October 2005

See the House Commerce Committee mark-up of DTV legislation at=20
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/10252005markup1691.htm See=20
stories about the legislation directly below. For this and other upcoming=
=20
media policy events, see http://www.benton.org

BROADCAST TV
House DTV Subsidy Slammed
Analyst Says Subsidy Compromise Likely
House Democrats Seek Hike In Converter Box Funding
House Bill Would Leave Most Consumers in the Dark During Digital TV=20
Transition
Money, Not Waiver, For NY TVs
A Fake End to Fake News

CABLE
Ensign: My Bill Would Slash Cable Rates
At Convention, Bell Firms Hear Accolades -- And Barbs
Akimbo, Current and the Future of TV
Cable=92s =93Level Playing Field=94 =96 Not Level. No Field.

INTERNET
New Rules On Internet Wiretapping Challenged
Why clip Wi-Fi's wings?
Internet Domain Firm Settles Lawsuit
GoogleLibrary Is Great for the World

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Local Emergency Experts Overhaul Disaster Plans
Katrina Prompts Justice Department To Update Communications Networks
FCC Helps Hurricane-Hit Media

POLICYMAKERS
Storm Warnings For Kevin Martin
The FCC's Front Man Talks
Hold the Line

QUICKLY -- "The Tower"; BBC to Close 10 Radio Services and Open an Arabic=
=20
TV Service; Cell phone sales increasing; November spamalanche

BROADCAST TV

HOUSE DTV SUBSIDY SLAMMED
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
At a House Commerce Committee meeting devoted to opening statements from=20
Members on digital television transition legislation, Democrats repeatedly=
=20
and pointedly painted the DTV bill as another example of reconciling the=20
budget on the backs of the poor so that tax breaks for the rich could be=20
preserved. "Nearly 21 million households, many low-income or minority, rely=
=20
solely on over-the-air analog TV reception," said ranking Democrat John=20
Dingell of Michigan. "Countless others own at least some TVs that rely on=
=20
over-the-air transmission. So millions of American families will need a=20
converter box costing $60 or more just to keep watching television once=20
analog signals cease. House Republicans, to protect their tax cuts, would=
=20
force millions of Americans to reach into their wallets and pay a=20
television tax of $20 to $60 per TV set. Why should ordinary people pay for=
=20
a government decision that makes their television sets obsolete?" The bill=
=20
will be marked up this morning (see story below about an expected amendment=
=20
benefiting New York City broadcasters). House Telecommunications=20
Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) has already introduced an amendment=
=20
to the bill that sets aside some revenues generated by returned spectrum=20
auctions for funding first responders.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6277751?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

ANALYST SAYS SUBSIDY COMPROMISE LIKELY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Stuart Wolpin, senior analyst, Points North Group, predicts that the House=
=20
and Senate will split the difference on money for an analog-to-digital=20
converter box. Currently, the Senate DTV transition bill proposes $3=20
billion for the subsidy, which could cover 73 million sets, while the House=
=20
only $990 million ($830 after administrative costs), which could cover=20
maybe 20 million or so. Somewhere in between, he says, should be about=20
enough to cover the 40 million or so households that will need to be=20
covered. Wolpin says that the House bill's "labrythine" process for getting=
=20
the converter subsidy -- applications, coupons, a first-come, first-served=
=20
approach," appears to "disincentivize" the very people who will most likely=
=20
need it, including the poor and minorities, a point echoed by House=20
Democrats Tuesday. More predictions from Points North at the URLs below.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6277745?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* Going Digital In 2009 Means Chaos For TV Customers, Research Groups Say
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=3DArticles.showAr...
leHomePage&art_aid=3D35241
[SOURCE: , AUTHOR: ]
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D100...
1688

HOUSE DEMOCRATS SEEK HIKE IN CONVERTOR BOX FUNDING
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
When the House Energy and Commerce Committee takes up digital television=20
legislation today, Democrats on the panel will seek to amend the bill with=
=20
language that would substantially boost funding for subsidies for purchase=
=20
of set-top converter boxes. A source said the House Democratic amendment=20
would propose a subsidy of roughly $3.5 billion, putting the lower chamber=
=20
on par with the Senate. House Energy and Commerce ranking member John=20
Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) are said to be involved in=20
crafting the amendment. Another planned Democratic amendment to the House=
=20
bill would add $1.25 billion for communications equipment designed to help=
=20
emergency responders communicate across jurisdictions. The Senate DTV bill=
=20
includes $1 billion for that purpose, but the House Republican draft has no=
=20
such funding.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-WQQR1130272478683.html

