of standards and establish a framework for development of the smart grid.
benton.org/node/28161 | nextgov | Government technology | NIST press release | Read the report | Greenwire
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NETWORK NEUTRALITY

NEUTRALITY VITAL TO HEALTH OF INTERNET
[SOURCE: St Petersburg Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] In treating all data equally, Network Neutrality doesn't require service providers to give all users the same speed. People who want a faster connection can still be required to pay for it, just as broadband costs more than old-fashioned dial-up. It does, however, require that the data entering the pipe — or wireless connection — from the other end be treated equally. They cannot give preference to their own data or impede legal data from other sources, no matter what. That is how the Internet became the powerful engine of change it is today. And that is how the Internet of tomorrow will become a source of information and applications that can only be imagined right now.
benton.org/node/28191 | St. Petersburg Times
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DOES NETWORK NEUTRALITY STIFLE INNOVATION OR BOOST IT?
[SOURCE: InformationWeek, AUTHOR: Michael Hickins]
Hickins talks to Skydeck founder and CEO Jason Devitt about Network Neutrality. Skydeck provides services to help users organize their wireless communications and contacts.) Devitt is an "ardent supporter" of the view that incumbent carriers shouldn't be allowed to use their networks to discriminate against service or content providers. "Entrepreneurs should not require permission in order to set up a business or bring a new product to market," he said. What about the fact that the incumbents invested all that money on the pipes upon which he wants to piggy-back? It seems logical that if they built the network, they should be free to decide who gets to use it. Ah yes, except that they're called incumbents for a reason. They were handed the right to build the infrastructure (and tear up our streets) and enjoy the numerous benefits of incumbency, "with the understanding that the public reserves the right to impose certain conditions on them in the future in return for granting them this huge privilege." To the idea that rivals should simply go build their own networks, "the reality is you can't -- local communities won't allow 30 different companies to dig up streets... The compromise is that we grant a handful of companies the privilege to all this pipe, subject to other services being able to use the pipe as a shared facility." Sort of like other common carriers, like railroads, who get to charge for this service, and who are exempted from liability for criminal or fraudulent behavior (like piracy) committed on their networks by third parties. According to Devitt, Skydeck would have a much greater range of services to offer consumers were it not for the fact that carriers act as gatekeepers of the network. "With every new feature we're thinking about, every new product we're bringing to market, we have to think about what the implications are from that perspective," he lamented.
benton.org/node/28190 | InformationWeek
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COULD WIRELESS NET NEUTRALITY BE A BOON FOR THE ENTERPRISE?
[SOURCE: Fierce, AUTHOR: Lynnette Luna]
[Commentary] In light of the move toward openness, analysts have been talking a lot about how network providers can add value rather than being a dumb pipe. Most agree that operators should leverage the unique attributes of their networks, creating a personal broadband experience of sorts. Location is a big one. Operators can become a smart managed pipe. Some applications will require the most optimal network performance available, requiring content providers to make deals with network operators. For instance, an operator could provide more bandwidth for a short period of time if a content provider wants end users to view a video in real time or provide better Quality of Service for mission-critical enterprise applications. Open access will mean operators have to find new ways to participate in the revenue stream. To Luna, there's no doubt they will be courting the lucrative mobile enterprise space.
