1. Monthly archive
  2. January 2003

January 2003

Communications-Related Headlines for January 31, 2003

INTERNET
Survey: Net Crucial but Suspect
Colorado Public Libraries Bridge Digital Divide for Two-Thirds of
Patrons

OWNERSHIP
Radio Giant Defends Its Size at Senate Panel Hearing

INTERNET

SURVEY: NET CRUCIAL BUT SUSPECT
Web users surf the Net to find information, but they are wary of what they
find, according to a UCLA Internet Report released today. While people view
the Internet as a highly important resource, less than 53% of the users
believe that the information they find comes from credible sources. The
study also indicates that Internet users surf at the expense of watching TV
- non-users watch over five hours more television.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-982882.html?tag=fd_top)

COLORADO PUBLIC LIBRARIES BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR TWO-THIRDS OF PATRONS
Colorado's public libraries are going the extra mile when it comes to
bridging the digital divide in their state. According to a recent study by
the Library Research Service, the state's libraries provide the only
Internet access to two-thirds of their patrons, almost evenly distributed
among age groups. The study also shows that 82% of library visitors report
visiting the library expressly for computer access, with more than half
attending twice a week or more. Thirty-six percent of the respondents
reported using the library Web access to look for a job, and blacks and
Hispanics were more likely than other racial groups to use it for that
purpose. Entitled "Colorado Public Libraries & the Digital Divide 2002," the
report concludes that the Web has become the primary - if not only - source
for many government, information, education and health-related services,
making public access points all the more crucial.
(Link to the Report:
http://www.lrs.org/documents/DD_2002/DDSR_W-appendix.pdf)

OWNERSHIP

RADIO GIANT DEFENDS ITS SIZE AT SENATE PANEL HEARING
In a hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, Clear Channel Communications chief L. Lowry Mays claimed
that deregulation and economies of scale have allowed his company to make
the radio industry "more robust than ever before." Other panelists, such as
Recording Artists' Coalition founder Don Henley, countered that Clear
Channel has used its size to force promotional deals with the company in
exchange for airplay, skirting payola laws and using its concert production
arm to further manipulate artists. The hearing also focused on the true size
and nature of Clear Channel's market share.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Jennifer S. Lee]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/business/media/31RADI.html)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 30, 2003

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Bush Eyes $196M Loans for Rural Internet
IT Should be Introduced in South African High Schools

COMPETITION
Failure of DirecTV Broadband Narrows Consumer Choice
CLECs: Back from the Dead?

DIGITAL DIVIDE

BUSH EYES $196M LOANS FOR RURAL INTERNET
President Bush's 2004 budget will include $196 million in potential loans
for telecommunication providers to build infrastructure in rural areas.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman added that her agency will administer this
program, slating a total of $1.4 billion in loan money thanks to legislation
attached to the 2002 farm bill. Bush also plans to apportion $177 million
for the USDA's County Services Centers. The money would enhance existing
technology and allow farmers to find out detailed information about their
land via satellite mapping.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=562&ncid=738&e=6&u=/a/2003
0129/ap_on_hi_te/rural_loans)

IT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH SCHOOLS
South African blacks are not receiving adequate exposure to IT careers early
enough in their lives, limiting many to pursue a handful of other career
options and ignore the growing tech field. To remedy this, the prospect of a
career in IT must be introduced at the high school level, says Pfungwa
Serima, CEO of Accenture Technology Solutions. While several telecentres and
training workshops have been developed through private partnerships,
programs such as internships to help students gain industry insights would
go a long way toward overcoming this deficiency.
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Business Day (Johannesburg)]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200301300255.html)

COMPETITION

FAILURE OF DIRECTV BROADBAND NARROWS CONSUMER CHOICE
DirecTV's high-speed Internet offering is about to become the most recent in
a line of failed alternative broadband providers. The company plans to
complete disconnection of all its users by February 28, leaving roughly one
percent of the broadband market in search of a new provider. Customers are
saddened by the demise of the service, which was reputed to be more reliable
then telephone or cable companies and came in below the average cost.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-30-net-service_x.htm)

