1. Monthly archive
  2. September 2005

September 2005

FAQ: 21st Century skills initiative

What
is the purpose of this initiative?

What
does Benton mean by 21st century skills?

Why

is Benton focused on underserved young people?

Why
is Benton well suited to undertake this effort?

So

what does Benton propose to do?

Will
Benton give out grants as part of this initiative?

How

will Benton evaluate the progress of the initiative?

With

whom are we looking to collaborate?

How

do I find out more?

________________________________________________________

What
is the purpose of this initiative?

The

Benton Foundation sees a profound opportunity

today: an opportunity to help approximately 13

million underserved young adults ages 16-28 develop

and apply the "21st century skills"

necessary to improve their lives. The foundation

and its partners are embarking on a multi-year

initiative to identify, develop and promote successful

community-based strategies in which media and

technology are key levers in the improvement of

learning. The initiative will unite community

leaders, decision-makers, the business sector,

researchers and practitioners nationally, and

in partnering localities, to tackle this challenge.

The

Benton Foundation's 22-year history of promoting

media and communications tools for social change

will be leveraged over the next three to five

years to strengthen community approaches in developing

the technology skills of young people. We believe

that media and technology can make a substantial

difference in the lives of young people who have

fallen through the cracks in the educational system,

creating new pathways to economic success and

social inclusion. back to

top

What
does Benton mean by 21st century skills?

By

21st century skills we are referring to a set

of cognitive, technical and communicative skills

that all Americans need to possess to make our

nation more productive, economically and socially.

The Washington, DC-based Partnership

for 21st Century Skills has developed a framework

to spur national discussion about the set of competencies

needed to succeed in the future, including:

  • 21st

    Century Learning:

    Sharpening the cognitive

    and communicative skills to succeed in the world,

    including critical thinking and the ability

    to keep learning.

  • 21st

    Century Skills:

    Developing technical

    skills, such as using networked computing devices

    to enhance learning.

  • 21st

    Century Context:

     Engaging in anytime-anywhere

    learning beyond the school day and to close

    the gap between the classroom and the real world.

  • 21st

    Century Subjects:

     Expanding content

    areas for study relevant to the new century,

    such as health and financial literacy as well

    as global awareness.

 

Through

this initiative, the foundation is particularly

interested in how the use of media and technology

can engage youth, and the broader community in

which they are situated, to develop new approaches

to build on their strengths and assets. back

to top

 

Why

is Benton focused on underserved young people?

By

2010 there will be 50 million Americans between

the age of 16 and 28, a historic high. Approximately

25% of them will be out of school, under-employed

and with limited skills. Young people in their

late teens and twenties who are of color, live

in urban centers or isolated rural communities,

are under court supervision and are single parents

are disproportionately underserved. Media and

communications tools, when embedded in comprehensive

approaches to youth development, can play an important

role in reconnecting them to a future of productive

work and civic involvement.

Engaging

communities to expand pathways for youth development

using technology will provide incalculable social

benefit:

 

  • Increasing

    economic competitiveness and earnings.

    Economic competitiveness in the global economy

    increasingly requires a highly skilled workforce.

    Transitioning out-of-school youth into higher

    education would tap over a trillion dollars

    in earning potential over the lifetime of this

    group.

  • Making

    America stronger.

     "Literacy and

    learning are the foundation of democracy and

    development," states the National Security

    Strategy published by the White House in September

    2002. Allowing millions of young adults to fall

    through the cracks will prevents America from

    realizing its true potential in the years ahead.

  • Strengthening

    young people and their families.

     Nearly

    half of young adults with the lowest level of

    skills are living in poverty. There is overwhelming

    evidence that as adults' literacy skills improve,

    so does their children's success in school,

    breaking the cycle of poverty and exclusion.

    Gaining new skills also makes adults more likely

    to volunteer, vote and engage in the larger

    community.

     back to top

 

Why
is Benton well suited to undertake this effort?

Established

in 1981, the Benton Foundation researches and

promotes the use of media and communications tools

to strengthen communities. A legacy of the late

William Benton, former U.S. Senator and publisher

of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the foundation

works with nonprofit organizations, community

leaders, the business community and philanthropy

to develop successful strategies for using the

Internet and broadcast media to advance the economic,

civic and educational well-being of underserved

populations.

The

Benton Foundation has a respected track record

of:

  • Web-based

    public education

    :

    Harnessing the Webâs power to build communities

    of interest, share ideas and catalyze real-time

    action.

  • Skilled

    brokering of diverse stakeholders

    :

    Convening decision-makers across sectors to

    discuss and implement break-the-bold action

    strategies.

  • Policy

    advocacy on behalf of the public interest

    :

    Mobilizing our networks to impact the policy

    agenda.

    back to top

 

So

what does Benton propose to do?

The

foundation will build on its historic strengths

and assets as a public educator, trusted broker

and policy advocate to ensure all young people

develop the skills to compete in the new century.

The following activities are already underway

and are the efforts on which we will continue

to build momentum and forge effective partnership.

  • Spark

    community reflection and engagement.

    The Benton

    Foundation staff will work in select localities

    to explore how digital literacy can be woven

    into formal curriculum and informal content

    delivery in school and non-school settings in

    low-income and minority communities. The foundation

    is collaborating with the Center for Civic Participation

    and the Greater Phoenix Leadership in the East

    Valley of Phoenix to convene stakeholders and

    to develop a community-wide strategy for building

    media and technology competency.

  • Inform

    the policymaking process.

    To

    justify investment and sharpen effective use

    of community technology, it is vital that we

    document, digest and share research on what's

    working in the field and what's not. The Benton

    Foundation is partnering with EDC/Center for

    Children & Technology and the Quality in

    Education Centre in Glasgow, Scotland to inform

    and engage decision-makers through the Teens

    and Technology Roundtable.

  • Building

    communities of interest.

    The foundation

    is working with OneWorld International, the

    worldâs premier nonprofit gateway for locally

    relevant news and information on international

    development, on a Digital Literacy portal. The

    portal will build on the U.N. Literacy Decade

    mandate to close the education gap, using innovative

    techniques, such as information and communications

    technology-based solutions. 

    back to top

 

Will
Benton give out grants as part of this initiative?

No.

The Benton Foundation is an operating foundation

rather than a grantmaking foundation. In other

words, we reinvest our endowment into staff-driven

programmatic work rather than offering grants

to other institutions. Approximately 85 percent

of our annual budget must be fundraised by Benton

staff, not unlike many other nonprofit organizations.

back

to top

 

How

will Benton evaluate the progress of the initiative?

Evaluation

will assess the ability to influence change locally

and nationally through our community-driven engagement

and our global digital literacy portal. In selected

localities, are we successful as catalysts for

community action? Have we sparked the development

of new models for building digital literacy skills

among underserved youth? And nationally, are we

successful at equipping national stakeholders

with evidence from community-based practice? Have

we provided tools and information to push for

increased resources and better policies to address

the real needs of underserved young people?

The

framework for measuring results will build on

the foundation's long-standing capacity building

and policy advocacy goals: We will assess community

assets and needs, document what's working and

what's missing in the field, promote models that

match community needs and technology's potential,

and disseminate lessons learned on technology's

impact on community outcomes. Because our goal

is social change, our emphasis in evaluation will

be practical and process-oriented so that it provides

information to guide and improve programs in a

dynamic way. back to top

 

With

whom are we looking to collaborate?

