November 2000

MEDIA & SOCIETY
A Supreme Court Session We Should All See (NYT)
Can We Trust TV? (WP)

EDTECH
Educators' Approach to Technology Funding Matures (CyberTimes)

INTERNET
Internet Use in Europe Is on the Rise, Cheaper Hook-Ups
May Be the Cause (WSJ)
Time Warner Resists FTC Demands to Share Content (USA)
Network Solutions Adds '.tv' Domains (WP)
Internet Strategy to Help Others Make Films (NYT)
A Stephen King Online Horror Tale Turns Into a Mini-Disaster (NYT)

CABLE
Comcast, Juno Make Deal to Sell Net Access (WP)
Comcast-Disney Battle Could Hit TV Viewers (WP)

TELEPHONY
Softer Outlook for a Phone Offering (NYT)
New Telephone Slamming Rules Work for Consumers (FCC)

JOBS
Amazon.com is Using the Web to Block Unions' Efforts
to Organize (NYT)

FCC
Technological Advisory Council to Hold Seventh Meeting (FCC)

MEDIA & SOCIETY

A SUPREME COURT SESSION WE SHOULD ALL SEE
Issue: Media & Society/Journalism
[Op-Ed] Cameras in the Supreme Court? O'Brien, who covered the Court for
ABC News, writes that the stakes in Friday's hearing -- the legitimacy of
the office of president, not to mention its occupant -- couldn't be higher.
Justice David Souter has said that TV cameras would have to be "rolled in
over my dead body." O'Brien writes that for this one occasion, at least,
Congress should pass legislation making live coverage of the Court
possible. Court observers know how well the Supreme Court works; Americans
should see that, too. And after all, O'Brien concludes, it is not their
Court -- it's our Court.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A31), AUTHOR: Tim O'Brien, ABC News]
(http://www.nytimes.com/)
(requires registration)

CAN WE TRUST TV?
Issue: Journalism
[Op-Ed] Television network news, once regarded as a public service, has
become a business. The effects are seen in the disaster that was election
night 2000 coverage. Time magazine editor Walter Isaacson watched that
coverage and concluded, they "have lost their baritone of authority." 79%
of Americans believe the networks did not act responsibly in calling
Florida first for Gore and then for Bush. The corporate push to make news
profitable has lowered journalistic standards and taste. A Shorenstein
Center study shows a dramatic increase in
the number of stories "without any public policy content" -- from 36% in
1980 to 52% in 2000. Coverage of presidential candidates has also tended to
be "negative"--from 25% of stories in 1960 to 63% in 2000. In addition,
seeing all this, the public has lost confidence in the ability -- or desire
-- of network news to encourage positive developments in society. Kalb
concludes: The networks' current internal investigations may yet yield a more
responsible and substantive approach to news, but only a handful of dreamy
network optimists think so.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, (A39) AUTHOR: Marvin Kalb, executive director of the
Washington office of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and
Public Policy at Harvard University]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1567-2000Nov28.html)

EDTECH

EDUCATORS' APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY FUNDING MATURES
Issue: EdTech
Investing in technology is "becoming more institutionalized," said John
Vaille, CEO of the Oregon-based International Society for Technology in
Education. Until recently, Vaille said, technology spending was largely the
result of "individual school or teacher initiatives." School budgets are
now including hardware, software and training instead of relying on
donations and grants. Market Data Retrieval recently found that public
schools spent an estimated $5.67 billion, or $121.37 per student, on
technology in the 1999-2000 school year. That figure is up 2.5 percent over
the prior school year. "They've shifted their views on how they acquire and
maintain equipment," said Kathleen Brantley, director of product
development for Market Data Retrieval. Keith Krueger, the executive
director of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), said that his
organization is helping schools to budget for what is known in the business
world as 'total cost of ownership' - accounting for the initial purchase
price, maintenance and replacement. "They've gotten smarter about budgeting
for the long term." "This ad hoc approach like Net Day, or doing something
with [computer companies] or getting a free donation - they're going to
slip away because all kids are going to need access," said Arthur Sheekey,
technology coordinator for the Council of Chief State School Officers. "As
the systems get more complicated, they can't depend on the math teacher or
a parent."
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Rebecca Weiner (rweiner( at )nytimes.com)]
(http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/tech/indexcyber.html)
(requires registration)

INTERNET

INTERNET USE IN EUROPE IS ON THE RISE, CHEAPER HOOK-UPS MAY BE THE CAUSE
Issue: Digital Divide
Internet use in Europe is growing by leaps and bounds, according to a new
report prepared by the European Commission. According to the commissioner
responsible for information technology issues, Erkki Liikanen, residential
Internet use rose to 28.4% in October from 18% in March and 12% a year
earlier. Internet use by small and midsize European enterprises, which had
been slow to go online, has also risen sharply, with around 70% of all such
firms now online and 40% boasting their own Web sites, according to
statistics due to be published this week. While the average figure for
residential Internet use still lags behind that of the U.S., where more than
40% of all homes go online, Europe is catching up fast. And the percentage
of Europeans accessing the Internet by mobile phones and digital interactive
television services remains ahead of that in the U.S., Mr. Liikanen said.
One explanation for the surge in Internet use is falling connection charges.
Many homes in Europe already had computers but hadn't connected them to the
Internet because of prohibitive prices.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Brandon Mitchener]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB975450378922502146.htm)
(requires subscription)

TIME WARNER RESISTS FTC DEMANDS TO SHARE CONTENT
Issue: Content
Time Warner is unwilling to accede to regulators' demands to make its news
and entertainment content available to America Online's rivals as a
condition for approving the companies' merger - an impasse that could derail
the deal. The Federal Trade Commission, meanwhile, is preparing to sue AOL
and Time Warner to block the deal if it doesn't get a package of concessions
to preserve competition. The FTC is still reviewing the details of Time
Warner's agreement to open its high-speed cable lines to rival Internet
service providers. Its decision is expected by Dec. 15. It's unclear whether
the FTC is willing to try to block the deal over content distribution alone.
A victory would be far from certain, legal experts say. An FTC condition
would likely force Time Warner to provide ISPs its content on the same terms
it offers to AOL. In the 1980s, the Justice Department sued Time Warner
because it withheld HBO from satellite providers that competed with its
cable systems. The company agreed to stop the practice.
[SOURCE: USA Today, (1B) AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]

