November 1998

Communications-related Headlines for 11/12/98

INTERNET
Talking on the Net (WP)
Review of the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (NTIA)
Bank One Makes Web Deal (ChicagoTrib)
Rights Group Develops 'Hate' Filter (CyberTimes)

ARTS
High-Tech Companies Slow To Support
High-Tech Art (CyberTimes)

REGULATION
Speech: Mergers, Consumers, and the FCC (FCC)
Speech: Chairman Kennard Before the National Association
of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (FCC)

RADIO
NPR Names New President (WP)
New Chief for National Public Radio Network (NYT)

TECHNOLOGY
A Technology to Make Passwords a Thing of the Past (WSJ)

ANTITRUST
Gates Stays on Attack at Meeting (WP)
Microsoft's Gates Says Company's Witness Will Refute Charges (WSJ)
Gates Says Rivals Propel U.S. Lawsuit (NYT)
========
INTERNET
========

TALKING ON THE NET
Issue: Internet telephony (Editorial)
Making long distance phone calls has become an increasingly popular use of
the Internet. New companies are enabling people to make Internet calls from
their ordinary telephones. These Internet telephony companies transmit voice
through the Internet, as if it were data, for a cost much lower than regular
long distance rates. Not surprisingly, other telecommunications carriers are
putting pressure on the FCC to force Internet telephony services to pay the
same access fees as other carriers. Net providers have argued that the
Internet needs freedom from regulation in order to grow. While the authors
agree with this premiss, they also recognize that if Internet telephony
begins to present real competition to long-distance carriers, "the effects
on the worldwide network may be too dramatic to ignore indefinitely."
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A20), AUTHOR:Washington Post Editorial Staff]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/12/064l-111298-idx.html

REVIEW OF THE INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS
Issue: Internet Regulation
November 6, NTIA received a letter and a copy of revised ICANN by-laws from
ICANN Interim Chairman, Esther Dyson. The documents were delivered as a
response to NTIA's October 20 letter to the Executive Director of the
Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Dr. Herb
Schorr, that requested that ICANN address a number of specific concerns
about the substantive and operational aspects of the corporation. Becky
Burr, Associate Administrator of NTIA for International Affairs, said, "We
are currently reviewing the ICANN submission. We are pleased that ICANN is
taking steps to solicit broader input from the Internet community on these
very important issues and that ICANN has indicated their consultations will
continue. We look forward to the results of the ongoing on-line discussions
and the results of the ICANN open meeting in Boston scheduled for November 14."
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/icann111098.htm

BANK ONE MAKES WEB DEAL
Issue: Electronic Commerce
More than 5 million households use home banking -- approximately 1.5 million
of them use the Internet. Only about half of the nation's 100 largest banks
offer Internet banking. If they do offer it, they have relied on their own
customers and targeted mailings to build their online numbers. Yesterday,
however, Chicago's Bank One Corp announced it will pay up to $125 million to
advertise its online services on the Excite search engine site. Online
banking is expected to boom as consumers' fears about security are addressed.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.1), AUTHOR: Melissa Ward]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,ART-18474,00.html

RIGHTS GROUP DEVELOPS 'HATE' FILTER
Issue: Internet Content
The Anti-Defamation League will sell to the public an Internet filter that
blocks access to several hundred Web sites that it has determined advocate
bigotry. Mendels reports, The ADL filter bans sites that preach
anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia and other forms of bigotry. Among the
off-limits Web pages are Klu Klux Klan sites; the anti-gay Westboro Baptist
Church's "God Hates Fags" site and the white supremacist Aryan Nations site.
Karen G. Schneider, a librarian who has written a book about filters, said
she believed the ADL effort was misguided: "I find it disturbing that the
Anti-Defamation League thinks that the way to prevent anti-Semitism is to
hide it from the people who care about anti-Semitism....There's nothing to
make a bad idea look silly like putting it out in the cold, hard light of
day." For more info: Anti-Defamation League HateFilter
http://www.adl.org/hate-patrol/info/default.htm.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Pamela Mendels
mendels( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/12filter.html

====
ARTS
====

High-Tech Companies Slow To Support High-Tech Art
Issue: Arts/Philanthropy
Intel has committed $6 million to sponsor "The American Century: Art and
Culture 1900-2000," a show scheduled to open at the Whitney in April and
move to San Francisco in 2000. The company will donate another $2 million to
$4 million for "digital extensions" to the show, including an
education-oriented Web site. The computer industry has been slow to support
the new-media arts initiatives that its own technology has enabled. "Most
people who work in the industry here are not particularly interested in
art," said a Silicon Valley museum official. "They're interested in
technology, and they love the idea that there's a museum where you can go
see the latest technology -- and have fun. But in terms of the sociocultural
context of technology, that's just not what turns them on." Peter Hero,
president of Community Foundation Silicon Valley, said This area thinks of
itself as being a meritocracy, and education is the key to that. Where the
arts can wiggle in under that tent, they'll get money, but art for art's
sake is seen as a lower priority." Mr. Hero also said that many of the
companies in the area don't feel the community obligation yet: they are
young, staffed by people from outside the region and they don't yet realize
the power of a strong cultural base for attracting and retaining workers.
For more, see these websites: the Whitney http://www.whitney.org/, SF
Museum of Modern Art http://www.sfmoma.org/, Tech Museum of Innovation
http://www.thetech.org/, San Jose Museum of Art
http://www.sjmusart.org/, Community Foundation Silicon Valley
http://www.cfsv.org/, and Open Studio: The Arts Online
http://www.openstudio.org/.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Matthew Mirapaul
mirapaul( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/artsatlarge/12artsatlarg...

==========
REGULATION
==========

Speech: Mergers, Consumers, and the FCC
Issue: Mergers
Remarks of Commissioner Gloria Tristani before the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). "As you know, the FCC has been
asked to approve three mergers -- Bell Atlantic-GTE, SBC-Ameritech, and
AT&T-TCI. "While the confluence of these mergers is undoubtedly causing the
FCC's merger experts to work around the clock, I welcome the opportunity
presented by these mergers. I think it's useful to have a few mergers
pending at the same time to see how the telecom world might look if all were
granted or all were denied. In my view, the two LEC mergers in particular
bring us to a crossroads in the development of the telecommunications
market. Twenty or thirty years from now, the right answer to these merger
questions may be patently obvious. But in the whirlwind that is today's
telecommunications market, we are asked to predict whether these
transactions will enhance or diminish consumer welfare. That's a very tall
order."
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Tristani/spgt813.html

Speech: Chairman Kennard Before the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners
Issue: Regulation
FCC Chairman reflects on his first year and his relationship with NARUC.
Topic headers include: Common Ground, Disciples for Competition, The
Internet, Need for Universal Service, Conquering the Digital Divide, and
Consumer Protection.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Kennard/spwek833.html

=====
RADIO
=====

NPR NAMES NEW PRESIDENT (WP)
NEW CHIEF FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO NETWORK (NYT)
Issue: Policy Makers
National Public Radio named Kevin Klose as president and CEO Wednesday
replacing Delano Lewis who resigned in August after four years at the
broadcast service. Klose presently heads the U.S. International
Broadcasting Bureau and for five years was president of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty. Klose was a reporter and editor at The Washington
Post for more than 20 years. At his introduction Klose admitted, "I've
never done private fund-raising," but he does have experience with broadcast
services facing budgetary constraints and with courting lawmakers.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (C1), AUTHOR: Frank Ahrens]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-11/12/018r-111298-idx.html
[SOURCE: New York Times (A25), AUTHOR: Felicity Barringer]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/national/npr-radio-ceo.html

========
INFOTECH
========

A TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE PASSWORDS A THING OF THE PAST
Issue: InfoTech
The market for computer fingerprinting is ready to explode, say analysts.
One of the leaders, Identicator Technology Inc. has produced the Direct
Fingerprint Reader, which observers call the first to hit the market with
technology at a size and price geared to mass-market sales. The keyboard
includes a matchbox-sized fingerprint reader that allows a computer network
to compare a fingerprint with thousands of others in its database in under a
second. Other companies, including Compaq Computer and Unisys, are
licensing the technology and integrating it into their own systems.
Fingerprint identification is being touted as a replacement for passwords in
computers and may become the main method for verifying identities in ATM
transactions, retail credit, even obtaining driver's licenses.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B4), AUTHOR: Jim Carlton]
http://www.wsj.com/

