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  2. January 2003

January 2003

Communications-Related Headlines for January 16, 2003

INTELLECUAL PROPERTY
Court Upholds Copyright Extension

EDTECH
Lack of Cash Squeezes School Tech

TELECOM POLICY
Senators Add Wi-Fi to Broadband Debate
FCC Should Junk All Ownership Rules, Say Fox, NBC, and Viacom/CBS
Symposium to be Held on the State of Telecom Policy

INTELLECUAL PROPERTY

COURT UPHOLDS COPYRIGHT EXTENSION
In a 7-2 decision handed down yesterday, the US Supreme Court ruled that
Congress has unfettered power to determine the lengths of copyright
ownership. The case, Eldred v. Ashcroft, solidifies the Sonny Bono Copyright
Term Extension Act of 1998, which extended protections from 50 to 70 years
after the author's death or 95 years from the date of publication of an
anonymous or corporate work. The court rejected arguments that the act
should be subject to First Amendment scrutiny. Dissenting Justices Stevens
and Breyer opined that the act did little more than create a windfall for
corporate copyright holders and did not encourage an increase in creative
works.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Charles Lane]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63196-2003Jan15.html)

EDTECH

LACK OF CASH SQUEEZES SCHOOL TECH
Designed to bring next-generation, high-speed Internet to the state's
schools, the broadband Digital California Project (DCP) faces over $1
million in budget cuts this year in the wake of Gov. Gray Davis' massive
budget reductions. The cuts mark one of the deepest education funding
slashes in the state's history, with some $5 billion lost over the next 18
months. The reductions won't just hit education IT spending, however --
California schools may be forced to lay off employees and halt teacher
training if the measures are approved. Thus far, DCP has wired 55 counties,
with plans to add two more this year. The program may seek federal grants
and private donations in order to continue operations.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Kendra Mayfield]
(http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,57193,00.html)

TELECOM POLICY

SENATORS ADD WI-FI TO BROADBAND DEBATE
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and George Allen (R-VA) introduced the
Jumpstart Broadband Act yesterday. The bill calls for the allocation of
additional unlicensed spectrum for wireless Internet technology, or Wi-Fi.
The legislation is designed to transcend the challenges of building
wire-based infrastructure in underserved rural and urban areas where cable
and DSL providers do not operate. "Our legislation will build confidence
among consumers, investors and innovators in the telecommunications and
technology industries to eventually make the broadband dream a reality,"
said Allen.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Richard Shim]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1033-980890.html?tag=fd_top)

FCC SHOULD JUNK ALL OWNERSHIP RULES, SAY FOX, NBC, AND VIACOM/CBS
A joint statement filed by media giants Fox, NBC/Telemundo and Viacom/CBS
argues that the FCC's rules governing media ownership are no longer
necessary in the public interest. Their argument is based on assumptions
that the variety of media outlets such as magazines, TV/radio, cable and the
Web reduces the need for regulation, further arguing that most Americans get
their news and information through "interpersonal communications." On the
topic of media diversity, the coalition argued that anti-trust laws and
market forces would ensure multiple viewpoints. According to the Center for
Digital Democracy, the filing demonstrates how media companies have shunned
their responsibility to the public interest.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/foxOwnershipFiling.html
)

SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD ON THE STATE OF TELECOM POLICY
Academics, policymakers and telecom executives will be meeting in Washington
DC next month to discuss the current state of telecom policy and explore new
regulatory options. The symposium, sponsored by Michigan State University,
will held on February 27th.
[SOURCE: Quello Center for Telecommunication Management & Law]
(http://www.law.msu.edu/quello/)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 15, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Deregulation Plans Assailed

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Uganda Telecom Offers 'Freenet'
Development's False Divide
Asia to Bridge Digital Divide in the Region

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

DEREGULATION PLANS ASSAILED
Statements made yesterday by FCC Chairman Michael Powell were met with
skepticism from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation. Powell faced criticism for his desire to relax rules
requiring local telephone companies opening up their networks to
competitors, a decision the FCC must reach by February 20th. In a related
topic, testimony revealed that Powell did not have the majority vote
necessary to adopt regulations that would reduce the role of state
regulators in setting the prices phone companies can charge for leasing
elements of their networks; Commissioner Kevin Martin disagrees with the
Chairman on this issue. Committee members were also clearly concerned about
proposed relaxation of media ownership rules, with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
noting that just five companies control the current media landscape. Powell
dismissed the widespread public concern as "melodramatic," adding that the
FCC has lost four recent cases in which it was unable to empirically justify
the rules.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57299-2003Jan14.html)
SEE ALSO:
STATE OF COMPETITION IN TELECOM INDUSTRY HEARING
(Transcripts of opening statements by ranking members and the five FCC
Commissioners)
[SOURCE: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]
(http://hollings.senate.gov/~commerce/press/03/2003113311.html)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