CLECS: BACK FROM THE DEAD?
[Commentary] Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) were the favorite
sons of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, offering integrated services at
lower rates. Since then, several of the CLECs have failed, with the
remainder struggling to survive against a hostile regulatory environment.
Why? And more importantly, why does the present offer a chance at rebirth
for the remaining CLECs? David Hadley and Sean Doherty explore the issue.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: David Hadley and Sean Doherty]
(http://news.com.com/2010-1071-982672.html?tag=fd_nc_1)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 29, 2003

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SPECTRUM
Supreme Court Rules FCC Took Licenses Away in Error
Coalition Files Comments on Spectrum Policy Task Force Report

JOURNALISM
Editors and Lobbyists Wage High-Tech War over Letters

OWNERSHIP
Fighting Media Monopoly

SPECTRUM

SUPREME COURT RULES FCC TOOK LICENSES AWAY IN ERROR
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the FCC erred in canceling wireless
licenses won at auction by NextWave Telecom prior to the company filing for
bankruptcy protection. FCC repossessed the licenses when NextWave was unable
to pay for them, and NextWave filed suit under the federal bankruptcy code.
The victory is bittersweet for NextWave since the value of the licenses has
dropped significantly.
[SOURCE: The New York Time, AUTHOR: Linda Greenhouse]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/28/technology/28BIZC.html)

COALITION FILES COMMENTS ON SPECTRUM POLICY TASK FORCE REPORT
A coalition of consumer groups and tech policy advocates, including the
Center for Digital Democracy, the Media Access Project and the Benton
Foundation, filed comments yesterday on the FCC's Spectrum Policy Task Force
Report. The coalition called for the Commission to "lease" spectrum for a
set term of years rather than "selling" spectrum at one-time auctions or
providing it cost-free to select commercial users and not others. The full
filing can be viewed at the link below (MS Word format).
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/resources/filings/finalComments1-27.doc)

JOURNALISM

EDITORS AND LOBBYISTS WAGE HIGH-TECH WAR OVER LETTERS
The proliferation of communication technology has allowed activists to take
grassroots campaigns to new levels, organizing and attracting members more
quickly via the Web and distributing messages and materials via email. One
such activity has drawn the ire of newspaper editors, however, as form
letter communications from coalition members purported to be one-off
grassroots letters to the editor have become commonplace. Editors from
papers across the country are employing technology of their own to
counteract the trend, using Internet searches and email lists to identify
association form letters that have been sent to multiple papers.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Jennifer Lee]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/27/technology/27LETT.html)

OWNERSHIP

FIGHTING MEDIA MONOPOLY
[Commentary] Deregulating media ownership has already had demonstrably
negative effects in some areas of the country, as evidenced by Clear
Channel's takeover of two competing local stations in the San Francisco Bay
Area. As local citizens attempt to fight Clear Channel at the corporate
level, the FCC inches closer to further deregulation. The authors contend
that a grassroots effort directed at state and federal legislators may be
the only way to reverse the trend.
[SOURCE: San Francisco Bay Guardian, AUTHOR: Jeff Chang & Camille T. Taiara]
(http://www.sfbayguardian.com/37/18/news_ed_monopoly.html)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 28, 2003

BROADBAND
City-Owned Broadband Networks Fighting Corporate Telecom

OWNERSHIP
Ownership in Radio Industry Hearing Set for January 30
Commission Field Hearing on Broadcast Ownership to be Held

