July 2004

For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service=20
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through=20
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,=20
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are=20
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the=
=20
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang=20
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.

BROADCASTING
Big Trick
'Upfront' Ad Sales Cast Doubt on Broadcast's Clout
Networks Grant Affiliates Power to Pre-empt
DGA Releases Annual Employment Survey
Clear Channel Scales Back Ad Time
Why Not Use the "White Space" in the FM Band to Create More Community=
Voices?

CABLE
Cheaper by the Dozen
Regulating the Internet

TELECOM
'Last Mile' to Local Service Growing Longer for AT&T

CONTENT
Family Movie Act Moves Ahead in House

BROADCASTING

BIG TRICK
With nearly half of all Americans saying they are more interested in this=20
presidential election than they were four years ago, why give them the=20
political coverage they want when you can sell it them on cable? NBC will=20
supply wall-to-wall coverage of the Democratic convention this -- just not=
=20
on NBC affiliate TV stations. Instead, cable network MSNBC will be the=20
showcase. Like other broadcasters, NBC is offering only three hours of=20
coverage of the convention -- about the same schedule as in 2000. MSNBC,=20
CNN and Fox News hope to capture news-hungry political junkies and promote=
=20
their big-name talent. They're seeking more than the spike in ratings such=
=20
events generate: a shot at building a permanent following among newshounds=
=20
that fit in the channels' demographic.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA437175?display=3DTop+of+the+Week
(requires subscription)

'UPFRONT' AD SALES CAST DOUBT ON BROADCAST'S CLOUT
With negotiations mostly done, upfront sales for the 2004-05 TV season are=
=20
projected to be up 6.4% to $15.5 billion. But the story within that story=20
is the broadcast-vs.-cable battle. With more viewers watching cable=20
networks, ad dollars are following eyeballs. Cable networks appear to have=
=20
taken $600 million that typically would have gone to broadcasters. The=20
result is that cable network sales should rise 20% to $6.4 billion. The six=
=20
broadcast networks are expected to finish down 1.4% to $9.1 billion. Add to=
=20
broadcasters' woes the fact that advertisers usually end up canceling 3% to=
=20
4% of what they reserve upfront. A stall in the economy or another=20
terrorist attack could mean even worse numbers.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR:Michael McCarthy]
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040719/6375575s.htm

NETWORKS GRANT AFFILIATES POWER TO PRE-EMPT
Believing that the FCC was poised to act on a 3-year-old Network Affiliated=
=20
Stations Alliance (NASA) complaint about the restrictive contracts, ABC,=20
NBC and Fox loosened contract provisions that limited the affiliates' right=
=20
to reject network shows for local substitutes. (CBS dropped such limits in=
=20
2001.) The development could shift some power back to the independently=20
owned affiliates, making it easier, amid a furor over indecency, for=20
affiliates to pre-empt network shows they deem offensive. NASA still wants=
=20
the FCC to set new rules clarifying the affiliates' right to reject network=
=20
programs, partly because it's unclear if the changes apply only to current=
=20
contracts or to future deals as well. Also, Fox still requires that=20
affiliates reserve all their new digital channels for Fox shows, NASA says.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040719/6375577s.htm

DGA RELEASES ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT SURVEY
On Friday the Directors Guild of America released its annual employment=20
survey documenting the hiring of women and minorities among the top 40=20
prime-time drama and comedy series in 2003-04. The survey shows a mild=20
increase in the hiring of African American directors since 2000, while the=
=20
presence of women and minorities in the director's chair have declined. The=
=20
DGA singled out "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Friends," "JAG," "CSI,"=20
"Malcolm in the Middle," "According to Jim" and "Yes, Dear" as particularly=
=20
egregious offenders, while "Cold Case" "The Practice," "Third Watch,"=20
"Frasier" and "ER" had made efforts to diversify hiring.
[SOURCE: Current, AUTHOR: James Hibberd]
http://www.tvweek.com/news/web071604.html

CLEAR CHANNEL SCALES BACK AD TIME
Radio averages 15 minutes of advertising an hour, compared with 12.5=20
minutes for television and some "drive time" radio programs squeeze 22=20
minutes of advertising into each hour. With so much time available for=20
advertisers, they have been able to pay less for ads. But Clear Channel is=
=20
launching "Less Is More," a plan to reduce inventory and, eventually, raise=
=20
the price of radio advertising. Under its new rules no station can run more=
=20
than 15 minutes of advertising in a single hour. In addition, no commercial=
=20
break will run longer than four minutes or contain more than six=20
commercials. Clear Channel also plans to cut promotional inventory -- those=
=20
spots that advertise contests, or segments coming up later. Clear Channel=20
stations must comply with the promotional limits by Oct. 1, and the=20
commercial limits by Jan. 1. As the market leader with 1,200 stations=20
around the country, Clear Channel will likely be copied by smaller radio=20
groups.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sarah McBride at=
sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109018737288866819,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/19/business/media/19adcol.html

WHY NOT USE THE "WHITE SPACE" IN THE FM BAND TO CREATE MORE COMMUNITY=
VOICES?
The New America Foundation hosted a policy briefing on low power FM radio=20
on Friday. The debate on LPFM continues as the Senate Commerce Committee is=
=20
scheduled to consider a bill on the subject on Thursday. LPFM stations are=
=20
small, localized services that don't pose a threat to big broadcasters,=20
said Paul McLane, editor of Radio World=92s U.S. edition. =93Tiny stations=
are=20
moving onto the dial already and the world has not fallen apart,=94 he said.=
=20
But the National Association of Broadcasters are fighting any expansion in=
=20
the number of LPFM stations saying they will interfere with established=20
full-power stations. =93Easily $2 million has been spent
in 3-4 years to see if we can get a church on the air,=94 said Cheryl Leanza=
=20
of the Media Access Project at the briefing. The bill to be considered this=
=20
week, introduced by Sen John McCain (R-AZ) would eliminate congressionally=
=20
imposed limits on LPFM licensing.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily]
(Not available online)