HOUSE BILL WOULD LEAVE MOST CONSUMERS IN THE DARK DURING DIGITAL TV TRANSIT=
ION
[SOURCE: Consumers Union press release]
Citing the 80 million analog television sets owned by consumers that will=
=20
go dark after the digital TV transition, consumers groups Tuesday urged the=
=20
House Commerce Committee to oppose a measure that would sharply limit=20
funding to keep those TV sets working after the digital transition. The=20
current House proposal ($830 million) covers only one-fourth of the 42=20
million American households that rely on over-the-air signals for viewing.=
=20
Last week, the Senate passed its version of the bill, setting aside $3=20
billion from the $10 billion raised by the auction of public airwaves to=20
help offset the cost of converter boxes needed to keep those TVs working.=
=20
Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America and US PIRG urged the=20
panel, when it votes Wednesday, to set aside adequate funding from the=20
spectrum auction to fully fund a compensation and education program that=20
ensures consumers won't be hit in the pocketbook during the DTV transition.=
=20
=93By compensating consumers, Congress isn't giving them anything; it merel=
y=20
holds them harmless from a government mandate that would otherwise make=20
their perfectly good personal property virtually useless,=94 the groups wro=
te=20
in a letter to the committee. =93No consumer should bear the costs of the=
=20
digital transition, particularly given the ample funding raised by the=20
spectrum auction,=94 the groups said. See text of letter at the URL below.
http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_telecom_and_utilities/002788.html...
re

MONEY, NOT WAIVER, FOR NY TVs
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Expect House Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and=
=20
Rep Eliot Engel (D-NY) to introduce today an amendment to the digital=20
transition bill to be considered by the full House Commerce Committee that=
=20
would carve out some money to help New York television broadcasters harmed=
=20
on 9/11 catch up with other stations and meet the digital transition deadli=
ne.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6277752?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

A FAKE END TO FAKE NEWS
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Diane Farsetta, Center for Media and Democracy]
[Commentary] When the Senate Commerce Committee amended the Truth in=20
Broadcasting Act (S 967), it weakened the bill. First, the revised Act=20
drops the continuous on-screen notification requirement for VNRs. Second,=
=20
it calls for "clear notification within the text or audio of the=20
prepackaged news story," without specifying the minimum requirements for=20
audience disclosure. Most troubling, it allows that disclosure to be=20
removed altogether, following rules that the Act requires the Federal=20
Communications Commission to develop. "The bill clears the way for TV news=
=20
operations to continue using snippets of government-produced VNRs for=20
[video footage] in their own stories, as they do currently, leaving the=20
issue of how to identify the material up to station news personnel." The=20
problem is that nondisclosure -- that's covert propaganda -- is currently=
=20
the norm.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/27314/

CABLE

ENSIGN: MY BILL WOULD SLASH CABLE RATES
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) said Tuesday that passage of his=20
telecommunications-reform bill would cause cable incumbents facing new=20
competition from phone companies to slash their rates across the country.=
=20
Sen Ensign -- whose bill (S. 1504) would ease phone-company entry into=20
local markets by eliminating local franchising -- claimed that the cable=20
incumbent in Keller, Texas, cut its rates by 50% when Verizon=20
Communications Inc. began to provide video service a few months ago.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6277743.html?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)