benton.org/node/28189 | Fierce
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AT&T AND THE GOP: MORE THAN $400K DONATED TO ANTI-NET-NEUTRALITY SENATORS
[SOURCE: DailyFinance, AUTHOR: Sam Gustin]
Six Republican senators co-sponsoring an amendment to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from enacting new broadband rules have received more than $400,000 in campaign and political-action contributions from AT&T, the telecom giant that has criticized the new FCC rules, as well as other large telecoms and cable companies. Campaign finance records compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics show that AT&T-related entities have donated some $67,300 to the campaign and political action committees of Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas Republican and lead sponsor of the amendment to an unrelated Interior Department appropriations bill that would bar the FCC from spending money "to develop and implement new regulatory mandates." Four of Hutchison's five co-sponsors have received hundreds of thousands of dollars from AT&T and Verizon, and a fifth worked for a DC lobbying firm -- before he was elected senator -- when it represented Comcast, the cable giant. Over the course of his career, Sen Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) has received $220,914 from "telephone utilities," including some $83,130 from AT&T, his second-largest donor, in the form of employee and lobbyist donations to his campaign and political-action committees. Sprint Nextel has given Brownback $35,550 over the course of his career. Two of the co-sponsors of the bill, Sen David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen John Ensign (R-NV), have been on the receiving end of AT&T's largesse. AT&T and predecessor BellSouth have donated $82,050 to Vitter's campaigns and political-action committees. And over the last four years, AT&T has donated some $61,250 to Ensign's campaign and political-action committees. Verizon-related entities donated $46,600 to Ensign during that period. During that time, AT&T has donated $63,750 to the campaign and political-action committees of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). AT&T is DeMint's second-largest donor. Sen John Thune (R-SD) has not received significant donations from the telecom industry since his 2006 defeat of Sen. Tom Daschle, then Senate majority leader Tom Daschle. But from 2003 to 2005, Sen Thune served as a senior policy adviser to the D.C. lobbying firm of Arent, Fox, when its client Comcast, the largest cable company in the U.S., paid some $40,000 in fees.
benton.org/node/28188 | DailyFinance
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BROADBAND/INTERNET

BROADBAND TRUTH-IN-BILLING
[SOURCE: New America Foundation, AUTHOR: Benjamin Lennett, Chiehyu Li, Dan Meredith, James Losey, Robb Topolski, Sascha Meinrath]
The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation is calling for Truth-in-Labeling by our nation's broadband operators. Drawn from similar useful disclosure requirements by lenders, these Broadband Truth-in-Labeling disclosure standards will give the marketplace a much-needed tool that clarifies and adds meaning to the terms and conditions of the service being offered. Broadband subscribers are often frustrated that the actual performance of their Internet access service regularly falls far below the advertised speeds. Consumers set their expectations based on phrases like "up to 16 Mbps," and are disappointed to learn that these quotes are worthless as assurances. Currently, there is no lawful requirement for ISPs to reveal the contents of the broadband services they are providing; customers might be harmed by the invalid or ambiguous languages. Internet Access Providers should disclose the important facts and details of the broadband offering before subscribers sign up. The disclosure should be meaningful, and failing to meet minimum standards should be treated as an important service outage (resulting in a refund or service credit to the consumer). Where there are choices between different products or providers, the disclosure should be made in a way that allows consumers to compare them. Providing clear, meaningful, comparable disclosures ultimately spurs competition between ISPs which encourages the future development of broadband technology.
benton.org/node/28187 | New America Foundation
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HISPANIC BROADBAND ACCESS: MAKING THE MOST OF THE MOBILE, CONNECTED FUTURE
[SOURCE: The Hispanic Institute, AUTHOR: ]
A look at the broadband behavior, challenges and opportunities of the nation's 48 million Hispanics. Findings include: 1) While Hispanics trail other US populations in overall Internet access, they are among the most avid users of mobile broadband. In fact, Hispanics and African Americans lead mobile broadband use (53% and 58% respectively), with both communities far ahead of Whites (33%). 2) Hispanics are more mobile than the general US population and, thus, rely more on cell phones. In fact, compared to Americans generally, Hispanics account for more minutes used and for a higher percentage of cell-phone ownership despite their relatively low incomes. 3) Given that roughly 40% of U.S. Hispanics are born abroad, in countries where wireless service often is more common than landline phones, the American Hispanic community is more open to mobile broadband than many other population groups. This familiarity makes the leap to smartphones and other connected mobile devices a more intuitive step for many than turning to wired, home broadband adoption and computer usage. 4) In 2008, Hispanics outpaced the general population in accessing and downloading digital media (music, video, audio, movies, television programs, video games and podcasts), 42% to 35%
benton.org/node/28186 | Hispanic Institute, The | Read the full report
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IS BROADBAND ADDICTIVE?