PRIVACY
High-Tech Monitoring Law Concerns Librarians

BROADBAND

CITY-OWNED BROADBAND NETWORKS FIGHTING CORPORATE TELECOM
Prices for broadband Internet access in rural Glasgow, Kentucky are floating
at around half the national average for services. The $25-per-month fee is
not the result of fierce competition, however. The city's public electric
utility has taken advantage of technology allowing cable TV and high-speed
Internet to travel over lines also being used to monitor power usage in the
city, allowing the city to recoup its costs faster while providing cheap
broadband service in an underserved area. Glasgow is not alone -- 511 cities
offer telecom services to resident, schools and internal government
operations, which has drawn the ire of the telecommunications industry. The
municipalities have benefited from a string of favorable court rulings
allowing them to continue to provide services where the telecom companies
have not built infrastructure.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5039749.htm)

OWNERSHIP

SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES WITNESS LIST FOR OWNERSHIP IN RADIO
INDUSTRY HEARING
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has announced the witness list for the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's January 30th hearing on
radio ownership rules. The tentative list is as follows: Sen. Russell
Feingold (D-WI); Mr. L. Lowry Mays, Chairman & CEO, Clear Channel
Communications, Inc.; Mr. Edward Fritts, President & CEO, National
Association of Broadcasters; Mr. Don Henley, Singer and Songwriter; Mr.
Robert Short, President, Short Broadcasting; and Ms. Jenny Toomey, Executive
Director, Future of Music Coalition
[SOURCE: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]
(http://commerce.senate.gov/~commerce/press/03/2003124A29.html)

COMMISSION FIELD HEARING ON BROADCAST OWNERSHIP TO BE HELD
The FCC has announced that it will hold a public hearing on media ownership
on Thursday, February 27, 2003, in Richmond, Virginia, from 10:00 AM to 4:00
PM, at a site to be determined. The focus of the hearing will be on
diversity and localism in today's media landscape; the commission will hear
testimony on factual justifications for maintaining or eliminating existing
rules. For more information on the ownership rules or the hearing itself,
please visit the link below.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
(http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-230507A1.doc)

PRIVACY

HIGH-TECH MONITORING LAW CONCERNS LIBRARIANS
The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 has drawn a new breed of critics - librarians.
The law, which gives federal law enforcement agents increased surveillance
power, allows the FBI to monitor check-out lists and computer hard drives to
see what library patrons have been reading. At a meeting of the American
Library Association that began last Friday, librarians expressed concern
that agents have been routinely observing the reading habits of
intellectuals and activists, a practice common during the 1950s and `60s.
The Department of Justice maintains that the measure is necessary for
uncovering terrorist cells.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-27-library-monitoring_x.htm)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 27, 2003

INTERNET
Internet Firms Woo Hispanics
Surfing with Seniors and Boomers
Internet Attack Exposes Security Flaws

SPECTRUM
FCC Expected to Extend Satellite Operators' Reach

INTERNET

INTERNET FIRMS WOO HISPANICS
The Census Bureau estimates that the United States' Hispanic population
increased by 4.7% between 2000-2001. As they become the largest minority
group in the US, Latinos have also become increasingly Web-savvy, and
Internet companies are taking notice. According to a poll taken by AOL and
RoperASW, nearly half of 300 Hispanics polled reported that they have used
the Internet for the first time since 2000, a figure twice the national
average. This could signal a boon for Internet retailers and service
providers, who have positioned themselves to capitalize on the market
estimated at $1 trillion by 2007. Several companies such as AOL, Yahoo and
Lycos have tailored portions of their online services to the needs of Latino
users.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Jon Swartz]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-01-26-hispanics2_x.
htm)

SURFING WITH SENIORS AND BOOMERS
Middle-aged and senior population groups will see swells in their numbers
over the next four years, and various studies suggest that a corresponding
change in Web user demographics is imminent. According to work performed by
Jupiter Research, people 50 years of age and older will account for a
quarter of all online purchases by 2007. Books and travel tend to dominate
the purchases made by older online adults. Additionally, research by
SeniorNet reveals that 94% of this age group uses email to stay in touch
with family and friends.
[SOURCE: CyberAtlas, AUTHOR: Robyn Greenspan]
(http://cyberatlas.com/big_picture/demographics/article/0,,5901_1573621,00.h
tml)