UGANDA TELECOM OFFERS 'FREENET'
Telecommunications provider Uganda Telecom has introduced a product that
enables its phone subscribers to use the Internet without additional
subscriptions or fees. The company's "freenet" service requires no contract
and is available 24 hours a day. Customers simply set the computer modem to
dial an access number and enter a username and freenet password. "Freenet is
a service that enables every Uganda Telecom landline to immediately access
the Internet without a registration or the payment of subscription fees,"
said Askan Schmeisser, marketing and sales manager at Rwenzori Courts in
Kampala.
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Davis Weddi, New Vision (Kampala)]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200301150102.html)

DEVELOPMENT'S FALSE DIVIDE
(Commentary) "The best of motives may drive a concern to equalize global
Internet access, but not the strongest of logic." So argues World Bank
economist Charles Kenny, who believes that the benefits of providing
Internet access in developing countries do not exceed or even meet the high
cost associated with doing so. He discusses the challenge of providing
access to rural areas of Costa Rica, where the per capita public expenditure
on Internet access would exponentially exceed the per capita subsidies for
health care and discretionary spending for primary education. Kenny also
notes that the digital divide is more than just a lack of physical access:
cultural differences, language barriers and skills development are also
barriers to effective utilization of the Web in developing countries. Kenny
concludes that while communications technologies in general provide
significant opportunities to obtain wealth, the Internet itself does not
necessarily, and that the globalization of Web access should be abandoned in
favor of more limited, targeted subsidy programs.
[SOURCE: Foreign Policy, AUTHOR: Charles Kenny]
(http://www.foreignpolicy.com/issue_janfeb_2003/kenny.html)

ASIA TO BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE REGION
Representatives from 48 Asian countries, along with business and
nongovernmental groups, wrapped up a three-day meeting Wednesday in which
they agreed to eradicate inequalities in Internet growth in that region. The
meeting was held in preparation for the World Summit on the Information
Society, a UN summit to be held in Geneva in December. "High-quality access
attainable through broadband has great potential to help better deliver
essential services required to meet basic human needs," the Tokyo
Declaration stated in part. The document did not prescribe specific measures
to meet its goals -- a duty left up to the Geneva conference.
[SOURCE: CNN, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://asia.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/01/14/asia.information.ap/)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 14, 2003

INTELLECUAL PROPERTY
Music, Technology Groups Agree on Copyright Plans

BROADCASTING
FCC Seen Laying Out Telecom Goals
NPR Receives $14 Million from MacArthur Foundation

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Class Gives Students Real-World Lesson in Technology

INTERNET
Iraq Pulls Plug on Email

INTELLECUAL PROPERTY

MUSIC, TECHNOLOGY GROUPS AGREE ON COPYRIGHT PLANS
Seeking to avoid federal regulation in their industry, the recording
industry and Silicon Valley's largest tech companies have reached an
agreement they believe will govern how consumers can use the copyrighted
material they purchase or download. Lobbyists for companies such as
Microsoft, IBM and Dell will argue against federal legislation aimed at
broadening consumer rights. In return, the Recording Industry Association of
America will no longer lobby for legislation requiring mandatory copyright
protection devices in new computer hardware. The Motion Picture Association
of America was a noticeable absentee in the landmark accord, which may
affect several bills under discussion in both houses of Congress.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-14-copyright_x.htm)

BROADCASTING

FCC SEEN LAYING OUT TELECOM GOALS
All five FCC commissioners appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science and Transportation this morning. The panel was expected to answer
questions on a broad range of current topics, with local telephone and
broadband competition foremost among them. Other agenda items included media
ownership and spectrum management. Experts did not expect that the
commissioners would reveal specific policy positions or anticipated rulings.