NETWORK SOLUTIONS ADDS '.TV' DOMAINS
Issue: Internet
Network Solutions, with a Los Angeles partner firm, will begin registering
Internet addresses using the '.tv' suffix. The two letters are so highly
recognizable that the two firms see it as a natural suffix for broadcast and
entertainment firms seeking to promote their products and target
international audiences. About half of .tv's registrants are outside the
United States, including Zee TV in India and TV Norge in Norway. While there
are relatively few .tv addresses registered, the pricing scheme of DotTV,
the Network Solutions partner, places a premium on certain addresses. For
instance, names such as men.tv or health.tv are priced at more than $1
million a year, compared with the $50 fee charged for the average domain
name. Network Solutions will get a portion of the registration fee, plus a
fee for storing the addresses on its exclusive master database, which it has
controlled since 1992.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Dina ElBoghdady]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1585-2000Nov28.html)

INTERNET STRATEGY TO HELP OTHERS MAKE FILMS
Issue: Arts Online
Project Greenlight is a Web site created to attract an online group of
aspiring filmmakers and help break down barriers that keep them from
finding work. For now, at the heart of the project is a contest: the winner
will get at least $1 million to prepare, shoot and polish their movie, all
of which will be the subject of an HBO series documenting the production
process, after which the movie will be released in movie theaters by
Miramax. Partners in Greenlight include Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, Miramax
Films, HBO and Live Planet, an entertainment-related Internet site. Read
more at the URL below.
[SOURCE: New York Times (B1), AUTHOR: Rick Lyman]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29GREE.html)
(requires registration)

A STEPHEN KING ONLINE HORROR TALE TURNS INTO A MINI-DISASTER
Issue: E-commerce/Arts Online
Five months ago, the horror writer Stephen King made news when he decided to
forgo publishers and sell a new serial novel directly to his readers via
the Internet. But with dwindling attention and sales, Mr. King has
temporarily abandoned his effort to work on other, more conventional books.
King had issued installments of the "The Plant" under a novel honor-system
payment plan, asking readers voluntarily to pay $1 for each chapter
downloaded and pledging to keep writing only if at least 75 percent of
readers complied. About 40,000 copies were downloaded in the first week
after the most recent installment became available, down from more than
120,000 copies in the week after the appearance of the first installment.
And many of the readers were not paying. Despite diminishing interest, Mr.
King's most recent installment so far still outsold almost all electronic
books published by the major publishers.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: David Kirkpatrick]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29KING.html)
(requires registration)
See Also:
DEADBEATS PROMPT KING TO YANK INTERNET BOOK
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E1), AUTHOR: Linton Weeks]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1570-2000Nov28.html)

CABLE

COMCAST, JUNO MAKE DEAL TO SELL NET ACCESS
Issue: Cable/Internet
Comcast, the nation's third-largest cable television company, will announce
today a deal allowing Juno Online Services to sell high-speed Internet
service over its wires into homes, company executives confirmed last night.
This announcement comes right in the middle of a national debate on "open
access," the question of whether Internet service providers should have the
right to reach their customers by riding over cable systems, much the same
way they now have access to the telephone network. Open access is also the
unresolved issue in the FTC' review on the AOL/Time Warner merger. The deal
is mutually beneficial to both Juno and Comcast: Juno gains access to more
than 8 million households, while Comcast can use Juno's popular service
as a magnet to attract more high-speed Internet customers.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Goodman & Klein]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1566-2000Nov28.html)

COMCAST-DISNEY BATTLE COULD HIT TV VIEWERS
Issue: Cable
Walt Disney and Comcast Cable are challenging each other to a blinking
contest. The outcome could affect cable television subscribers across the
country, including 1.5 million in the Washington area. Disney is demanding
that Comcast carry its
new SoapNet Channel and give broader distribution to its Disney Channel and
Toon Disney offerings. If Comcast does not agree, Disney is threatening to
revoke Comcast's permission to carry ABC network programming in six cities,
including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago -- a move that would affect 3
million Comcast subscribers. Additionally, as of Jan. 1, Disney has the
option of also pulling ESPN. If Disney and Comcast do not come to an
agreement, it would mark the first time that a cable company has lost the
rights to carry local TV signals due to a contract breakdown. So far,
Comcast is the only cable system in the country that has not come to terms
with Disney, Disney officials said. Comcast Cable President Stephen B. Burke
accused Disney yesterday of trying to hold subscribers hostage to its
demands. "We think it's unconscionable that the Walt Disney Co. would, in
effect, use customers as a bargaining chip," said Burke. Burke also said
that Comcast will not remove ABC from its channel lineup in any city unless
it is receives a specific demand from the network to do so.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A537-2000Nov28.html)

TELEPHONY

SOFTER OUTLOOK FOR A PHONE OFFERING
Issue: Mergers
France Telecom purchased Orange from Vodafone earlier this year for $36
billion. (Vodafone sold the company after acquiring it in its hostile
takeover of Mannesmann of Germany.) FT had hoped to reduce debt and help
its falling stock price by selling a portion of Orange and raising up to
$12 billion. But executives are now planning to get just $6-8.5 billion
from the sale that will take place early next year. The prospect of a host
of initial public offerings next year is also weighing on stock prices,
said Steve Scruton, a telecommunications analyst with HSBC Holdings. Apart
from Orange, KPN and T-Mobil of Germany, "the mobile arms of pretty much
all of the national operators" are planning to sell shares next year to
recover from debt, offering investors a chance to choose among them. "They
have got debt to refinance; they have got the choice of doing the deals" to
raise money, Mr. Scruton said, or risking downgrades in their credit
ratings, which will increase the interest rate burden.
[SOURCE: New York Times (W1), AUTHOR: Alan Cowell]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29ORAN.html)
(requires registration)