AT CONVENTION, BELL FIRMS HEAR ACCOLADES -- AND BARBS
[SOURCE: Technology Daily , AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
One came to make a deal with Caesar, the other to bury him. David Barrett,=
=20
chief executive officer of Hearst-Argyle, a major broadcasting group that=
=20
owns 10 NBC stations and 12 ABC stations, spoke to an audience at the=20
United States Telecom Association annual meeting seeking cooperation on=20
"multicast must-carry." Broadcasters and the cable industry are engaged in=
=20
a heated lobbying battle on Capitol Hill over whether cable operators=20
should be required to carry the multicast television streams that digital=
=20
television enables broadcasters to produce. "Today, I propose a partnership=
=20
of broadcasters' new content and telephones' new technology," Barrett said.=
=20
"Multicasting is a vitally important service," Barrett said, adding that=20
"the timing of your entry could not be more opportune" because it offers=20
local broadcasters an additional competitive outlet for distributing local=
=20
digital programs. Barrett also urged the Bells to join his lobbying battle.=
=20
"We are in the throes of a political battle in Washington, with cable=20
competitors that would restrict access to multi-channel programming. If=20
telephone companies can help us secure multicast coverage, you will find=20
broadcasters particularly excited about your arrival [into television]," he=
=20
said. Meanwhile, at the same meeting, Cox Communications Chief Executive=20
Officer Jim Robins said, "I admire your leagues of lobbyists, but it is not=
=20
acceptable to have two highly different rules in the same highly=20
competitive market." He was referring to efforts by USTA and two of its=20
biggest members, SBC Communications and Verizon Communications, to secure=
=20
national or statewide video franchises -- as opposed to going to local=20
municipalities to obtain approval. Current law requires cable companies to=
=20
get separate local franchises.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-XTAL1130272763978.html

AKIMBO, CURRENT COULD EMBODY TV's NEXT GENERATION
[SOURCE: USAToday]
Two decades ago, if you wanted to see how cable would change TV, you=20
might've visited Turner Broadcasting and MTV, just to soak up what was=20
going on. Today, there's no question the Internet is going to alter=20
television -- not make TV go away, but make it different. So whom do you=20
visit to check out where this is heading? Al Gore's Current and Akimbo. At=
=20
Current, people are thinking about television in a very different way.=20
Current is using the Internet to make its viewers a meaningful part of the=
=20
TV channel. More than 30% of the segments on Current are produced by=20
amateurs and are sent in through the website. Here's how the system works:=
=20
Anyone can use a digital video camcorder to create a five-minute story --=
=20
or =93pod=94 in the Current lingo -- and upload it to www.current.tv. Then =
the=20
site's users view the pods and vote on them. The pods that rise to the top=
=20
-- a sliver of the number sent in -- are considered for the Current TV=20
channel. Akimbo is an interesting soup of technologies. The company sells a=
=20
box that's something like a TiVo. It has a monster hard drive that can=20
store hundreds of hours of video and an on-screen navigation system for=20
finding what you want. Akimbo's box hooks to the Internet and to your TV.=
=20
Through the Internet, the Akimbo box connects to Akimbo's servers, which=20
store and sell video from 150 programmers. Some of it is stuff you could=20
find on cable TV -- Discovery Channel documentaries, Cary Grant flicks from=
=20
Turner Classic Movies. A lot of it is stuff you'd never find on regular=20
TV. None of it is prime-time network fare such as Lost. The result is=20
niche video-almost-on-demand, for a basic fee of $10 a month. You go=20
through Akimbo's menus and click on something you want to watch -- but then=
=20
wait, because the program must download onto the hard drive, which can take=
=20
20 minutes for an hourlong show. Akimbo is using the Internet to get around=
=20
cable TV's limitations on the number of channels that can be offered; it's=
=20
using the hard-drive downloads to get around the Internet's limitations on=
=20
speed and bandwidth; and it's cutting deals with mainstream programmers=20
such as Discovery to get around the shortage of high-quality, mass-market=
=20
programming on the Web. Put together, Akimbo is a peek at what will happen=
=20
when video entertainment comes in from anywhere =97 cable, broadcast,=20
Internet =97 and viewers can see anything they want, pretty much any time=
=20
they want.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20051026/maney26.art.htm

CABLE'S "LEVEL PLAYING FIELD" -- NOT LEVEL. NO FIELD.
[SOURCE: Center for Creative Voices in Media]
Recounting the real-life experiences and observations of top players in the=
=20
cable business, including some of the pioneers who created the cable=20
industry such as Leo Hindery, John Malone, Ted Turner, and Barry Diller, a=
=20
new report documents that there is no =93level playing field" in America=92=
s=20
cable industry today. New independent cable channels such as Current and=20
The America Channel get little or no carriage on Comcast and Time Warner=20
Cable, the nation=92s two largest cable operators, while the little-watched=
=20
channels owned by those companies, such as G4, get widespread carriage. The=
=20
situation is so dire that Al Gore, the Chairman of Current, recently led a=
=20
rally of 7,000 Current fans outside Comcast=92s Philadelphia headquarters t=
o=20
urge that the nation=92s largest cable operator carry Current more widely.
http://www.creativevoices.us/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=3D139&PHPSE...
D=3Dbb23f984f816e97daafa1658a9fd5cd4
See report at:=20
http://www.creativevoices.us/cgi-upload/news/news_article/CableFiling.pdf