[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52624-2003Jan14.html)

NPR RECEIVES $14 MILLION FROM MACARTHUR FOUNDATION
In the largest grant in National Public Radio's 32-year history, the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $14 million grant to the
nation's leading provider of programming to public radio stations. The funds
come at a critical juncture as NPR expands domestic operations with the
opening of NPR West and increases its commitment to international reporting.
"Good information is critical to a well-functioning democracy, all the more
so as citizens confront complex issues of domestic and international
policy," said Jonathan F. Fanton, president of the MacArthur Foundation.
"NPR is a reliable source of objective information and thoughtful analysis
which places American issues and interests in a worldwide context."
[SOURCE: NPR]
(http://www.npr.org/about/press/030113.macarthur.html)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

CLASS GIVES STUDENTS REAL-WORLD LESSON IN TECHNOLOGY
What started as the empty corner of an old art classroom has turned into a
profitable Internet service provider to an underserved community. Outlaw
Net, the brainchild of Oregon schoolteacher Jon Renner, is also a proving
ground for high school students learning about how computers operate. His
goal in 1996 was simple -- bring Internet access to Sisters High School.
Employing students part-time to assist him, Renner developed a network that
provided dial-up access to more than 500 local households. Since then, the
service has expanded to high-speed DSL. Renner has turned the business over
to a full-time general manager, but he continues to teach students
everything from hardware troubleshooting to networking.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-13-outlaw-net_x.htm)

INTERNET

IRAQ PULLS PLUG ON EMAIL
Following an electronic anti-Saddam campaign by the US, Iraq has blocked
access to email. Last week Washington launched an email offensive as part of
its "psychological warfare" campaign against Baghdad. One US email told
Iraqi government employees: "If you provide information on weapons of mass
destruction or you take steps to hamper their use, we will do what is
necessary to protect you and protect your families." The Internet is only
available over state servers in Iraq.
[SOURCE: BBC]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2655315.stm)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 13, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
The Silence of the Lambs: Who Speaks for Journalists Before the FCC?
Radio One, Comcast in Cable Deal

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Asian Meeting for Information Society Summit Opens in Tokyo

INTERNET
File-swapping Lawsuit Gets the OK

PRIVACY
RFID Tags: Big Brother in Small Packages

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS:
WHO SPEAKS FOR JOURNALISTS BEFORE THE FCC?
(Commentary) The Columbia Journalism Review criticizes the FCC for its
process of reviewing US media ownership rules --- and criticizes the
journalistic community for not taking a stand on the issue. The rules, if
rolled back, would increase the power of media outlets while potentially
stifling the diversity of journalistic voices. "Citizens could suddenly find
that their local newspaper and TV stations, along with their dominant local
Web sites, all have the same owner," write CJR's editorial staff. "What
might appear to be multiple sources of information could all flow through
the same corporate culture, subject to its limits in terms of journalistic
vision and citizenship." CJR points out that media companies clearly have
much to gain from the rollback of the rules, but the journalists who work
for these companies have much to lose. "Where are the journalistic
organizations and leaders who could illuminate these issues?" they ask. "In
a discussion that will affect everything journalists care about, where is
the voice of the journalists? "
[SOURCE: Columbia Journalism Review, AUTHOR: CJR editorial staff]
(http://www.cjr.org/year/03/1/comment.asp)

RADIO ONE, COMCAST IN CABLE DEAL
In an announcement expected today, the nation's largest cable company and
the largest African American-owned media company will launch a a new cable
channel to rival BET in the television market. The as-yet-unnamed channel
merges Comcast's presence in the cable industry with Radio One's desire to
provide culturally relevant program to the underserved black TV audience.
BET has come under sharp criticism since founder Robert L. Johnson sold the
network to Viacom in 2000, after which the channel cancelled its news
programming in favor of syndicated reruns and music videos. Radio One CEO
Alfred C. Liggins III, who is poised to chair the new channel, says that he
understands "how important a television network can be to the black
community and empower through disseminating information."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Krissah Williams]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47868-2003Jan12.html)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

ASIAN MEETING FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY SUMMIT OPENS IN TOKYO
Bridging the digital divide and bringing a greater diversity of world voices
to the Internet are two of the many topics that will be addressed at this
week's Asia regional meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS). The WSIS, which will be held in Geneva in December with a follow-up
in Tunis two years later, will bring together world leaders, civil society
activists and corporations to discuss ways for all the world's people to
benefit from information and communications technologies. The Tokyo meeting
is one of several regional preparatory meetings being held around the world.
Attendees are expected to agree on a statement to encourage affordable,
equitable Internet access for all Asians. However, the meeting is not
without challenges. The delegation from China, a nation well known for
severely restricting online freedoms, argued against the inclusion of NGOs
on the committee that is drafting the final statement of principles from the
meeting.
[SOURCE: The China Post, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.chinapost.com.tw/detail.asp?onNews=1&GRP=A&id=17565)