=========
ANTITRUST
=========

GATES STAYS ON ATTACK AT MEETING (WP)
MICROSOFT'S GATES SAYS COMPANY'S WITNESS WILL REFUTE CHARGES (WSJ)
GATES SAYS RIVALS PROPEL U.S. LAWSUIT (NYT)
Issue: Antitrust
With the Microsoft antitrust trial not in session Wednesday due to the
holiday, Chairman Bill Gates, talking to Microsoft Corp. stockholders at
their annual meeting, complained the government's case against his company
was based on "outrageous" and "untrue" claims. He said Microsoft's own
witnesses will refute the charges against the company. He said government
lawyers had used "snippets" of e-mail to create a false impression. He said
a Court of Appeals ruling last summer which permitted integrating its
Internet browser into the Windows operating system left the government
"without much of a case." He wondered aloud whether the case was being
brought on behalf of consumers or a handful of competitors.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (F1), AUTHOR: Elizabeth Corcoran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B5), AUTHOR: WSJ Staff Reporter]
http://www.wsj.com/
[SOURCE: New York Times (C6), AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/12soft.html

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Communications-related Headlines for 11/10/98

TELEPHONY
National Cellular Plans With Flat Rates Stir Up Industry (WSJ)
Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (NTIA)

PRIVACY
High Court to Address Whether Taking Media on Raids Violates Rights
(WP)

TELEVISION
Vital Signs: TV Teen-Ager: High Alcohol Content (NYT)

E-COMMERCE
Online Stock Exchange Planned

ANTITRUST
Gates Made Blunt Threat to Intel, Executive Testifies (WP)
An Intel Executive Testifies of a 'Credible and Fairly Terrifying'
Threat by
Microsoft (NYT)
A Microsoft Rebuttal but Nothing to Rebut (NYT)
Microsoft Threatened to Withhold Help On New Chip, Intel Executive
Testifies (WSJ)

===========
TELEPHONY
===========

NATIONAL CELLULAR PLANS WITH FLAT RATES STIR UP INDUSTRY
Issue: Wireless/Competition
Flat rates from nationwide cellular providers AT&T and Sprint seem to be
hurting regional wireless providers like the Baby Bells. As recently as
three years ago, many markets had but two providers living happily in a
duopoly. Now some markets have as many as six providers competing with low
prices and a variety of calling plans. The Baby Bells are likely to compete
by targeting in-region customers who don't often travel outside their home
calling area. AT&T's one-rate calling plan which includes a certain number
of minutes per month is "counting on customers who are on the cusp of
migrating from landline to wireless for their long distance," said an
industry analyst.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B10), AUTHOR: Nicole Harris]
http://wsj.com/

Public Telecommunications Facilities Program
Issue: Public Broadcasting
The formal announcement of the 1999 grant cycle for the Public
Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) was printed in the Federal
Register on November 6. Applicants for matching grants under the PTFP must
file their applications on or before January 14, 1999. NTIA anticipates
making grant awards by September 30, 1999. Approximately $21 million is
available for FY 1999 for PTFP grants pursuant to P.L. 105-277, the
Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999. The
amount of a grant award by NTIA will vary, depending on the approved
project. For fiscal year 1998, NTIA awarded $19.8 million in funds to 115
projects. The awards ranged from $3,000 to $978,033.
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ptfp/ See "What's New"

========
PRIVACY
========

HIGH COURT TO ADDRESS WHETHER TAKING MEDIA ON RAIDS VIOLATES RIGHTS
Issue: Privacy
The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear two cases brought against law
enforcement groups for incidents involving "media ride-alongs." The court's
role will be to resolve the conflicting decisions rendered by federal
appeals courts in similar cases. Both cases will be argued before the court
early next year. In one case a Rockville, MD couple say police violated
their constitutional protection from unreasonable searches and seizures by
bringing a newspaper reporter and photographer into their home in April
1992. An appeals court ruled against the couple. In the other case an
appeals court ruled in favor of a Montana couple who complained that U.S.
Fish and Wildlife officials had brought CNN newspeople with them onto their
property in March 1993.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A10), AUTHOR: Amy Argetsinger]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/10/055l-111098-idx.html

===========
TELEVISION
===========

VITAL SIGNS: TV TEEN-AGER: HIGH ALCOHOL CONTENT
Issue: Television
TV teen-agers are more likely to be seen with an alcoholic beverage than any
other kind of food or drink, according to two recent studies of television
and drinking. A study published in the October issue of The Journal of
Studies on Alcohol reported that alcohol appeared in nearly half of the
prime time network programs studied over a two week period. The study did
find, however, that teen-agers who drank were not portrayed in a positive
light. In another study, conducted by Stanford University, researchers found
that teens who increased their television viewing were more likely to start
drinking.
[SOURCE: New York Times (D9), AUTHOR: John O'Neil]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/111098sci-health-strollerci
ze.html

============
E-COMMERCE
============

ONLINE STOCK EXCHANGE PLANNED
Issue: Internet
E-Trade Group Inc. and Compaq Computer Corp. are planning the first online
stock exchange, primarily for trading shares of small corporations seeking
capital. The goal is to be operating in early January, assuming they get
approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Meanwhile Andrew
Klein of Wit Capital Corp. has been working for two years to organize an
online exchange. He expects his to be up and operating early next year.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (C1), AUTHOR: Ianthe Jeanne Dugan]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/washtech/webtrade.html

==========
ANTITRUST
==========

GATES MADE BLUNT THREAT TO INTEL, EXECUTIVE TESTIFIES (WP)
AN INTEL EXECUTIVE TESTIFIES OF A 'CREDIBLE AND FAIRLY TERRIFYING' THREAT BY
MICROSOFT (NYT)
A MICROSOFT REBUTTAL BUT NOTHING TO REBUT (NYT)
MICROSOFT THREATENED TO WITHHOLD HELP ON NEW CHIP, INTEL EXECUTIVE TESTIFIES
(WSJ)
Issue: Antitrust
"Bill made it very clear that Microsoft would not support our next processor
if we did not get alignment on the issues," said Steven McGeady, an Intel
Corp. vice president, on the stand Monday of the government's antitrust
trial against Microsoft Corp. McGeady said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates
made a "credible and fairly terrifying" threat against his company because
Microsoft felt Intel was developing computer software that would compete
with their products. According to McGeady, at an August 1995 meeting Gates
told him and other Intel executives that Microsoft would not support a new
line of Intel microprocessors (with MMX) if Intel did not stop working on
certain software projects. Intel later abandoned work on software called
Native Signal Processing in response to Microsoft complaints. In videotaped
testimony shown in court Gates denied threatening Intel and said he had
urged Intel to abandon certain projects because of "incompatibilities with
Windows" and because "the quality of some of their work was very low."
After the court session, a Microsoft spokesman said McGeady had "distorted
the facts." Earlier in the day an Apple executive, e-mail messages and
memos were used to support the government's contention that Microsoft had
threatened to stop producing its Office suite of business software for
Apple's Macintosh computers unless Apple adopted Microsoft's Internet
Explorer as the default browser on its computers. Apple did make the
Microsoft product its default browser in August 1997.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A1), AUTHOR: Rajiv Chandrasekaran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm
[SOURCE: New York Times (C2), AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/10soft.html
[SOURCE: New York Times (C2), AUTHOR: Joel Brinkley]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/10demo.html
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: John Wilke]
http://wsj.com/

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Sorry, there is no Chicago Tribune coverage today. In observance of Veterans
Day, there will be no Communications-related Headlines service tomorrow
November 11.

Communications-related Headlines for 11/9/98

TELEVISION
Gore Commission Plan To Hit Industry Resistance (B&C)
FCC Report to Detail Kids TV Efforts (B&C)
Broadcom Set to Unveil TV-Internet Chip (WSJ)

INTERNET
Netscape to Offer Software to Bill By Way of Web (WSJ)
Netscape Unveils Internet Bill-Paying Product (WP)
Web White & Blue (WP)
Web Forums: Where Global Villagers Gather to Talk (WP)
NewsEdge, an Electronic News Provider, Is Expected to Unveil an
Internet Version (WSJ)

EMPLOYMENT
FCC To Try Again At EEO Rules (B&C)
Lockout! (B&C)

TELEPHONY
Czech Company Hooks Mobile Phones to Internet, Causing Trouble
(CyberTimes)