INTERNET ATTACK EXPOSES SECURITY FLAWS
This weekend's Internet attacks might have been prevented with some
diligence on the part of network administrators nationwide, according to
security experts. "There was a lot that could have been done between July
and now,'' said Bush administration cybersecurity advisor Howard A. Schmidt
of the worm, which exploited a weakness in Microsoft's SQL Server 2000 that
was discovered last summer. This was not the first instance in which a patch
was available to administrators prior to an attack, but a report out of
Carnegie Mellon University revealed that more than 4,000 new vulnerabilities
were reported last year, more than enough to overwhelm technical staff.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Internet-Attack.html)

SPECTRUM

FCC EXPECTED TO EXTEND SATELLITE OPERATORS' REACH
Federal Communications Commission is expected to announce this week that it
will allow satellite voice and data companies to use some of their allotted
spectrum for land-based networks to extend their voice and data services
into urban areas and indoor locations where satellite signals are
obstructed. The conventional wireless companies have argued that the
satellite companies have no right to operate on land without first buying
spectrum for such services, just as the land-based companies were required
to do. But analysts expect the FCC to conclude that the satellite operators
cannot succeed financially unless they can supplement their services with
land-based wireless networks. If enacted, the new rules could be a part of
FCC Chairman Michael Powell's efforts to foster more flexible and efficient
use of the radio spectrum.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Barnaby J. Feder]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/27/technology/27BIRD.html)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 24, 2003

REGULATION/MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Event: New Analysis Shows Local Phone Competition Endangered by FCC
Plan
Event: Senate Commerce Committee to Hold Hearing on Media Ownership
FCC Says Plan Could Help Keep High-Speed Net Prices Low

PRIVACY
Senate Votes to Block Pentagon Dragnet Funds

REGULATION/MEDIA OWNERSHIP

NEW ANALYSIS SHOWS LOCAL PHONE COMPETITION ENDANGERED BY FCC PLAN
The FCC is considering a proposal to eliminate or drastically restrict
existing network-sharing rules, known to the industry as UNE-P. A new
report, commissioned by the National Association of State Utility Advocates
(NASUCA) to be released at an event on Monday, January 27, will show that
this plan would threaten the survival of local phone competition, and damage
the interests of millions of consumers who are just now seeing the benefits
of real competition in local phone markets. Among those scheduled to speak
at the event: Robert S. Tongren, President of the National Association of
State Utility
Consumer Advocates (NASUCA); Doug Holbrook, Member of AARP's Board of
Directors; and Dr. Mark Cooper, Director of Research at the Consumer
Federation of America. The event is scheduled for Monday at noon in
Washington DC, in the National Press Club's Zenger Room. For more
information, contact Charles Acquard at 301-589-6313 or Mark Cooper at
301-384-2204.
[SOURCE: Consumer Federation of America]
(http://www.consumerfed.org)

SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold a
hearing on media ownership in the radio industry on Thursday, January 30, at
9:30 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. This hearing is
first in a series of hearings on the topic, with this one focused on
consolidation in the radio industry. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) will
preside. The witness list is to be announced.
[SOURCE: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]
(http://commerce.senate.gov/~commerce/press/03/2003123B33.html)

FCC SAYS PLAN COULD HELP KEEP HIGH-SPEED NET PRICES LOW
In an effort to cap off the price of high-speed Internet access, the FCC
next month will consider a staff recommendation requiring regional Bell
companies to continue leasing their copper phone lines to small broadband
competitors. However, the proposal will likely eliminate current
requirements that the Bells allow competitors access to their fiber-optic
lines at discount prices. Regulators hope that the move will entice the
regional phone companies into expanding their infrastructure to underserved
areas, which they have been unwilling to do while being required to share
their investment with competitors at low rates.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-01-23-fcc_x.htm)