INTERNET

FILE-SWAPPING LAWSUIT GETS THE OK
A US District Court has ruled that American movie and record companies can
sue the Australia-based parent company of KaZaa, the online file-swapping
service. In a ruling issued Friday, the court found that Sharman Networks,
which is incorporated in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, conducts
substantial business in the state of California and that its actions "are
alleged to contribute to commercial piracy in the United States." The
decision comes just weeks after the Australian Supreme Court ruled that a US
company could be sued in that country for defamation, marking another
milestone in the legal battle to determine the reach of companies' dealings
over the Web.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-13-file-swapping_x.htm)

PRIVACY

RFID TAGS: BIG BROTHER IN SMALL PACKAGES
Does radio frequency identification (RFID) technology represent a
breakthrough in retail commerce aimed at reducing prices and checkout time?
Or is the micro-technology a potential tracking device to be exploited by
criminals and law enforcement agents? CNET News' Declan McCullagh explores
the balancing act inherent in any new technology that may have more harmful
and broader uses than originally intended. In this case, RFID involves
microscopic chips, some as small as a flake of pepper, that respond to a
radio signal with their own unique ID code. While the technology could be
used by retailers to streamline inventories and prevent losses from theft,
McCullagh notes the ease with which the tiny chips could erode any remaining
sense of anonymity. "[This] raises the disquieting possibility of being
tracked though our personal possessions," he writes. "Imagine... Grocery
stores flash ads on wall-sized screens based on your spending patterns....
Police gain a trendy method of constant, cradle-to-grave surveillance."
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
(http://news.com.com/2010-1069-980325.html?tag=fd_nc_1)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 10, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Union Fights Deregulation

INTERNET
Lawmakers Poised to Consider Internet Tax Bill

SECURITY
Bush to Name Tech Security Leaders

DIGITAL DIVIDE
For Company in Cambodia, Only the Destitute May Apply

TECHNOLOGY
'Gadget printer' Promises Industrial Revolution

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

UNION FIGHTS DEREGULATION
As the FCC takes on its review of media ownership rules, America's
entertainment unions have made their position against deregulation clear. A
coalition of unions, including the American Federation of Radio and
Television Artists (AFTRA), Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of
America, Directors Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild, have filed
comments strongly opposing any rollback of the rules. "The FCC is seriously
considering scrapping the nation's rules governing how much of the media any
person or corporation can own or dominate... thus giving a few huge
corporations virtually absolute direction over what all Americans see and
hear," the unions stated. AFTRA and Writers Guild of America/East, in
particular, called for the FCC to mandate "source diversity" -- independent
ownership over media outlets. AFTRA president John Connolly noted that a
decision to roll back media ownership rules would make it even more
difficult for minorities to run their own media outlets. "There are a couple
of small radio groups owned by African Americans," he said. "Most Spanish
media is not in the hands of members of the Latino community.... This is not
an issue which should be ignored."
[SOURCE: Backstage.com, AUTHOR: Laura Weinert]
(http://www.backstage.com/backstage/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=
1791586)

INTERNET

LAWMAKERS POISED TO CONSIDER INTERNET TAX BILL
The Michigan state legislature may be the first in the US to enact a system
for collecting taxes on Internet sales. The proposed measure is modeled
after an agreement reached late last year by 33 states, including Michigan,
which would eventually ask Congress for a uniform Web sales tax policy for
all states. Budget woes have prompted Michigan to pursue this process, since
the six percent sales tax makes up over a quarter of the state's tax
revenue. The bill faces a formidable political battle in the coming months.
Democrats, including Governor Jennifer Granholm, have been lobbied by small
brick-and-mortar business to ensure tax equity, while Republicans attempt to
maintain the party's lower tax approach to economic stimulus.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-01-08-net-tax_x.htm)

SECURITY

BUSH TO NAME TECH SECURITY LEADERS
According to government sources, the Bush administration is preparing to
name a former intelligence agency chief and a Commerce Department official
to take charge of IT security in the new Department of Homeland Security.
James Clapper, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, is
expected to be nominated as head of the Department's Information Analysis
and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP) division. Clapper would be responsible
for the nation's IT security, as well as for coordinating the sharing of IT
security intelligence between the various government intelligence agencies.
John Tritak, current director of the Critical Infrastructure Assurance
Office, would serve under Clapper, managing IT infrastructure protection.
The White House must also name candidates for other IT security positions at
the new department, including an undersecretary of Science and Technology,
who would supervise the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency.
The Department would also have a chief privacy officer, in response to
criticism from civil liberties groups that have warned against compromising
privacy rights in the name of homeland security.
[SOURCE: WashingtonPost.com, AUTHOR: Brian Krebs]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34171-2003Jan9.html