INTERNET

NEW RULES ON INTERNET WIRETAPPING CHALLENGED
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Arshad Mohammed]
New federal wiretapping rules that would make it easier for law enforcement=
=20
to monitor e-mails and Internet-based phone calls were challenged by=20
privacy, high-tech and telecommunications groups in federal court=20
yesterday. The groups argued that the rules would force broadband Internet=
=20
service providers, including universities and libraries, to pay for=20
redesigning their networks to make them more accessible to court-ordered=20
wiretaps. The groups also said the Federal Communications Commission rules,=
=20
scheduled to take effect in May 2007, could erode civil liberties and=20
stifle Internet innovation by imposing technological demands on developers.=
=20
The law "will have a devastating impact on the whole model of technical=20
innovation on the Internet," said John Morris, staff counsel for the Center=
=20
for Democracy and Technology in Washington, which filed an appeal of the=20
rules with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit=
=20
yesterday. "The Internet evolves through many tens of thousands, or=20
hundreds of thousands, of innovators coming up with brand new ideas," he=20
said. "That is exactly what will be squelched." Morris said his group did=
=20
not dispute the idea that the government should be able to carry out=20
court-ordered wiretaps, but rather argued that the 1994 law was a blunt=20
instrument ill-suited for the Internet age. He said the matter should be=20
referred to Congress, which "can tailor the obligations to the Internet=20
context as opposed to importing the very clumsy [telephone system]=20
obligations and imposing them on the Internet."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/25/AR200510...
1807.html
(requires registration)
* CDT, Others Challenge FCC Wiretapping Ruling
CDT joined with a coalition of public interest and business groups today in=
=20
asking a federal appeals court to overturn a Federal Communications=20
Commission (FCC) ruling requiring that broadband Internet and=20
interconnected voice-over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services be designed to=
=20
make government wiretapping easier. CDT joined the American Library=20
Association, COMPTEL, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Electronic=20
Privacy Information Center, Pulver.com and Sun Microsystems in filling the=
=20
appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia=
=20
Circuit.
Press Release: http://www.cdt.org/press/20051025calearelease.pdf
Petition for Appeal: http://www.cdt.org/digi_tele/20051025caleapetition.pdf
* FBI Net-wiretapping rules face challenges
http://news.com.com/FBI+Net-wiretapping+rules+face+challenges/2100-1028_...
911676.html?tag=3Dnl

WHY CLIP WI-FI's WINGS?
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] When economists marvel at surging worker productivity in=20
recent years, they need look no further than the 45 million Wi-Fi capable=
=20
devices that will be sold this year, providing cheap and convenient access=
=20
to Internet from virtually anywhere. This remarkable technology, virtually=
=20
non-existent six years ago, has flourished in a competitive and unlicensed=
=20
marketplace. But at Boston's Logan Airport, the Massachusetts Port=20
Authority (Massport) has granted a monopoly over Wi-Fi signals to one=20
provider that charges $7.95 a day, part of which comes back to the airport.=
=20
Ceding Wi-Fi to local government gains nothing while damaging the economy.=
=20
This case is not about the right of local government to impose taxes to=20
fund essential public services. It is about the seizing of assets (Wi-Fi=20
frequencies) for the purpose of destroying competition and imposing=20
monopoly prices. The case is pending before the FCC. If Massport gets away=
=20
with its frequency grab, other airports, and perhaps local jurisdictions,=
=20
would no doubt follow suit. That, in turn, would do irreparable harm to one=
=20
of the most important recent tech innovations. Massport claims that Wi-Fi=
=20
systems -- at least those that don't provide it with a revenue stream --=20
could interfere with tower communications or help terrorists communicate.=
=20
This is not supported in any of its filings with the FCC. Nor does it pass=
=20
the common sense test. The airwaves in and around airports are used for=20
hundreds of purposes, including cellphones, taxicab radios and local law=20
enforcement. Yet Massport would have us believe that only Wi-Fi poses a=20
problem. Normally, this would be a slam-dunk decision for the FCC. But the=
=20
five-member board is down one member, a circumstance that often leads to=20
inaction. This lack of direction at the FCC poses a grave threat to the=20
future of Wi-Fi. If governments get their hands on it, being productive=20
while on travel will get a lot more expensive.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20051026/edit26.art.htm