PRIVACY

SENATE VOTES TO BLOCK PENTAGON DRAGNET FUNDS
In a closely watched voice vote yesterday, the Senate passed a measure to
block funding for the Pentagon's Total Information Awareness System until
the Department of Defense can prove that the data-mining project will not
violate the privacy of US citizens. The measure, introduced by Sen. Ron
Wyden (D-Ore.), was attached to a larger spending bill and needs to pass
through conference before becoming law. The DOD says that the system is
intended "to seek patterns in transactions data like credit card bills and
travel records to stop terrorist plots."
"Senator Wyden was very concerned that the Pentagon had left Congress
completely in the dark on this," said Wyden spokeswoman Carol Guthrie,
adding "there will be no money spent on it until Congress has a chance to
review the plans for the program."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34547-2003Jan23.html)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 23, 2003

INTERNET
U.S. Opens Online Portal to Rulemaking
Web Site Launched to Help Seniors Identify Drug Programs
Internet Fraud Grew in 2002, FTC Says

EDTECH
Computers 'Humanize' Teaching

DIGITAL DIVIDE
IT May Offer Solution To Poverty: Nepalese PM

OWNERSHIP
FCC Commissioner Hearing

INTERNET

U.S. OPENS ONLINE PORTAL TO RULEMAKING
Federal rulemaking procedures have already seen something of a boom in
comments filed via the Web over the last few years. The Bush Administration
took the next step this week with the launching of www.regulation.gov, which
enables individuals to find every proposed federal regulation and submit
their comments. "This will definitely open it up to people who find it
difficult to participate in the rulemaking process," said Neil R. Eisner,
assistant general counsel for the Dept. of Transportation. Some experts,
however, note that an increase in the number of participants will not
necessarily change the behavior of rule makers or democratize the regulatory
process.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cindy Skrzycki]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30469-2003Jan22.html)

WEB SITE LAUNCHED TO HELP SENIORS IDENTIFY DRUG PROGRAMS
Senior citizens can now use the Web to find more affordable prescription
medications. Launched by the National Council of Aging,
www.BenefitsCheckUp.org now allows families to obtain a personalized report
of discount drug programs for which an individual qualifies. The site
catalogs some 240 state and company-sponsored programs. "We know that
millions of seniors can't afford all the medications they need and far too
many are skipping doses or not filling prescriptions," said NCA president
James Firman.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-01-22-site-health_x
.htm)

INTERNET FRAUD GREW IN 2002, FTC SAYS
Consumer complaints about Web scams were up in 2002, according to numbers
released yesterday by the Federal Trade Commission. Identity fraud claims
topped the list, accounting for 43% of the 380,000 reports. Howard Beales of
the FTC's consumer protection bureau said that the increase in complaints is
likely do to greater public awareness of the Commission's Consumer Sentinel
complaint database as well as increased involvement from local authorities.
Nevertheless, he said, it is clear that the percentage of scams conducted
via the Internet has grown.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20030122/ts_nm/crime_fra
ud_consumers_dc)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

IT MAY OFFER SOLUTION TO POVERTY: NEPALESE PM
Nepal's Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand says information technology
could be the solution to poverty. "As poverty is the main characteristic of
the technologically unreached, promoting universal access to information and
communication technologies may be the solution," he said at the opening of a
six-day international seminar on Information and Communication Technology in
Kathmandu. The Prime Minister warned that failure to address the digital
divide would result in "further marginalisation as access to opportunities
for wealth creation are reduced or polarized."
[SOURCE: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online]
(http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/newsnat-23jan2003-118.htm)