DIGITAL DIVIDE

FOR COMPANY IN CAMBODIA, ONLY THE DESTITUTE MAY APPLY
In Cambodia, most citizens live on less than a dollar a day, making the
country's unskilled labor force a low-cost solution for foreign companies as
well as a target for globalization critics. One particular company has added
an interesting twist to what is usually a black-and-white moral issue.
Digital Divide Data, a data entry company in the Cambodian capital Phnom
Penh, pays roughly $65 per month for basic typing duties, but the company
reserves its job openings exclusively for Cambodia's least advantaged
citizens. The employees work a six-hour shift each day and are encouraged to
use their additional time to pursue IT training, which is partly funded by
the company. The company's founders, Jeremy Hockenstein and Jaeson
Rosenfeld, run the business as volunteers, drawing no salary from the
business.
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: June Shih, Christian Science Monitor]
(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134611399_digital0
8.html)

TECHNOLOGY

'GADGET PRINTER' PROMISES INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Engineers at the University of California at Berkeley are developing a new
ink-jet printing technology that would create fully assembled electronic
gadgets in one swoop. The revolutionary production concept, known as
"flexonics," would utilize a new generation of ink-jet printers that overlay
polymer plastics on top of each other until they form three-dimensional
electronic components such as transistors and capacitors. The same printer
simultaneously would use its polymer-layering technology to create the
casing around these plastic electronics, thus allowing it to churn out
devices such as mobile phones, radios, even plastic light bulbs. The
Berkeley researchers have already developed printers that can create
individual electronic components, and now they are developing the
appropriate polymers to connect the components into circuits and encase
them. This radical method for producing electronic gadgets faces one major
downside, though: because its inner electronics cannot be replaced, broken
devices could only be thrown away or recycled rather than repaired.
[SOURCE: New Scientist, AUTHOR: Duncan Graham-Rowe]
(http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993238)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 9, 2003

POLICY
Congress to Take on Spam, Copyright
Firm Not Cheering Bush

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Community Computer Labs Getting Expert Help

EDTECH
Online Historical Game Helps Students Discover Contemporary Voices

POLICY

CONGRESS TO TAKE ON SPAM, COPYRIGHT
With the beginning of the 108th US Congress, some controversial tech
proposals that were derailed last session now have a better chance of
becoming law. A recent policy switch by the Direct Marketing Association,
which now says it will lobby for anti-spam laws, could help break a
longstanding logjam on anti-spam legislation. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., and
three other legislators, have reintroduced a bill from last year that would
soften some of the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by
allowing Americans to bypass copyright-protection schemes for legitimate
"fair use" purposes. A key question that is still up in the air is where
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the new chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee,
stands on copyright legislation.
[SOURCE: CNET, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-979623.html)

FIRM NOT CHEERING BUSH
Executives at Systemax, a New York firm that supplies computers and other
tech gear to consumers and businesses, received President Bush's economic
stimulus plan with a health dose of skepticism. Steven Goldschein, the
company's chief financial officer, says that neither the increased write-off
allowance for new equipment purchases nor the stock dividend tax cuts is
likely to have am immediate impact on tech spending or the fortunes of its
stockholders. Overall, what appeared to be lacking in the Bush proposal,
said Systemax chief executive Richard Leeds, were specific incentives to
drive businesses and consumers to spend their tax savings specifically on
new technology. "You want to talk about initiatives to turn the economy
around -- how about a tax cut so that every child in school can have a
computer?" he said. "There's still a digital divide out there."
[SOURCE: Newsday.com, AUTHOR: Mark Harrington]
(http://www.newsday.com/business/printedition/ny-bzsyst083078990jan08,0,7267
61.story)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

COMMUNITY COMPUTER LABS GETTING EXPERT HELP
The mayor of Rochester, NY has unveiled a new computer initiative that will
link community technology centers across the city with much-needed technical
support. City officials say that CommuniTech, which has created a panel of
experts available to help repair computer systems and assist individual
computer users at about 40 libraries and technology centers, is the first
program of its kind in the nation. The initiative is intended to further
bridge the digital divide by providing help to community organizations that
don't have the technical expertise or finances to maintain their systems.
[SOURCE: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, AUTHOR: Rick Armon]
(http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/0108story7_news.shtml)