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Kevin Walsh]
[Commentary] Conventional wisdom among marketing types holds that as consumers purchase more of a given product their needs become satisfied, and the ability to incrementally sell them more of that product diminishes. The question is, does bandwidth obtained via broadband connections exhibit similar tendencies? That is, is bandwidth addictive? Surveys have consistently shown that a), a significant subset of consumers are interested in enhanced broadband services that are more dynamic in how bandwidth and are willing to pay for them, and b), even for those unwilling to pay for such services they are viewed by a majority of consumers as desirable enough to change service providers if the price was right. Specifically, 27 percent of survey respondents expressed a willingness to pay (and 11 percent of those would pay "almost any price"), and 52 percent said they would actively seek to change broadband providers to get them. For consumers purchasing the fastest broadband tier, 37 percent would pay extra for enhanced bandwidth services. For the middle tier, 21 percent would pay extra, and for the bottom tier, 16 percent would pony up more money. In other words, it appears that the more bandwidth people buy, the more they want.
benton.org/node/28184 | TelephonyOnline
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STATES MUST SHARE INTERNET BANDWIDTH WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Dan Lohrman]
[Commentary] From deploying VoIP to offering online training or other cloud-based solutions, Internet and intranet use is exploding. Despite a steady drop in prices, public CIOs can't keep up with the growing demand from customers and their new, bandwidth-hungry applications. What's to be done with shrinking technology budgets? For decades we've known that bundling bandwidth can save dollars. This means that new opportunities to partner, by sharing networks between state and local governments, have never been more financially or technologically compelling. Our greatest challenge is governance. Local government CIOs may be thinking: Why do I want to share my network with the state? This connectivity isn't free. What's in it for me? I don't trust the state (or the feds, for that matter). What about security, service-level agreements (SLAs), demarcation points, staffing or a host of other issues? These discussions must be addressed in memorandums of understanding between governments.
benton.org/node/28183 | Government Technology
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BROADBAND MAY HELP CITIES COMPETE IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Blake Harris]
President Barack Obama has repeatedly spoken about the need to fix education and deploy world-class broadband more widely to make America more globally competitive. That's the bottom line that ultimately will determine the fiscal and social health of the nation's communities as they move forward -- effectively competing on the world stage to the extent that most Americans can share in an abundance of generated wealth. So while most cities vie for a share of stimulus package money and in the meantime hope that recovery won't be too prolonged, even economists are uncertain -- if not skeptical -- about how effective the stimulus will prove to be. For years, the phrase "reinventing government" captured the challenge of harnessing IT to transform government processes. This ongoing process has been one of the success stories of the last 20 years. The question is: Does the nation need the same kind of overall approach to "reinvent our communities" for the 21st century?