===========
TELEVISION
===========

GORE COMMISSION PLAN TO HIT INDUSTRY RESISTANCE
Issue: DTV/Public Interest
Broadcasters are expected to oppose the 'must carry' recommendations that
are part of the Advisory Committee on the Public Interest Obligations of
Digital Broadcasters', known as the Gore Commission, draft report. Both
broadcasters and cable industry representatives will likely object to the
suggestion that broadcasters must meet minimum public interest standards in
order to receive mandatory cable carriage of their digital signals during
the transition from analog. "Given the controversial nature of must carry,
and as a matter of fundamental fairness, we question how the Committee can
make any recommendations with respect to must carry," wrote National Cable
Television Association President Decker Anstrom in a letter to commission
members. Public interest advocates, on the other hand, are disappointed with
the lack of a required free airtime for political candidates in Committee's
draft recommendations. "This draft report provides little sense that
broadcasting is anything but a business, and [leaves the impression] that
broadcasters should be exempt from contributing their fair share to the
public good," said the Center for Media Education and the Civil Rights Forum
in a joint statement.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting and Cable (p14), AUTHOR: Paige Albiniak]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

FCC REPORT TO DETAIL KIDS TV EFFORTS
Issue: Children's Television
A report detailing broadcaster's compliance with new rules requiring three
hours of educational programming a week will soon be released by the FCC.
Parents and children's TV advocates will also have an opportunity to comment
on the broadcasters' performance when the FCC seeks comments from the
public. The FCC has already sent letters to criticizing CBS and NBC for
their failure to adequately promote educational programs. Despite
admonishing NBC for a high rate of preemption of children's programs, the
FCC has given the networks continued permission to preempt Saturday morning
shows for sporting events.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting and Cable (p24), AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

BROADCOM SET TO UNVEIL TV-INTERNET CHIP
Issue: Interactive TV
Promising the capability of having multiple scenes from various channels on
a television screen, Broadcom Corporation is designing advanced chips that
may give a big boost to interactive TV. WebTV and a few other systems
already show Internet material on televisions. Broadcom's new chip will
allow a mixture of television channels, Internet signals, VCR video and DVD
movies to be intermingled on the screen in a look similar to Microsoft
"Windows." The signals can be sized and arranged as the user wants. Cable
companies and other technology companies are becoming more focussed on
interactive TV and are planning a new generation of cable boxes for
mid-1999. Broadcom will hurry production to have its chips included in
those boxes.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B3), AUTHOR: Frederick Rose]
http://www.wsj.com/

=========
INTERNET
=========

NETSCAPE TO OFFER SOFTWARE TO BILL BY WAY OF WEB (WSJ)
NETSCAPE UNVEILS INTERNET BILL-PAYING PRODUCT (WP)
Issue: Electronic Commerce
Customer billing via the Internet takes another step today with Netscape
Communications' announcement that it will produce software called
"BillerXpert" for large companies' use. Netscape's entry into e-commerce is
complementary to Microsoft and some other companies that aim at running
management services for electronic billing. Netscape will be up against
some smaller firms who already have produced similar software packages. A
goal of such products is to make it easier to set up Web sites that contain
customer-account information and include convenient payment mechanisms.
Available early in 1999, the Netscape software package will cost companies
$250,000 but will serve tens of thousands of customers.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B13), AUTHOR: Kara Swisher]
http://www.wsj.com/
[SOURCE: Washington Post Online, AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/washtech/wtech002.htm

WEB WHITE & BLUE
Issue: Politics/Internet
[Editorial] "Every campaign season, cyber-enthusiasts predict that this
will be the election that unlocks the political potential of the Internet.
This year, as in 1996 and 1994, e-mail and Web sites could in fact be seen
making progress:.

Communications-related Headlines for 11/6/98

TELEVISION
Panel On TV Standards Shuns New Regulations (ChiTrib)
The TV Column (WP)

INTERNET
FCC Delays Data Traffic Fees Ruling (WP)
Web Goof Leaks Data, Moves Stocks (WP)
Oops. In Cyberspace, News Often Jumps the Gun (WSJ)
Web Video: Try Tuning In, Get Dropped Out (CyberTimes)
Former Wrestler's Campaign Got a Boost From the Internet (Cy

TELEPHONE
Sprint Ups The Ante In The Long-Distance War (WSJ)
Sprint Offers Monthly Plan for Unlimited Long-Distance Calls (NYT)
AT&T's Chief Expects Wireless 'World Phone' Within Next Two Years
(CyberTimes)

TECHNOLOGY
PC Titans Bent on Funky Tut for Networks (WSJ)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Administration Seeks Input on Privacy Policy (CyberTimes)
West Group Loses Copyright Challenge (WP)

FILM
At the Movies: Encouragement for Black Films (NYT)

ANTITRUST
Microsoft Lawyer Draws Judge's Ire (WP)
Judge in Microsoft Case Tries to Cut Through Jargon (NYT)
Microsoft Puts Focus on Usage Of Netscape (WSJ)

===========
TELEVISION
===========

PANEL ON TV STANDARDS SHUNS NEW REGULATIONS
Issue: Digital Television
Another article describing what the recommendations of the Gore Commission
*might* be. Jones reports that the Presidential Advisory Committee on Public
Interest Obligations of Digital Broadcasters will put forward "a series of
vague recommendations on broadcasters' obligations to the viewing public."
At this time, no one is very happy with a draft of the final report that
will be delivered to Vice President Gore in December. ``There's a group on
the left that is just going to jump up and down,'' said Norman Ornstein,
co-chairman of the President's committee and scholar at the Washington-based
American Enterprise Institute. "There are broadcasters that are going to go
ballistic about it, because they think it's way too tough." The Committee
will meet again Monday, November 9 to suggest changes to the draft and
receive public comment. [For more information see the Committee's official
website http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm or Benton PIAC
page http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/piac.html]
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 1, p.1), AUTHOR: Tim Jones]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,ART-18138,00.html

THE TV COLUMN
Issue: Television/Campaigns
According to a National Association of Broadcaster's survey, most voters
think that broadcasters spent just the right amount, or too much time in
covering the 1998 elections. Only 15 percent of the 1,008 voters surveyed
after Tuesday's elections said that broadcasters offered too little election
coverage. The NAB's survey also reported that 61 percent of voters oppose
mandated free time for candidates in addition to unlimited candidate
spending on campaign commercials.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (D7), AUTHOR: Lisa De Moraes]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/06/142l-110698-idx.html

=========
INTERNET
=========

FCC DELAYS DATA TRAFFIC FEES RULING
Issue: Internet/Telephony
On Thursday the FCC said it was delaying a decision on whether to treat
Internet connections as local or interstate calls. They previously had said
they would have a ruling by Friday, but now say they want to confer with
state regulators before ruling. Many states are calling the Internet
traffic "local" which would take it out of the FCC's jurisdiction. Millions
of dollars in fees between phone companies depend on which way the ruling
goes. Consumer groups are worried the result could mean paying per-minute
rates for Internet use.
[SOURCE: Washington Post Online, AUTHOR: Jeannine Aversa (Associated Press)]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19981105/V000294-110598-idx.html

WEB GOOF LEAKS DATA, MOVES STOCKS (WP)
OOPS. IN CYBERSPACE, NEWS OFTEN JUMPS THE GUN (WSJ)
Issue: Internet
"Someone inadvertently hit a wrong button and put it out for availability."
That was the Bureau of Labor Statistics' explanation of sensitive data being
posted on its Internet web site one day early. Stock traders instantly
began using the information, forcing a formal announcement of the statistics
later in the day. The Wall Street Journal article notes, "The mistake was
just the latest cautionary tale about the Internet's awesome power to
disperse information in the blink of an eye without any hope of calling it
back. By the time someone notices something is wrong, it's too late: The
Internet has already beamed the information everywhere."
[SOURCE: Washington Post (F1), AUTHOR: John M. Berry]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/washtech/wtech002.htm
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: Thomas E. Weber, Alejandro
Bodipo-Memba, & Andrea Petersen]
http://www.wsj.com/

WEB VIDEO: TRY TUNING IN, GET DROPPED OUT
Issue: InfoTech/Internet
With more and more people having access to the Internet, there is a greater
demand to view video on the Web. But the technology does not seem to be able
to handle yet evidenced by the Space Shuttle launch. "There's no way we
could handle the demand," said Monty Mullig, vice president for Internet
technology at CNN. Like many other sites that attempted to broadcast the
launch live over the Internet, CNN had difficulty serving video to everyone
who tried to access it. Unlike television and radio, access to Internet
material is limited to the number of audio or video data "streams" the
netcaster provides. It costs ~$0.50 per user to provide video over the Net.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Lisa Napoli napoli( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/06video.html