EDTECH

COMPUTERS 'HUMANIZE' TEACHING
Two members of the USA Today All-USA Teacher First Team are having great
success with using classroom computers to reach at-risk students. Marge
Christensen Gould, CEO of the LEARN Center at Catalina High Magnet School in
Tucson, has developed a simulated work environment to help at-risk literacy
students develop reading and job skills necessary to keep them in the work
force and out of the criminal justice program. Jim Green and his team at the
Continuing Education Academy in Tolleson, AZ boast computer course offerings
via NovaNET, such as virtual anatomy and chemistry labs. Both say computers
help to provide individualized, self-paced instruction, relieving the
pressure to keep up for students who've struggled in other classrooms.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Tracey Wong Briggs]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-22-ariz-teach_x.htm)

OWNERSHIP

FCC COMMISSIONER HEARING
USC will host a forum on proposed Federal Communication Commission changes
to current rules governing media ownership. FCC commissioners, including
Chairman Michael Powell, have been invited and are expected to participate,
along with leaders from industry, labor, and the academic community. The
forum, which is open to the public, will be held on Tuesday, February 18.
[SOURCE: USC Annenberg]
(http://ascweb.usc.edu/asc.php?pageID=110&story=137&upcoming=1)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 22, 2003

OWNERSHIP
Quality Is No Issue
Should Limits on Broadcast Ownership Change?

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Rural Phone Lines Visionary
Microsoft Loses Showdown in Houston

INTERNET
Web Consortium Captures Captioning

OWNERSHIP

QUALITY IS NO ISSUE
[Commentary] Overshadowed by the threat of terrorism and war, the FCC's
impending deregulation of media ownership restrictions has received far less
attention than an issue of its magnitude deserves. Companies that benefited
from the Telecommunications Act of 1996 stand to further inflate profits at
the expense of journalistic diversity while FCC Chairman Michael Powell
dismissed such concerns as "melodramatic." Somewhat paradoxically, Powell's
disinterest in a diverse media marketplace doesn't seem to bother most media
outlets, which appear to be letting potential profits prevent them from
operating in the public interest.
[SOURCE: Newsday, AUTHOR: Marvin Kalb (Senior Fellow at the Shorenstein
Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of
Government)]
(http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/ny-vpkal193094136jan1
9,0,2505425.story)

SHOULD LIMITS ON BROADCAST OWNERSHIP CHANGE?
[Commentary] In this editorial, FCC Chairman Michael Powell argues for the
deregulation of media ownership, claiming that the antiquated rules no
longer reflect the robust state of competition in TV, cable and radio along
with the Internet. He cites data indicating that the number of media outlets
has increased more than 250% over the last 40 years, even in small towns,
and that news programming is far more available than ever. Powell also
discusses the FCC's attempts to justify the existing rules in federal court,
where the Commission has faced defeat on five different rules. He concludes
by requesting hard factual evidence to "enable [the FCC] to craft
broadcast-ownership restrictions that ensure a diverse and vibrant media
marketplace for the 21st century."
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Michael K. Powell (FCC Chairman)]
(http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2003-01-21-powell_x.htm)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

RURAL PHONE LINES VISIONARY
Before the introduction of the cell phone, Kenya was among the least
"connected" countries in the world, with only 5 telephone lines per 1,000
people. Even with cellular technology, which is concentrated in the
country's few urban areas, the great majority of Kenyans remain underserved.
Thus the government's announcement of a Sh14.4 billion plan to extend
telephony into rural Kenya over the next five years is most welcome.
Onlookers hope that a connected rural populace can use the technology to
communicate with in-town relatives "with obvious social and economic
advantages."
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Editorial, The Nation (Nairobi)]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200301210814.html)

MICROSOFT LOSES SHOWDOWN IN HOUSTON
When Microsoft approached the City of Houston with an ultimatum - sign a new
$12 million license agreement or face a potentially costly audit - the
company encountered unexpected the results. Instead of complying, the city
chose to invest in a relatively untested suite of office programs that so
far has proven to be lighter, cheaper and more accessible. The SimDesk suite
allows users to access and edit documents from anywhere using the Web, since
the program is server-based rather than installed on individual PCs.
Currently, the software is available to half of all city employees as well
as in the public libraries, giving Houstonians access to the free software.
Chicago is seeking grants to extend SimDesk to libraries and schools.
Proposals for similar rollouts exist in Denver and New York.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Byron Acohido]
(http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-01-21-simdesk-cove
r_x.htm)