NEW TELEPHONE SLAMMING RULES WORK FOR CONSUMERS
Issue: Telephone Regulation
News release outlines new rules the FCC and the states have adopted to
prevent telephone companies from switching a consumers service without
authorization. Topics include: How do the New Rules Work, What Must I Do To
Complain and How Can I Get Additional Information About this Program.
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Consumer_Information/News_Releases/2000/nrci0006
.html)

JOBS

AMAZON.COM IS USING THE WEB TO BLOCK UNIONS' EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE
Issue: Jobs
Amazon, one of the leaders in electronic retailing, has stepped up its
antiunion activities the last week after the Communications Workers of
America, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and the Prewitt
Organizing Fund announced plans to speed efforts to unionize Amazon during
the holiday e-shopping rush. The organizing drive is the most ambitious one
ever undertaken in the high-technology sector, where the nation's labor
movement has yet to establish a foothold. Amazon workers upset about
layoffs at Amazon last January and about the sharp drop in the value of
their stock options. The company is using its internal Web site to
distribute antiunion information to workers and alert managers to the
warning signs that workers are organizing.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Steven Greenhouse]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29AMAZ.html)
(requires registration)

FCC

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL TO HOLD SEVENTH MEETING
From Public Notice: The Technological Advisory Council ("Council"), will
hold its seventh meeting on Wednesday, December 6, at 10:00 a.m. at the
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th St. S.W., Room TW-C305,
Washington, D.C. At this meeting, the Council may discuss (1) the current
state of the art for software defined radios, cognitive radios, and similar
devices and future developments for these technologies; (2) the current
technical trends in telecommunications services; and (3) the
telecommunications common carrier network interconnection scenarios that
are likely to develop. [Yes, it is meeting like this that inspired "Bring
Your Daughter Day" at the FCC]
Brief oral comments to the Council may be made with prior notice to, and
approval by, the Federal Communications Commission's Designated Federal
Officer for the Technological Advisory Council, David Farber (e-mail:
DFARBER( at )FCC.GOV).
For further information, contact Kent Nilsson at 202-418-0845 or TTY
202-418-2989.
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Public_Notices/2000/da002
687.html)

--------------------------------------------------------------

POLITICAL DISCOURSE
With Polls Closed, Political Sites Seek a New Focus (NYT)
E-Voting: Its Day Has Not Come Just Yet (NYT)

JOURNALISM
To Stay Afloat, Unlikely Ties in TV News (NYT)
How the Television Networks Covered the 2000 Presidential
Campaign (Brookings)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Phone Mergers That May Help Competition (NYT)
Japan's NTT DoCoMo Nears Agreement On $10 Billion Stake in
AT&T Wireless (WSJ)
Third Generation Wireless (NTIA)

INTERNET
Group for Cooperatives Seeks to Make Credibility a Lure of
Its New .Coop Domain (NYT)
With Plot Still Sketchy, Characters Vie for Roles (NYT)
Voice Challenges the Screen In Race for the Wireless Web (WSJ)
Cable-Through-Sewer Strategy Hints Of Sweet Smell Of Success (USA)
Web Sites Help Patients Choose And Question Care (USA)

MEDIA & SOCIETY
How To Sell To Kids Without Selling Out (USA)
Net's Icebox Freezes Out TV Censors (USA)

POLITICAL DISCOURSE

WITH POLLS CLOSED, POLITICAL SITES SEEK A NEW FOCUS
Issue: Political Discourse
Web sites that have acted as portals for news and information about
political issues are rethinking their mission post-election 2000. Many of
these sites are now thinking they'll become consulting firms, enabling
political groups to organize lobbying campaigns on issues before Congress
or developing online opinion-polling systems. By entering the arena of
Internet lobbying, the companies are on risky terrain. Online lobbying, in
recent years, has been dominated by consulting firms that generally employ
one to 12 people. The firms, which include companies like Mindshare
Internet Campaigns and the NetPolitics Group, accrued little debt and grew
slowly.
For political information online, this may be an opportunity for nonprofits
to renter the field. After the appearance of the commercial sites, some
foundations, including the Pew Charitable Trusts, became more interested in
investing in projects that set standards for Internet campaigning than in
supporting Web sites. But that reluctance may fade as commercial political
sites vanish. "This is a great opportunity for the nonprofit world with
foundation support to step back in," said Sean Treglia, a program officer
for Pew. "We won."
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: Rebecca Fairley Raney]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/technology/27POLS.html)
(requires registration)

E-VOTING: ITS DAY HAS NOT COME JUST YET
Issue: e-Voting
After observing the Florida process for nearly 3 weeks, one might wonder,
"why it is not yet possible to toss out the chaos and frenzy of paper
ballots or punch cards and move the process onto the Internet. After all, if
you can buy a book in your pajamas, why not choose a president?" First, the
merits: voting software could have an confirmation message, "did you really
want to vote for Buchanan? Really?" And of course, the best reason of all -
no chad. Well not so fast. "Fundamentally, less technology is more
reliable," said Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer at Counterpane
Internet Security. "As soon as you move away from a paper audit trail, you
increase the risk a lot." Those who think the Internet holds easy answers
to the challenges of balloting are underestimating the problem, said Jim
Adler, founder of Votehere.net. "Keeping the ballots secret and at the same
time making sure that the ballots can be audited is a daunting task," he
said, "and it's easy to screw up." California's Internet Voting Task Force
released a study in January concluding "...additional technical innovations
are necessary before remote Internet voting can be widely implemented as a
useful tool to improve participation in the elections process." But voter
participation and human error pale in the face of the security questions.
Avi D. Rubin, a researcher at AT&T Labs who has studied online voting
extensively said, "If there are people with strong incentives to circumvent
the process, it can be done." In a recent paper, Mr. Rubin suggested that a
simple hacker's tool known as the "ping of death," which involves sending a
tiny amount of data to a victim's computer, temporarily disabling it, could
block many voters' efforts and throw the results of an election into doubt.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: John Schwartz]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/technology/27CHAD.html)
(requires registration)

