Communications-related Headlines for 7/31/2000
JOBS
Phone Workers Fight for Place In Wireless Era (NYT)
E-Commerce Report: Dot-Com Employees Grow More Selective (NYT)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Napster Wins Reprieve From Court-Ordered Shutdown (WP)
Free Speech Rights For Computer Code? (NYT)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
The Net's Impact on Politics Remains More Promise Than
Promise Fulfilled (WSJ)
MERGERS/ALLIANCES
Time Warner Signs Web Access Deal (WP)
New Economy: AOL's Rivals Want to See Open
Instant Messaging (NYT)
AOL, NTT DoCoMo Agree to Develop Wireless Internet
Services for Japan (WSJ)
Ford, Qualcomm Form Wireless Services Company (WP)
PRIVACY
U.S. Postal Service to Offer Free E-Mail Service (WSJ)
British Cyber-Snooping Law Enacted (USAToday)
EPIC, Junkbusters Release Report on Online
Profiling Principles (EPIC)
PUBLISHING
Random House To Establish Exclusively Digital Unit (NYT)
RADIO
Low Power FM Applications (FCC)
JOBS
PHONE WORKERS FIGHT FOR PLACE IN WIRELESS ERA
Issue: Jobs
Members of the Communications Workers of America and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers may strike against Verizon next week over
the newly-formed companies widespread use of lower paid, nonunion workers in
its fastest growing businesses, most notably wireless phones. "Right now the
chances of a strike are better than 50-50," said Morton Bahr, president of
the communications workers' union, which represents 72,500 of the workers
who might walk out. Eighty percent of Veizon's local line division (120,000
workers) are unionized, but only 46 the 32,000 workers in the wireless
division are. The challenge for the two unions is daunting because they are
finding it tough to keep pace with a fast-changing company in a
fast-changing industry. Indeed, the unions are struggling to adapt to many
developments common throughout the New Economy: new job categories, new
types of compensation like profit sharing, and the increased use of
contingent workers like temporary hires and independent contractors.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Steven Grenhouse]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/financial/073100wireless-union.html)
E-COMMERCE REPORT: DOT-COM EMPLOYEES GROW MORE SELECTIVE
Issue: Jobs
E-commerce companies are still having problems finding employees this summer
even though there are more employees available. Words like "stock options"
and "revolutionize" don't attract potential employees anymore. Recruiters
and employers are finding that people want a good salary and good prospects
for corporate longevity. Some are turning to the online efforts of
established, brick and mortar outfits like KMart's BlueLight.com.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C10), AUTHOR: Bob Tedeschi]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/07/cyber/commerce/31ecommerce.html)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
NAPSTER WINS REPRIEVE FROM COURT-ORDERED SHUTDOWN
Issue: Intellectual Property
A federal appeals court granted Napster a temporary reprieve Saturday,
allowing the company to continue operating until mid-September. The
emergency stay granted by the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals gives Napster's
lawyers time to appeal a court injunction issued Wednesday. On Wednesday,
District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ordered Napster to halt its operations,
saying she found "overwhelming" evidence that the Napster site was created
to allow music lovers to duplicate copyrighted works. The appeals judges
said "substantial questions" had been raised about the "merits and form of
the injunction." "We are grateful that the Court of Appeals is going to
review the court's injunction and the issues that we've raised and that, as
it goes about that work, permit Napster users to continue using the Napster
service," said Jonathan Schiller, an attorney for the company.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Christopher Stern & David Segal]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62981-2000Jul28.html)
See also
NAPSTER APPEAL IS ON LEGAL FAST TRACK AFTER A STAY THAT DELAYED CLOSING SITE
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B11), AUTHOR: Lee Gomes]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB964996300116319611.htm)
FREE SPEECH RIGHTS FOR COMPUTER CODE?