EDTECH

ONLINE HISTORICAL GAME HELPS STUDENTS DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY VOICES
OnRamp Arts, a community arts organization in Los Angeles, has launched a
free online game that explores 500 years of Latin American history. Tropical
America (www.tropicalamerica.com), conceptualized by Los Angeles high school
students and artists, explores a rich and painful past unknown to the
children of those immigrant families who left the region. Twenty-five Latino
students spent two years learning to design the online game. In the process,
they unearthed their Latin American roots and embarked on their own
discovery of the Americas.
[SOURCE: Digital Divide Network, AUTHOR: Victoria Bernal]
(http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/stories/index.cfm?key=266)

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

Communications-Related Headlines for January 8, 2003

OWNERSHIP
Radio: Where's the Diversity?

INTERNET
UK: ISPs Asked to Make the Net Kid-Friendly

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Same Old Song, Different Meaning for P2P
Cleveland Library to Launch eBook System

OWNERSHIP

RADIO: WHERE'S THE DIVERSITY?
Deregulation in the radio industry has led to rampant payola schemes and
reduced diversity across formats. This was the theme of this week's Future
of Music Coalition policy summit, which attracted sympathetic regulators and
members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
indicated that he would introduce legislation to prevent media conglomerates
that own both radio stations and concert promoters from using their leverage
to manipulate artists, as well as strengthen the FCC's radio merger review
process. Feingold indicated that he and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman
John McCain (R-AZ) would hold hearings on the issue. The National
Association of Broadcasters was invited to the summit but declined to
attend, maintaining that deregulation has led to more variety.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Michael Grebb]
(http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,57121,00.html)

INTERNET

UK: ISPs ASKED TO MAKE THE NET KID-FRIENDLY
The UK government has issued guidelines to Internet Service Providers aimed
at preventing pedophiles from making contact with children online. The
action comes in response to several attacks against children resulting from
such contacts in the last few years. ISPs should take care in how they use
and store children's personal information, the government advises, and
should ensure a separation between adult content and children, perhaps
through a child-friendly search engine. The government also recommends the
adoption of real-time human monitoring of chat rooms and an easy-to-use
mechanism for children to report inappropriate chat.
[SOURCE: BBC News]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2632197.stm)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

SAME OLD SONG, DIFFERENT MEANING FOR P2P
Differences between US and European copyright laws have proved a wrinkle in
the recording industry's attempt to protect its intellectual property.
Unlike the United States' 95-year protection for sound recordings, European
artist enjoy only a 50-year grace period before the piece enters the public
domain. Thus, works created in the 1950s are becoming freely available to
European citizens despite the fact that Americans are still restricted. This
poses problems for record companies seeking to curtail the activities of
users of peer-to-peer file-sharing systems such as KaZaa and Gnutella, since
they would be unable to prevent Europeans from uploading files and already
face difficulty in tracking those who download copyrighted files.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: John Borland]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-979532.html?tag=fd_top)

CLEVELAND LIBRARY TO LAUNCH EBOOK SYSTEM
The Cleveland Public Library will unveil a new eBook system this March,
believed to be the first of its kind in a public library. The system will
operate the same as traditional checkouts -- patrons must have a library
card to download a book from the system to their handheld device or laptop,
and after a prescribed time limit the reader is locked out of the book so
that another patron can check it out. Such projects have been slow to take
off due to a lack of demand for reading devices and fears from the
publishing industry that works will be copied and distributed for free.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Lisa M. Bowman]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-979337.html)

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Communications-Related Headlines For January 7, 2003

DIGITALDIVIDE
DIGITAL DIVDE
Laos Online: Pedal for Its Mettle
Schweiker Administration Presents $400,000 in Digital Divide Funding

DEREGULATION
New Commissioner Urges FCC Caution on Media Caps
Feds Mull Broadband Market Shake-Up

DIGITAL DIVDE

LAOS ONLINE: PEDAL FOR ITS METTLE
To some, communication can be just as basic a need as food or water. This is
evident in rural Laos, where an impoverished community has asked for help in
establishing Internet access. Villages in the Plain of Jars, where bombings
in the 1960s and 1970s separated families for decades, wish to reopen lines
of communication with lost relatives as well as stimulate economic
development by finding new markets for their wears. The project is by no
means simple, as the region is without telephone lines and wired electricity
and is subject to torential rains for half the year and choking drought the
other half. Volunteer experts from the Remote IT Village project are
confident that "some pedal-powered generators, a few wireless antennas and
some rugged, Linux-powered computers" will meet the task of bringing the
digital age to this region.
[SOURCE: Wired.com, AUTHOR: Michelle Delio]
(http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,57061,00.html)