CABLE

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN
Consumers are saving money choosing their own line-up of cable channels and=
=20
the Consumers Union wants Americans to have the same freedom to save here.=
=20
In the past year, 15% of Canadian have opted for a la carte, says Jean-Paul=
=20
Galarneau, spokesman for Videotron, Canada's third-largest cable company.=20
Of those, the overwhelming majority patch together a full lineup of 20 or=20
more additional channels. Canadians who buy Videotron's 20-channel =E0 la=20
carte tier pay roughly $36 a month in U.S. dollars versus the $42 they'd=20
pay for the next largest package of channels. Americans, who pay $40-$50=20
for a set lineup, could enjoy similar savings if they were permitted to=20
weed out channels they didn't want, argues Consumer Union.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA437178?display=3DWashington
(requires subscription)

REGULATING THE INTERNET
The Progress & Freedom Foundation hosted a conference on Friday addressing=
=20
regulation of the Internet. Vanderbilt Law School Professor Christopher Yoo=
=20
presented finding from his research -- =93The Economics of Net Neutrality:=
=20
Why the Physical Layer Should Not Be Regulated.=94 Professor Yoo argued that=
=20
net neutrality regulation proposals are =93mistaken,=94 saying they are=20
unnecessary and would have =93perverse=94 effects. He said neutrality=
proposals=20
were =93rooted in concerns about vertical
integration=94 that were =93more imaginary than real.=94 Professor Yoo=
argued in=20
his report that the residential broadband market is not concentrated,=20
because it is a national
geographic market not a local one. MCI Senior Director of Global Policy &=20
Planning Richard Whitt countered that, to consumers, the broadband market=20
is local. =93It doesn't help a consumer to know that Verizon offers DSL in=
=20
Maryland if they happen to live in SBC territory in Illinois.=94 Mr. Whitt=
=20
said =93just because some of the larger ISPs are national in scope does not=
=20
mean that their purchasing decisions about broadband platforms can be made=
=20
on a national basis. The essence of a local broadband platform is that it=20
is local.=94 Whitt insisted there was =93indeed significant concentration=
and=20
power=94 in residential broadband market and the wholesale access=
requirement=20
=97 or open access =97 was =93the most effective and least intrusive=
remedy.=94 He=20
said open access should be coupled with =93vigorous FCC action to promote=20
alternate broadband platforms.=94
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Susan Polyakova, Brigitte Greenberg]
(Not available online)

TELECOM
=18
'LAST MILE' TO LOCAL SERVICE GROWING LONGER FOR AT&T
Faced with rising costs, plummeting profit and an uncertain regulatory=20
environment, AT&T soon will decide whether to abandon its nationwide foray=
=20
into local phone service. If it decides to give up, the ramifications=20
could be huge. Only a company as big as AT&T can roll out new technologies=
=20
in the mass market to bypass existing networks. AT&T's dilemma is=20
precipitated by a federal court ruling in March that threw out key phone=20
competition rules written by the FCC to implement the 1996 Telecom Act. The=
=20
rules had allowed AT&T and other carriers to lease from Baby Bells at=20
regulated wholesale rates the lines and equipment necessary to provide=20
local service; because building local networks from scratch would be=20
prohibitively expensive, the act required the Baby Bells to lease theirs to=
=20
rivals. Ironically, AT&T had laid or strung many of the local lines when it=
=20
was Ma Bell.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR:James S. Granelli]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-att19jul19,1,308447.s...
?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

CONTENT

FAMILY MOVIE ACT MOVES AHEAD IN HOUSE
The Family Movie Act (H.R. 4586), sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), is=
=20
making its way through the House. The bill would address a lawsuit by the=20
seven major Hollywood studios and the Directors Guild of America against=20
ClearPlay, one of a half-dozen filtering services, and allow the sale of=20
DVD players with filtering technology. The technology does not alter movies=
=20
before or after they are purchased. Rather, the technology is programmed=20
into a DVD player, which offers an off-on switch and 14 degrees of=20
filtering, or is available separately for computers. A movie viewer could=20
opt to block strong action violence or gory, brutal violence; disturbing=20
and gruesome images; and crude sexual content. Or, to a lesser degree,=20
viewers could block =93highly sensual dialogue and situations,=94 =93highly=
=20
provocative and revealing clothing=94 or =93vain or irreverent references to=
=20
God or a deity.=94 Drug use, racial and social slurs and crude humor also=
can=20
be isolated. The Directors Guild of America said the move by Congress would=
=20
=93erode the nation=92s copyright laws by permitting companies to market=20
software that edits the content of films.=94 =93This legislation is about=
much=20
more than giving consumers a choice in what they watch and don't watch,=94=
=20
the DGA said in a statement. =93Unidentified employees of electronic-editing=
=20
companies make the choices of what is edited out of each film they review =
=97=20
it is their choices that govern and not the consumer=92s.=94
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Glenn Maffei]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA437108?display=3DPolicy
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------

People meters get their day in Congress today (see story below). For this
and other upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION
A Vote for Local TV
Viacom Renews Election-Coverage Pledge
Noncoms Want More Money
Minorities Make News Comeback
House Debates a la Carte on Cable
Nielsen Critics Seize on New Ratings Data

FCC LEADERSHIP
The Games Bush Plays With Good Nominees Are Counterproductive

QUICKLY
Searching for Ways to Fight Junk E-Mail
CDT Releases Report on ICANN and Internet Governance
Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Napster Case
Living the Broadband Life
New Publication: Broadband Facts