Issue: Intellectual Property
While Napster is gaining much media attention and coverage, a Manhattan case
involving the copying of DVD movie disks, may have more far-reaching effects
on electronic copyright. This case boils down to whether computer code is
deemed to be speech deserving of First Amendment protection. A witness for
the defense told the judge that if he saw fit to ban any one depiction of
the DVD-unscrambling software he would have ultimately have to ban them all,
because they all communicate the same thing - 1s and 0s. "I see this as
having a chilling effect on my ability as a computer scientist to express
myself," Professor Touretzky said. "If the court upholds this injunction,
what would happen is that certain uses of computer language -- my preferred
means of expression -- would be illegal." Until that moment, the author
writes, United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan had appeared to have
little doubt about the copyright law's constitutionality. When ordering the
injunction, Kaplan had noted that the First Amendment does not shield
copyright infringement, and that computer code was essentially "no more
expressive than an automobile ignition key." But in light of Touretzky's
testimony Judge Kaplan saw that it would be hard to argue that computer code
"has no expressive content," so said that he would have to reconsider the
constitutionality question. Neither side is willing to predict how the judge
may now rule, which he has indicated he planned to do shortly after lawyers
submit
closing briefs on Aug. 8.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Amy Harmon]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/07/biztech/articles/31rite.html)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
THE NET'S IMPACT ON POLITICS REMAINS MORE PROMISE THAN PROMISE FULFILLED
Issue: Political Discourse
Fifteen Internet publications have applied for credentials to cover the
Republican convention in Philadelphia this year compared to none four
years ago. But the Internet's impact on politics is still about the future --
not the present. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) used the Web heavily during his
failed effort to win the party's presidential nomination -- proving the Net
to be a powerful tool for raising money and organizing voters. Despite his
and others'
success in using the Internet to target voters, both parties have
been slow to embrace the Web on a large scale. The official convention
schedule is dominated with traditional fare, like taxes and social security,
with technology issues barely touched on during weekend meetings on the
Republican party platform. But changes are underway. This year, California
began requiring political candidates to file financial disclosure forms
electronically so that voters and news organizations can have easier access
to them. The state is experimenting with a number of other projects that
hopes to bring constituents closer to their government. Online voting is
still in the embryonic stage, but shows promise. According to analysts, the
Web's most visible short-term impact on the election process will be a
dramatic increase in online media coverage of the conventions. "Has the
Internet transformed politics? No. Will it? Absolutely," Haley Barbour,
former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said at a
preconvention forum Sunday. "We definitely aren't there yet."
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Jason Anders]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB965009047774339354.htm)
MERGERS/ALLIANCES
TIME WARNER SIGNS WEB ACCESS DEAL
Issue: Mergers
Just days after facing regulatory scrutiny on its planned merger with AOL,
Time Warner announces that it has made a deal to allow an independent ISP
access to its cable system. Time and Juno Online Services are to announce
the preliminary agreement today. The arrangement would offer
high-speed Internet service to cable customers. Time Warner's promise to
open its cable system to competing Internet service providers is being
carefully monitored by regulators. "This groundbreaking agreement
underscores Time Warner Cable's commitment to offer its cable customers a
choice of Internet service providers," said Glenn Britt, president of Time
Warner Cable. He said the company would try to sign agreements with other
Internet service providers. At Thursday's regulatory hearings, FCC
Chairman William Kennard challenged AOL Chairman Steve Case and Time Warner
chief Gerald Levin to offer details about when the cable systems would begin
carrying other Internet providers. Levin answered that the company was
restructuring the joint Road Runner LLC service and was in the process of
conducting trials.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Peter Svensson]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7833-2000Jul31.html)
See Also
TIME WARNER AGREES TO LET JUNO USE NETWORK FOR INTERNET SERVICE
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B8), AUTHOR: NICK WINGFIELD]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB964990638179936103.htm)
NEW ECONOMY: AOL'S RIVALS WANT TO SEE OPEN INSTANT MESSAGING
Issue: Internet
"Mr. Case, on behalf of the I.M. industry and users everywhere, tear down
this wall!" Ross Bagully, chief executive of an America Online rival, Tribal
Voice, said in testimony before the Federal Communications Commission last
Thursday, after a speech by AOL's chairman, Steve Case. "Users of I.M., like
users of e-mail and the telephone," Mr. Bagully said, "deserve the right to
free and open communication." Outside the FCC building a handful of
protesters marched with signs that read, "Free I.M.!" Instant Messaging is
most popular with teenagers and families now, but analysts believe that
within a few years, business users will make up half of the total users. AOL
dominates 90% of the IM market now and other players -- microsoft, Yahoo,
Odigo, iCast and Tribal Voice -- want AOL to open its IM system so that
users of these other systems can chat with AOL users. No one doubts that the
industry is moving to interoperability, the question is how long it will
take. As the market leader, AOL wants to control whatever the standard turns
out to be. It says it will take a year to reach a new standard --
competitors disagree. "We know from history," Mr. Bagully said, "that those
who unfairly exploit a market dominance don't get nicer as they get bigger."