benton.org/node/28182 | Government Technology
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NEWS FROM THE HILL

LAWMAKERS WEIGH NEXT MOVE ON PUBLIC-SAFETY SPECTRUM
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: John Poirier]
Eight years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks exposed an urgent need for an interoperable nationwide communications network for police, fire and rescue squads, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are headed back to the drawing board. Their objective is a wireless broadband system that would enable first responders to communicate across jurisdictions and facilitate swift downloads of video and other critical information during emergencies. House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said at a hearing Thursday that a block of airwaves designated for public safety use would benefit from a public-private partnership. The so-called D-block airwaves were leftover from a massive spectrum auction last year. The lack of interest from bidders was attributed by some industry experts to uncertainty over how to value a network shared between commercial and public safety use. The FCC has no obligation to re-auction the spectrum and it could be auctioned for commercial use only, or dedicated to public use. Some wireless carriers like T-Mobile are seeking more spectrum, as demands on their networks from mobile phone usage increases. In a letter to committee members, T-Mobile said Congress should strongly consider legislation to allow the FCC to auction a portion of the D-block spectrum for commercial use and funnel the proceeds to construction and maintenance of a public safety broadband network. Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., outlined four main approaches: 1) Give the D-block to the public safety community, which would combine it with spectrum already under its control. 2) Hold another auction of the D-block, but only for commercial purposes, and use the proceeds to help finance construction of an interoperable network utilizing frequencies operated by public safety groups. 3) Auction the D-block to a commercial carrier that would enter in a public-private partnership to create a new safety network. 4) Combine the 10 megahertz in the D-block with the 10 MHz controlled by the public-safety community, and auction off the entire amount for use under a public-private partnership. Chairman Boucher said he is not convinced any of them would raise the estimated $10 billion to $40 billion needed to build the state-of-the-art network. "At the end of the day we're going to have to find some sort of general fund revenues to finance this," he suggested.
benton.org/node/28181 | Reuters | CongressDaily | House Commerce Committee
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REP MATSUI UNVEILS BROADBAND ASSISTANCE BILL
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA) has introduced a bill that would expand the Universal Service Fund's lifeline assistance program for broadband adoption. The bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to establish a broadband program that provides low-income Americans living in rural and urban areas with assistance in subscribing to affordable broadband Internet service. Rep Matsui said her measure would help "fully close the digital divide." The bill would: 1) require the FCC, in calculating the amount of support, to routinely study the prevailing market price for service and the prevailing speed adopted by consumers of broadband service, 2) promote technology neutral competition from broadband service providers under the program, 3) direct the FCC to use the same eligibility criteria used under the Lifeline telephone service program for income eligible households to ensure Internet service is available and affordable for eligible low-income households. To be eligible for the program, a household must meet federal low-income guidelines or qualify for one of a handful of social service programs, including food stamps, school lunch, or Medicaid.
benton.org/node/28180 | CongressDaily | Rep Matsui
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NAA TO CONGRESS: GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS NOT APPROPRIATE
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher, AUTHOR: Jennifer Saba]
John Sturm, the president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America, testified in front of joint economic hearing economic hearing on "The Future of Newspapers." He said the group that the "industry is not seeking a financial 'bailout' or any other kind of special subsidy, something that would not be appropriate for an industry whose core mission is news gathering, analysis and dissemination." The industry does support: 1) Legislation that would expand the net operating loss provisions to five years instead of two years benefiting all businesses. 2) Changing current funding regulations that require businesses to use cash reserves to fund pension plans. 3) Allowing newspapers to operate as non-profit entities while continuing to generate advertising revenue. Rep Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), chair of the Joint Economic Committee, said Congress should focus on a mix of tax and regulatory remedies to help restore ailing newspapers suffering from declining advertising revenue and job cuts. "We're not talking about bailouts," said Chairman Maloney, "but we should always talk about the best ways to have a tax and regulatory environment that will help businesses thrive and create jobs."
benton.org/node/28179 | Editor&Publisher | Reuters | MediaPost
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SENATE JUDICIARY PASSES SATELLITE TV MODERNIZATION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Via voice vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Satellite TV Modernization Act (S. 1670) with the additional provision instructing the Copyright Office to produce a study on phasing out the compulsory copyright license for satellite distant network TV stations signals. The bill, like the version that passed the House Judiciary Committee, would allow for the importation of distant signals into so-called short markets that lack one of the network affiliates or a sufficiently strong signal from a nearby affiliate. It also makes technical corrections to reflect the advent of digital TV. But left for another day was the issue of allowing satellite operators to deliver the games of local sports teams to viewers in so-called orphan markets, wherein viewers from Wisconsin, for example, receive Minnesota TV stations because the market crosses state lines.