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION

A VOTE FOR LOCAL TV
$1.5 billion is likely to be spent in advertising during the 2004
elections. Ads will be targeted in "toss up" states like Florida, Ohio,
Missouri, Nevada and New Mexico. Television station owners in local markets
are likely to reap the lion's share of that money. A scant 0.1% of
television ad spending in 2000 was on the major networks, with the
remainder going to local spot advertising. For perspective, 25% of national
political ad spending went to networks in presidential campaigns between
1972 and 1992. Companies such as Hearst-Argyle, Sinclair Broadcasting,
Emmis, and Journal Communication are likely to be the big financial winners
this election season.
[SOURCE: CNN|Money, AUTHOR: Krysten Crawford]
http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/13/news/midcaps/politicalads/index.htm

VIACOM RENEWS ELECTION-COVERAGE PLEDGE
Responding to a June 15 call from Sen John McCain (R-AZ) and FCC Chairman
Michael Powell to detail plans for political coverage during this election
year, Viacom renewed its pledge to air five minutes of political coverage
every night on its stations' evening-news programs. "You will remember we
made the same commitment during the 2000 election season, and we fulfilled
that promise with numerous hours of substantive political coverage," wrote
Viacom co-president Les Moonves. "Many of our stations also sponsored and
aired live debates between candidates." Mr. Moonves urged Sen McCain to
drop his push to make stations offer free advertising time to federal
candidates. "We do not and have not needed any laws or regulations to
determine the amount of time or resources our stations should devote to
this vital subject," he wrote. "That is simply part of our responsibility
as a broadcaster, and we take that responsibility seriously."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA436226?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)

NONCOMS WANT MORE MONEY
CPB President Kathleen A. Cox; Kevin Klose, President and CEO, National
Public Radio; John Lawson, President and CEO, Association of Public
Television Stations; and PBS President/CEO Pat Mitchell are asking Congress
for more money. Corporation For Public Broadcasting Reauthorization Bill
introduced by Sen. John McCain and expected to be marked up next week,
would fund CPB through 2011 at $416 million for FY 07; $432 million for FY
08; $450 million for FY 09; $468 million for FY 10 and $487 for FY 11. It
would also allocate $140 million over four years for programming and
equipment related to the digital transition (through 2009, the FCC's
proposed giveback date if all goes well), as well as $50 million for
satellite interconnection systems in 2005, with the same amount annually,
plus a 4% annual raise, through 2011. Although they are grateful for the
funds and the efforts of Sen McCain, the executives fear that these funding
levels could "jeopardize" their service's effectiveness.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA436248?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)

MINORITIES MAKE NEWS COMEBACK
An annual Ball State survey for the Radio-Television News Directors
Association finds that minorities make up 21.8% of local TV news staffs, up
from 18.1% in 2002. The news management gains were even more impressive,
with minorities accounting for 12.5% of TV news directors, compared with
6.6% in 2002. Some of those gains, however, are either just recouping
earlier losses or may be attributable to improved response rates. Still,
both radio and TV percentages are well below the 32.8% minority population.
Ball State changed the methodology to boost the response rate, says survey
author Bob Papper, plus the margin of error is probably in the 3%-4% range,
which means that, statistically, the numbers have changed little in the
last decade, which is cause for concern, says Papper. Women in the news
workforce remained virtually the same at 39.1% vs. 39.3%, with women TV
news directors at 25.2%, down slightly from 2003.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA436158?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)

HOUSE DEBATES A LA CARTE ON CABLE
The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet jumped into
the a la carte debate Wednesday with a hearing on the subject that has
gained some traction on two fronts: empowering consumers to control their
cable costs and to block indecent content. Many executives in the cable
industry are against a la carte pricing saying it would actually raise
cable costs for consumers and doom channels targeted at minority audiences.
They point out that the cable industry already offers consumers free
channel-blocking technology. Janet LaRue, chief counsel for Concerned Women
for America, said cable's mandatory purchase of large tiers effectively
required consumers to pay for offensive programming in order to obtain the
channels they wanted -- something rarely seen in other markets. "We don't
have to pay for food we don't intend to eat," she added, demanding new
legislation in the absence of industry action.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA436234?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)
Someday, the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet will make
the hearing's testimony available online at:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/07142004hearing1336/hearing...
See testimony delivered by cable execs at:
http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=517&showArticles=ok

NIELSEN CRITICS SEIZE ON NEW RATINGS DATA
The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing today on Nielsen Media
Research's new method for measuring local television audiences. Critics
claim that black and Hispanic viewers have been undercounted under the new
system, which could discourage networks and marketers from developing and
advertising on programs aimed at these viewers. Nielsen executives have
said the new system provides a more accurate picture of what people are
watching. Senator Conrad Burns, the Montana Republican who is chairman of
the communication subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, said he
was concerned about the questions being raised about Nielsen, whose ratings
have been used for decades to help set TV advertising rates. "Lots of
dollars are involved here," he said. "It has an impact on the broadcast
industry that concerns me."
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Raymond Hernandez]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/business/media/15nielsen.html
(requires registration)