[SOURCE: New York Times (C5), AUTHOR: Laurie Flynn]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/07/biztech/articles/31neco.html)
AOL, NTT DOCOMO AGREE TO DEVELOP WIRELESS INTERNET SERVICES FOR JAPAN
Issue:Internet
America Online and Japanese mobile-phone company NTT DoCoMo Inc. have
reached an agreement to jointly develop wireless Internet services in Japan,
including an investment by DoCoMo in AOL's Japan unit, according to a person
familiar with the agreement. Under the agreement, DoCoMo
and AOL will initially each invest $100 million into AOL Japan, currently a
joint venture between AOL, trading company Mitsui & Co. and publisher Nihon
Keizai Shimbun. The agreement is significant because it ties the world's
largest fixed-line Internet company with the world's largest provider of
wireless Internet services. The agreement calls for the two companies to
integrate their services in Japan so that, for example, users of DoCoMo's
i-mode mobile Internet service will be able to access
their AOL accounts through their cell phones. Under the deal, AOL Japan will
become DoCoMo's exclusive fixed-line Internet-service provider and receive
preferential treatment on the i-mode service, which enables subscribers to
send and receive e-mail and access modified Web sites via cellular handsets.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Robert Guth]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB965012909785293006.htm)
FORD, QUALCOMM FORM WIRELESS SERVICES COMPANY
Issue: Wireless
Ford and Qualcomm, a provider of wireless phone technology, Monday announced
the creation of Wingcast, a new San Diego-based company. Wingcast will
develop and deliver wireless information services into cars and trucks. Its
services will include voice, entertainment, Internet access and safety
services to drivers of Ford vehicles. The first services will be available
in late 2001. While details were not revealed, Qualcomm and Ford will each
own equity in the company. Ford projects more than a million of its new cars
and trucks to be equipped for mobile communications by the end of 2002,
three million by 2003 and nearly all of its cars and trucks by the end of 2004.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9135-2000Jul31.html)
See Also
QUALCOMM, FORD PLAN TO START JOINT VENTURE WITH TELEMATIC UNIT
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: Rebecca Buckman, Pui-Wing Tam And
Karen Lundegaard]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB96499439358279008.htm)
PRIVACY
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE TO OFFER FREE E-MAIL SERVICE
Issue: Internet
Postal officials are planning to offer people living at all 120 million of
the nation's residential street addresses free e-mail addresses. It would
link the e-mail and real-world addresses in a Postal Service database in
Memphis, Tennessee. Local post offices will make paper printouts of e-mail
messages and deliver them with the mail, charging the sender about 41 cents
for a two-page document via first class mail. This project is raising
serious marketing implications by linking real-world and online identities.
The Postal Service sees the project mainly as an e-mail forwarding service.