The

foundation is conferring with leaders representing

underserved communities, business, the nonprofit

sector, philanthropy and academia and is in the

process of cultivating new partnerships. Benton's

approach depends on an alliance with strategic

partners to support the campaign's goals, particularly

in building trust with local communities and in

building momentum to develop and implement new

approaches to effective practice and new policy

formulations.   back

to top

Benton's Communications-related Headlines For Tuesday September 6, 2005

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

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Katrina Spotlights Spectrum Issue
Katrina may Unleash a Media Storm
From Conservative Talk Format to All Katrina
As Telecom Reels From Storm Damage, Ham Radios Hum
FCC Frees Noncoms To Carry Commercial Feeds
A Massive Rebuild for Television
TV Tallies Costs of Katrina
Weathering the Storm
N.Y.C. Broadcasters Back at Full Power 4 Years After 9/11
Telecom Damage Tops $400 Million
Phone Networks Fail Once Again In a Disaster
After Chaos, Changes in Calling?
Wireless Carriers Back in New Orleans

TELEVISION/RADIO/CABLE
DTV Bills Face Tight Schedule
NAB's Number One Legislative Priority: Multicast DTV Mandate
New York TV Station Rejects Anti-Bush Ad of Borough President Candidate
Stations May Incur FCC Wrath Despite Heavy Editing of Cable's Sex, Shield
WBZX Pulls Stern Over Indecency Complaint
Local TV's Brave News World

QUICKLY -- Education Dept.'s PR Funds Need Oversight; Tech Decisions Marked=
=20
Rehnquist Tenure; Court rules against Kazaa; Cellphone marketers calling=20
all preteens; Big bucks back next mobile frontier: Broadcast TV; OH=92s=20
utility consumer advocate calls for customer benefits in SBC-AT&T merger;=
=20
Secrecy Report Card; The DVD market is not as wonderful as it used to be

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

KATRINA SPOTLIGHTS SPECTRUM ISSUE
The issue of spectrum for fireman, police and other emergency workers could=
=20
well come up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. One of the themes of the=20
coverage starting Wednesday was a lack of communications among emergency=20
workers, including the frustration of a Col. Henry Whitehorn speaking for=
=20
the L.A. state police, who said they continued to have trouble=20
communicating with first-responders. "This is a further demonstration of=20
our inadequate response to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations and other=
=20
warnings about the failures in our first responders' communications=20
systems," said Sen John Kerry (D-MA).
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253687?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

KATRINA MAY UNLEASH A MEDIA STORM
Experts and journalists predict that mounting questions about U.S.=20
government preparation, policies and response to Hurricane Katrina will=20
result in intense news coverage for months. Katrina =93doesn't just have=20
legs, it has tentacles,=94 says Bob Lichter of the Center for Media and=20
Public Affairs. =93Its implications reach into hot-button controversies=20
involving race, poverty, economics and partisan politics. The reach of this=
=20
story will make the O.J. Simpson case look like a news brief.=94 Network ne=
ws=20
analyst Andrew Tyndall predicts that TV news will focus on personal stories=
=20
and massive aid efforts in the coming weeks, and then turn to looking at=20
how relief efforts may have resulted in people dying. Stories on inner=20
cities don't get much network attention =93unless carnage is involved, and=
=20
this is what you have=94 in New Orleans.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Peter Johnson]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050906/d_topstrip06.art.htm
* Katrina rekindles adversarial media
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050906/d_mediamix06.art.htm
* New Orleans Paper Worries that Media Attention Might Drift
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1001054816

FROM CONSERVATIVE TALK FORMAT TO ALL KATRINA
Last week, as Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans and cut off=20
electricity, battery-operated radios served as the only source of=20
information for thousands of stranded people. Yet as most of the city's=20
broadcast outlets were temporarily silenced by technical problems or the=20
decision to send staffers to safety, WWL-AM, a conservative talk-show=20
format, was the only local radio station able to report on the havoc in New=
=20
Orleans, thanks to its strong signal, an emergency studio in another=20
location, and its own journalists on the scene. WWL, owned by=20
Pennsylvania-based Entercom Communications Corp., quickly abandoned its=20
usual fare as residents, often unable to get through to 911, called the=20
station instead. Program hosts became emergency advisers, helping panicked=
=20
people plot escape routes and alerting authorities to their locations. By=
=20
midweek, WWL found itself getting national attention from an interview New=
=20
Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gave to WWL host Garland Robinette. In a=20
freewheeling 13-minute conversation, Mayor Nagin criticized the national=20
response to the crisis and said President Bush and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen=
=20
Blanco should "get their asses moving to New Orleans." He then broke down=
=20
in tears and hung up. Television and radio stations across the country=20
rebroadcast the interview, and the President flew to New Orleans the next d=
ay.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sarah McBride sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112593946786731856,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_marketplace
(requires subscription)

AS TELECOM REELS FROM STORM DAMAGE, HAM RADIOS HUM
With Hurricane Katrina having knocked out nearly all the high-end emergency=
=20
communications gear, 911 centers, cellphone towers and normal fixed phone=
=20
lines in its path, ham-radio operators have begun to fill the information=
=20
vacuum. "Right now, 99.9% of normal communications in the affected region=
=20
is nonexistent," says David Gore, the man operating the ham radio in the=20
Monroe shelter. "That's where we come in." In an age of high-tech,=20
real-time gadgetry, it's the decidedly unsexy ham radio -- whose technology=
=20
has changed little since World War II -- that is in high demand in ravaged=
=20
New Orleans and environs. The Red Cross issued a request for about 500=20
amateur radio operators -- known as "hams" -- for the 260 shelters it is=20
erecting in the area. The American Radio Relay League, a national=20
association of ham-radio operators, has been deluged with requests to find=
=20
people in the region. The U.S. Coast Guard is looking for hams to help with=
=20
its relief efforts. Ham radios, battery operated, work well when others=20
don't in part because they are simple. Each operator acts as his own base=
=20
station, requiring only his radio and about 50 feet of fence wire to=20
transmit messages thousands of miles. Ham radios can send messages on=20
multiple channels and in myriad ways, including Morse code, microwave=20
frequencies and even email. Then there are the ham-radio operators=20
themselves, a band of radio enthusiasts who spend hours jabbering with each=
=20
other even during normal times. They are often the first to get messages in=
=20
and out of disaster areas, in part because they are everywhere. (The ARRL=
=20
estimates there are 250,000 licensed hams in the U.S.) Sometimes they are=
=20
the only source of information in the first hours following a disaster. The=
=20
hams also get little respect from telecommunications-equipment companies,=
=20
such as Motorola Inc. "Something is better than nothing, that's right,"=20
says Jim Screeden, who runs all of Motorola's repair teams in the field for=
=20
its emergency-response business. "But ham radios are pretty close to=20
nothing." Mr. Screeden says ham radios can take a long time to relay=20
messages and work essentially as "party lines," with multiple parties=20
talking at once. Says Mr. Leggett at the Monroe operations center: "We are=
=20
the unwanted stepchild. But when the s- hits the fan, who are you going to=
=20
call?"
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher Rhoads=20
christopher.rhoads( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112597561578132422,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_marketplace
(requires subscription)

FCC FREES NONCOMS TO CARRY COMMERCIAL FEEDS
The FCC Friday said it would allow noncommercial stations in New Orleans to=
=20
carry commercial material. The move was to allow them to rebroadcast=20
life-saving information from commercial news operations in the area.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253691?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

A MASSIVE REBUILD FOR TELEVISION
Local TV broadcasters and cable operators in the Gulf Coast area say=20
rebuilding their stations and plant could take several months. Belo's WWL=
=20
was the only station operational in New Orleans after Katrina struck.=20
Others shifted operations to sister stations or are dark. For most TV=20
stations, the key goal will be replacing and repairing transmission=20
facilities. Some of the gear, such as studio-to-transmitter links, may=20
simply need drying out, while other components will require replacement.=20
One crucial factor that will delay the return of over-the-air TV signals to=
=20
New Orleans is the amount of time it takes to get a new transmitter. It=20
typically takes 60-90 days for a TV transmitter to be manufactured. The=20
damage to Cox's New Orleans system is severe. Half the 270,000 subscribers=
=20
are in areas swept by 4 to 7 feet of water. Much of the system is composed=
=20
of aerial plant strung on poles 14 or more feet in the air. Still, there's=
=20
plenty of underground fiber, copper feeder and equipment-filled vaults that=
=20
spent days submerged. While the DBS providers haven't suffered=20
infrastructure problems, they do have the challenge of having to replace=20
dishes and set-top boxes destroyed in the hurricane. According to DirecTV=
=20
spokesman Bob Marsucci, that company is still figuring out its strategy but=
=20
will make it as easy as possible for previous customers to get service=20
again. DirecTV will also strike deals with other network affiliates in the=
=20
region to ensure that New Orleans residents receive regional network=20
signals until the local stations get up and running.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Ken Kerschbaumer and John M. Higgins]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253844.html?display=3DCover+...
ry&referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