FCC LEADERSHIP

THE GAMES BUSH PLAYS WITH GOOD NOMINEES ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
Jonathan Adelstein has been a member of the FCC since December 2002 and his
term is to run out when the current Congress ends later this year. A year
ago February, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) submitted
Adelstein's name to President Bush for a full term on the FCC, set to
expire on June 30, 2008. But 17 months have passed. No nomination has
emerged from the White House. When George W. Bush became president, he
reached a handshake agreement early on with Sen Daschle to follow the
standards reached between President Clinton and then-Majority Leader Trent
Lott: To be spurned by the White House, nominees had to personally attack
the president or fail the FBI background check, or have expressed views
that were fundamentally inimical to the existence or basic function of the
agencies or commissions on which they were going to serve. Commissioner
Adelstein is just one of more than 20 Democrats recommended by Sen Daschle
have been shelved or ignored -- nominees for a variety of agencies, boards
and commissions. Commissioner Adelstein is seen as thoughtful,
hard-working, straightforward, knowledgeable, insightful, capable of
helping us navigate through the difficult issues of the communications age.
Ornstein concludes that the case highlights "a combination of the overall
White House contempt for Congress and its hostility to [Sen] Daschle and
Democrats more generally. It is foolish in the extreme."
[SOURCE: Roll Call, AUTHOR: Norman Ornstein]
http://www.rollcall.com/pub/50_6/ornstein/6210-1.html

QUICKLY

SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO FIGHT JUNK E-MAIL
Two systems -- Yahoo's DomainKeys standard and Sender ID, which is backed
by Microsoft and the Pobox.com e-mail service -- are being tested now to
best fix the authentication problem and, hopefully, curtail email spam.
Sender ID has attracted the most interest. It counts on the fact that
though e-mail headers are easy to forge, IP addresses -- the unique set of
numbers attached to every Internet domain -- are not. In this system, a
domain name owner publishes its IP address in a public database. When a
message arrives that claims to be from the domain name, the recipient's
e-mail program automatically checks the information in the header and
compares it with the information in the database. If it matches, the
message goes through. If it doesn't match, the message is quarantined or
blocked. DomainKeys takes an approach that is based on public-private key
cryptography. Sent messages include an encrypted digital signature created
by the e-mail provider's private key. When the message arrives at the
recipient's e-mail server, the server checks a database for the sender's
public key. If the public and private keys match up, the signature can be
decrypted and the sender's identity validated. If not, the message can be
blocked by spam filters.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR:Chris Gaither]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-email15jul15,1,558584...
(requires registration)

CDT RELEASES REPORT ON ICANN AND INTERNET GOVERNANCE
In the context of ongoing global debates about Internet governance, CDT has
released a report calling for continued reform at the Internet Corporation
on Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The report calls on ICANN to focus
on its limited mission and bottom-up, consensus-based approach, which
remains the best model for managing core Internet naming and numbering
functions. ICANN is meeting July 19-23 in Kuala Lumpur.
CDT Report, "ICANN and Internet Governance: Getting Back to Basics" [PDF]:
http://www.cdt.org/dns/icann/20040713_cdt.pdf
More on ICANN:
http://www.cdt.org/dns
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
(http://www.cdt.org)

JUDGE DENIES MOTION TO DISMISS NAPSTER CASE
U.S. District Judge Marilyn Patel ruled Wednesday that a suit may continue
against Napster investors like Bertelsmann and venture capital firm Hummer
Winblad. The suit alleges that their support for Napster promoted piracy
and cost the music industry $17 billion in lost sales. Judge Patel said the
plaintiffs, including music publishers, songwriters and record labels, had
the right to try to prove their allegations.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Sue Zeidler]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=NFNAFW5SDFFH0CRBAE0C...

LIVING THE BROADBAND LIFE
For readers with a dial-up connection, I'll type this slowly. W h a t d o
e s i t m e a n t o h a v e a b r o a d b a n d c o n n e c t i o n
? In San Diego, 55% of households have gone high-speed. See what it means
to people's daily lives.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Katie Hafner]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/technology/circuits/15broa.html
(requires registration)

NEW PUBLICATION: BROADBAND FACTS
USTA is offering new publication on broadband penetration. Description from
USTA website: Broadband penetration has shown remarkable growth over the
past year. Service providers, stung by the downturn in traditional telecom
services revenue, have found broadband subscribers to be a welcome additive
to the bottom line. How long will this trend continue? What technology and
market dynamics are continuing to push the growth in DSL, cable modems, and
other high-speed access services? Where do things stand, and where are we
likely to be over the next few year? This publication includes a unique
compilation of research and analysis from the Federal Communications
Commission, Digital Tech Consulting, eMarketer, InStat/MDR, Leichtman
Research Group, Parks Associates and the Pew Internet & American Life
Project. Cost: $90
[SOURCE: United States Telecom Association]
http://www.telecom-bookstore.com/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=UTB&...
--------------------------------------------------------------

The Senate Commerce Committee is holding a hearing today on CPB=20
Reauthorization=20
(http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=3D1265) while the=
New=20
Millennium Research Council is hosting a discussion on the practicalities=20
and risks associated with the Internet-based =91layers model=92 proposed by=
MCI=20
as a basis for
rethinking U.S. telecommunications regulation=20
(http://www.newmillenniumresearch.org/news/event_062404.pdf).
For these and other upcoming media policy events, see=20
http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

BROADCASTING & POLITICS
Each Convention to Get 3 Hours of Prime Time on TV Networks
NBC Not Worried About Content Issues, Wants Parity With Cable
VOA Changes Prompt Staffer Protests
Wyoming Pols Get Free Time
Pappas Makes Campaign Pledge

PUBLIC BROADCASTING
PBS Pledges Spending Cuts, Reforms
PubCasters Divided on FCC's Tape Retention Proposal

QUICKLY
Seattle: Surveys Support a la Carte Mandates
Powell: New Phone Competition Rules Soon