INTERNET

WEB CONSORTIUM CAPTURES CAPTIONING
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has commissioned a working group to
develop standards for text captioning of streaming video. The Timed Text
Working Group will base the standards on XML and hopes to further bridge the
gap for disabled individuals seeking to use the multimedia features of the
Web. "This is not just for the slacker in the office, but for people with
disabilities to capture the information in the audio stream," said W3C
representative Janet Daly.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Paul Festa]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-981491.html?tag=fd_top)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 21, 2003

INTERNET
Internet Stokes Anti-War Movement
Workers Turn to the Web for News
Homeland Security and You

WIRELESS
Wireless Pioneers

INTERNET

INTERNET STOKES ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT
"Never before in human history has an anti-war movement grown so fast and
spread so quickly," historian Ruth Rosen said regarding the massive protests
in San Francisco and Washington, DC this weekend. What's notable about these
demonstrations, however, is the fact that they occurred before any war has
begun. The reason? According to some, the access to coalition-building tools
via the Internet has revolutionized the anti-war movement. "Saturday's
rallies were unique in the long history of anti-war activism in the U.S. in
that, to my knowledge, never before have hundreds of thousands of people
protested a possible war," said Peter Rothberg, associate publisher of The
Nation. While the protests themselves cannot be attributed to the Web alone,
the momentum and size of the movement has been facilitated by the prevalence
of anti-war Websites, newsboards and the like.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Leander Kahney]
(http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,57310,00.html)

WORKERS TURN TO THE WEB FOR NEWS
People are spending more time reading news online at work, than they are
consuming traditional media such as television, newspapers, radio and
magazines. According to a survey conducted by Market Facts for news site
MSNBC.com, the at-work audience is increasingly accessing online news for
personally relevant information such as weather. Of the users surveyed, 35
percent use the Internet for news and information during the day, while 25
percent read newspapers, 21 percent peruse magazines and 17 percent listen
to the radio.
[SOURCE: Yahoo.com, AUTHOR: Scarlet Pruitt (IDG News Service)]
(http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1093&ncid=1093&e=4&u=/pcworld/20
030120/tc_pcworld/108855)

HOMELAND SECURITY AND YOU
[Commentary] Will the Homeland Security Act provide incentive for consumers
to use e-mail encryption software? Former Network Solutions CTO David
Holtzman suggests that as the Act encourages ISPs to read their customers'
messages, people will "soon realize that sending a plain text e-mail through
a commercial ISP is like misplacing a signed confession." Holtzman discusses
the technology involved in cryptography and the brief history of the Clipper
Chip - powerful technology that contained a "government skeleton key" to
decode encryption, making it fiercely unpopular and ultimately a consumer
bust. The author concludes that the Act is likely to drive up demand for
encryption technology and resume the debate over whether such software is
antithetical to the idea of homeland safety.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: David Holtzman]
(http://news.com.com/2010-1071-981262.html?tag=fd_nc_1)

WIRELESS

WIRELESS PIONEERS
Norbotten, Sweden is ice-cold, sparsely populated and heavily dependent on
blue-collar industry. It is also one of the most well-wired regions in the
European Union - in the wireless sense, that is. Norbotten touts a highly
developed wireless network that is used for a variety of purposes, ranging
from remote mining automation to telemedicine to broadcasting hockey games.
Residents of Norbotten cities have come to depend on the network, which also
ensures clear cellular connections across the region's tundra.
[SOURCE: The Guardian, AUTHOR: Sean Dodson]
(http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,7496,875874,00.html)