FORMER WRESTLER'S CAMPAIGN GOT A BOOST FROM THE INTERNET
Issue: Media & Politics
The upset victory by Jesse Ventura in the Minnesota governor's race may be
attributable to the Internet. From the beginning, the campaign embraced the
medium: "It's tailor-made for my campaign," Mr. Ventura said in an interview
in February. "It's reaching a huge amount of people at a very low price."
The director of the campaign's Web site, Phil Madsen, said, "The Internet
for us served as the nervous system for the campaign. The Web site was not
the difference; it was the mobilization." Raney reports, the Ventura race is
also being hailed by observers outside Minnesota as the first major
election in which the Internet made a difference. "We knocked off $15
million of combined opposition," said Mr. Madsen, who, besides his Webmaster
duties, is also founding chairman of the Minnesota Reform Party. "Our
campaign committee is savoring the notion of these Washington consultants
having got knocked off by a bunch of volunteers. God, we love that! It
proves that democracy can still work in America. It doesn't have to be about
money and it doesn't have to be about career politicians."
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Rebecca Fairley Raney
rfr( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/06campaign.html

===========
TELEPHONE
===========

SPRINT UPS THE ANTE IN THE LONG-DISTANCE WAR (WSJ)
SPRINT OFFERS MONTHLY PLAN FOR UNLIMITED LONG-DISTANCE CALLS (NYT)
Issue: Telephony
For the first time ever, consumers will have an option to not pay by the
minute for long-distance phone calls. Sprint has introduced a plan that will
give callers unlimited long-distance on the weekends for $25 a month.
Observers say that this move comes as a result of increasing competition in
the long-distance market. New companies-- with massive capacity -- are
entering the market and forcing down prices. Competition is expected to
intensify when the regional Bell companies finally are allowed to make their
entrance into long-distance. Some analysts predict that a price war could
transform long-distance from a luxury to something more like a utility. Flat
fees might some day replace the per-minute charges that we associate with
long-distance calling.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B6), AUTHOR: Rebecca Blumenstein]
http://www.wsj.com/
[SOURCE: New York Times (C20), AUTHOR:Seth Schiesel]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/06phone.html

AT&T'S CHIEF EXPECTS WIRELESS 'WORLD PHONE' WITHIN NEXT TWO YEARS
Issue: Technology
AT&T intends to introduce a cellular phone which will be able to operate
regardless of the technology of the system to which it is connecting.
Michael Armstrong, AT&T CEO, says the phone should be available within two
years and should be able to communicate with about six different digital and
analog systems in North America, Asia and Europe.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B9), AUTHOR: WSJ Staff Reporter]
http://www.wsj.com/

============
TECHNOLOGY
============

PC TITANS BENT ON FUNKY TUT FOR NETWORKS
Issue: Technology
Several major computer technology firms, including Compaq Computer Corp. and
Lucent Technologies Inc., are backing Tut Systems Inc. to bring changes to
home computer connectivity. Available just in time for Christmas from Tut
are one megabit per second modems using phone wires for connecting computers
in the home. Tut's technology is attractive because it is fast, cheap
(modems will be about $100), and offers simple connectivity for connecting
two or more computers with the same printer, high-speed Internet
connections, files or games. About 15 million U.S. homes already have more
than one computer.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: Scott Thurm]
http://www.wsj.com/

=======================
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
=======================

ADMINISTRATION SEEKS INPUT ON PRIVACY POLICY
Issue: Privacy
On Friday the Commerce Department will post the Government's policy on
privacy protection and request public comment. Aa European Union directive
on privacy took effect October 26 and the Administration may be ready to
back down from its controversial hands-off approach to protecting privacy in
the digital age. "This may signal a way for the Administration to back away
from its hard-line, self-regulatory position," said Joel Reidenberg, a law
professor at Fordham University in New York and an expert on United
States-European relations. "Because for two years now the Administration has
said, 'We'll let self-regulation run it's course.' It's said to the
marketplace, 'Show us you can do the job.' But every six months it has had
to extend the deadline. And now the government is faced with the problem
that the directive is now in effect and American industry has not yet
demonstrated effective self-regulation."
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Jeri Clausing jeri( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/06privacy.html

WEST GROUP LOSES COPYRIGHT CHALLENGE
Issue: Intellectual Property
West Group, the legal-publishing giant, is not entitled to key copyright
protection under a ruling Tuesday by a federal appeals panel. Competitors
had maintained that West held a monopoly on what should have been "public"
documents. The legal decision permits other companies to use the West Group
numbering system and to reproduce West's summaries of judicial opinions. An
attorney for the company noted that syllabuses and headnotes of West still
cannot be copied. Observers suggest the results may be much lower prices
for legal research and may produce a shakeup in the large legal publishing
business, including promoting growth of online publishers. West has
promised to appeal.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (D1), AUTHOR: David Segal]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/west1105.htm

=====
FILM
=====

AT THE MOVIES: ENCOURAGEMENT FOR BLACK FILMS
Issue: Film/Minorities
This week, minority directors and producers gathered in Dana Point, CA for
the second annual summit of the Black Filmmakers Foundation. Many of the
speakers shared their frustration over difficulties in obtaining financing
and attracting audiences, even within the black community. In addressing
financing issues, Robert Johnson, founder and chairman of the Black
Entertainment Television, said that complaining about the barriers was not
enough. "You wake up black in America, and that alone is a challenge," he
said. "But what are you going to do, go back to bed? For an entrepreneur, those
challenges are part of the standard operating procedure." Speaker Corrnel
West, professor of religion and African-American studies at Harvard
University, offered hope and encouragement to the gathering: "I think we're
at an historic turning point. There are tremendous expectations of all of
you," he added, "I personally believe that, in terms of entertainment, if
there was really a fair playing field, the entertainment industry would look
a lot like the N.B.A."
[SOURCE: New York Times (B15), AUTHOR: James Sterngold]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/arts/film-notes.html

==========
ANTITRUST
==========

MICROSOFT LAWYER DRAWS JUDGE'S IRE (WP)
JUDGE IN MICROSOFT CASE TRIES TO CUT THROUGH JARGON (NYT)
MICROSOFT PUTS FOCUS ON USAGE OF NETSCAPE (WSJ)
Issue: Antitrust
U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, the judge and jury of the
government's antitrust trial against Microsoft, began asking a key
government witness questions for himself yesterday. The series of
questions put to a senior Apple Computer executive came after the judge told
Theodore Edelman, the cross-examining Microsoft attorney, "You keep
mischaracterizing what he's told you." He also called the questions that
Edelman was asking "misleading." The witness, Avadis Tevanian, an Apple VP,
had testified earlier in the day that Microsoft tried to force Apple not to
develop its multimedia QuickTime program which would compete with
Microsoft's products.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (F1), AUTHOR: Rajiv Chandrasekaran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm
[SOURCE: New York Times (C8), AUTHOR: Joel Brinkley & Steve Lohr]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/06soft.html
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: John R. Wilke & Bryan Gruley]
http://www.wsj.com/

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

Communications-related Headlines for 11/05/98

COMPETITION
Resellers of Phone Service Run Into Limits (ChiTrib)

INFOTECH
Emergency Housing in a Hurry (NYT)
At Startup Advanced Recognition, Talk Is Cheap (WSJ)

INTERNET
The Navigator: Politics, Politics . . . (WP)
Keeping the Internet Safe for Young Chatters (NYT)
The O.E.D. Adds the Web to Its Lexicon (NYT)

JOBS
ABC Feels Effects of Labor Dispute (WP)

ARTS
Head of San Francisco Museum Embraces Digital Art (CyberTimes)

ANTITRUST
Microsoft and Apple Witness Square Off (WSJ)
Memos About Browser Pose Challenge to Microsoft's Defense (NYT)
Microsoft Hits Claim of Sabotage (WP)
===========
COMPETITION
===========

RESELLERS OF PHONE SERVICE RUN INTO LIMITS
Issue: Competition
Problems at Chicago-based USN Communications illustrate the difficulties of
entering the local phone market. USN is laying off 650 workers and
restructuring itself. The company has mainly been a reseller of local phone
service -- buying it wholesale from Ameritech at a ~20% discount. But profit
margins have been too thin and industry analysts are saying now that
competitive companies must build their own facilities in order survive. Dan
O'Shea, editor of Upstart magazine which covers new entrants into the local
phone market, said, "USN is run by people with a lot of industry experience
who have some good ideas. What they've shown is that you can't do resale
forever. You have to have a strategy to get your own facilities in place for
the long term. More companies are starting to do that now." By deploying
their own fiber and switches, competitive companies can better serve
customers, industry executives say. A company can use resale to build a
customer base, but must provide service over its own network as soon as
feasible.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.1), AUTHOR: Jon Van]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,SAV-9811050106,00.html