BROADCASTING & POLITICS

EACH CONVENTION TO GET 3 HOURS OF PRIME TIME ON TV NETWORKS
ABC and CBS said on Monday that they planned to broadcast three hours each=
=20
of the Democratic and Republican conventions in prime time, matching a=20
schedule that NBC announced on Thursday. The coverage corresponds to the=20
highest-profile speakers. For the Democrats, that means former President=20
Bill Clinton on Monday; Senator John Edwards on Wednesday; and Senator John=
=20
Kerry as he accepts the presidential nomination on Thursday. For the=20
Republicans, the prime-time coverage aims to show Gov. Arnold=20
Schwarzenegger of California on Tuesday, Vice President Dick Cheney on=20
Wednesday and President Bush on Thursday. For more coverage of the=20
conventions, viewers must turn to cable stations CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, or=20
CNBC. Spanish speaking Americans can tune into Telemundo. ABC, NBC and CBS=
=20
are also offering additional coverage in the digital TV format.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Michael Janofsky]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/politics/campaign/13tube.html
(requires registration)
PBS plans three hours of prime-time broadcast coverage each night of both=20
conventions. PBS anchor Jim Lehrer said the network viewed extended=20
coverage as "an important public affairs function." Analysts noted that TV=
=20
coverage of the conventions remained a crucial part of the election year.=20
"These are times when Americans sit up and listen and learn at a level that=
=20
they don't ordinarily do," said Thomas Patterson of Harvard University's=20
John F. Kennedy School of Government. "These are still important events=20
even if some of their newsworthiness has dimmed in time." Thomas Hollihan,=
=20
associate dean of the USC-Annenberg School for Communication, said, "The=20
convention is the second most viewed event of the general election campaign=
=20
=97 behind the presidential debates=85. People do tune in."
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Nick Anderson]
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-coverage13jul13,...
38844.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section
(requires registration)

NBC NOT WORRIED ABOUT CONTENT ISSUES, WANTS PARITY WITH CABLE
Speaking to TV critics over the weekend, executives from NBC responded to=20
Washington's indecency crackdown this year. New NBC Entertainment President=
=20
Kevin Reilly won't be looking over his shoulder: =93The Washington situation=
=20
is tricky, but there=92s a long history at NBC of being in those waters. You=
=20
know, I harken back to... some of what we've gone through on ER over the=20
years, Seinfeld, Will & Grace -- quality is always defensible, and that=92s=
=20
the game we=92re in. I'm not even thinking about it... Honestly, we=92re=20
looking for the best show we can and if there is some content issue at the=
=20
time we=92re ready to program it, we'll consider that.=94 Mr. Reilly said=
the=20
bigger challenge may be competition from cable, which faces less FCC=20
scrutiny. =93It=92s an uneven playing field, and I frankly think it=92s=
unfair...=20
I think everybody should be held to the same standard.=94
The executives faced criticism from critics over the minimal prime time=20
coverage on the network planned for the upcoming political conventions. NBC=
=20
Universal TV Group President Jeff Zucker suggested the network is meeting=20
broadcasting public interest obligations through its cable networks, "The=20
fact is we will have hundreds
and hundreds of hours of coverage. People will be able to find more=20
coverage than they've ever been able to find of both conventions throughout=
=20
all the networks of NBC. And I think that the amount of coverage that we=20
will have with both conventions is actually completely in line with what we=
=20
did 4 years ago. So I actually think we've got exactly the right amount of=
=20
coverage... If there was any real news going on there, we might look=20
differently... We=92re covering what we think are the newsworthy events: An=
=20
important speech at the Democratic convention on Monday night and one at=20
the Republican convention Tuesday night. I think that for anybody who wants=
=20
to watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of the convention, there are many outlets=
=20
in which they can do so."
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Valerie Milano]
(Not available online)

VOA CHANGES PROMPT STAFFER PROTESTS
Nearly half of Voice of America's (VOA) 1,000 staffers have signed a=20
petition protesting what they call the "piece-by-piece" dismantling of the=
=20
62-year-old service, which reaches 87 million people in 44 languages. The=20
petition asserts that the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees=20
U.S taxpayer-funded broadcast outlets, has been funneling money into new=20
radio and TV stations that are not subject to the same journalistic=20
standards and monitoring as VOA. The new broadcast outlets are directed=20
primarily at the Middle East, where the U.S. image is at a historic low.=20
'As broadcast professionals . . . we call on the U.S. Congress to conduct=20
an immediate inquiry into the actions of the Broadcasting Board of=20
Governors,'' the petition says. It goes on to accuse the board of "killing=
=20
VOA" by closing its Arabic radio service, reducing English-language=20
broadcasting and launching services with "no editorial accountability" and=
=20
limited breaking news.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR:Barbara Slavin]
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040713/6359181s.htm

WYOMING POLS GET FREE TIME
KCWY, Sunbelt Communications's NBC affiliate in Casper, has offered 10 free=
=20
minutes of airtime apiece to the eight candidates for Wyoming's single seat=
=20
in the House in advance of the August 17 primary. Each will get five=20
minutes in the 5 p.m. news, repeated in the next day's morning newscast.=20
They will be encouraged to stay positive, rather than attack their=20
opponents, but the station will not censor the messages, says the station's=
=20
general manager. He also says the time will be promoted so that viewers=20
will know to tune in.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA435454?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)

PAPPAS MAKES CAMPAIGN PLEDGE
Pappas Telecasting stations KMPH Fresno, KUVR Reno, KSWT Yuma, KHGI=20
Lincoln, KPTM, Omaha, and KBBC El Paso are committed to airing at least=20
five minutes of candidate-centered speech per day for the 30 days preceding=
=20
the general election. The six stations are the only ones in the group that=
=20
produce local news. All 25 of the stations the group owns will air "get out=
=20
the vote" public-service announcements starting now and ending on Election=
Day.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA435550?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
See more about "get out the vote" public service announcements:
Getting Out the Vote, With Style
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Nat Ives]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/business/media/13adco.html
(requires registration)
And see an article on the limits of PSAs:
Activists Cry Censorship in Fight Over Ad
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Anne-Marie O'Connor]
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-billboard13jul13...
462845.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section