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Communications-Related Headlines for January 17, 2003

FCC
Media Ownership Standards Debated
FCC: Open up TV Waves to Wireless

EDTECH
IT In Schools Fails To Raise Standards

INTERNET
Computer as Ultimate Concierge

FCC

MEDIA OWNERSHIP STANDARDS DEBATED
Representatives from media companies, public interest groups and
entertainers appeared before FCC commissioners at a road show-style hearing
at Columbia University's Law School in New York yesterday to discuss the
Commission's media ownership rules. The FCC has agreed to participate in
hearings away from the nation's capital in order to ensure diversity of
viewpoints and the adequate collection of facts. Chairman Michael Powell
pointed to the Commission's recent failures in federal court in attempting
to justify the rules and stressed the need for facts, not anecdotes, to
support its actions. The Center for Public Integrity's argued that large
media conglomerates, more easily assembled since deregulation began in 1996,
hold tremendous sway over members of Congress. Media companies gave $75
million in campaign contributions to candidates for federal office and to
the two major political parties. Ellen Agress of Fox countered that larger
companies do not operate in concert and that they must compete with the
Internet as a news and entertainment source. James Winston of the National
Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters expressed concern that further
consolidation in radio would limit the presentation of minority interests in
that medium.
[SOURCE: CBS MarketWatch, AUTHOR: John Friedman]
(http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B3F883ACD-6F45-4407-B433-9
151F7B5B99D%7D&siteid=mktw)

FCC: OPEN UP TV WAVES TO WIRELESS
In a notice of inquiry adopted last month, the FCC indicated that it is
considering opening existing TV spectrum for wireless technologies such as
Wi-Fi Internet. Any proposal to do so would be restricted to bandwidth not
currently used by broadcasters and would be regulated such that it did not
interfere with authorized uses. The notice will be published later this
month in the Federal Register, and the ensuing comment period is expected to
draw sharp opposition from TV broadcasters, who historically have been very
protective of their spectrum. TV spectrum holds significant amounts of
bandwidth per channel and the frequencies vary by region, holding more
opportunities for use.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Richard Shim]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1033-981047.html?tag=fd_top)

EDTECH

IT IN SCHOOLS FAILS TO RAISE STANDARDS
According to recent study by the British government, computer and Internet
use has done little to improve pupil achievement in England. Between 1999
and 2002 the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
studied and computer use in 60 schools in England. The report uncovered "no
consistent relationship between computer use and pupil achievement in any
subject at any age." The report, however, did not recommend the cessation of
IT investments in schools. Instead, it suggested that schools need
continuing support, including more funding for equipment that can be used
flexibly, and more training for teachers in how to integrate IT with subject
learning.
[SOURCE: Vnunet.com, AUTHOR: Rachel Fielding]
(http://www.vnunet.com/News/1138036)

INTERNET

COMPUTER AS ULTIMATE CONCIERGE
The Internet has long been used to connect individuals with similar
interests, via anonymous chat rooms, listservs and the like. Likewise, those
who prefer face-to-face meetings have used the Web's communication
technologies, e.g., e-mail, to arrange for social gatherings. One company
has found a way to bridge these two uses. Meetup.com links like-minded
individuals and arranges social gatherings for group members. Meetup handles
everything from invitations to suggesting locales, giving group members the
opportunity to vote on the location. The site then collects RSVPs and books
the revenue, if necessary. Groups in 540 cities worldwide are using the site
to meet on a range of topics - political, social, hobby-related or
otherwise. The company's founders sought to shift Web users away from the
social alienation and individualism caused by longer work commutes and the
proliferation of TV and Internet use. "You kind of need to get online," says
co-founder Myles Weissleder, "but it [the computer] is only a conduit to the
community."
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Carolyn Patricia Scott]
(http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-wk-stay16jan16,0,3972392.story?coll=la
%2Dheadlines%2Dtechnology)

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