========
INFOTECH
========

EMERGENCY HOUSING IN A HURRY
Issue: Technology and Communities
In an effort to find new ways to reach those in need, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development has placed 26 electronic kiosks around the
country to distribute information. An HUD spokesman said, "There's a great
need for housing to low- to moderate-income families. We need to assist
people in any way we can." Each kiosk is connected to an Internet provider
and makes available both national and local information on housing. The
$16,000 kiosks use touch screens, permit screen printing and are wheelchair
accessible. Some feature Spanish as an option. They have been placed in
Federal buildings, public libraries, shopping malls, city halls, and
supermarkets. Even though the use of the units is still being measured, HUD
intends to install more than 50 by the end of 1999.
[SOURCE: New York Times (F4), AUTHOR: Laura Castaneda]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/circuits/articles/05hudd.html

AT STARTUP ADVANCED RECOGNITION, TALK IS CHEAP
Issue: Technology
More efficient voice recognition for telephones and computers may be closer
as a result of developments at Advanced Recognition Technologies. Their
system uses a relatively small amount of computer power which makes it
attractive to companies producing microprocessor-based items. One analyst
suggests this may mark "the first of a tidal wave of voice-activated devices
likely to hit the market in the next few years." Samsung is producing
portable phones that use the technology. Other devices which may use the
technology are kitchen appliances, stereos and television sets.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B6), AUTHOR: Frederick Rose]
http://www.wsj.com/

========
INTERNET
========

THE NAVIGATOR: POLITICS, POLITICS . . .
Issue: Media & Politics
People moved online to get election information. A survey by Web White and
Blue to visitors to their site found 84% said this is the first year they
have used the Internet to get election information. More than 60% said they
would use the Web as their primary media source in 2000. Another Web site,
Politics 1, estimated that there were 5,000 sites devoted to parties, issues
and candidates. [See http://www.webwhiteblue.com and http://politics1.com.]
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E4), AUTHOR: Linton Weeks]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/05/293l-110598-idx.html

KEEPING THE INTERNET SAFE FOR YOUNG CHATTERS
Issue: Internet
As the Web becomes an increasingly popular place for kids to hang out, there
is a need for someone to keep an eye on what's going on. Some sites like the
Kids Club use filters to monitor language, but other chat sites have real
people watch over the kids who visit. Headbone Zone, Child.net and Free Zone
all have human monitors who make sure that no violent, racist or sex talk
erupts. Bill Teel, a monitor at the Headbone chat room, says he really
enjoys "watching the kids have fun. And there's a lot of camaraderie about
making this place safe for kids."
[SOURCE: New York Times (F7), AUTHOR: Tina Kelly]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/circuits/articles/05moni.html

THE O.E.D. ADDS THE WEB TO ITS LEXICON
Issue: Internet
Publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary are working on a project to put
their unwieldy 20-volume, 22,00-page reference book online. As part of a
major revision of the dictionary, which is scheduled to last until 2010, the
online edition will contain new entries every quarter. The launch of the
searchable Web version is expected before 2000. Users will pay fees -- the
amount of which are still to be determined -- to access the massive database
of the English language.
[SOURCE: New York Times (F1), AUTHOR: Margalit Fox]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/circuits/articles/05oedd.html

====
JOBS
====

ABC FEELS EFFECTS OF LABOR DISPUTE
Issue: Television
The power of organized labor and their support for West Coast Democrats led
to ABC crews being ousted from two Democratic party functions on Tuesday. A
variety of people, including Vice President Al Gore, also backed out of
interviews as a result of the bitter battle between the network and the
NABET union. During election coverage Tuesday night anchor Peter Jennings
told the ABC audience that they would see few Democrats interviewed due to
the labor dispute. ABC barred 2200 NABET workers from their jobs after they
staged a one-day strike on Monday. ABC has moved its overnight programming
from New York to London for the foreseeable future and plans to take "Good
Morning America" to California next week have been dropped as a result of
the reduced staffing. [SOURCE: Washington Post (E1), AUTHOR: Lisa de Moraes]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/05/268l-110598-idx.html

====
ARTS
====

HEAD OF SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM EMBRACES DIGITAL ART
Issue: Arts
David Ross, director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
http://www.sfmoma.org/, is cataloging the elements of digital art. "I'm
not interested in putting a pin through the head of the butterfly here,"
Ross said in a telephone interview last week. "I'm not trying to fix it [the
definition of digital art] in time or space, but I am trying to get a handle
on it so we can open up a more useful discussion among a broad range of
people, not only the Net-literate but also those who just think about art in
its various guises." Not many museums are embracing digital art or use of
the Internet. Mr. Ross has committed to expanding SFMOMA's presence on the
Web. "Expanding the range and the reach of the discourse [about art] is
something that's really important to me," he said. Mr.Ross attributes
nonlinear narratives, the capacity for gathering and moving audiences and a
softening of the line between writers and readers to Internet-based
artistry. "That kind of permeability, that's what's so phenomenal about it:
the idea that authority is no longer based on position but on the value of
the idea," Mr. Ross said. "And that value is relative -- and also temporary.
Of course, if you were an ancient poet singing your poems and others began
singing with you, one can see that that [permeability] was happening a long
time ago. It's also as current as rap poetry, but within a publishable
form." [For more on the arts online see Open Studio
http://www.openstudio.org/]
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Matthew Mirapaul
mirapaul( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/artsatlarge/05artsatlarg...

=========
ANTITRUST
=========

MICROSOFT AND APPLE WITNESS SQUARE OFF (WSJ)
MEMOS ABOUT BROWSER POSE CHALLENGE TO MICROSOFT'S DEFENSE (NYT)
MICROSOFT HITS CLAIM OF SABOTAGE (WP)
Issue: Antitrust
Apple Computer's senior vice president of software development, Avadis
Tevanian, Jr., testified yesterday that Microsoft had threatened to stop
producing a new Macintosh version of Microsoft Office unless Apple agreed to
use Microsoft's Internet Explorer as the default browser instead of
Netscape's Navigator. In an effort to discredit Tevanian's testimony,
Microsoft lawyer Theodore Edelman, pointed out that Apple is engaged in its
own struggle with Microsoft and has threatened the company with a $1.2
billion patent lawsuit.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/05brow.html

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

Communications-related Headlines for 11/04/98

DIGITAL TELEVISION
Free Air Time For Political Candidates Isn't Required
Under Panel's Draft Plan (WSJ)
Pact on Digital TV Agreed by Set Makers And Cable Companies (WSJ)

INTERNET
Survey Shows a Sharp Rise in Net-Savvy Academics (CyberTimes)
Where Parents (at Home) Can Go For Expert Advice on Child Rearing (NYT)
In Search of a Free ISP (CyberTimes)
Some Companies Long to Embrace Web But Settle with Flirtation (WSJ)

==================
DIGITAL TELEVISION
==================

FREE AIR TIME FOR POLITICAL CANDIDATES ISN'T REQUIRED UNDER PANEL'S DRAFT PLAN
Issue: DTV/Campaigns
Recommendations from a presidential commission will not require digital
broadcasters to give free air-time to political candidates, according to a
draft plan of a report scheduled for release in mid-December. The
'Gore Commission' was appointed last year to formulate public interest
obligations for broadcasters as they transition to digital technology. The
Administration had hopes that free air time would be part of the panel's
recommendations, but at this time the draft only includes a suggestion for
broadcasters to voluntary provide five minutes of air time a night in the 30
leading up to an election. Gigi Sohn, executive director of the Media Access
Project and commission member, says the report contains "very general, mushy
principles." Ms. Sohn did add, however, that the draft is "a good compromise
document. Nobody's going to get everything they wanted." [For more info see
http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/piac.html]
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B9), AUTHOR: John Simons]
http://www.wsj.com/

PACT ON DIGITAL TV AGREED BY SET MAKERS AND CABLE COMPANIES
Issue: Television
How to connect new digital televisions to cable networks is a technical
issue that finally is being resolved by engineers for set makers and cable
companies. The first generation of digital televisions lacked that
capability because agreement had not been reached on how to do it. The
tentative agreement announced yesterday leaves some issues, including
copyright protection, unresolved but centers on use of a FireWire, the wire
for the connection and on exchange of information between the two electronic
systems.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B9), AUTHOR: WSJ Staff Reporter]
http://www.wsj.com/

========
INTERNET
========

SURVEY SHOWS A SHARP RISE IN NET-SAVVY ACADEMICS
Issue: EdTech
Parts of the 1998 Campus Computing Project survey
http://www.campuscomputing.net/ were released this week reporting that
college professors are embracing the Internet as a tool for teaching. The
survey of 571 technology officials at two- and four-year colleges around the
country reports that 44% of college courses use e-mail in some way -- that
number was 32.8% last year and just 8% four years ago. 23% of college
courses use Web pages to post class materials and other resources; four
years ago, the figure was less than 5%. About 43% of respondents said their
institutions had a computer competency requirement for undergraduates; in
1992, the figure was 30%. Computer ownership among students is up: this year
the figure was 42% of students, more than double the figure five years ago.
The biggest problems faced on campus is still assisting professors to
integrate technology use into the classroom and intellectual property
questions. [Just asking...do you think the Times has decided to run at least
one edtech story a day?]
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Pamela Mendels
mendels( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/education/04education.html