PUBLIC BROADCASTING

PBS PLEDGES SPENDING CUTS, REFORMS
Responding to a petition signed by 95 public station leaders which said=20
that stations are receiving a "declining return on [National Program=20
Service] investments," PBS has cut $5.85 million from proposed annual=20
assessments to be paid by member stations -- and pledged to move quickly on=
=20
reforms to make its decision-making more visible and accountable to=20
stations. "We're going to do this or otherwise we are the caretakers=20
presiding over the beginning of the end," said PBS President Pat Mitchell=20
during the PBS Board meetings. Budget cuts included some programing, but=20
also $2 million of the promotion budget -- cutting significantly into=20
spending for the "Be More" institutional positioning campaign, ending the=20
Share a Story promotion and an advertising grant program for stations. PBS=
=20
Interactive will reduce the number of websites it will refresh and produce=
=20
this year. The PBS Board opened its meetings to include station=20
representatives and the network will use more rigorous criteria for program=
=20
performance and reform its decision-making processes to make them more=20
transparent to member stations.
[SOURCE: Current, AUTHOR: Karen Everhart]
http://www.current.org/pbs/pbs0412budget.shtml

PUBCASTERS DIVIDED ON FCC=92S TAPE RETENTION PROPOSAL
The Association of Public TV Stations (APTS), which represents more than=20
350 stations, has said it would oppose the FCC's proposal to require all=20
stations to keep recordings of all broadcast programming for 60-90 days.=20
But some stations, realizing the needed technology is fairly cheap and=20
cognizant of their responsibilities to follow FCC rules, plan to support=20
the proposal. But seemingly forgotten is a 1978 court decision which=20
overturned a similar FCC requirement for public broadcasters to keep=20
recordings of programs in which =93any issue of public importance is=20
discussed=94 for 60 days and make it available to the FCC on request. The=20
rule was challenged on the 1st and 5th Amendments and a US Appeals Court=20
found that the rule would have a chilling effect on political speech. The=20
new proposal could also face a legal challenge which could 1) come to the=
=20
same 1st Amendment interpretation or 2) be viewed differently because all=20
programming and all stations would be subject to the rule.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Dinesh Kumar]
(Not available online)

QUICKLY

SEATTLE SURVEYS SUPPORT A LA CARTE MANDATES
Seattle (WA) cable regulators sponsored a pair of surveys a found that 46%=
=20
of people there would pay =93a little extra=94 for more a la carte options=
=20
while 66% said they would opt for a la carte if given the chance by the=20
cable company. =93Because cable operators have not been responsive to the=20
demand for customized programming, the FCC should establish regulations=20
that facilitate consumers=92 choice, whether this is accomplished by=20
requiring cable companies to offer a la carte programs, theme-tiered=20
programs, or some other options,=94 said Tony Perez , who signed the FCC=20
comments filed by Seattle=92s Office of Cable Communications. Seattle's=
cable=20
market is dominated by Comcast (117,000 subscribers) which opposes a la=20
carte. A second cable company, Millennium Digital Media, has about 17,000=20
subscribers.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA435434?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)

POWELL: NEW PHONE COMPETITION RULES SOON
FCC Chairman Michael Powell said that his fellow commissioners are=20
reviewing now draft temporary telephone competition rules. If adopted, the=
=20
rules would be in place for six months while the Commission craft permanent=
=20
rules. Chairman Powell did not "feel it prudent right now" to provide any=20
details about what the rules suggest.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Ben Charny]
http://news.com.com/Powell%3A+New+phone+competition+rules+soon/2100-1037...
266582.html?tag=3Dnefd.hed
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service=20
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through=20
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,=20
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are=20
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the=
=20
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang=20
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Hearings next week on Corporation for Public Broadcasting Reauthorization
and Nielsen Local People Meter TV Rating System, a forum on the kids.us
Internet domain and a discussion of rethinking telecommunications policy
based on the "layers model." For these and other upcoming media policy
events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

TELECOM
Nextel Deal Done
FCC Adopts All-or-Nothing Rule
Telecom Rates Battle Heats Up
Spectrum-Based Services in Rural Areas
Critic pans IRS suggestion on VoIP

FCC LEADERSHIP
FCC's Powell Sits on Horns of Dilemma
Senators Back Adelstein

MEDIA
FTC Files Report on Hollywood
Mitchell Defends PBS Path

INTERNET
Internet as Unique News Source
Study: Broadband Market to Triple by 2008