TV TALLIES COSTS OF KATRINA
[Commentary] Broadcasting&Cable estimates that rebuild costs and lost=20
revenue for Gulf Coast media companies could easily run as high as $250=20
million. While TV and radio stations in the Gulf States were crunched by=20
Hurricane Katrina, cable operators with chewed-up systems are incurring the=
=20
greatest financial damage. And because cable systems tend not to insure=20
much of their operations, their owners may be on the hook for much of the=
=20
reconstruction. The major financial issues for stations is lost ad revenue=
=20
and physical damage to studios and transmission towers. For cable=20
operators, lost advertising is smaller, damage to wires much more=20
expensive. A big question for both is how the companies fare as their=20
markets recover.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John M. Higgins]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253846.html?display=3DCover+...
ry&referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

WEATHERING THE STORM
Amid one of the largest natural disasters in U.S. history, with several=20
hundred estimated dead in four states and more than 2 million people=20
without electricity, food or water, getting the news out to viewers last=20
week was critical. It was also harder than ever. Three of the four New=20
Orleans news stations were unable to broadcast, while one Mobile, Ala.,=20
outlet was temporarily knocked off the air. Cox Cable and Charter=20
Communications, the region=92s major cable systems, lost service to hundred=
s=20
of thousands of subscribers. Network news crews were frustrated trying to=
=20
navigate an unfamiliar region with spotty communications. And already the=
=20
storm has altered Nielsen ratings in at least four markets for the=20
foreseeable future. As the disaster continues to unfold, the Internet (and=
=20
radio) are proving to be crucial sources of information. Bloggers are=20
trading images and updates to info-starved surfers. But what has become=20
quickly apparent is that only the graphic images of television can convey=
=20
the scope and devastation of such a catastrophe. Even if viewers in=20
affected areas can eventually watch TV to get news, no one is monitoring=20
the audience levels. Nielsen Media Research is not reporting ratings from=
=20
set-top meters in New Orleans and Birmingham, Ala., because of power=20
outages. New Orleans may not be restored for months, the ratings firm says.=
=20
New Orleans ranks as the 43rd-largest U.S. market and accounts for 675,760=
=20
TV homes. Combine that with three other affected markets in the region, and=
=20
more than 1.1 million TV households have been impacted, which represents=20
about a full rating point nationally. After last year=92s hurricanes in=20
Florida, Nielsen had to recruit new participants and will likely face the=
=20
same problem in these Gulf Coast markets. Without a traditional TV=20
audience, news organizations resorted to new and old technology to get the=
=20
news out. Radio stations in each market have simulcast the TV coverage,=20
enabling residents with battery-powered radios to listen to local TV news.=
=20
Several stations have been streaming their broadcasts live online and=20
blogging.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Allison Romano]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253842.html?display=3DCover+...
ry&referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* 'Time Of Crisis'
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6253856.html
(requires subscription)

NYC BROADCASTERS BACK AT FULL POWER 4 YEARS AFTER 9/11
When the World Trade Center fell on September 11, 2001, many New York City=
=20
broadcast stations went dark. Four years later, stations are just getting=
=20
back to full (or near full) power, relocating to the Empire State Building.=
=20
The ESB is not as tall as the WTC nor was the mast designed to handle so=20
many stations. Ten TV stations are now transmitting analog signals and 9=20
are transmitting digitally from the ESB.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Tania Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)

TELECOM DAMAGE TOPS $400 MILLION
BellSouth estimates that it will cost $400 million to $600 million to=20
repair the damage from Hurricane Katrina and says it could take four to six=
=20
months to restore service in the hardest-hit areas of New Orleans and the=
=20
Gulf Coast of Mississippi. BellSouth said an estimated 1.1 million of its=
=20
lines were out in the region, with 90 percent of these in what it calls the=
=20
"red zone" -- New Orleans, areas north of the city and the Gulf Coast of=20
Mississippi. BellSouth's main hub in New Orleans, on Poydras Street, is=20
operating and is a key switching point for long distance carriers such as=
=20
MCI, AT&T and Sprint Nextel. BellSouth's recovery is also vital to mobile=
=20
phone providers, which typically depend heavily on land lines run by local=
=20
phone companies to connect their wireless calls. The major wireless=20
providers said some of their calls are going through in New Orleans but=20
service is still out in much of the city. In contrast, most of these=20
companies -- Verizon Wireless, Cingular Wireless and Sprint Nextel -- said=
=20
they had made significant progress restoring service elsewhere in the=20
region, including to Baton Rouge and Mobile as well as along parts of the=
=20
Mississippi coast. Public safety experts said Hurricane Katrina exposed two=
=20
major weaknesses in emergency communications: a failure to deploy enough=20
satellite phones and the lack of a national system for police, firefighters=
=20
and medical personnel to talk with one another seamlessly. In addition to=
=20
disabling much of the regular telephone network in New Orleans and along=20
the Mississippi coast, the storm damaged local police radio systems and=20
made it much harder for emergency personnel to help those in need. While=20
there is little that can protect telephone lines, wireless towers and=20
antennas from hurricane winds, experts said more satellite telephones --=20
which do not depend on ground infrastructure -- should have been in place=
=20
before the storm, and mobile communications systems should have been=20
quickly brought in after.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Arshad Mohammed]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR200509...
1231.html
(requires registration)
* Storm Puts BellSouth's Adaptability to the Test
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/06/business/06telecom.html
(requires registration)
* BellSouth costs could exceed $1B
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Leslie Cauley]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050906/3b_bellsouth06.art.htm

PHONE NETWORKS FAIL ONCE AGAIN IN A DISASTER
Nearly 1.8 million phone lines and countless cellphones were interrupted or=
=20
went dead along the Gulf Coast. Thousands of New Orleans residents trapped=
=20
in their homes by rising water couldn't call out to seek help. And friends=
=20
and relatives couldn't contact them to find out whether they had escaped.=
=20
For the third time in four years, vital telephone systems failed after a=20
major disaster hit the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,=20
the blackout of 2003 and now Hurricane Katrina, residents and even=20
emergency personnel found themselves cut off. Even as of yesterday, large=
=20
parts of the telecom system in the area hit by Katrina still had spotty or=
=20
no service, with BellSouth saying about one million of its lines were down=
=20
or working only sporadically. What went wrong this time? The systems=20
responsible for transmitting Internet data, landline and cellphone traffic=
=20
broke down after backup generators, designed to keep phone lines powered,=
=20
either ran out of fuel or were flooded because they were located on lower=
=20
floors of phone-equipment centers rather than out of reach from flood=20
water. Phone lines broke as poles went down from high winds or the=20
flooding. And an onslaught of calls overwhelmed the few lines that still=20
were operating. In addition, many BellSouth employees trained to repair and=
=20
maintain its networks became victims themselves; some of the company's=20
equipment in New Orleans is old and vulnerable to water damage (splices in=
=20
its copper phone lines, for example, are covered with paper instead of=20
protective plastic); and at its key New Orleans operations center, the=20
building was threatened by reports of looters and employees had to be=20
evacuated. How can phone systems be made to withstand future disasters?=20
Engineers and telecom executives say that part of the answer could be for=
=20
the networks to create additional capacity and to install more emergency=20
power systems at secure locations. They add that additional wireless=20
infrastructure -- possibly incorporating satellite or microwave technology=
=20
-- could provide backup systems in emergencies.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Dionne Searcey dionne.searcey( at )wsj.com=
=20
and Jesse Drucker jesse.drucker( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112597603254832427,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_marketplace
(requires subscription)