WHERE PARENTS (AT HOME) CAN GO FOR EXPERT ADVICE ON CHILD REARING
Issue: Internet
How to get the toddler to sleep, what to do about hitting and biting, how to
toilet train - those are some of the most frequently addressed subjects on
the National Parent Information Network. The network claims not to be a
"hotline" for crises but is an information service for family issues. It
uses the largest education database in the world established by the
Educational Resources Information Services. The network is available
tollfree from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at (800) 583-4135 or via the Internet at
http://www.npin.org. In September the service had 250,000 visits to its
Web site and received about 1,000 calls. The project, at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is financed by the U.S. Department of Education.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A22), AUTHOR: Jo Thomas]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/04college.html

IN SEARCH OF A FREE ISP
Issue: Internet Access
A number of Internet entrepreneurs thought they had a winning formula: round
up Internet users tired of paying $20/month to their ISP, give them free
email, and sell their attention to hungry advertisers. But the model does
not seem to be working as another firm offering free email, San Jose-based
Bigger.net, went under last week. In theory, the idea should work like
television in which networks pour millions of dollars into creating free
programming, knowing they will recoup their investment through advertising.
Skeptics say that an ISP would have to sign up 50,000 subscribers or more
before a major advertiser took them seriously. These ISP often have to
attract new Internet users which are more costly to serve because of the
support they need.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Matt Richtel
mrichtel( at )nytimes.com]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/04isp.html

SOME COMPANIES LONG TO EMBRACE WEB BUT SETTLE WITH FLIRTATION
Issue: E-Commerce
While many companies are rushing to peddle their products online, some are
worried about the effects of the Internet on traditional distribution
channels. Selling online can slash costs up to 15 percent, but large
companies in competitive industries fear the threat to the person-to-person
sales structure they've already invested fortunes to build. Like everyone
else, big businesses feel the pressure to move online instead of risk
getting 'Amazoned' (losing business to an Internet upstart). Many companies
are dealing with the Internet challenge by going slow with the transition to
electronic commerce. This means that some Web sites may not be publicized,
or have high prices to avoid alienating sales representatives and dealerships.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A1), AUTHOR: George Anders]
http://www.wsj.com/

=========
ANTITRUST
=========

MICROSOFT CONTENDS DEALMAKING IS COMMON IN TECH INDUSTRY (WP)
MICROSOFT UNVEILING NEW BROWSER (WP)
MICROSOFT TO UNVEIL LATEST ENHANCEMENT OF ITS WEB BROWSER (WSJ)
Issue: Antitrust/Technology
Everybody does it. Experts say that Microsoft is presenting contradictory
views for its defense in the government's antitrust trial. They are
contending that everyone in the business discusses colluding as standard
operating procedure. On the other hand they are suggesting their rivals are
lawbreakers for doing it. Legal experts say that law requires dominant
firms to play by tougher rules which may make the Microsoft defense
difficult as the trial continues. [The trial resumes today after a recess
for Election Day.] In spite of the legal tussle that features distribution
of Microsoft's Internet browser at the center, the corporation will
introduce today the beta version of Internet Explorer 5.0. The new version
includes features to simplify surfing and searching the Web and includes
some popular features from the Office suite programs (Word, Excel, etc.).
It drops some of the "channel bar" and "Active Desktop" features from the
current release. The final version is due out in the first quarter of 1999.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (B11), AUTHOR: David Segal]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm
[SOURCE: Washington Post (B13), AUTHOR: Elizabeth Corcoran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/stories/19
98/stories/1998/explorer1104.htm
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B10), AUTHOR: David Bank]
http://www.wsj.com/

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

Communications-related Headlines for 11/3/98

DIGITAL TELEVISION
Nov 9 PIAC Meeting (NTIA)
Digital-TV Ads Aim to Shuffle Leadership (WSJ)

MEDIA & POLITICS
Traffic to Election Web Sites Increases (CyberTimes)
Cyber-Chat for Election Junkies (WP)

TELEPHONE
AT&T's Chairman Presses Cable Firms On Phone Ventures (WSJ)

EDTECH
Textbook Publishers Put Extras Online (CyberTimes)

JOBS
Tackling the IT Worker Shortage Crisis (NTIA)
ABC Workers Stage 24-Hour Strike; Lockout Is Response (ChiTrib)
ABC Locks Out 1,500 Strikers (NYT)
Dispute Ends In A Lockout At ABC Inc. (WSJ)
ABC Locks Out 2,200 Workers (WP)

NEWSPAPERS
Newspaper circulation stays level, in general (ChiTrib)

INFOTECH
Connecting the Global Community (NTIA)

ANTITRUST
Gates on Tape: Scant Memory of Key Details (NYT)
Gates Appears Sullen In Trial Videotape (WSJ)
Gates Denies Bullying His Competitors

==================
DIGITAL TELEVISION
==================

Nov 9 PIAC MEETING
Issue: Digital Television
The next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of
Digital Television Broadcasters is scheduled for November 9, 1998. The
meeting will be held at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center,
Polaris Room, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC. [For more
information on the Committee's deliberations, see
http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/piac.html including a summary of the last
meeting at http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/meeting7.html
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/novmtg/

DIGITAL-TV ADS AIM TO SHUFFLE LEADERSHIP
Issue: Television
Using a variety of media, some of the major television manufacturers are
promoting television sets for HDTV. The rollout of HDTV programming means
people need special televisions to see the broadcasts, although recent
surveys indicate the public does not know much about the new technology.
This year with HDTV sets priced around $7000 only a few hundred thousand
will be sold compared to 30 million regular televisions. Major TV
manufacturers are creating big advertising campaigns for television or in
magazines in an effort to get a jump on the rest of the market and hoping
the technology will catch on quickly. Panasonic's advertising campaign, for
instance, is its largest in eight years. The two largest manufacturers,
Sony and RCA, are not joining the other companies in promoting HDTV. They
are waiting until they have HDTV sets to sell in a few months.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B16), AUTHOR: Evan Ramstad]
http://www.wsj.com/

================
MEDIA & POLITICS
================

TRAFFIC TO ELECTION WEB SITES INCREASES
Issue: Media & Politics
With the growth of the Internet population and the availability of quality
candidate information online, political websites are seeing record-braking
traffic. Raney reports, In general, traffic to election-related Web sites
increases tenfold on Election Day and the day before. Even so,
administrators of several major Web sites that carry election-related
material said the number of visitors so far this year exceeded their
expectations. At America Online, the traffic in the election area was double
the amount predicted. For more information see The Democracy Network
http://www.dnet.org, Project Vote Smarthttp://www.vote-smart.org,
California Voter Foundation http://www.calvoter.org and America Online
http://www.aol.com.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Rebecca Fairley Raney]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/03traffic.html

CYBER-CHAT FOR ELECTION JUNKIES
Issue: Politics/Internet
America Online and other Internet news sources are vying to provide election
coverage tonight that will be interesting and interactive. In addition to
Peter Jennings and Sam Donaldson, AOL will host online chats with John
Kennedy Jr. and Mary Matalin. Kathleen deLaski of AOL says, "It sounds
strange, but people want to talk about it while they're watching it." For
those who are anxious for content AOL is planning charts, graphs and a text
feed from National Public Radio [for non-subscribers, http://www.AOL.com].
The ABC website [http://www.ABC.com] will have simultaneous coverage of
the election reports. Other television networks and newspapers are also
making special plans for election information and analysis [
http://www.MSNBC.com, http://www.CNN.com,
http://www.Washingtonpost.com, http://www.nytimes.com]. People
preparing for this night's coverage remember election night 1996 when many
Web sites were brought to a crawl by digital traffic jams. [SOURCE:
Washington Post (D1), AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-11/03/050r-110398-idx.html

=========
TELEPHONE
=========

AT&T'S CHAIRMAN PRESSES CABLE FIRMS ON PHONE VENTURES
Issue: Local Telephone
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal prior to his first speech to a
major cable organization Monday, AT&T Corporation Chairman Michael Armstrong
was concerned about television cable companies entering the phone business.
His position was that either they will be partners of AT&T or they will be
rivals. If cable companies are not willing to work with his companies, he
promised to use wireless technology and the local phone lines of the
regional Bells to bring local competition to the market. AT&T is trying to
convince cable companies to sign on with them to create local telephone
service. One company which has already been negotiating with AT&T is Time
Warner, Inc. which has one of the most technologically advanced cable
networks in the country.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B19), AUTHOR: Leslie Cauley]
http://www.wsj.com/