TELECOM

NEXTEL DEAL DONE
The FCC adopted a plan Thursday to resolve the ongoing and growing problem
of interference to public safety radio systems operating in the 800 MHz
band. In recognition of the critical need for the Nation's first
responders to have robust and highly reliable communications systems, the
Commission based its decision on meeting three essential goals: first and
foremost, resolving the interference problem to public safety radio
systems; second, ensuring equitable treatment of all of the affected
spectrum licensees with minimal disruption to users and the public alike;
and third, as the Commission is the federal agency charged with
administering the spectrum for the public good, exercising sound principles
of spectrum management. The decision was unanimous.
The Commission adopted a new band plan for the 800 MHz band to address the
root cause of the interference problem by separating generally incompatible
technologies , with the costs of relocating 800 MHz incumbents to be paid
by Nextel Communications (Nextel). The Commission implemented objective
technical standards - "Enhanced Best Practices" -- for defining
"unacceptable interference" to public safety systems operating in the 800
MHz band and procedures detailing the responsibilities and expectations
regarding abatement of such interference.
To accomplish the reconfiguration, the Commission will require Nextel to
give up rights to certain of its licenses in the 800 MHz band and all of
its licenses in the 700 MHz band. In exchange, the Commission will modify
Nextel's licenses to provide the right to operate on two five-MHz blocks in
a different part of the spectrum -- specifically 1910-1915 MHz and
1990-1995 MHz -- conditioned on Nextel fulfilling certain obligations
specified in the Commission's decision. The Commission determined that the
overall value of the 1.9 GHz spectrum rights is $4.8 billion, less the cost
of relocating incumbent users. In addition, the Commission concluded that
it would credit to Nextel the value of the spectrum rights that Nextel will
relinquish and the actual costs Nextel incurs for to relocate all
incumbents in the 800 MHz band. To the extent that these combined credits
total less than the determined value of the 1.9 GHz spectrum rights, Nextel
will make an anti-windfall payment to the United States Department of the
Treasury at the conclusion of the relocation process equal to the difference.
Nextel released a statement saying it was reserving judgment on the plan.
"The information released today by the Commission contains few details
regarding the obligations its decision would impose on Nextel," the carrier
said. "Once the Commission's order is released, we have an obligation to
review all aspects of the decision to fully understand the implications to
Nextel's shareholders."
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249414A1.doc
NEXTEL GETS 1.9 GHz SPECTRUM BUT MUST PAY BILLIONS
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Howard Buskirk]
(Not available online)
Here's links to coverage
* Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108930080395358561,00.html?mod=todays...
* Washington Post: FCC's Powell Stands Up to Verizon Threat
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38014-2004Jul8.html
Nextel Must Pay at Least $3.2 Billion for Airwaves
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37692-2004Jul8.html
* Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-fcc9jul09,1,4480902.s...
* USAToday
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040709/6353485s.htm
* New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/business/09spectrum.html

FCC ADOPTS ALL-OR-NOTHING RULE
The FCC adopted an all-or-nothing rule that requires a requesting
telecommunications carrier seeking to adopt terms in another carrier's
interconnection agreement to adopt the agreement in its entirety, taking
all rates, terms, and conditions from the adopted agreement. The
Commission based its decision on two key determinations. First, the Order
concludes that the current pick-and-choose rule is not compelled by the
language of section 252(i) of the Communications Act. Second, the Order
finds that the new all-or-nothing rule will promote more give and take in
negotiations, which will produce mutually beneficial agreements that will
be better tailored to meet carriers' individual needs. In addition, the
new rule is expected to reduce negotiation time, expenses, and possible
areas of dispute, while at the same time providing adequate protection
against potential discrimination. Based on these determinations, the Order
concludes that the benefits of adopting the all-or-nothing rule outweigh
the burdens, and therefore replaces the pick-and-choose rule.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249406A1.doc

TELECOM RATES BATTLE HEATS UP
A study by University of California-Berkeley Professor Yale Braunstein
found that current phone network lease rates have saved SBC's California
customers at least $300 million a year. Customers who switched carriers
saved up to 34%, while competition drove SBC customers' bills down as much
as 22%, the study found. But the rules that set those rates were overturned
by a court and have now expired. California phone regulators postponed a
decision Thursday on rival proposals that would increase the rates
competitors pay SBC for use of its infrastructure by more than 20%.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR:John Woolfolk]
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/9114576.htm

SPECTRUM-BASED SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS
To help ensure that wireless service offerings are available in rural
areas, the FCC on Thursday 1) adopted a default definition of "rural" as a
county with a population density of 100 persons or fewer per square mile;
2) determined that smaller licensing areas may be appropriate in some
spectrum blocks to encourage deployment in rural areas, and that licensing
areas will continue to be established on a service-by-service (or
band-by-band) basis, as appropriate; 3) eliminated the cellular
cross-interest rule, which currently applies only in Rural Service Areas
(RSA) and transitioned to case-by-case competitive review for all
applications involved in transactions involving cellular licenses; 4)
allowed licensees, at their option, to grant a security interest in certain
wireless licenses to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities
Service (RUS), subject to the Commission's prior approval of any transfer
of control; 5) increased permissible power levels for base stations in
certain wireless services that are located in rural areas or that provide
coverage to otherwise unserved areas, 6) amended its rules to permit
certain geographic-area licensees to comply with construction build-out
requirements by demonstrating that they provide "substantial service" and
7) concluded that re-licensing and market-based mechanisms aren't
necessarily mutually exclusive and that the two approaches can be
complimentary in certain circumstances.
Commissioner Copps issued a strong partial dissent concerning 1)
eliminating the rule that prohibits cellular carriers from merging, 2)
maintaining the rule that allows companies to meet their build out
requirements by serving only urban markets and ignoring rural customers,
and 3) allowing corporations to mortgage their spectrum licenses,
essentially allowing them to use a public asset as collateral when seeking
loans.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249405A1.doc
Statement by Commissioner Copps
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249405A3.doc

CRITIC PANS IRS SUGGESTION ON VOIP
Rep Chris Cox (R-CA) sent a letter Wednesday to President Bush asking him
to "direct the IRS immediately to affirm that [the] 100-year-old tax does
not apply to the Internet, but only to traditional analog voice services."
"If IRS analysis suggests that (affirming) this will prevent Washington
from raising new revenue from this tax, that would be very good news for
American consumers--and more than 100 years overdue," wrote Rep Cox, the
fourth-most-senior Republican in the House. "When it comes to consumer
excise taxes, only alcohol and tobacco are taxed more heavily at the
federal level than phone service," Rep Cox wrote in his letter to President
Bush. "Telephone customers are then hit with state and local tax rates that
can run up to three times the rates paid on other goods. That is why the
House has voted to liberate consumers from this regressive tax."
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
http://news.com.com/Critic+pans+IRS+suggestion+on+VoIP/2100-1036_3-52612...