JOURNALISM

TO STAY AFLOAT, UNLIKELY TIES IN TV NEWS
Issue: Journalism
ABC's "Nightline" and PBS' "Frontline" reached an agreement that may have
some viewers confused in January. Nightline's Ted Koppel and Chris Bury
will appear in a two-hour Frontline special about the Clinton
administration. Frontline is paying Nightline for its reporting and video,
and it is helping to produce the special. Nightline news producers pitched
and sold the special to "Frontline," and their staff did the reporting. By
their very competitive nature, news outlets traditionally guard their work
jealously. But with broadcast news audiences going to cable, budget cuts
and corporate retrenchment, news organizations are trying to find cheap
ways to do what they do. CBS, ABC and Fox share stock footage of breaking
news events and the major news outlets also formed the Voter News Service
to collect election night exit polling data, expensive research each
partner had previously conducted independently. Such
collaborative arrangements have some fearing that news will not only
become further homogenized, but also increasingly vulnerable to error.For
more on the Frontline deal, see the URL below.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Jim Rutenberg]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/business/27MEDI.html)
(requires registration)

HOW THE TELEVISION NETWORKS COVERED THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
Issue: Journalism
With the dramatic conclusion of one of the closest presidential elections
in history, the Hess Report on Campaign Coverage in Network News presented
conclusions on how well or badly the TV networks covered the Bush/Gore
race. Brookings Senior Fellow Stephen Hess, a longtime observer of politics
and the media, spent nine weeks analyzing coverage of the campaign by ABC,
CBS, NBC, and PBS, reporting his findings weekly in USA Today and on CNN,
and giving out weekly awards for outstanding coverage. See results at the
URL below.
[SOURCE: Electronic Policy Network]
(http://www.brookings.edu/comm/transcripts/20001113.htm)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

PHONE MERGERS THAT MAY HELP COMPETITION
Issue: Mergers/Competition
After five years of consolidation in telecommunications, "it now appears
that the long-term health of the $80 billion-plus long-distance sector
depends largely on even more mergers," Schiesel writes. The current
structure of the industry may fail both consumers and investors. Although
consumers are benefiting from competitive price wars, companies are getting
little profit out of current networks when they should be investing in the
broadband networks of tomorrow. The downturn in long distance companies'
stocks probably means something systemic is happening to damage the
financial prospects for the long-distance industry. Market competition is
working too well. There may be too many companies with too-similar networks
and business models for them all to survive in their current form. For
competition to be truly genuine, Schiesel concludes, it must also be
sustainable. Further consolidation in the short term, might actually ensure
genuine competition far into the future.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Seth Schiesel]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/technology/27NECO.html)
(requires registration)

JAPAN'S NTT DOCOMO NEARS AGREEMENT ON $10 BILLION STAKE IN AT&T WIRELESS
Issue: Wireless
Japan's NTT DoCoMo is close to an agreement to acquire a 16%-18% stake in
AT&T Wireless for nearly $10 billion, according to people familiar with the
situation. The deal is expected to be sealed later this week. NTT DoCoMo is
expected to acquire the minority position in AT&T Wireless by purchasing
the stake from both parent company AT&T and the
wireless unit. A deal between the two wireless concerns has been expected
for several months. NTT DoCoMo has been looking for a way to break into the
U.S. market and has held talks with both AT&T Wireless and Cingular, the
wireless joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth. NTT DoCoMo
has particular interest in wireless data services and has been looking for
a U.S. partner that can deploy a high-speed wireless service in a few
years. NTT DoCoMo has said it plans to be the first operator to offer
next-generation wireless service, which can do things such as download
music and video at 40 times the current speed available on wireless phones.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A3), AUTHOR: Deborah Solomon And Nikhil
Deogun]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB975293587854028470.htm)
(requires subscription)

THIRD GENERATION WIRELESS
Issue: Wireless
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will hold
its second government-industry meeting on Third Generation wireless systems
on December 1. This meeting, organized in cooperation with the Federal
Communications Commission, the Department of Defense, and other Federal
agencies, is intended to provide technical experts an opportunity to review
and discuss the Interim Reports released on November 15, 2000 by NTIA and
the FCC.
NTIA has also created an open electronic-mail discussion forum
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/threeg/3gfr112000.htm) on issues
pertaining to the identification of radio spectrum for third generation
wireless systems in the United States. See Instructions for subscribing to
the 3G listserv (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/threeg/3glist.htm) and
Press Release (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/2000/3g112200.htm).
[SOURCE: NTIA]
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/threeg/3gasasr2f.htm)

INTERNET

GROUP FOR COOPERATIVES SEEKS TO MAKE CREDIBILITY A LURE OF ITS NEW .COOP DOMAIN
Issue: Internet
Icann has decided to add seven new suffixes to help relieve pressure on the
popular .com domain. One new domain is .coop; its purpose is make it
"easier for consumers, producers and others to find the businesses they
trust in the global electronic marketplace." "What a cooperative can do is
address chaos in the marketplace," said Paul Hazen, president of the
National Cooperative Business Association. Although most co-ops already
operate Web sites ending in .com or .org, Mr. Hazen said, "they didn't fit
neatly into those categories." He said co-ops may use the new domain to
find a space between the business interests of .com and the nonprofit world
of .org. "Consumer mistrust of e-commerce is growing," Patricia A.
Brownell, executive director of the National Credit Union Foundation, wrote
to Icann in support of the association. "It's critical that cooperative
businesses have an opportunity to identify themselves to consumers and
others who prefer to do business with us."
[SOURCE: New York Times (C6), AUTHOR: Chris Gaither]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/technology/27NET.html)
(requires registration)