SCHWEIKER ADMINISTRATION PRESENTS $400,000 IN DIGITAL DIVIDE FUNDING TO HILL
HOUSE ASSOCIATION
In another success for the state's Digital Divide program, Pennsylvania
acting secretary for Community and Economic Development Tim McNulty
presented a check for $400,000 to the Hill House Association in Pittsburgh
yesterday. The funds are intended to increase tech awareness and access in
low-income areas of Pittsburgh. "Projects such as these are exactly what the
Digital Divide grants are intended to be used for," McNulty said. The Hill
House Association has served residents of Pittsburgh's Hill District and
other low-income residents for over 35 years. Among other projects, the
funds will be used to create a WAN to connect different organizations,
provide computer access to low-income children, organize agencies geared
toward school accountability, raise achievement levels and improve student
tech skills, and distribute home computers to low-income families and
organizations.
[SOURCE: Silicon Valley Biz Ink, AUTHOR: PRNewswire]
(http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=SVBIZINK3.story&STORY=/ww
w/story/01-06-2003/0001866721&EDATE=MON+Jan+06+2003,+04:19+PM)

DEREGULATION

NEW COMMISSIONER URGES FCC CAUTION ON MEDIA CAPS
In his first public speech since joining the FCC late last year,
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein cautioned his colleagues against hastily
liberalizing existing media ownership controls. Speaking at the Future of
Music Policy Summit in Washington, Adelstein noted that if the FCC further
relaxes existing rules "and it turns out to be a mistake, we will find it
difficult, if not impossible, to put the toothpaste back in the tube." He
described the state of the radio industry as an example of how deregulation
can be costly - since 1996, large conglomerates have purchased several radio
stations nation-wide. As a result, there are fewer local differences among
radio stations and more homogeneity across different formats. He also said
that the Commission should reexamine how it measures ownership, pointing out
that current regulations allow one company to own more stations in his
hometown than are currently on the air.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Andy Sullivan]
(http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=1997630)

FEDS MULL BROADBAND MARKET SHAKE-UP
With widespread attention regarding its review of media ownership rules, the
FCC is also gearing up for an overhaul of regulations governing local phone
carriers' treatment of competitors seeking to enter their markets using
their infrastructure. Top policymakers at the FCC have indicated that
competition would thrive if such restrictions were curtailed. Experts
believe such a move would drastically alter the broadband deployment
landscape over the next decade. Baby Bell companies have complained that
current regulations have put them at a disadvantage relative to cable
companies, who were not required to open access to their high-speed
networks. After a push for legislative a remedy failed last year, attention
turns to the FCC, which some believe will kowtow to the large local
companies' wishes.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: John Borland]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1033-979356.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed)

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Communications-Related Headlines for January 6, 2002

INTERNET
More Cities Set Up Wireless Networks
The Internet and Campaign 2002
Overall Results of Digital State Survey Show Washington Wins

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Supreme Court Withdraws Stay In Dvd Copying Case

INTERNET

THE INTERNET AND CAMPAIGN 2002
More Americans turned to the Internet for election coverage in 2002 than in
the previous midterm election, according to a study from the Pew Internet &
American Life Project. While the volume of Internet users has of course
increased in four years, the percentage of users seeking election
information increased from 15% to 22%. Most voters sought news from major
national and local news outlets on the Web, seeking information on
candidates' voting records and positions on key issues. The study also found
that people under 30 years of age sought election information online more
than any other age group.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project]
(http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/reports.asp?Report=82&Section=ReportLeve
l1&Field=Level1ID&ID=360)

MORE CITIES SET UP WIRELESS NETWORKS
The city of Long Beach, Calif. plans to be one of the first cities to make
free wireless Internet access available in its downtown area. As part of an
effort to attract visitors and companies to the business district, the city
will install the increasingly popular standard known as Wi-Fi, which lets
personal computers and other hand-held devices connect to the Internet at
high speeds. It is being supported in part by equipment donations from a
group of companies, with the city underwriting the $2,500 annual cost of an
Internet connection. "You can think of these as urban renewal projects,"
said Douglas H. Klein, the chief executive of Vernier Networks, one of the
companies that will supply equipment for the service in Long Beach.
[SOURCE:New York Times, AUTHOR: John Markoff]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/06/technology/06WIFI.html)
(requires registration)