benton.org/node/28178 | Broadcasting&Cable
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BROADCASTING DIVERSITY, LOCALISM, OWNERSHIP

HONIG SENDS LETTER TO GENACHOWSKI IN SUPPORT OF LLOYD
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Minority Media & Telecommunications Counsel President David Honig, a member of the Federal Communications Commission's diversity advisory committee, sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Thursday in support of Mark Lloyd, the FCC's chief diversity officer, a position Honig encouraged the FCC to create. Lloyd has come under fire from conservative radio and TV commentators and some Republican legislators over past writings and positions on conservative talk radio. Speaking only for himself, Honig said that he also disagrees with some of Lloyd's writings, but that should not disqualify Lloyd from holding a post he is well qualified for.
benton.org/node/28177 | Broadcasting&Cable
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MCDOWELL STILL CONCERNED ABOUT FAIRNESS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton ]
Speaking to the National Religious Broadcasters, Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell said he will continue to speak out about his concerns that the Fairness Doctrine could return in another guise. He's concerned that "a series of new broadcast regulations, operating in tandem, could achieve the old Doctrine's 'viewpoint balancing' objective through a different route." "If, for instance, the Commission were to require stations to fill out content-prescriptive disclosure forms that hinted at the government's programming preference, then coupled that action with shorter license terms and mandated community advisory boards empowered to shape programming decisions, wouldn't we be back to where we were before 1987?" Commissioner McDowell also suggested that the FCC should not wait while the courts sort out challenges to its indecency enforcement policies, a process that could take a couple of years. "Whether you are a broadcaster or complaining consumer, I hope that you agree that acting on indecency cases is something we are paid by the American taxpayers to do. It is our job, and we should do it." He said Congress' passage in 2006 of a bill to boost indecency fines ten-fold was a clear sign from the people's directly elected representatives that the FCC should "make some tough decisions."
benton.org/node/28176 | Broadcasting&Cable | B&C -- Indecency | Commissioner McDowell
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MCDOWELL SAYS FCC HAS NOT FORGOTTEN BROADCASTING, DIVERSITY
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell]
Speaking to the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell outlined a number of efforts the FCC is making in the broadcast arena including diversity initiatives. One rule bars broadcasters from accepting advertising that comes to them as part of a "no urban/no Spanish" media-buying campaign. Several measures are designed to help "eligible entities" enter and succeed in broadcasting, such as easing rules to encourage greater investment in such licensees. Commissioner McDowell also expressed interest in working with Congress to explore the details of a new tax certificate program to promote broadcast ownership by economically disadvantaged businesses.
benton.org/node/28175 | Federal Communications Commission
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM

MICROSOFT STUDY SAYS WHITE SPACES WORTH OVER $100 BILLION
[SOURCE: MarketWatch, AUTHOR: John Letzing]
A study commissioned by Microsoft Corp. estimates that the unlicensed "white spaces" spectrum coveted by the software giant and other technology companies could be worth more than $100 billion over the next 15 years. The study, by consultant Richard Thanki of Perspective Associates, suggests that by augmenting current unlicensed wireless networks, such as Wi-Fi hot spots, the white spaces could generate between $3.9 billion and $7.3 billion in value annually over 15 years. That would be the result of increased use of consumer electronics and other factors, according to the study. In his study, Thanki writes that white spaces spectrum offers a broader range than a typical Wi-Fi connection. A single Wi-Fi access point enhanced by the white spaces could "fully cover a large building and the neighboring grounds and areas," he writes. In addition, use of the white spaces could lower the cost of providing Internet access in rural areas, Thanki writes.