AFTER CHAOS, CHANGES IN CALLING?
After Katrina's storms left hundreds of thousands of residents without=20
phone service and other communications, survivors and emergency responders=
=20
were forced to stay in touch by any means possible. And there wasn't much.=
=20
Vast areas of the Gulf Coast, from Louisiana to Florida, had no regular=20
telephone or wireless service. Thousands of the switches and cell towers=20
that form the region's telecommunications network were inaccessible or left=
=20
without power -- if not demolished. According to a memo from the Homeland=
=20
Security Dept., the telecommunications "infrastructure in New Orleans,=20
Biloxi, and Gulfport is considered to be total write-off." It may take as=
=20
long as a month to restore 80% of phone services, once the flooding=20
subsides and affected areas become accessible. Little surprise, then, that=
=20
survivors, police, and other emergency-service providers are relying on=20
satellite phones. The devices communicate via signals beamed to and from=20
satellites in the sky, rather than earthbound lines or wireless=20
infrastructure -- and so remain operable in cases where a natural disaster=
=20
has devastated networks on the ground. In the wake of Katrina, parts of the=
=20
Southeast may also turn into a proving ground for other wireless=20
communications, such as WiMax, the technology that provides high-speed=20
Internet access to large areas from a single transmission point. For=20
starters, New Orleans might become more reliant on wireless vs. traditional=
=20
phone connections
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Olga Kharif ]
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/sep2005/nf2005092_8957_db094...
m?chan=3Dtc
* Satellite phones provide critical link to outside world
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050906/satellite.art.htm

WIRELESS CARRIERS BACK IN NEW ORLEANS
The collapse of the communications network in the New Orleans area has been=
=20
widely blamed for contributing to the disaster there, as local officials=20
were unable to talk to each other and to federal authorities to arrange=20
relief in the days after Katrina laid waste to the city. But a number of=20
wireless carriers said this weekend they are starting to restore service in=
=20
the New Orleans area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in some cases=
=20
with generators on the roofs of hotels.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2005-09-04T202655Z_01_FLE466561_RTRIDST_0_TECH-TELECOMS-DC.XML

TELEVISION/RADIO/CABLE

DTV BILLS FACE TIGHT SCHEDULE
Hurricane relief, Supreme Court nominations and the digital television=20
transition? Some priorities may have changed since Congress was last in DC,=
=20
but, apparently, the DTV transition bills that must move through both=20
chambers are still a high priority. The bills have not been introduced yet=
=20
so many are wondering how they will deal with: 1) Setting a hard transition=
=20
date (expected in 2009 with a mid-2009 date strongly anticipated); 2)=20
Support for converter boxes for analog TV sets left inoperable by the=20
digital transition; 3) Requiring cable operators to carry broadcasters=92=
=20
multiple (local) programming streams (called "multicast must-carry"); and=
=20
4) Letting cable operators downconvert DTV signals at the headend so=20
analog-only customers can receive digital programming. Some predict an=20
approach that strips the bill to its bones: A hard transition date, auction=
=20
authority renewal for the FCC and a subsidy program arranged between=20
Democrats who seek full replacement for all sets and Republicans opposing=
=20
any subsidy. A later bill would deal with more complex issues. After=20
handling DTV, Congress will consider broader telecom reform with bills=20
expected from House Commerce Committee Chairman Barton and Senate Commerce=
=20
Chairman Stevens later this month. Regulatory treatment of VoIP and=20
IP-enabled services will figure prominently in telecom update legislation.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Anne Veigle]
(Not available online)

NAB'S NUMBER ONE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY: MULTICAST DTV MANDATE
NAB held a well-attended news briefing at its headquarters in Washington,=
=20
DC last week, where it was reiterated to reporters that multicast DTV cable=
=20
carriage is the top priority when Congress returns next week. Nearly 100=20
broadcasters are expected in Washington September 8 to canvass Capitol Hill=
=20
and meet with House and Senate Commerce Committee members about crafting=20
pro-consumer DTV legislation that ensures viewer access to more local news,=
=20
local weather, sports, additional public affairs programming and foreign=20
language programming. NAB also unveiled a financial study=20
(http://www.multicasting.com/documents/BIAEconBenefitsRpt.pdf)=20
demonstrating the benefits to local businesses from multicasting, along=20
with an industry survey=20
(http://www.multicasting.com/documents/Multicasting_Plans705.ppt) showing=
=20
that the vast majority of stations plan on increasing local program choices=
=20
under a cable carriage mandate. Finally, NAB unveiled a new, two-page ad=20
(http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/Issues/digitaltv/multicasting_ad_083105.pdf)=
=20
that will be running in Capitol Hill publications this week making the case=
=20
for multicasting.
[SOURCE: National Association of Broadcasters]

NEW YORK TV STATION REJECTS ANTI-BUSH AD OF BOROUGH PRESIDENT CANDIDATE
A New York City television station, WNYW/Channel 5, is refusing to run a=20
provocative advertisement promoting a Democratic candidate for Manhattan=20
borough president. And the campaign of the candidate, Brian Ellner, is=20
charging that the station is doing so because the spot takes a swipe at=20
President Bush. The 30-second ad features Mr. Bush's face superimposed upon=
=20
a middle-aged man's naked torso as Mr. Ellner says of the president that=20
"the emperor has no clothes." Mr. Ellner also introduces his partner, Simon=
=20
Holloway, in the spot - which the campaign says is the first time in city=
=20
history that a gay candidate has introduced his or her partner in a=20
campaign commercial. Mr. Ellner said in an interview yesterday that=20
representatives of Channel 5, a Fox affiliate, had told his campaign that=
=20
they would not show the advertisement because it was "in poor taste." "It's=
=20
pretty clear it's an anti-free speech decision because of our criticism of=
=20
the president," Mr. Ellner said. "It's untenable and in my view it's=20
anti-American." He added that the rejection of the ad was "disrespectful to=
=20
voters." Brandii Toby, a spokeswoman for Channel 5, said the station was=20
indeed refusing to run Mr. Ellner's advertisement, but she said the station=
=20
would provide no explanation. If the station rejected the ad because of its=
=20
content, it would appear to be skirting the line of broadcast regulations=
=20
and communication law covering the showing of political commercials by=20
local stations. Broadcast channels, which are regulated by the Federal=20
Communications Commission, are allowed to reject so-called issue=20
advertisements from interest groups based on their content. But they are=20
prohibited from doing so with ads from candidates.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jim Rutenberg]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/06/nyregion/metrocampaigns/06fox.html
(requires registration)

STATIONS MAY INCUR FCC WRATH DESPITE HEAVY EDITING OF CABLE'S SEX, SHIELD
Over the past few seasons, broadcasters have failed to create enough=20
programming with backend potential. So it=92s no surprise that syndication=
=20
executives are beginning to look toward cable for content. What may be a=20
surprise is the adult nature of some of that cable content. "Sex and the=20
City" launches into broadcast syndication later this month. "The Shield" is=
=20
being sold for a fall =9206 launch. Although these shows once were consider=
ed=20
too risqu=E9 for broadcast television, most executives believe that with th=
e=20
proper edits, both series will be broadcast appropriate -- despite an=20
increasingly restrictive standards climate as mandated by the Federal=20
Communications Commission.
[SOURCE: MediaWeek, AUTHOR: A.J. Frutkin]
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D100...
4358

WBZX PULLS STERN OVER INDECENCY COMPLAINT
Howard Stern was pulled from WBZX(FM) Columbus, Ohio, Friday in the wake of=
=20
an FCC inquiry into an indecency complaint filed against the shock jock.=20
The complaint was filed earlier this month by Stern nemesis and frequent=20
FCC filer Jack Thompson. Earlier Thompson complaints against Stern helped=
=20
prompt Clear Channel to drop his show and the FCC to fine the company=20
almost half a million dollars.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253750?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