======
EDTECH
======

TEXTBOOK PUBLISHERS PUT EXTRAS ONLINE
Issue: EdTech
College textbook publishers are using the Web to supplement print products
and to increase sales. With online lesson plans, extra chapters, homework,
tests, interactive exercises and "course management systems" for professors,
the goal is to ease the burden on instructors and help students learn more.
Rick Leyh, who founded his own publishing company, Digital Springs Inc.
after 22 years of experience in college textbook publishing wants to use the
Web to publish content that can then be eliminated from the printed
textbooks, "dropping the production costs for the printed products and the
ultimate cost to the student consumer." For example, a publisher might use a
Web site to publish information that needs to be updated frequently. The
textbook can then refer students to the site at relevant points. The Web
"has the potential to improve profit margins, since publishers will not have
the printing, customer service and shipping costs associated with
traditional print instructor items," one publisher said.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Jamie Murphy]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/cyber/articles/03textbook.html

====
JOBS
====

TACKLING THE IT WORKER SHORTAGE CRISIS
Issue: Jobs
From speech by Larry Irving at a conference on the Shortage of Information
Technology (or IT) Workers: "This conference comes at a critical time. It
was only a week ago that President Clinton signed into law a bill that will
double the number of foreign information technology workers that high-tech
companies can hire over the next few years. High-tech companies lobbied hard
for this legislation because they are facing a crisis. Currently, one out of
every ten (or 346,000) high-tech jobs remains unfilled, and high-tech
companies claim this is because they cannot find enough skilled workers in
America to hold these positions."
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/speeches/102898itworkers.htm

ABC WORKERS STAGE 24-HOUR STRIKE; LOCKOUT IS RESPONSE (ChiTrib)
ABC LOCKS OUT 1,500 STRIKERS (NYT)
DISPUTE ENDS IN A LOCKOUT AT ABC INC. (WSJ)
ABC LOCKS OUT 2,200 WORKERS (WP)
Issue: Jobs
About 2,000 union employees of ABC have been locked out of their jobs after
they staged a one-day strike yesterday. The off-camera employees stuck
protesting the network's attempt to replace their existing health plan in an
effort to trim costs. ABC will not allow the workers to return until they
guarantee the network that they will provide notice before striking again.
For the past two years, members of The National Association of Broadcast
Employees and Technicians have been working at ABC without a contract. The
networked has pledged to continue broadcasting without interruption.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.1), AUTHOR: Jim Kirk]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,SAV-9811030294,00.html
[SOURCE: New York Times (A27), AUTHOR: Monte Williams]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/national/regional/ny-abc-strikers....
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (C19), AUTHOR: Kyle Pope]
http://www.wsj.com/
[SOURCE: Washington Post (D7), AUTHOR: Lisa de Moraes]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/tv/features/ent001.htm

==========
NEWSPAPERS
==========

NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION STAYS LEVEL, IN GENERAL
Issue: Newspapers
In an increasingly competition media market, newspapers may be bragging over
just being able to hold their own. Chicago-area-based Audit Bureau of
Circulations released its latest figures on circulation on Monday. Newspaper
sales are down 0.3% for the six months ending Sept 30 when compared to the
same period last year. Sunday paper circulation is down 1%. Major news
events -- like the publication of the Starr report in many papers -- led to
dramatic sales increases, but the overall pattern is modest gains to modest
loses throughout the industry. The USA Today reported the biggest increases
(Hey, Mom, its like reading TV!) and the LA Times had a light increase, but
circulation was down at the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.3), AUTHOR: Tim Jones]
http://chicagotribune.com/

========
INFOTECH
========

CONNECTING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Issue: InfoTech
From speech by Larry Irving: "There is no question that in the last six
years, we have truly observed a revolution in the technological field that
promises to transform global communications and worldwide trade. What I'd
like to talk about tonight is the "evolution of that revolution" and how we
can harness this new potential to promote global goals. To quote Yogi Berra,
"If you don't know where you're going, when you get there you'll be lost."
While we are in the throes of technological change, it is important to
remember that technology is not the end in itself; it is just a tool, a
powerful means to achieve our ideals."
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/speeches/102998cfr.htm

=========
ANTITRUST
=========

GATES ON TAPE: SCANT MEMORY OF KEY DETAILS (NYT)
GATES APPEARS SULLEN IN TRIAL VIDEOTAPE (WSJ)
GATES DENIES BULLYING HIS COMPETITORS (WP)
Issue: Antitrust
Bill Gates finally made his debut appearance in the Government's antitrust
case against Microsoft, talking on a giant video screen in the D.C.
courtroom. Yesterday, the prosecution showed two hours of taped deposition
in which Gates appeared uncomfortable and evasive. He responded with "I
don't recall" to many questions, and claimed to have no memory of email
messages that he both sent and received. He was vehement, however, in
denying that his company had engaged in any anti-competitive behaviors to
dominate or divide markets.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C8), AUTHOR: Steve Lohr and Joel Brinkley]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/03soft.html
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: John Wilke and Bryan Gruley]
http://www.wsj.com/
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A1), AUTHOR: Rajiv Chandrasekaran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
OK folks, let's do it the Chicago way -- VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN!

Communications-related Headlines for 11/2/98

INTERNET
More Colleges Plunging Into Uncharted Waters of Online Courses (NYT)
The FCC Faces Internet Regulation (NYT)
Internet Users In Germany Protest High Phone Rates (NYT)
GTE's ADSL Internet Access Service is an Interstate Service (NYT)

BROADCAST AND CABLE
HDTV: Launched And Counting (B&C)
Hindery Decries Gender Pay Gap (B&C)
D.C. Gets More Cable Competition (B&C)
Planned TV Channels Raise Gender Stereotype Worries (NYT)

SATELLITE
On Guard Against Leo (WP)

NEWSPAPERS
Toronto's Paper War (NTY)

TECHNOLOGY
Fiber Optic Data-Transmission Technology Arouses Skepticism in The
Industry (NYT)
Digital Commerce: Year 2000 Bug is Just Part of the Problem (NYT)

ANTITRUST
In U.S. vs. Microsoft, Government Has Edge (WSJ)
Antitrust Case Is Highlighting Role of E-Mail (NYT)

=========
INTERNET
=========

MORE COLLEGES PLUNGING INTO UNCHARTED WATERS OF ON-LINE COURSES
Issue: EdTech
Many universities are now offering not just online courses by online
programs and degrees. It's expensive: it can cost $50,000 to create and
support an online course. But universities and colleges are rushing into it
in fierce competition for students. Not so long ago, an adventurous
professor might work the Internet into a course, posting the syllabus and
readings, perhaps using email to answer questions from students. In what
some are calling the '90's answer to correspondence courses, universities
now offer distance learning courses in which all communication takes part
online.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A14), AUTHOR: Karen Arenson]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/02online-educati
on.html

THE FCC FACES INTERNET REGULATION
Issue: Internet Regulation
Despite their desire to go slow on deciding where the Internet fits into
decades of communications law, the FCC through petitions before it now is
facing that issue. The ticklish issues involve local and long distance
telephone operators, cable operators, and new companies. One of the
problems is determining whether Internet service that has grown up in an
unregulated environment can escape regulation since many of the potential
players are companies that operate in highly regulated industries. Last
week the FCC approved GTE Corporation's pricing plan for a new sort of
high-speed data connection, digital subscriber lines. At the same time the
FCC postponed some of the broader questions, agreeing to start answering
them within a week.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C5), AUTHOR: Seth Schiesel]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/02phon.html

INTERNET USERS IN GERMANY PROTEST HIGH PHONE RATES
Issue: International/Internet
Internet users and Europe are waging protests against the dominant telephone
companies and their high telephone and Internet access rates. On Sunday,
Germans boycotted Deutsche Telkom. In September online consumers in Spain
protested against Telefonia and the company started talks with Internet user
groups and agreed to cut key rates. Swis groups are organizing similar
efforts. In Germany, customers pay $1.10-$2.90 an hour for local telephone
service on top of Internet access fees that run about $2 an hour. Internet
users there easily rack up bills of $100 per month or more. By contrast in
the US, most consumers pay a monthly flat rate of $25/month for local
service and Internt acces at $20/month.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: Edmund Andrews]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/02net.html