benton.org/node/28167 | MarketWatch
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AT&T, CENTENNIAL SAID MERGER DELAY WOULD BE 'BURDEN'
[SOURCE: Bloomberg, AUTHOR: Todd Shields]
AT&T and Centennial Communications executives told the Federal Communications Commission that further delay in their proposed merger "will impose a severe burden on Centennial." The executives met with the FCC staff on Sept. 21, AT&T said in the filing posted on the agency's Web site. The companies have been awaiting approval from the Department of Justice and the FCC since proposing the $945 million merger in November 2008. AT&T has already divested some assets to allay antitrust concerns over the deal, which originally was to close in the second quarter of 2009. It's the first major telecommunications merger to come before the Obama administration, Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Christopher King said. The transaction would add 1.1 million wireless customers and enhance AT&T's coverage in the Midwest, Southeast and Puerto Rico, AT&T said when the companies proposed the deal. Imposition of any conditions on the merger "is unwarranted," the executives told FCC staff, according to the disclosure filing. Competition in wireless services "will remain robust" in Puerto Rico, and competition in wired service "will be unaffected" by the merger, the executives said.
benton.org/node/28166 | Bloomberg
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TRIBUNE

BONDHOLDERS TO SEE TRIBUNE DOCUMENTS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Rita Farrell]
Some bondholders of Tribune Company are being granted access to legal documents to investigate the debt-laden sale of the media company in 2007 to the real estate investor Sam Zell. Tribune and a committee of unsecured creditors, some of whom were the architects of the buyout, agreed late on Wednesday to provide the requested documents to the bondholders. Tribune creditors blame the leveraged buyout for driving the Tribune into bankruptcy a year after the sale. The Law Debenture Trust Company, which says it represents 18 percent of Tribune bondholders, will now have immediate access to previously denied documents and e-mail messages related to the sale, according to the Trust's lead lawyer, David S. Rosner. On Thursday, a bankruptcy court cancelled a hearing on tribune.
benton.org/node/28174 | New York Times | Reuters
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TRIBUNE GETS OK FOR CUBS SALE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: ]
Federal Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey cleared the way Thursday for the Tribune Co. to sell the Chicago Cubs and the storied Wrigley Field to the family of billionaire and longtime fan Joe Ricketts. He authorized Tribune to sell the family a 95 percent stake in the team, the stadium and related sports properties for $845 million. The deal also needs approval from three-quarters of Major League Baseball's 30 team owners. The owners have not scheduled a vote on the Cubs sale, although one could come as soon as their meeting in November. The Tribune plan calls for a separate bankruptcy filing by Chicago National League Ball Club, an affiliate not involved in Tribune's current Chapter 11 case. The Cubs bankruptcy proceedings should last only a few days but is needed to ensure that sale is free of all liens and claims and that existing contracts can be transferred to the new owner. Chicago-based Tribune, which owns the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, other newspapers and TV properties, bought the Cubs in 1981 from candy maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. for $20.5 million.
benton.org/node/28173 | Associated Press
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ED TECH

TRAINING IS KEY TO SCHOOLS' DIGITAL MEDIA USE
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Maya Prabhu]
Educators need to embrace Web 2.0 technologies in schools, but they should be given adequate professional development to ensure they learn the proper ways to engage their students through digital media, said experts at a Sept. 21 Capitol Hill briefing. That was the general consensus of the panel members, which included representatives from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), Common Sense Media, the National Writing Project, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, as well as school teachers, administrators, and students. Julia Stasch, vice president of U.S. programs for the MacArthur Foundation -- which is in the middle of a five-year, $50 million effort to study the impact of digital media on youth culture and learning--said learning is becoming increasingly participatory. "Digital media are not only changing how young people are accessing and sharing new knowledge, they are extending the classroom to more informal and unconventional spaces, such as libraries, museums, and even online communities," she said. "Our support for the field of digital media and learning is designed to help these institutions take advantage of the learning opportunities presented by digital media and to help build an infrastructure for successful teaching and learning in the 21st century."