LOCAL TV's BRAVE NEWS WORLD
According to research, viewers find the TV news format tedious and=20
irrelevant, says Michael Sechrist, the president of Nashville ABC affiliate=
=20
WKRN. So the station is retraining its entire staff -- not just reporters=
=20
-- to shoot stories and become "video journalists." WKRN is also recruiting=
=20
local bloggers. The station could be a model for other stations retooling=
=20
themselves to regain audience in a fragmenting media landscape.
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Jon Fine]
http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_37/b3950023.htm

QUICKLY

REPORT: EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S PR FUNDS NEED OVERSIGHT
Federal investigators probing the Education Department's public relations=
=20
contracts have found a pattern of deals in which advocacy organizations=20
received grants totaling nearly $4.7 million to promote Bush administration=
=20
education priorities in newspaper columns and brochures, but didn't=20
disclose that they received taxpayer funds, as required by law. The=20
department's inspector general says he detected no =93covert propaganda,=94=
but=20
he told administration officials to consider asking for some of their money=
=20
back. The report, released on the Education Department's website Thursday=
=20
night, said the department needs to do a better job monitoring how millions=
=20
of dollars in grants are spent. More than $1.7 million, for example, went=
=20
to outside public relations contracts that officials said resulted in no=20
visible media products. The report comes nearly five months after the=20
inspector general criticized the department for its $240,000 contract with=
=20
commentator Armstrong Williams. That contract called for him to promote=20
President Bush's 2002 No Child Left Behind education reform law in=20
newspaper columns and on his syndicated TV show, and to encourage others to=
=20
do the same.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Greg Toppo]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050906/d_gao06.art.htm
* Following the money for public relations efforts
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050906/d_gao06_box.art.htm

KEY TECH DECISIONS MARKED REHNQUIST TENURE
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday after serving for 19 years=
=20
on the Supreme Court. Rehnquist's time as chief justice marked a modest=20
revival of states' rights and a gradual elevation of the concept that=20
individual rights often must give way to police power when the two come=20
into conflict. That philosophy revealed itself in disputes involving the=20
Internet, privacy and free speech. Chief Rehnquist joined Justice Sandra=20
Day O'Connor in 1997 in saying that the Communications Decency Act amounted=
=20
to "little more than an attempt by Congress to create 'adult zones' on the=
=20
Internet." In a dissent, the duo said the law's restrictions on "indecency=
=20
transmission" were appropriate and should be upheld. In a 2003 case=20
involving library filtering, Rehnquist wrote the majority opinion himself.=
=20
Encouraging libraries to block pornography "does not violate their patrons'=
=20
First Amendment rights," he said.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
http://news.com.com/Key+tech+decisions+marked+Rehnquist+tenure/2100-1028...
5849013.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert

COURT RULES AGAINST KAZAA
An Australian court ruled on Monday that users of the popular Internet=20
file-sharing network Kazaa were breaching copyright, and ordered its owners=
=20
to modify the software to prevent online music piracy. The decision follows=
=20
a similar judgment in June in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that=20
file-sharing networks such as Grokster can be held liable if their intent=
=20
is to promote copyright infringement of music or movies.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Michael Perry]
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2005-09-05T152751Z_01_FOR523610_RTRIDST_0_NET-MUSIC-KAZAA-DC.XML
* Kazaa's File-Swapping Service Dealt a Blow by Australian Court
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112591318043731710,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_personal_journal
(requires subscription)
* Australian Court Rules Kazaa Has Violated Copyrights
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/06/technology/06kazaa.html
(requires registration)

CELLPHONE MARKETERS CALLING ALL PRETEENS
About 16 million teens and younger kids have cellphones, with the bulk of=
=20
them older teens, according to the researcher GFK's NOP World Technology.=
=20
But as the teen market gets saturated, cell providers and other companies=
=20
are eyeing the younger set. In February 2002, 13% of 12-to-14-year-olds had=
=20
cellphones. That number jumped to 40% in December 2004, according to NOP.=
=20
Some 14% of 10-to-11-year-olds now own cellphones. While NOP doesn't have=
=20
comparison data for that group yet, Vice President Ben Rogers says its=20
ownership is rising. Even kids under 10 are using personal cells to call=20
for rides home.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Laura Petrecca]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050906/cellphones.1.art.htm

BIG BUCKS BACK NEXT MOBILE FRONTIER: BROADCAST TV
The wireless industry is betting billions that you want to watch TV on your=
=20
cell phone.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Antony Bruno]
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2005-09-05T155837Z_01_KRA356426_RTRIDST_0_TECH-MOBILE-DC.XML

OHIO'S UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE CALLS FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BENEFIT IN=
=20
SBC-AT&T MERGER
Two of the nation=92s largest telephone companies -- SBC and AT&T -- propos=
e=20
to merge without demonstrating any customer benefits as required under Ohio=
=20
law, the Office of the Ohio Consumers=92 Counsel (OCC), the residential=20
utility consumer advocate, said. Specifically, Ohio law requires the merger=
=20
to promote the public interest. The OCC believes that to comply with the=20
law, the PUCO should deny the merger or establish several conditions that=
=20
include pricing, consumer protections and access to services. More at the=
=20
URL below.
[SOURCE: Ohio Consumers=92 Counsel Press Release]
http://www.pickocc.org/news/2005/09022005.shtml

SECRECY REPORT CARD
OpenTheGovernment.Org - a coalition of 42 good-government, consumer,=20
environmental and other groups - released its second annual Secrecy in=20
Government Report Card. The material is from the National Security=20
Archives, the Justice Department, the Information Security and Oversight=20
Office of the National Archives, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the=
=20
Press, the Electronic Privacy and Information Center, the Federation of=20
American Scientists, and other private experts. The report covers the=20
Courts, secret patents, classified documents, federal advisory committees,=
=20
Freedom of Information Requests, and the "states secrets" privilege.
[SOURCE: Washington Post]
http://www.openthegovernment.org/otg/SRC2005_embargoed.pdf

THE DVD MARKET IS NOT AS WONDERFUL AS IT USED TO BE
According to the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), a trade group made up=
=20
of movie studios and consumer-electronics firms, Hollywood shipped 403m=20
DVDs to America's stores in the first quarter of this year=97one-fifth more=
=20
than in the first quarter of 2004. That is a healthy growth-rate, but far=
=20
slower than in the whole of 2004, when nearly 50% more DVDs were sent to=20
shops than in 2003=97and much lower than previous years' dizzier increases =
of=20
100% or more. Moreover, the DEG's numbers ignore the fact that stores=20
return unsold DVDs. Nor do its numbers reflect the fact that studios have=
=20
lowered DVD prices for some categories, such as classic films. Sanford=20
Bernstein, an investment research firm, predicts that the rate of growth of=
=20
DVD sales in dollars (as opposed to units) will slow to 9% in 2005 and 4%=
=20
in 2006. That the DVD market should slow is not really surprising. Nearly=
=20
70% of American homes with TVs now have DVD players. Those who bought them=
=20
early have already built a library of DVDs. Poorer people who have waited=
=20
until now to buy a player for around $50 buy fewer titles. And nationwide=
=20
retail chains such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart have stopped shifting=20
shelf-space to DVDs as they did in the format's earlier days
[SOURCE: The Economist]
http://www.economist.com/business/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3D4323261
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Benton's Communications-related Headlines For Friday September 2, 2005

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

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Big Media + Big Bucks = Big Easy Boost
Emergency Communications In Areas Impacted By Hurricane Katrina
E-911 Bill Needed to Boost FCC Authority over VoIP Services

AGENDA
FCC Could Address Digital Radio Multicasting Next Meeting
Barton Baby Could Bounce DTV Bill Deadline

TELEVISION
Networks Get Gimmicky To Hype New Shows
Newest Export From China: Pirated Pay TV