WITH PLOT STILL SKETCHY, CHARACTERS VIE FOR ROLES
Issue: e-Publishing
There is something not entirely rational about the publishing industry's
infatuation with e-books. Low numbers of readers, an untested product, and
prior poor experiences with interactive books (CD-ROMs) should have warned
the publishing industry off of the products. Instead, major book publishers,
technology companies, online booksellers and new electronic book middlemen
are betting hundreds of millions of dollars this year on the future market
for digital books. Basically, the competing interests are hoping that the
e-book will do for the book business in 2000 what the paperback did for the
industry in the 1930's. At present, don't expect a clear plot to this story
- but the characters' motivations are clear enough: Authors see e-books as a
way to reach consumers without having to rely on publishers. Publishers see
a chance to cut out printers and even bookstores as they begin to print
custom-ordered books in their warehouses from digital files or sell
electronic editions to Internet users. Meanwhile, a handful of fast-growing
start-ups are racing to sell the contents of books in an entirely new way,
through huge digital archives of thousands of books and periodicals
available online, liberated from the confines of their covers.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: David Kirkpatrick]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/27/technology/27BOOK.html)
(requires registration)

VOICE CHALLENGES THE SCREEN IN RACE FOR THE WIRELESS WEB
Issue: Internet
Lawrence Goetz, a 27-year-old research assistant in Brooklyn, N.Y., checks
his stock portfolio on the run, by dialing a toll-free number to reach a
service called Tellme. He speaks a few words into the phone and listens as
stock prices are read aloud to him. Compared with Web phones, he says,
Tellme is fast, easy to use -- and it's free. Yahoo! and America Online
recently unleashed phone services that let members listen to e-mail and news
by calling a special number. Tellme, meanwhile, has gotten great reviews and
is marketing itself aggressively. Services like Tellme are not only
invaluable to consumers who want to access the Web anywhere, but also to
thousands of businesses trying to figure out how best to exploit a wireless
audience. For now, everyone is looking for clues to what the wireless future
will look -- or sound -- like. The wireless Web is growing fast, but its
shape remains hazy. Will we talk or type our way through this untethered
world? When you dial up the service at 800-555-TELL, you may not be able to
perform a full-text search of the Web. But you can easily get driving
directions, flight information, traffic reports and restaurant
recommendations. "Voice is a pragmatic solution," says Mike McCue, Tellme's
CEO. Mr. McCue, it turns out, isn't a purist. Though he argues that voice
has the advantage over screens in the early years of the wireless Web, he
also thinks the two must converge so that consumers will be able to speak
commands into the phone, then view results on a screen.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Thomas E. Weber]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB975273792207584662.htm)

CABLE-THROUGH-SEWER STRATEGY HINTS OF SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
Issue: Broadband
CityNet Telecommunications aims to revolutionize the rollout of broadband
services in cities by dispatching tiny robots to lay fiber-optic cables in
sewer pipes. One of the biggest obstacles to the rollout of high-speed
Internet and data services is that companies must tear up city streets to
lay fiber-optic cables, which increases costs, sparks lengthy battles over
rights-of-way and disrupts traffic. By using sewer lines, CityNet gains
access to the basement of every building in a city without the need to rip
up streets, which could cut the time and cost of fiber installation in half,
industry officials say. CityNet already has agreements to run the high-speed
fiber cables to commercial and apartment buildings in Indianapolis,
Albuquerque and Omaha and is in talks with 33 other cities.
[SOURCE: USAToday (3B), AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001127/2867730s.htm)

WEB SITES HELP PATIENTS CHOOSE AND QUESTION CARE
Issue: Health/Internet
Americans are increasingly turning to the Internet for health information,
according to a recent report released Pew Internet & American Life Project.
The study found that 15 million American adults hunt for medical information
on the Internet every week. The Pew study also reveled that health
information on the Internet influences how many people will treat an illness
or condition. Half the people surveyed said that what they learned on the
Internet improved the way they cared for themselves. One major concern about
medical information on the Internet is the security of personal information.
Most -- 80% -- say it's important to be able to get health information
anonymously.
[SOURCE: USAToday (10D), AUTHOR: Robert Davis]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001127/2867826s.htm)

MEDIA & SOCIETY

HOW TO SELL TO KIDS WITHOUT SELLING OUT
Issue: Media & Society
Kenn Viselman, chairman of The Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company, agrees with
critics like Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) when they charge Hollywood and
toymakers
with over-marketing children-oriented movies, TV shows and merchandise.
"Companies know that they're wrong, but they don't want to change because
there are billions at stake," says Viselman. "Nobody's thinking about the
damage they do." He claims these companies often abuse the relationship --
with parents as well as children -- by loading tapes and DVDs with ads that
young viewers are ill-equipped to process. "To advertise to kids that way is
so violently wrong," he says. "My personal crusade is to have commercials
taken off of children's home videos."
[SOURCE: USAToday (6B), AUTHOR: David Lieberman]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001127/2867721s.htm)

NET'S ICEBOX FREEZES OUT TV CENSORS
Issue: Media & Society
This June, several TV producers joined together to launch a Web site,
Icebox, that would be free of the meddling of network TV. On Icebox,
writers are free to tackle any topic, no matter how outrageous, including a
gay Jewish duck; a slanty-eyed, foul-mouthed Asian houseboy; and an
alcoholic Abraham Lincoln. While Icebox has beaten the odds to which other
online entertainment ventures recently have succumbed, it has also attracted
the wrath of activists angry about stereotypical portrayals of various
minorities. Jeff Yang, president of aMedia (which publishes aMagazine:
Inside Asian America), fired off an e-mail to 13,000 people, encouraging them
to bombard Icebox with negative comments about Mr. Wong. Yang calls the
series "one of the most blatant and disgusting examples of anti-Asian
stereotyping I've ever seen." Steve Stanford, Icebox executive and former
Hollywood agent, defended the site's programs: "We're sensitive people. We
make fun of all stereotypes here. As long as it's about humor, we're OK with
it."
[SOURCE: USAToday (3D), AUTHOR: Jefferson Graham]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001127/2867839s.htm)

--------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNET
Time Warner Makes Access Deal With Earthlink (NYT)
British Telecom Will Back Web Programs (WSJ)
Study by FBI is Confident in 'Carnivore' (WSJ)
Yahoo! Ordered to Bar the French from Nazi Items (WSJ)
Gemstar, Barnes & Noble Talk E-Books (WSJ)