INTERNET DOMAIN FIRM SETTLES LAWSUIT
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
VeriSign will keep control of the dot-com Internet address domain until=20
2012 and will be able to raise registration prices by 7 percent a year=20
starting in 2007 under a legal settlement with the agency that oversees the=
=20
directory system that helps computers communicate with one another. The=20
agreement with the International Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers,=
=20
announced Monday, also prevents California-based VeriSign from changing how=
=20
its basic service operates without approval. Under the settlement=20
agreement, VeriSign pledges to honor ICANN's authority. ICANN, in turn,=20
agreed that it would give any service provider an answer on proposed=20
changes within 90 days. To do so, ICANN will form a standby technical=20
committee that will be funded in part by a $1.2 million payment from=20
VeriSign. The agreement comes at an opportune time for ICANN, as several=20
countries around the world are calling for Internet oversight to shift to a=
=20
more international stage, perhaps under the umbrella of the United Nations.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/25/AR200510...
1767.html
(requires registration)

GOOGLELIBRARY IS GREAT FOR THE WORLD
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Alan Murray]
[Commentary] Let's face it: A big reason publishers are so upset about=20
Google's plans to digitize tens of millions of library books is because=20
they fear the Google guys are stealing their future. Google has figured out=
=20
how to make buckets of money off the Internet. Most publishers haven't. One=
=20
way or another, the Google Print Library will get built. The world will be=
=20
better off. And someone will make some money in the process.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113028146277379304.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)
* Microsoft Plans Its Own
Digital Library Project
Microsoft is diving into the business of offering online searches of books=
=20
and other writings and says its approach aims to avoid the legal tussles=20
met by rival Google.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113029699637379732.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

LOCAL EMERGENCY EXPERTS OVERHAUL DISASTER PLANS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Eric Bontrager eric.bontrager( at )wsj.com]
Across the country, state and local emergency planners are making sweeping=
=20
changes to plans to manage and recover from disasters. Drawing cues from=20
problems that arose after Hurricane Katrina -- and following Wilma's=20
rampage through Florida this week -- local emergency experts are making=20
changes to improve communications among local, state and federal=20
authorities and to evacuate citizens quickly. Figuring out how to pay for=
=20
upgrading emergency plans is another task for state and local officials. In=
=20
the past, much of the money has come from FEMA, often with a match from the=
=20
state.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113028668592979449.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

KATRINA PROMPTS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
[SOURCE: Government Executive, AUTHOR: Chris Strohm]
The Justice Department is moving forward with an effort to build a=20
nationwide wireless communications system for federal law enforcement=20
agencies, but is reviewing whether any of its requirements should be=20
changed based on what happened to communications networks during Hurricane=
=20
Katrina. The department has issued a solicitation for the Integrated=20
Wireless Network and is moving forward as planned, a Justice Department=20
spokeswoman said. The program will cost an estimated $2.5 billion. The=20
department, however, is examining lessons learned from the hurricane --=20
which demolished or severely degraded federal, state and local=20
communications networks as well as electricity and other public services.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-FDFK1130271939542.html

FCC HELPS HURRICANE-HIT MEDIA
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
As it did for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the FCC is providing relief to=
=20
cable systems and broadcast operations in Florida damaged by Hurricane Wilm=
a.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6277683?display=3DBreaking+Ne...
referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
FCC orders for --
Broadcasters:=20
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2779A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC=
-261798A1.doc
Cable: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2774A1.doc