INTERNET
Internet governance, what does it really boil down to?
ICANN meeting takes place in the shadow of US tough talk

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

BIG MEDIA + BIG BUCKS = BIG EASY BOOST
Amid ever more shocking images and mounting casualties, big media
corporations on Wednesday announced millions of dollars in aid to victims
of Hurricane Katrina, which has transformed the historic and heavily
populated city of New Orleans into a virtual underwater hell and decimated
areas of Mississippi and Alabama.
Walt Disney unveiled corporate contributions of $2.5 million: a $1 million
donation to the American Red Cross for immediate relief efforts; $1 million
for rebuilding efforts targeted at children's charities; and $500,000 for
volunteer centers. Viacom is planning a $1 million cash donation to the
American Red Cross and a worldwide employee matching gift program directed
to the agency. Its divisions CBS, BET, UPN, MTV Networks, Infinity Radio
and outdoor will develop special programming and offer ad space and airtime
for public service announcements from the Red Cross and other agencies.
Local TV and radio stations will do the same in their communities. Time
Warner, the world's biggest media company, said it will start by matching
$1 million in employee contributions made to the American Red Cross.
[SOURCE: Variety, AUTHOR: Jill Goldsmith]
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleid=VR1117928389&p=0...

PROCEDURES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IN AREAS IMPACTED BY
HURRICANE KATRINA
The FCC announced procedures to help emergency communications services
initiate, resume, and maintain operations in the areas impacted by
Hurricane Katrina.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-260835A1.doc

E-911 BILL NEEDED TO BOOST FCC AUTHORITY OVER VOIP SERVICES
At a Senate Commerce Committee field hearing in Great Falls, Montana,
speakers said the FCC has taken an important first step in regulating E-911
services for Internet telephone service (VoIP) providers, but legislation
is needed to ensure public access to emergency services. The hearing was
chaired by Sen Conrad Burns (R-MT) who introduced legislation (S1063) in
May that would mandate E-911 access for VoIP providers. The bill, which
would provide liability relief for emergency call-takers, would require a
national plan for implementing next generation E-911 systems.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Anne Veigle]
(Not available online)
See links to testimony at
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1600
Also see --
* FCC and NARUC Announce Members of Joint Federal/State VOIP Enhanced 911
Enforcement Task Force
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-260829A1.doc

AGENDA

FCC COULD ADDRESS DIGITAL RADIO MULTICASTING NEXT MEETING
The agenda for the September 15 FCC meeting will be released on Thursday,
so there's some news about what items will be on the list. The FCC is
likely to address digital radio multicasting and copyright protection
issues. Television is not the only type of broadcasting going digital.
Digital radio would provide radio stations the ability to offer more than
one signal. Digital radio multicasting would help broadcasters compete
with satellite radio and let them provide more local services, but it
raises concern about further concentrating radio ownership. Current limits
let a station own up to 8 stations -- 5 FM and 3 AM -- in a market. Last
year, when the FCC issued an inquiry into digital radio, Commissioner
Michael Copps said many questions remain, such as how digital radio can
enhance political discourse, the larger public interest obligations and the
effects of digital radio and multicasting on local competition. "What does
it mean for competition if a company that would be permitted to own 8 radio
stations in a market also obtains the ability to multicast many more
programming streams?" Commissioner Copps asked then. Other possible items
for the agenda: cellular competition and contributions to the universal
service fund. (And you thought all the fun ended with labor Day.)
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Tania Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)

BARTON BABY COULD BOUNCE DTV BILL DEADLINE
Although the House Budget Committee's deadline for preparing digital
television transition legislation is September 15, House Commerce Chairman
Joe Barton (R-TX) and wife Terri have scheduled Sept. 15 as the delivery
date for their new son. So can a new daddy get a little extra time? The
deadline is not statutory, but a congressional deadline that could have
some flexibility in it. Either way, one Senate source familiar with the
bill's crafting said he expected it would include a "no set left behind"
subsidy for every analog-only receiver, not just for those who met an
economic-needs test. The bill is also likely to contain a requirement that
TV sets include labels that spell out their capability, including the date
after which they would not operate without a digital converter. (Best
wishes for the Barton family.)
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253082?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

TELEVISION

NETWORKS GET GIMMICKY TO HYPE NEW SHOWS
Drugstore prescription bags, water coolers and even $1 bills have become
the media the major broadcast networks are using to advertise new shows. So
what happened to the supremacy of the on-air promo? For decades, the big
television networks advertised new shows primarily through ads on their own
air. Radio, billboard and magazine ads were thrown in for key launches or
vanity projects. That worked fine when the major broadcast networks
commanded 90% of the TV audience. But the growth of cable channels has
eroded that share to less than 50%. More recently, growth of on-demand
cable, videogames and the Internet is adding to competition for people's
leisure time. As a result, the networks need a wider array of marketing
ploys. Marketing of new shows is crucial. Over the next three weeks, the
broadcast networks alone will start the new seasons of 77 returning shows
and introduce 31 new series. Just one new hit can transform a network, but
making a show stick isn't easy: Of the 31 shows the networks rolled out
last season, only 10 remain -- and some of those are on life support. But
as TV executives turn more to unconventional marketing methods to tout
their programs, some marketing experts see the move as an unspoken
admission from broadcasters that their commercials are weakening as sales
tools.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Brooks Barnes brooks.barnes( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112562356746429842,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)

NEWEST EXPORT FROM CHINA: PIRATED PAY TV
China has become the hotbed of a new technology that distributes live
television signals over the Internet, exposing the world's pay-TV operators
to the kind of online piracy that has plagued the music and movie
businesses. The technology, called peer-to-peer, or P2P, streaming TV,
enables viewers anywhere in the world to watch cable, satellite or
broadcast TV on the Web free of charge. Pirate services offer the programs
to anyone equipped with a high-speed Internet connection who downloads some
simple software. Underscoring the challenges for the law to keep up with
technology and its global reach, P2P television is emerging barely two
months after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the landmark Grokster
file-sharing case, which was seen as a victory for traditional media
companies. The court ruled that file-sharing companies may be liable for
copyright infringement if their products encourage consumers to illegally
swap songs and movies.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Geoffrey A. Fowler
geoffrey.fowler( at )wsj.com and Sarah McBride sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112560377411829361,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)

INTERNET

INTERNET GOVERNANCE, WHAT DOES IT BOIL DOWN TO?
How's this huge, influential and potentially-useful beast called the
Internet to be governed? Who is to call the shots? Carlos Afonso, strategy
director at APC member RITS and member of the UN-convened working group on
Internet governance takes a close look at how control of the Internet is
sought to be transformed, before a crucial crossroad comes up in the next
few months. This 50-page paper was commissioned by APC member Instituto del
Tercer Mundo (ITeM) as part of its WSISpapers series, also provides useful
historical background on the current Internet global governance system.
[SOURCE: Choike.org, AUTHOR: Carlos Afonso]
http://wsispapers.choike.org/internet_governance.pdf

ICANN MEETING TAKES PLACE IN THE SHADOW OF US TOUGH TALK
Just after the United States made clear it intention to retain control over
the Internet's root-servers, an ICANN meeting took place in Luxembourg.
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a
California-based non-profit corporation created in 1998 to take over a
number of Internet-related tasks earlier performed on behalf of the US
Government by other organizations, notably the IANA. - RITS
[SOURCE: APC]
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=973254
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Benton's Communications-related Headlines For Thursday September 1, 2005

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

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Millions Said to Be Lacking Phone Service of Any Kind
Delivering News Of the Storm That Stopped The Presses
PBS Seeks Federal Funds for Katrina-Hit Public TV Stations

BROADCASTING
United Church of Christ Challenges Spanish-language TV Licences
NAB Launches Campaign to Win Multicasting in DTV Bill

INTERNET/BROADBAND
When Brotherly Love Goes Wireless
States Expanding Push for Internet Taxes