COMPETITION
For Local Phone Users, Choice Isn't an Option (NYT)

WIRELESS
Spectrum for News Wireless Services (FCC)

JOURNALISM
All Channels Tuned to Courtroom Drama in Florida (NYT)

INTERNET

TIME WARNER MAKES ACCESS DEAL WITH EARTHLINK
Issue: Cable/Open Access
To win regulatory approval for its proposed merger with America Online,
Time Warner agreed to allow Earthlink, the country's #2 Internet service
provider, to offer high-speed Internet access over Time Warner cable
television systems. "Time Warner in good faith has come forward with an
arrangement that we think can be a model for others," said Earthlink's CEO
Garry Betty. "We have no objections to their deal going forward." Preston
Padden, an executive vice president at Disney, a major opponent to the
deal, said the agreement "looks like a giant step in the right direction."
Disney was pleased that the deal allowed Earthlink to offer certain forms
of interactive television. Disney has long feared that AOL Time Warner
could block it from offering interactive services linked to its ABC and
ESPN television networks. AOL and Time Warner had hoped to complete their
merger, announced January 10, this fall. Because the merger review has
taken longer than they expected, they have now targeted early 2001.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1), AUTHOR: Saul Hansell]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/21/technology/21TIME.html)
(requires registration)
See Also
TIME WARNER, EARTHLINK REACH DEAL
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Alec Klein]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46686-2000Nov20.html)
TIME WARNER, EARTHLINK CUT NET DEAL
[SOURCE: USAToday (1B), AUTHOR: Paul Davidson and David Lieberman]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001121/2854899s.htm)

BRITISH TELECOM WILL BACK WEB PROGRAMS
Issue: Content
British Telecom plans to work with entertainment firms to develop original
programming for its high-speed Internet service. The enterprise of both
creating and owning entertainment content is an unusual enterprise for a
telecommunications company. The initiative will be carried out by
BTopenworld, the company's Internet service provider unit. John Raczka,
senior vice president for content at BTopenworld, said it doesn't yet know
how much it will invest as it works with production companies or movie
studios to develop the programs. "Ultimately, technology becomes a commodity
as the industry matures," Mr. Raczka said. "So content will be one of the
biggest points of differentiation between broadband providers." The
offerings would include reality programming, game-show style episodes or
comedy, he said.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B6), AUTHOR: Anna Wilde Matthews]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB974759618999820127.htm)
Subscription Required

STUDY BY FBI IS CONFIDENT IN 'CARNIVORE'
Issue: Privacy
A draft review of "Carnivore," the FBI's email sniffing and Internet
surveillance system, expresses confidence overall in the government's
continued use of the eavesdropping software, but recommended these changes:
1) Change the software's interface so that the more important choices
require confirmation 2) Concerns about the invasion of privacy should also
be directed at commercial "sniffer" software 3) More auditing functions to
detect tampering. 4) Make default settings collect less information 5) FBI
should allow outside review of future versions of Carnivore.
"We found that the system does not overcollect, and that it basically does
what it's represented to do," says Henry Perritt Jr., head of the review
panel and dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law. "Some of the larger
concerns were way, way overblown." The institute turned over its draft last
week to the Justice Department for editing, as required under its $172,559
federal contract.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A4), AUTHOR: Ted Bridis]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB97476300551344446.htm)
Subscription Required

YAHOO! ORDERED TO BAR THE FRENCH FROM NAZI ITEMS
Issue: Media & Society
A ruling by French Judge Jean-Jacques Gomez means that Yahoo! must block
French users from accessing Nazi memorabilia on its U.S.-based Web site and
establishes a precedent that Web companies operating on the global Internet
can be required to tailor their practices to the laws of individual
countries. "This French court ruling has disastrous implications for free
expression around the world," said Alan Davidson, staff counsel for the
Center for Democracy and Technology. Web companies ranging from portals to
electronic retailers might have to curtail their activities to comply with
the statutes of nations like France. The ruling could also embolden other
countries to hold independent Web site publishers or large corporations
outside their borders responsible for contents that are illegal under their
nations' laws.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: Mangalinden & Delaney]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB974734994696716115.htm)
(Subscription Required)
See Also:
YAHOO DISPUTES FRENCH JUDGE'S RULING
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Sam Diaz]
(http://www0.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/front/docs/yahoo112100.htm)

GEMSTAR, BARNES & NOBLE TALK E-BOOKS
Issue: e-Publishing
Gemstar-TV Guide International, which has become a leading promoter of
electronic-books, is engaged in preliminary talks with bookseller Barnes &
Noble about combining their businesses. The talks signal the growing
importance of e-book technologies to the structure of the publishing
industry. Barnes & Noble may be particularly interested in a partnership
with Gemstar because of the threat posed a by e-publishers selling directly
to consumers through nonbook-selling Web sites such as fan clubs. There is a
good chance, however, that the two companies will not reach a deal.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B8), AUTHOR: Rose & Deogun]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB974765974210883310.htm)
(Subscription Required)

COMPETITION

FOR LOCAL PHONE USERS, CHOICE ISN'T AN OPTION
Issue: Competition
Four years after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was supposed to usher
in a new era of consumer choice, only about 3 percent of household and
small-business telephone lines are served by a competitor to the
longstanding local phone company. Analysts think just 1 in 10 households
even has a real choice. AT&T's plan to break itself up has many experts
worried that the company is pulling back from an aggressive national effort
to provide a bundle of services (local, long distance, cable, Internet,
wireless) to consumers. "Certainly less than 10 percent of consumers have
any meaningful choice of local service," said Gene Kimmelman at the
Washington office of Consumers Union. "There were lots of overblown
promises from telecommunications executives that they would provide
competition, and it's not happening." In the wake of the 1996 Act, local
phone giants consolidated prompting new competitors to focus on business
customers instead of residential consumers. Recently, revenues in the long
distance market have dried up which could mean that Bell companies'
enthusiasm for entering that field -- and opening their local markets to
competition to do it -- is reduced.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Seth Schiesel]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/21/business/21PHON.html)
(requires registration)