Signing up would be strictly voluntary, and consumers would have to supply
their own Web access. For an extra fee, customers could maintain an account
at the Postal Service where messages could be retrieved. Not everyone is
embracing the Postal Service's latest attempt to enter cyberspace. "We
believe they are developing the largest spam database in the history of the
Internet," says Dave McClure, executive director of the U.S. Internet
Industry Association, which represents some 300 high-tech firms doing
business on the Internet. Postal officials insist every byte of information
will be secure. Federal law prohibits the Postal Service from selling any of
its consumer information, and it says it won't share any of the data with a
third party unless it receives a federal warrant. Rep. John McHugh (R-NY),
chairman of the House Postal Service Subcommittee, has proposed a bill that
would require the agency to spin off its Internet businesses into separate
companies. The subcommittee approved it last year.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Julia Angwin]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB964992560575163504.htm)
BRITISH CYBER-SNOOPING LAW ENACTED
Issue: Privacy
Legislation allowing the British government to track e-mails and seize
encrypted Internet communications will become law on Friday after a royal
signature. The law, hailed by the government as a bulwark against organized
crime but condemned by civil libertarians as the harbinger of an Orwellian
state, was approved by the House of Commons on Wednesday. The law enables
law-enforcement authorities to demand records of Internet traffic and view
the content of encrypted messages. Once the law takes effect in October, the
snooping will be overseen from a multimillion-dollar spy center reported to
be located within the headquarters of MI5, Britain's domestic espionage
agency. Internet service providers will be required to set up secure
channels to the government center so they can transmit information about
Internet traffic there. Critics are worried that information obtained by one
agency could be passed on to others, and says the system was open to abuse.
"I think that the provisions dealing with communications data are born of
complacency, are unsatisfactory, and have little regard for the protection
of privacy and commercial confidences," said Labor Party lawmaker Harry
Cohen.
[SOURCE: USA Today (online), AUTHOR: Associated press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cti296.htm)
EPIC, JUNKBUSTERS RELEASE REPORT ON ONLINE PROFILING PRINCIPLES
Issue: Privacy
On July 28, EPIC and Junkbusters released "Network Advertising Initiative:
Principles not Privacy", a report that assesses past events surrounding
Internet advertisers, analyzes the recent self-regulatory guidelines
approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and proposes solutions that
will provide for the adequate protection of online privacy. Privacy
advocates sent a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee urging them to
examine the proposal. For background, also see the June 21 letter from
several Senators on the Commerce Committee to the FTC, urging the inclusion
of consumers and privacy groups in the negotiations.
[SOURCE: Electronic Privacy Information Center]
(http://www.epic.org/privacy/internet/NAI_analysis.html)
PUBLISHING
RANDOM HOUSE TO ESTABLISH EXCLUSIVELY DIGITAL UNIT
Issue: Online Publishing
Random House, the largest United States trade publisher, plans today to
announce the creation of a new, purely digital imprint. Beginning in January,
under the name AtRandom, the house will publish a list of 20 purely digital
books. All of the books will be sold either online or in single copies
printed on demand. None will be shipped to bookstores. The rush toward
e-publishing is creating quiet negotiations by
editors courting agents and authors for the digital rights to their new and
previously published books. Random House will sell its digital books through
online booksellers and other organizations' Web sites. The house plans to
sell the books for about the price of a typical trade paperback, for a
little less in electronic form and a little more in print-on-demand. Authors
will be paid royalties on electronic books of about 15 percent of the price.
For print-on-demand titles, authors will receive 7.5 percent of the price.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: David Kirkpatrick]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/07/biztech/articles/31book.html)
RADIO
LOW POWER FM APPLICATIONS
Issue: Radio
FCC to Accept Low Power FM Applications August 28 through September 1, 2000
for Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada,
New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Virginia, and Wyoming. [For more on LPFM, see
http://www.mediaaccess.org/programs/lpfm/index.html]
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Public_Notices/FM_Windows/da001697...)
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The Benton Foundation's Communications Policy Program (CPP)
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Service is posted Monday through Friday. The Headlines are highlights
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