OVERALL RESULTS OF DIGITAL STATE SURVEY SHOW WASHINGTON WINS
Washington's excellence in digital government has earned it the Sustained
Leadership Award from the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and The
Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF). The award identifies states that have
made the most progress in their digital government efforts as measured by a
multi-stage survey conducted by CDG and PFF. This first phase examined
digital government's evolution between 1997 and 2002 and has yielded
interesting data on the increased use of digital archives, document imaging
systems, Internet access for public employees and electronic social
services. Rounding out the top five performers were Kansas, Wisconsin,
Arizona and Maryland.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Government, AUTHOR: Melinda Dinin]
(http://www.centerdigitalgov.com/center/highlightstory.phtml?docid=37089)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

SUPREME COURT WITHDRAWS STAY IN DVD COPYING CASE
Retreating from a move made just last week, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor dissolved a stay against former Webmaster Matthew Pavlovich, the
defendant in a DVD copyright case in search of a venue. The case is on
appeal to the high court after the California Supreme Court ruled that the
DVD Copy Control Association could not bring suit against Pavlovich in that
state. The association may reconsider its appeal in light of O'Connor's
action.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-01-03-dvd-case_x.htm)

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Communications-Related Headlines for January 3, 2002

OWNERSHIP
FCC Preparing to Overhaul Telecom, Media Rules
FCC Proposal "Intellectually Flawed," Claims CDD

BROADCASTING
U.S. TV Shows Losing Potency Around World

INTERNET
Perspective: Do-Gooders Will Wreck the Internet

OWNERSHIP

FCC PREPARING TO OVERHAUL TELECOM, MEDIA RULES
"It's high noon at the FCC," says Commissioner Michael Copps of today's
deadline for comments on the review of the Commission's media ownership
rules. After months of debate, statements and public commentary, the Agency
prepares to discuss the proposed rules in earnest. Chairman Michael Powell
has dismissed the notion that he favors "mindless deregulation," noting that
the FCC is required by law to review the rules biennially and remove those
that are no longer serving a public interest purpose. Still, critics claim
that Powell's FCC will remove barriers to consolidation in an already
streamlined and sterile media environment. The article provides readers with
an excellent summary of all of the issues facing the Commission as well as
the positions of those who would be most effected.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim w/ Frank Ahrens]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3541-2003Jan2.html)

FCC PROPOSAL "INTELLECTUALLY FLAWED," CLAIMS CDD
With the deadline for filing comments upon them, groups of media experts
such as the Writers Guilds and the Federation of TV and Radio Artists
submitted evidence today that the Commission's proposed overhauling of media
ownership rules is unjustified. According to comments filed today, media
outlets in America are controlled by fewer owners, demonstrate less
diversity in content and offer fewer opportunities for creative expression.
Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, calls
the FCC's rationale "intellectually flawed," noting that the proposed
rulemaking would "[turn] over control of both old and new media to a tiny
handful of commercial giants, none of which will be required to act in the
public interest."
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/cdd_fcc.htm)

BROADCASTING

U.S. TV SHOWS LOSING POTENCY AROUND WORLD
Once a dominant force in prime time television around the world, American TV
programs have fallen out of favor with foreign broadcasters and are more
likely to be found either on cable networks or in late-night slots. Prices
for American shows in the foreign market have risen tremendously while
demand for such programming has given way to demand for local content. A
distaste for the U.S.'s recent role in international affairs abroad has
contributed in part to this trend, but worries over the pervasiveness of
American culture in other countries is a more likely reason. "There has
always been a concern that the image of the world would be shaped too much
by American culture," said Dr. Jo Groebel, director general of the European
Institute for the Media.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Suzanne Kapner]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/02/business/businessspecial/02TUBE.html)

INTERNET

PERSPECTIVE: DO-GOODERS WILL WRECK THE INTERNET
Public interest advocates are calling for stronger governmental oversight
and regulation of the Internet, or so believes Charles Cooper, executive
editor of commentary for CNET News. After years of unregulated individual
control, Cooper argues that global security concerns have led to calls for
more public involvement in the Internet's development. He questions
advocates' calls for multilateral international coalitions to make these
decisions, noting in particular that many nations do not share the same
values and some, such as China and Saudi Arabia, prohibit their citizens
from viewing a wide variety of content.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Charles Cooper]
(http://news.com.com/2010-1071-978983.html?tag=fd_nc_1)

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