WIRELESS

SPECTRUM FOR NEW WIRELESS SERVICES
Issue: Wireless
From Press Release: The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice) that proposes to reallocate 27 megahertz of
spectrum transferred from Federal Government use for non-Government
services. The Notice proposes reallocation of a number of small spectrum
blocks transferred pursuant to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1993 and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. These actions and proposals will
benefit consumers by permitting and encouraging the introduction of new
wireless technologies.
This proceeding continues the implementation of the FCC's recent Spectrum
Policy Statement, which, among other things, identified a preliminary
allocation plan for this spectrum, and articulated a number of goals for
efficient spectrum management. The Commission has received several
suggestions for use of this spectrum including: (1) pairing some of the
bands and assigning licenses to band managers through competitive bidding,
while proposing traditional site-licensed approaches in other bands for use
by industrial and public safety operations; (2) using of a portion of this
spectrum for satellite feeder links; (3) using a portion of this spectrum
for utility telemetry to support automated meter reading; and (4) requests
have also been made for using a portion of this spectrum for personal
location services. This Notice examines these recommendations and
identifies several other options for making use of these bands to provide
valuable services to the public.
Staff Contact: Tom Mooring at (202) 418-2450, e-mail: tmooring( at )fcc.gov
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2000/nret00
13.html)

JOURNALISM

ALL CHANNELS TUNED TO COURTROOM DRAMA IN FLORIDA
Issue: Journalism
Eight major networks, from the three broadcast giants, ABC, NBC and CBS, to
the news- oriented niche channels on cable like C-Span and Court TV, went
live to Tallahassee at 2 p.m. yesterday and stayed with the proceedings
from the Florida Supreme Court for the full two and a half hours. Not since
the impeachment hearings and trial had there been such full-court coverage
of a political event. For a recap of the spectacle and how it was covered,
see the URL below.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A15), AUTHOR: Peter Marks]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/21/politics/21MEDI.html)
(requires registration)

--------------------------------------------------------------

JOURNALISM/POLITICAL DISCOURSE
G.O.P. Lawmakers See Bias by Networks in Calling Races (NYT)
Hearing Too Much and Learning Too Little (NYT)
Advertising: Democrats and Republicans Have Brand-Name Problems
(NYT)

INTERNET
Cable Connection Selections (WP)
Deutsche Telekom Is Ordered to Open Lines to Competing
Internet Services (WSJ)
Seven New Domain Suffixes Approved (WP)
Ruling Favors Tobacco Companies (CyberTimes)

PRIVACY
Newly-Released Carnivore Documents Raise Questions (EPIC)

JOURNALISM/POLITICAL DISCOURSE

G.O.P. LAWMAKERS SEE BIAS BY NETWORKS IN CALLING RACES
Issue: Journalism
Florida Representative Billy Tauzin has led House Republicans in accusing
the national television networks today of being biased against Gov. George
W. Bush in election-night coverage. They claimed that Republicans in
conservative strongholds like the Florida Panhandle were discouraged from
turning out to vote after the all the major networks erroneously called
Florida for Mr. Gore before all the state's polls had closed. Rep. Tauzin, a
Louisiana Republican who heads the House Commerce subcommittee on
telecommunications, said he would hold hearings early next year to examine
how the networks called winners. In an interview, Mr. Tauzin said that he
did not know if the bias was "accidental, intentional or the product of bad
modeling, but someone has to explain it." As Republicans accused the
networks bias, a controversy has arisen over revelations that Gov. Bush's
cousin and Fox News executive, John Ellis, was trading information with the
Bush campaign on election night.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Schmitt]
(http://www.nytimes.com/pages/politics/elections/index.html)
(requires registration)
See Also:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY NETWORKS BIASED
[SOURCE: USAToday (13A), AUTHOR: USAToday Editorial Staff]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001117/2848507s.htm)

HEARING TOO MUCH AND LEARNING TOO LITTLE
Issue: Journalism
[Op-Ed] Television's coverage of the 2000 election results may be the worst
moment in the 50-year history of the medium's coverage of politics.
Misleading coverage not only failed to report what had actually happened on
election night but created and has sustained the suggestion of an election
that was called back and might be stolen, when the truth is simply that a
very narrow election is late in being decided. The close race has exposed
longstanding weaknesses in the modern political press; the only good outcome
will be if it leads to serious self-examination and appropriate changes.
Political reporting has given way to campaign reporting -- looking at the
technology used by campaigns instead of getting in touch with voters. Covet
and Rosensteil outline solutions and conclude: the press should start
viewing the election not as two campaigns but as a national conversation. It
should stop interviewing voters in artificial focus groups and start
knocking on doors. In short, reporters need to begin to try to understand
the campaign that now goes on inside the private space. Only then can
journalism begin to help us all understand the underlying factors in our
elections and provide the context for societies to self-govern.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, the
Committee of Concerned Journalists ]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/opinion/17ROSE.html)
(requires registration)

ADVERTISING: DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE BRAND-NAME PROBLEMS
Issue: Advertising
According to a two-year study about how consumers relate to brands, the
G.O.P. and the Democrats tied for last place on a "relationship monitor"
developed by FCB Worldwide in New York. FCB, part of True North
Communications, interviewed a national sample of some 2,400 consumers in
late 1999 about their relationships with 60 brands, from Oreo cookies to
Burger King. The results showed that consumers had stronger commitments to
Clorox than they did to America's two major political parties. "We were
fascinated that consumers had stronger relationships with these inanimate
objects than with political parties," said Janet Pines, FCB's director of
competitive strategy and proprietary techniques. "It's scary yes, but I
think it's also easy to see that a bottle of bleach is less likely to betray
you than a politician." "What we found is that while relationships are
infinitely complex, there's a method to the madness," said Dr. Mark Ingwer,
a clinical psychologist for Insight Associates in Chicago, which conducted
some of the research with FCB. "Basically people aren't clear what drives
them to do what they do. We are accessing a deeper level of the consumer
experience to tease out the emotional wants and needs that help advertisers
and marketers connect with people." Understanding the special feelings
consumers have about brands is crucial for brand profitability in a world
where there is often little difference among products. The cost of acquiring
a new customer is five times that of maintaining an existing one, and loyal
customers account for a disproportionate share of overall sales.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Patricia Winters Lauro]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/business/17ADCO.html)
(requires registration)