QUICKLY -- Alternative Papers Consider Merger; Australia Considers Media=20
Ownership Rules; SBC May Use the AT&T Name; MCI Sets Oct. 6 Vote On Bid=20
From Verizon; Can't Kill P2P; Tech helps special-needs kids pass key=20
tests; Wireless raises security concern; In Eastern Europe, A Gumshoe=20
Chases Internet Villains

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

MILLIONS SAID TO BE LACKING PHONE SERVICE OF ANY KIND
Efforts to get food, water and electricity to the hundreds of thousands of=
=20
survivors of Hurricane Katrina have been hampered by a lack of an essential=
=20
tool: the ability of aid groups, citizens and even the phone companies to=
=20
communicate with one another. Landline and wireless phone service across=20
the Gulf Coast from New Orleans eastward has been largely cut off, and=20
restoring it will take weeks, if not months. As many as 750,000 BellSouth=
=20
landline customers and millions of cellphone customers are thought to be=20
without service across Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, though precise=
=20
figures are hard to come by because phone companies have been unable to get=
=20
to all their equipment to assess the damage. CommDaily reports that=20
BellSouth said preliminary reports show some 1.75 million customers lost=20
landline phone service to Hurricane Katrina. Of those, about 750,000 are in=
=20
New Orleans and other coastal cities in Louisiana and Mississippi The rest=
=20
are inland in those states, Alabama and Florida. A spokesman said BellSouth=
=20
had roughly 220 switches and 1,800 remote network terminals in La. and=20
Miss. using backup power, with the main immediate job being to keep=20
generators fueled and batteries charged.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Ken Belson]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/business/01tele.html
(requires registration)
* Power Outages Hamstring Most Emergency Communications
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112553304837128550,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_page_one
* Hard to Get Word Out After Hurricane
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR200508...
2656.html

DELIVERING NEWS OF THE STORM THAT STOPPED THE PRESSES
Among the many cruelties delivered by Hurricane Katrina, there was this:=20
The people most in need of information about the storm were the least=20
likely to be able to see, hear or read about it. With electricity wiped out=
=20
in the affected areas, receiving local broadcast or cable TV signals was=20
nearly impossible. Only New Orleans radio station WWL-AM reportedly stayed=
=20
on the air. Printing a newspaper in New Orleans was a cosmic absurdity:=20
Even if the Times-Picayune, New Orleans's largest daily, hadn't had its=20
presses disabled by rising floodwaters, delivering a printed paper would=20
have been an act of madness, given the state of roads and bridges in the=20
paper's circulation area.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Paul Farhi and Teresa Wiltz]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR200508...
2682.html
(requires registration)
* TV Networks Navigate Floodwaters To Get on Air
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR200508...
2692.html

PBS SEEKS FEDERAL FUNDS FOR KATRINA-HIT PUBLIC TV STATIONS
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Department of Commerce are=
=20
working on plans to provide additional funding for public broadcasters=20
damaged by Hurricane Katrina. PBS has not been able to make contact with=20
the eight public TV stations in Louisiana, but given the location of the=20
New Orleans station, it is feared to have suffered extensive flooding=20
damage. The public radio station in New Orleans is also off the=20
air. Mississippi and Alabama public TV stations are running on generators=
=20
and have concerns about maintaining service because of the fuel situation=
=20
in the area. Meanwhile, the FCC Media Bureau is providing relief to cable=
=20
operators and TV and radio broadcasters affected by the hurricane. The FCC=
=20
released two public notices (links below) that will mean additional,=20
expedited assistance to get systems and stations back on the air, the FCC=
=20
said. For TV and radio stations, the FCC will: 1) Promptly handle special=
=20
temporary authority (STA) requests; 2) Let FM and TV stations erect=20
temporary antennas without prior FCC authority, and let AM stations use=20
emergency antenna; 3) Let AM stations use their full daytime facilities=20
during nighttime hours to broadcast emergency information; 4) Waive rules=
=20
on notification of discontinued operations and accept notifications within=
=20
30 days and requests to remain silent within 60 days of the discontinued=20
operation; and 5) Give, on request, permittees of broadcast stations=20
located in a federal disaster area an extra 90 days to complete constructio=
n.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Dinesh Kumar, Jonathan Make, Tania=
=20
Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)
* Procedures to Provide for Emergency Communications in Areas Impacted by=
=20
Hurricane Katrina
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-260820A1.doc
* Relief for Cable Operators and Broadcast Stations
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-260810A1.doc
* FCC Aids Katrina-Damaged Media
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253052?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* CPB Helps Hurting Noncoms
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253144?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

BROADCASTING

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST CHALLENGES SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV LICENSES
Standing up for the educational needs of Hispanic children, the Office of=
=20
Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. (OC, Inc.) today asked=
=20
the Federal Communications Commission to deny the license renewal=20
application of a Spanish-language television broadcaster in the Cleveland,=
=20
Ohio, area, for failure to comply with children's educational programming=
=20
standards. The UCC's action against Univision Cleveland, Inc. (WQHS-TV)=20
represents the first time that a Spanish-speaking station's license renewal=
=20
has been challenged for failure to comply with the Children's Television=20
Act of 1990 and the children's educational guidelines, adopted by the FCC=
=20
in 1996, that require local stations to air at least three hours per week=
=20
of specifically educational programming. At issue is the station's airing=
=20
of "Complices al Rescate," a telenovel that "fails miserably" to satisfy=20
the FCC's children's educational programming guidelines, according to=20
Gloria Tristani, managing director of the UCC's OC, Inc., and a former FCC=
=20
Commissioner. Univision, the fifth largest U.S. broadcast network in any=20
language, is the leading Spanish-language media company in the United=20
States, reaching 98% of this country's Spanish-speaking population. Almost=
=20
all of the Univision Network broadcasters relied on "Complices al Rescate"=
=20
as their only children's educational program.
[SOURCE: United Church of Christ Press Release]
http://www.ucc.org/ocinc/news/083105.htm
* UCC Challenges Two More TV Licenses
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6252896?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

NAB LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO WIN MULTICASTING IN DTV BILL
Focused "like a laser" on winning mandated carriage of multiple digital TV=
=20
signals on cable systems, the National Association of Broadcasters is=20
flying in 91 broadcasters to meet Sept. 8 with House and Senate Commerce=20
Committee members who will be considering digital television transition=20
legislation in the coming weeks. The group also plans a 2-page ad to run in=
=20
Capitol Hill publications slamming cable =93monopolies,=94 which NAB says w=
on't=20
run broadcasters=92 programming unless forced by Congress. NAB is =93puttin=
g on=20
the table=94 plans for more public interest obligations in exchange for=20
multicast carriage. The NAB released a new study showing that 85% of TV=20
stations intend to create new local programming if Congress mandates=20
multicast carriage, but 80% won't pursue such programming without a=20
congressional mandate."NAB's tired rhetoric doesn't disguise the fact that=
=20
broadcasters are asking the government for another handout that the FCC has=
=20
already twice rejected, would harm diversity in programming and would do=20
nothing to speed the digital TV transition,=94 an NCTA spokesman said. Cabl=
e=20
has said it will carry broadcasters=92 programming without congressional=20
mandate, but broadcasters said cable views multicast as a competitive=20
threat. Key allies for broadcasters in Congress are Sens. Hutchison (R-TX)=
=20
and Snowe (R-ME).
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Anne Veigle]
(Not available online)
* NAB URGES PASSAGE OF PRO-CONSUMER MULTICAST DTV MANDATE
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/pressrel/Releases/083105_DTVNewsConference.htm
* NAB Launches Multicast Assault
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6253087.html?display=3DBreaking+News
* Broadcasters Mass for DTV Carriage Push
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6253000?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