POLICYMAKERS

STORM WARNINGS FOR KEVIN MARTIN
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek]
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has won a string of victories since he took over=
=20
the agency in March. Facing a 2-to-2 party-line split among Commissioners,=
=20
Chairman Martin chose to plow ahead without waiting for the Oval Office to=
=20
fill vacancies that would give him a GOP majority on the five-member panel.=
=20
That has required the Chairman to horse-trade with his Democratic=20
colleagues. His results provide a sharp contrast with the record of his=20
predecessor, Michael K. Powell. But will the good run continue? Just on the=
=20
horizon are hot issues -- from charges of indecent broadcasts to media=20
consolidation to next year's rewrite of the telecom laws -- that could be=
=20
contentious. In the debate over indecency regulation, for example, Chairman=
=20
Martin has come down squarely on the anti-smut side, declaring war on TV=20
networks by suggesting that the FCC could allow local stations to block=20
more network programs they find offensive. One outraged network executive=
=20
suggests that Martin is cozying up to local broadcasters in case he wants=
=20
to run for office. Chairman Martin declined to respond -- and won't say=20
where his ambitions lie. But as FCC issues grow thornier, his political=20
mettle will continuously be tested and he can expect plenty more of those=
=20
potshots.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_44/b3957109.htm

THE FCC's FRONT MAN TALKS
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek]
An interview with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. On reopening the media=20
ownership proceeding he says, "The Commission needs to find a way to modify=
=20
its rules to take into account changes in technology, to allow these=20
companies to compete with one another and with new forms of media and=20
entertainment. But the Commission also needs to be responsive to the=20
courts, which said we didn't provide enough justification for some of the=
=20
changes. The Commission is going to have to open up a new proceeding to=20
gather additional information from outside parties to make sure our=20
decisions are based on the record gathered."
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_44/b3957112.htm

HOLD THE LINE
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] California state regulators dew the wrath of consumer=20
advocates last week when they tentatively endorsed two mergers of=20
telecommunications giants -- SBC acquiring AT&T and Verizon snapping up=20
MCI. California Public Utilities Commission members Susan P. Kennedy and=20
Michael R. Peevey wrote draft decisions blessing the mergers with minimal=
=20
conditions, rejecting the notion that either company should have to share=
=20
with California customers any of the savings generated by the mergers. In=
=20
reviewing mergers of telecommunications firms, federal regulators assess=20
whether or not they pose a threat to the competitive landscape. State=20
regulators should then use their oversight to promote local competition.=20
But the most potent protection for phone customers isn't likely to come=20
from state regulators. It will come from the competition that is slowly=20
emerging among phone, cable and wireless companies, particularly in the=20
field of unregulated Internet-based services. And for business customers,=
=20
at least, the SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI deals should finally push SBC and=20
Verizon to compete vigorously with each other, just as AT&T and MCI have=20
done for years.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-puc26oct26,1,7168...
.story?coll=3Dla-news-comment
(requires registration)

QUICKLY

What is "The Tower" -- and what does it have to do with the media ownership=
=20
debate? Visit the URL below and see.
[SOURCE: HearUsNow.org]
http://cu.convio.net/Tower

BBC TO CLOSE 10 RADIO SERVICES AND OPEN ARABIC TV SERVICE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Sarah Lyall]
The BBC World Service announced Tuesday that it would shut down 10 of its=
=20
foreign-language broadcasts, most of them serving Eastern Europe, and open=
=20
an Arabic-language television news and information service in the Middle=20
East. The announcement is a sign of how much the global landscape has=20
changed since the cold war, when countries under the aegis of the Soviet=20
Union and elsewhere relied on World Service radio to provide news=20
uncontrolled by the state. The World Service has an enormous presence,=20
broadcasting in 43 languages and drawing more than 149 million weekly=20
listeners, according to figures provided by the company. But its "mix of=20
services has to evolve as the world changes," Nigel Chapman, director of=20
the World Service, told reporters. All the services to be canceled - the=20
broadcasts in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Kazakh, Polish,=
=20
Slovak, Slovene and Thai -- cover countries that are either part of the=20
European Union or are likely to join, or have few listeners, the BBC said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/international/europe/26bbc.html?pagewa...
d=3Dall
(requires registration)

CELL PHONE SALES INCREASING
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The world's mobile phone makers are expected to sell more than 800 million=
=20
units this year, up from earlier estimates of around 775 million handsets,=
=20
the world's top cell phone market researchers said on Tuesday.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2005-10-25T175818Z_01_MAR561418_RTRUKOC_0_US-HANDSETS.xml

NOVEMBER SPAMALANCHE BEARS DOWN ON PC USERS
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Jon Swartz]
Another thing to look forward to as the holidays approach -- more spam.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20051026/spam.art.htm
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Sorry we're late this morning... I didn't have 14 innings in my sleep=20
budget. Go Sox!
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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.
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