FCC LEADERSHIP

FCC'S POWELL SITS ON HORNS OF DILEMMA
A look at the tenure of FCC Chairman Michael Powell. His proponents say his
tenure, despite its highly publicized problems, will be lauded. "It's been
a struggle, but he has turned the ship in a deregulatory way," says Scott
Cleland, head of the Precursor Group. "Did he get everyone to go there
immediately and on his terms? No. But they are going to follow him."
Critics say Chairman Powell has focused too much on a sweeping free-market
agenda while not maintaining strong political alliances and neglecting the
short-term consequences for influential interest groups. Jeffrey Bray,
managing director of Babson Capital Management, says he has shifted most of
his company's telecom investments outside the U.S. "The inability of the
FCC to execute on major decisions has driven investors away" and makes it
impossible for companies to make "capital and customer decisions" with any
competitive certainty, he says. Mr. Bray and others say they expected more
from Chairman Powell, a Republican who was appointed as a commissioner by
President Clinton and chairman by President Bush. His penchant for
cutting-edge technology made him acutely capable of mapping out a strategy.
Plus, he knew how Washington worked; the 41-year-old former Army officer is
the son of Colin Powell, now the secretary of state.
Insiders suggest that Chairman Powell will step away from the FCC after the
presidential election.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Anne Marie Squeo at
annemarie.squeo( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108932376100259068,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)

SENATORS BACK ADELSTEIN
Sens John McCain (R-AZ), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Ernest Hollings (D-SC),
Conrad Burns (R-MT), and Daniel Inouye (D-HI) have written President Bush
asking him to renominate Jonathan Adelstein to a second term on the FCC. "A
significant number of issues critical to American consumers are pending
before the Commission. We need someone with his knowledge and experience on
the job at the FCC," they wrote, asking for word on the status of the
nomination. Senate Minority Leader and Commissioner Adelstein's former
boss, Tom Daschle (D-SD), submitted his name for renomination a year ago,
but the White House has not yet sent it to the Senate. If the White House
fails to act, Commissioner Adelstein would have to leave at the end of the
current legislative session, which could be as soon as October.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA434763?display=Breaking+News
(requires subscription)

MEDIA

FTC FILES REPORT ON HOLLYWOOD
The Federal Trade Commission issued its fourth report since 2000 on
entertainment violence; the results are mixed. The FTC credited studios,
music labels and video game makers for better following self-imposed
guidelines, including clamping down on the sale of R-rated movie tickets to
underage teens and providing better rating information to parents. But the
commission also faulted them for continuing to "advertise violent and
explicit movies, games and music in media widely watched by teens." It also
chided the online music business for being lax in keeping children from
downloading songs with explicit lyrics
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR:Richard Verrier]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-ftc9jul09,1,5393822.s...
(requires registration)

MITCHELL DEFENDS PBS PATH
The Motion Picture Association of America and Public Broadcasting Service
President Pat Mitchell flirted, but did not wed. Now Ms. Mitchell is trying
to convince PBS stations that she is "thrilled, excited, passionate and
committed to be here." PBS faces a budget crisis, increased competition
from cable and pressure from a Republican-controlled Congress. Ms. Mitchell
said to solve the crisis, PBS plans will rely less on affiliate station
dues and more on self-financing independent producers and on donations made
through its new NPR-style foundation. Recently, stations nearly revolted
after PBS attempted to raise dues by 7.5 percent. Critics say the
traditionally progressive-minded institution is trying to appease
Republican congressional critics by launching a show hosted by conservative
commentator Tucker Carlson. Ms. Mitchell countered that PBS is simply
trying to broaden its audience.
[SOURCE: TelevisionWeek]
http://www.tvweek.com/news/web070804.html#mitchell

INTERNET

INTERNET AS UNIQUE NEWS SOURCE
New research by the Pew Internet Project shows that during some of the most
turbulent weeks of the Iraq war nearly one quarter of Internet users (24%)
went online to view some of most graphic war images that were deemed too
gruesome or horrific for newspapers and television to display. Further, of
those who have seen the images, 28% actively sought them out. Overall,
however, Americans are conflicted about the idea of these disturbing images
being available online. By a 49%-40% margin, Americans disapprove of the
posting of such images. A strong cultural divide emerges between Internet
users and non-users: Internet users approve of the images being online by a
small margin of 47% - 44%, while non-users disapprove by an overwhelming
58% - 29% margin. The horrific nature of many of the war-related images
that have appeared online have left Internet users with a range of
feelings. "Millions of Internet users want to be able to view the graphic
war images and they see the Internet as an alternative source of news and
information from traditional media," said Deborah Fallows, Senior Research
Fellow at the Project, and co-author of the report. "But many who do
venture outside the traditional and familiar standards of the mainstream
news organizations to look at the images online end up feeling very
uncomfortable."
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project]
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/87/press_release.asp

STUDY: BROADBAND MARKET TO TRIPLE BY 2008
The Yankee Group is estimating that by 2008 there will be 325 million
broadband subscribers worldwide. About 200 million subscribers will be
using DSL service, up significantly from the 85 million people expected to
be using that technology by the end of 2004. DSL is expected to add between
25 million and 30 million subscribers per year, while rival cable modem
technology will account for around 8 million new subscribers annually. In
North America, though, cable service will maintain its lead, growing from
34 million at the end of last year to about 75 million in 2008. Satellite
is expected to experience strong growth, also. By 2008, it's expected to
have more than 12 million subscribers, or 4 percent of the market.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Dinesh Sharma]
http://news.com.com/Study%3A+Broadband+market+to+triple+by+2008/2100-103...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Have a great weekend. We'll see you again Monday.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------