GTE'S ADSL INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE IS AN INTERSTATE SERVICE
Issue: Regulations
FCC Says GTE's ADSL Internet Access Service is an Interstate Service. From
the news release: The Commission has found that a new service offered by
GTE, which permits Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to furnish customers
with high-speed access to the Internet through a dedicated connection, is an
interstate special access service and therefore subject to federal
jurisdiction. Today's decision affirms that GTE's tariff for this service
was properly filed at the FCC. The Commission intends to address next week,
in a separate order, the broader issue of whether conventional dial-up
access to the Internet, made through calls to information service providers,
including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), is local or interstate in
nature. That decision will address whether incumbent local telephone
companies may be required to compensate their competitors for handling calls
made by the incumbents' customers to ISPs that are the competitors' customers.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Gterec2.wp
http://www.fcc.gov/Gte1030.wp

=====================
BROADCAST AND CABLE
=====================

HDTV: LAUNCHED AND COUNTING
Issue: HDTV
Last week's launch of the space shuttle Discovery marked two historic events
-- John Glenn's return to outer space and the television industry's launch
of high-definition technology. Glenn's flight was the first of the super
clear high-definition broadcasts that will begin to air as 43 stations
around the country start digital broadcasting sometime this month. "We are
on track with the broadcast rollout schedule and things continue that way,"
said FCC Commissioner Susan Ness. While stations may be ready to go digital,
they still don't have much high definition programming to go with it. The
only network that has announced plans to create original high-definition
programming is PBS. The commercial networks seemed more concerned about the
outcome of the FCC's must-carry rule making, which will determine what types
of agreements are made between broadcasters and cable operators.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting & Cable (P6), AUTHOR: Paige Albiniak]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

HINDERY DECRIES GENDER PAY GAP
Issue: Cable/Gender
A recent study by the Women in Cable and Telecommunications Foundation
(WICT) found that women in technical positions earn 12% less than men with
comparable jobs. TCI President Leo Hindery, at the annual WICT fund-raising
dinner, said that cable operators and networks should conduct salary reviews
to close the gender gap in pay. Not only a question of equity, said Hindery,
the pay gap is bad for the cable business whose audience is over half women.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting & Cable (P40), AUTHOR: John Higgins]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

D.C. GETS MORE CABLE COMPETITION
Issue: Cable
The nation's capitol will soon be among the few cities in the nation to get
a taste of cable competition. A new service, called Starepower, plans to
offer telephone, cable and internet services over fiber-optic cable that
will be laid around the D.C area over the next three years. The cable
industry is eager to prove to lawmakers and regulators that the market is
becoming more competitive, but people in only six markets have a choice when
it comes to cable providers.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting & Cable (P38), AUTHOR: Paige Albiniak]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

PLANNED TV CHANNEL RAISE GENDER STEREOTYPE WORRIES
Issue: Television/Gender
Last week, the chief executive of the Fox Family Channel, Rich Cronin
announced that his company has plans to launch two new cable stations aimed
at children-- the Boyz Channel and the Girlz Channel. "There are clearly
certain kinds of entertainment that boys hate and girls love, and vice
versa," Cronin said. "I think it's legitimate and positive to have something
that recognizes the difference." Many parents and educators, however, have
responded to the idea with concern, fearing that the networks will reinforce
gender stereotypes among children."My fear is that we'll get more
polarization of, 'Boys like these things, girls like these things,' and we
won't make progress toward letting children grow into and appreciate their
own individualism," said Alice Cahn, the former head of children's
programming for PBS, now an executive at Children's Television
Workshop.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C8), AUTHOR: Lawrie Mifflin]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/fox-cable-media.html

=========
SATELLITE
=========

ON GUARD AGAINST LEO
Issue: Satellite
Satellite services are preparing for a storm of meteorites coming by Earth
on November 17. Although it sounds more like a film plot than scientific
fact, the Leonid meteoroid storm is the tail of the comet Tempel-Tuttle.
Although this storm is expected to be much less severe than its last visit
in 1966, the recent proliferation of satellites leaves countries,
organizations and companies taking defensive action to avoid damage to their
satellites. The satellites may end up with holes in solar panels or in
sensitive equipment or have electrostatic discharges which could harm
components. Companies already are reorienting their satellites to turn
sensitive surfaces away from the meteors' path and reducing power levels on
non-critical systems. The crew of the Mir space station will move to an
attached vehicle during the height of the storm which is expected to occur
at 2:43 EST. Michael Griffin of Orbital Sciences Corporation which has 30
satellites in low earth orbit said, "To say that anybody knows how intense
the Leonid storm is going to be would be quite an exaggeration."
[SOURCE: Washington Post (F23), AUTHOR: Mike Mills]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-11/02/030l-110298-idx.html

============
NEWSPAPERS
============

TORONTO'S PAPER WAR
Issue: Newspapers
Toronto, the home of Canada's three largest English-language daily
newspapers, has just become the site of an old fashion newspaper war. One of
the World's most powerful media barons, Conrad Black, decided to launch a
fouth major general-interest daily newspaper in Canada's largest city. The
National Post's debut last thursday was followed The Toronto Star's,
Canada's largest newspaper, hostile takeover bid for The Toronto Sun. If the
bid is successful, The Toronto Star would be better positioned to
compete with The National Post. Canada's newspaper war will test Toronto's
ability to support four daily, general-interest, English-language
newspapers, something that few other cities in North America can do.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C7), AUTHOR: ]
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/canada-paper-media.html

============
TECHNOLOGY
============

FIBER OPTIC DATA-TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY AROUSES SKEPTICISM IN THE INDUSTRY
Issue: Bandwidth/InfoTech
144 uncompressed television signals sent 62 miles using a single laser beam.
That's what Silk Road, a little-known start-up company in San Diego, is
promising in a technology demonstration tomorrow. The company plans to role
out commercial services using the technology starting in early '99. The
advertised capacity is 93 billion bits of information per second. But
experts in the field are wary. They know that speeds demonstrated in labs
are often much higher when the technology is used in the "real world." But
Silk Road executives say that in their labs, they have been able to transmit
up to 200 gigabits per second over a range of 200 miles -- without having to
either repeat or amplify the signal along the way.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: John Markoff]
http://www.nytimes.com/

DIGITAL COMMERCE: YEAR 2000 BUG IS JUST PART OF THE PROBLEM
Issue: Electronic Commerce
Technological reliability is fleeting since it is built on "the swamp gas of
ancient twisted Cobol programs." A small piece of evidence hit Wall Street
last week with a computer glitch that stopped trading. The year 2000
problem and reports about lack of reliability of Windows NT and other
computer software upgrades creates lasting concern. Since the 1970's we
have been trying to create "dependable systems." Some computer engineers
say that is impossible because of the level of required testing and because
of the rapid degree of change in technology. Even upgrades of software are
bug-ridden and can crash a "dependable" computer. Archiving data in a
retrievable form is also a problem. We have the correspondence of Galileo
but we lack information from the early space program because it was stored
on retired computers.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C5), AUTHOR: Denise Caruso]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/02digi.html

==========
ANTITRUST
==========

IN U.S. VS. MICROSOFT, GOVERNMENT HAS EDGE
Issue: Antitrust
Week Three of the government's trial against Microsoft for antitrust
behavior continues today with Avadis Tevanian of Apple Computer mounting the
stand as a government witness. Among items the government lawyers hope
Tevanian will be able to corroborate are instances of blackmail, software
sabotage and an illegal market-division attempt by Microsoft in multimedia
software. In written testimony Tevanian already has charged that Microsoft
threatened to crush Apple's QuickTime video software. He contends also that
the Windows operating system was built to allow a large number of error
messages to pop up when computer operators tried to use QuickTime. He said
Apple had to embrace Microsoft Internet software in exchange for continuing
to have Microsoft produced an Office package for the Macintosh computer.
Microsoft lawyers are expected to portray some of the Apple contentions as
normal business practices. Some observers suggest that the government has
gotten the best of the case so far. The trial which recess Tuesday for
election day is expected to include videotaped testimony by Microsoft
Chairman Bill Gates late in the week.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: John R. Wilke and Bryan Gruley]
http://www.wsj.com/

ANTITRUST CASE IS HIGHLIGHTING ROLE OF E-MAIL
Issue: Antitrust
Although the outcome of the Dept. of Justice's case against Microsoft may be
a long way off, one thing, Lohr writes, is already clear: this is the first
major e-mail trial. The most interesting evidence in the case is not human
testimony, but e-mail messages which do not shrug, mumble or forget -- they
show competive zeal puntionated with profanity and exclamation marks.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/02soft.html

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Sorry, no Chicago Trib coverage today.

Benton

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November 1998

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