INTERNET/BROADBAND

WHEN BROTHERLY LOVE GOES WIRELESS
[Commentary] Instead of investing in building citywide wireless Internet=20
capacity in Philadelphia and other cities, Verizon lobbied hard to quash=20
public-sector competition. And close to midnight one evening last November,=
=20
lawmakers in Harrisburg quickly passed House Bill 30, whose fine print=20
barred any "political subdivision" (government or nonprofit set up by the=
=20
government) from providing a public telecom service for a fee. After an=20
outcry, Philadelphia got a waiver, but Verizon is the one that sounds like=
=20
a political subdivision. For the cost of its lobbyists, it should have just=
=20
installed the citywide system and held off competition. Clearly Verizon is=
=20
hiding something: But what? It turns out cities get to sort of cheat, cite=
=20
eminent domain, and place a lot of gear on their own light poles and radio=
=20
towers. No startup gets that deal. And new mesh technologies mean=20
Philadelphia can plug into the Internet just once, paying wholesale rates,=
=20
unlike the folks who run Starbucks or hotel hotspots, who overpay (probably=
=20
to Verizon) for the Internet connection their Wi-Fi users share. But the=20
real whopper is that by the third year, Philadelphia will be saving $2=20
million a year on its $150 million IT budget by not having to pay Verizon=
=20
for Internet access at its 24,000-employee city offices. By rigging the=20
city with wireless hotspots under the guise of helping the disadvantaged,=
=20
Philadelphia may completely bypass Verizon. A T1 line from Verizon, which=
=20
carries 1.5 megabits of data per second, runs anywhere from $400 to $1,300=
=20
a month. With Municipal Wi-Fi (Mu-Fi), that could drop to $300, heck, maybe=
=20
even $20 a month. Consumers (read voters) are happy and small businesses=20
will save tons of money. No wonder phone companies are circling the wagons.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Andy Kessler]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112554143253428743,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_opinion
(requires subscription)

STATES EXPANDING PUSH FOR INTERNET TAXES
Come this fall, 13 states will start encouraging - though not demanding -=
=20
that online businesses collect sales taxes just as Main Street stores are=
=20
required to do, and more states are considering joining the effort. Right=
=20
now, buyers are expected to pay sales taxes on Internet purchases=20
themselves directly to the state when they pay their income taxes. But it's=
=20
not widely enforced, and states say it costs them upwards of $15 billion a=
=20
year in lost revenues, collectively. Organizers of the states' effort,=20
known as the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, sought to unify tax rules and=
=20
definitions among the states. They hope to persuade federal lawmakers to=20
pass a new law to overcome a Supreme Court ruling and allow states to take=
=20
the next step - demanding online companies levy the taxes.
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Robert Tanner]
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/12528274.htm
Also see --=20
http://www.streamlinedsalestax.org/http://www.streamlinedsalestax.org/

QUICKLY

A MERGER PROPOSAL EMERGES
New York=96based Village Voice Media, which owns six urban newspapers=20
including Seattle Weekly, and New Times Newspapers of Phoenix, which owns=
=20
another 11, got slapped down by the U.S. Justice Department for colluding=
=20
to create monopolies in Los Angeles and Cleveland. Now, according to the=20
San Francisco Bay Guardian, a locally owned weekly that competes with New=
=20
Times, the companies plan even closer collaboration, merging into a=20
17-paper chain serving many of the biggest media markets in the country.=20
Besides Seattle Weekly, Village Voice Media owns New York's Village Voice,=
=20
LA Weekly, OC Weekly in Orange County, Calif., City Pages in Minneapolis,=
=20
and Nashville Scene. New Times owns SF Weekly, East Bay Express, Cleveland=
=20
Scene, Phoenix New Times, Westword in Denver, Miami New Times, New Times=20
Broward-Palm Beach in Florida, the Dallas Observer, the Houston Press,=20
Riverfront Times in St. Louis, and The Pitch in Kansas City.
[SOURCE: Seattle Weekly, AUTHOR: Roger Downey and Chuck Taylor]
http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0535/050831_news_altweeklies.php

MEDIA GIANTS MAY JOIN FORCES
Australian Communications Minister Helen Coonan outlined that government's=
=20
long-awaited plans for a major revamp of cross-media and foreign ownership=
=20
laws now that it has control of the country's senate. Under the plans, a=20
single media company could own a TV station, two radio stations and a=20
newspaper in the one market. Foreign media players could also snare=20
Australian TV networks and newspapers, subject to government approval.
[SOURCE: News.com.au, AUTHOR: Belinda Tasker]
http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,16449221-31037,00.html

SBC MAY USE THE AT&T NAME AS IT LOOKS FOR NATIONAL PROFILE
SBC Communications, which has been debating what to do with the AT&T name=
=20
after its acquisition of the long-distance company is approved, is now=20
leaning toward calling itself by the name of its former parent. AT&T,=20
whose roots as American Telephone & Telegraph Co. go back before 1900,=20
remains a name that's known world-wide. Yet the name has some issues: It's=
=20
known among older customers who grew up hearing about Ma Bell. And it comes=
=20
with the baggage of being considered a business failure, at least in some=
=20
circles. For much of the 20th century, AT&T's monopoly over phone service=
=20
in the U.S. was so complete that it put little emphasis on branding or=20
marketing, which only became critical after the federal government broke up=
=20
its monopoly in 1984. At that point, the regional companies, which were=20
formed from groups of Bell companies that provided local phone service,=20
took on their own identities. SBC is aspiring to become a national and even=
=20
international telecommunications provider. Its main competitor will be=20
Verizon Communications Inc., another company formed in the 1984 AT&T=20
breakup that recently acquired long-distance carrier MCI Inc.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Dionne Searcey dionne.searcey( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112552935412328422,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_page_one
(requires subscription)

MCI SETS OCT 6 VOTE ON BID FROM VERIZON
MCI shareholders plan to vote Oct. 6 on Verizon Communications Inc.'s $8.4=
=20
billion offer to buy the telephone company. Shareholder approval of the=20
deal is likely, though some investors say MCI should have accepted Qwest=20
Communications International Inc.'s $9.7 billion bid. MCI's board chose=20
Verizon's lower offer after a bidding war, because it said the larger,=20
wealthier company would be a better partner than Denver-based Qwest.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112552065975028214,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_marketplace
(requires subscription)

CAN'T KILL P2P
[Commentary] People want to get their music online, and currently P2P is=20
the best way to get it -- not because it's free, but because it's there.
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Annalee Newitz]
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/24748/

TECH HELPS SPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS PASS KEY TESTS
Whether, how, and how much educators should deploy technology to help=20
special-needs students on high-stakes tests are complex issues in the era=
=20
of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). As mandated by the federal law,=20
teachers and administrators around the nation must strive to make sure=20
special-needs kids meet the same high standards as their peers. That=20
struggle was underscored in July, when the U.S. General Accounting Office=
=20
(GAO) released a report highlighting the difficulties inherent in giving=20
achievement tests to special-needs learners. To achieve NCLB's goal of=20
testing every child, regardless of need, researchers concluded the=20
Education Department must do a better job of providing guidance for=20
alternative forms of testing.
[SOURCE: eSchoolNews, AUTHOR: Corey Murray]
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=3D5859

WIRELESS RAISES SECURITY CONCERN
Lost laptops on college campuses can give thieves access to information=20
such as Social Security numbers, credit-card numbers, or passwords. Young=
=20
students or college employees may not be savvy about protecting such data.=
=20
Beyond identity thieves, colleges and universities are also threatened by=
=20
hackers who can turn school computers into "zombies" to send out spam=20
e-mails or target Web servers with denial-of-service attacks.
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Gregory Lamb]
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0901/p12s02-legn.html

IN EASTERN EUROPE, A GUMSHOE CHASES INTERNET VILLAINS
Peter Fifka is one of Microsoft's high-tech gumshoes, part of the software=
=20
giant's intensifying efforts to combat cyber crime at a time when consumers=
=20
and businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated with fraud and virus=20
attacks.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Cassell Bryan-Low=20
cassell.bryan-low( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112554423119628807,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
us_page_one
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------

© 1994-2024 Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. All Rights Reserved.