INTERNET

CABLE CONNECTION SELECTIONS
Issue: Open Access
Should you be able to choose your Internet service provider when you sign up
for cable-modem Internet access? What seems to be a minor point in an
argument that has been going on for years, may or may not be settled with an
FTC approval of the AOL - Time Warner merger. But what does it mean to you?
When a consumer buys cable-modem service that consumer pays for not only
speed, but also a complete Internet account--e-mail address, news group
access and so on. If the customer would like to use a cable Internet service
provider other than the choices presented by the cable television firm - or
keep a current account - the consumer must pay more. Contrast this with
dial-up accounts: first you pay for the connection--whether it's a DSL
circuit or a second phone line. Then you decide who you want to transport
data over that link. For many consumers this isn't a concern, service
reliability is the big factor, not choice. But, for many there is not really
a choice, anyway: DSL, Satellite and fixed wireless don't have the
penetration rates that cable enjoys.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Rob Pegoraro]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37115-2000Nov16.html)

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM IS ORDERED TO OPEN LINES TO COMPETING INTERNET SERVICES
Issue: Open Access
A rule set Thursday by German telecommunications regulators that requires
Deutsche Telekom AG, Germany's former telephone monopoly, to give competing
Internet-service providers flat-rate access to its lines could spur
increased Web use and e-commerce in Europe's biggest economy. The decision,
expected to take effect in February will allow companies such as America
Online's AOL Europe to pay one fee for unlimited access -- as is the norm in
the U.S. -- instead of paying for each incremental minute. Currently,
service providers offer their subscribers a flat rate, but the ISPs have to
pay Deutsche Telekom by the minute for phone-line use. Independent Internet
service providers say the per-minute system puts them at a disadvantage
against Deutsche Telekom, but the giant telecom company argued against the
decision, saying that cheap rates for Internet surfing would put too much
traffic on its telecommunications network with its mostly older generation,
narrowband lines. Deutsche Telekom said that by not offering flat rates for
accessing the Web over narrowband lines, it wants to encourage customers to
sign up for newer, broadband lines that carry more data. "This decision is
pushing massive investment in the completely wrong direction -- into
narrowband, instead of broadband," Deutsche Telekom spokesman Hans Ehnert
said. "It puts all the risk on Deutsche Telekom."
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B5), AUTHOR: Associated Press
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB974396330343752868.htm)
(requires subscription)

SEVEN NEW DOMAIN SUFFIXES APPROVED
Issue: Internet
ICANN has approved seven new domain suffixes in hopes of expanding the
borders of cyberspace. Yesterday the organization voted to authorize adding
.info, .biz, .name, .pro, .coop, .museum and .aero to the list of possible
suffixes. On the one hand, the new names promise to open new possibilities
in the demand for simple, memorable Web addresses. On the other hand, the
new names also promise to make hunting for Web addresses that much more
complicated as the list of suffixes expand beyond .com, .org, .gov or .net.
ICANN has arranged a two-pronged system. Some registrars have exclusive
rights to register certain suffixes. Register.com, for example has exclusive
rights to .pro, a suffix intended for "professionals." ICANN envisions
doctors, lawyers and such using this suffix to register their practices.
ICANN has also given all of 19 current registrars the ability to register
some of the suffixes, such as .info. Esther Dyson, the board's chairwoman,
was opposed to awarding any names to that consortium, but was overruled by
the board. "It doesn't foster competition in the sense that we've created a
competitive market only to see cooperatives formed. . . . Gives me a queasy
feeling," Dyson said. General use names: .info for anyone, .biz for
businesses, .name for individuals. Targeted names: .pro for professionals,
.museum for museums, .coop for business cooperatives and .aero for airlines.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Ariana Eunjung Cha]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35598-2000Nov16.html)
See Also:
7 DOMAINS TO COMPETE WITH .COM
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Chris Gaither]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/technology/17DOMA.html)
(requires registration)
WEB OVERSIGHT BODY SELECTS SEVEN NEW DOMAIN SUFFIXES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B5), AUTHOR: TED BRIDIS
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB974414816342355105.htm)
(requires subscription)
DOT-COM GETS COMPANY: DOT-BIZ, DOT-PRO . . .
[SOURCE: USAToday (1B), AUTHOR: Jon Swartz]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20001117/2848558s.htm)
DOMAIN NAME LIST TO EXPAND BY 7
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Elise Ackerman]
(http://www0.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/icann111700.htm)

RULING FAVORS TOBACCO COMPANIES
Issue: Ecommerce
A federal judge has ruled that a New York law effectively banning the direct
sale of cigarettes to New Yorkers via the Internet is likely to be
unconstitutional. The ruling follows a major trend in Internet-related court
cases: findings by judges that a state's attempt to regulate Internet
activities within its borders runs afoul of the Constitution's commerce
clause. Critics fear that, taken as a whole, recent rulings could be used by
companies to wipe out state regulation of cyberspace. For more on the
rulings, see the URL below.
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Carl Kaplan (kaplanc( at )nytimes.com)]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/technology/17CYBERLAW.html)
(requires registration)

PRIVACY

NEWLY-RELEASED CARNIVORE DOCUMENTS RAISE QUESTIONS
Issue: Privacy
FBI documents released to EPIC as part of a Freedom of Information Act
lawsuit suggest that the Carnivore surveillance system may capture more
information than the Bureau has previously claimed. See the Carnivore
Documents Page (http://www.epic.org/privacy/carnivore/foia_documents.html)
and EPIC's press release
(http://www.epic.org/privacy/carnivore/11_16_release.html) for additional
information.
[SOURCE: Electronic Privacy Information Center]
(http://www.epic.org/)

--------------------------------------------------------------
...and we are outta here. Happy BLUE Friday.