benton.org/node/28172 | eSchool News
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E-RATE WANTS TO BE USER FRIENDLY
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Laura Devaney]
When the filing window opens later this fall, applicants will find no major changes to next year's e-Rate, the $2.25 billion-a-year federal program that provides discounts on telecommunications services to eligible schools and libraries. What they will find instead is a program that is more dedicated to helping e-Rate newcomers -- as many as half of all applicants are in their first year of experience with the program -- understand how to apply for their share of funding assistance quickly and efficiently. Mel Blackwell, vice president of the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the agency that administers the e-Rate, said USAC will focus on helping applicants understand the e-Rate process and what is required of them and will spotlight ways in which coordinators can succeed with their e-Rate applications. "We realized that some people spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get through the process," he said. "So many people are new to the process--anywhere from 35 to 50 percent [each year]--and have it as a new assignment."
benton.org/node/28171 | eSchool News
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JOURNALISM

HELLMAN NONPROFIT TO BOOST LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: James Temple]
San Francisco financier Warren Hellman will invest $5 million to develop a nonprofit journalism venture that will provide regional news coverage online and feed stories to media partners including public radio and TV outlet KQED and possibly the New York Times. The goal of the organization, which is expected to begin next year and create "more than dozens" of positions, is to ensure thorough coverage of local politics, social issues, education and other topics as the traditional media industry shrivels. "We've lost a lot," claimed Hellman, who specifically bemoaned dwindling reporting on subjects like the San Francisco Ballet, local business openings and vetting of political candidates. "We're going to be meeting an unmet need." But depending on its ultimate scale and success, some believe it could also threaten the remaining local news industry. That may be especially true if it establishes a partnership with the New York Times, which, like the Wall Street Journal, already announced plans to start a Bay Area edition to capitalize on declining regional news coverage.
benton.org/node/28196 | San Francisco Chronicle
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BLOGGERS FOCUS ON OBAMA AND RACE
[SOURCE: Project for Excellence in Journalism, AUTHOR: Mark Jurkowitz]
From public protests to race to health care, domestic issues dominated the commentary from bloggers last week. Combined, the three topics made up almost half (46%) of the links the week of September 14-18, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. It was not a discussion of the issues themselves, however, but a debate about the motives and extent of the President's opposition that drove the conversation online. That debate was triggered by a remark about race and politics, a large protest in Washington DC and a censure of a Congressman who heckled Obama. The events and ensuing commentary rolled out sequentially during the course of the week.
benton.org/node/28170 | Project for Excellence in Journalism
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TELEVISION/RADIO

COALITION CALLS ON FCC TO CRACK DOWN ON PRODUCT PLACEMENT
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
A coalition of 50 groups including Consumers Union and the American Academy of Pediatrics has called on the Federal Communications Commission to crack down on product placement. The groups said the FCC needs to act on its notice of inquiry into how its sponsorship identification rules apply, and should apply, to embedded advertising. The FCC has not taken any action and the reply comment period on the proceeding closed last November. The coalition argues that current broadcast sponsorship ID are ineffective. The groups point out that the Federal Trade Commission supports disclosure in online embedded advertising practices, and that the FCC should exercise its authority to amend or extend the rules to protect both kids and adults from what they called "stealth and misleading commercial propaganda."
benton.org/node/28163 | Broadcasting&Cable
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CABLEVISION SEEKS TO ENCRYPT BROADCAST BASIC CHANNELS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Todd Spangler]
Cablevision Systems has filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission seeking an exemption to the agency's rules prohibiting the encryption of basic broadcast channels, arguing that scrambling the full digital TV lineup would cut costs and deter signal theft. According to the operator's filing, last year it performed more than 1 million truck rolls associated with physically activating or deactivating service using drops, steps it must take to prevent against unauthorized distribution because the programming is available "in the clear." "Encryption of broadcast basic would allow Cablevision to keep its plant 'hot,' to perform connections and disconnections remotely, and thereby eliminate many truck rolls and service appointments for new and discontinuing customers," Cablevision said. Cablevision asked for a waiver covering its New York City franchise areas.
benton.org/node/28195 | Multichannel News
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