June 2006

TELECOM COVERAGE BLACKOUT
[SOURCE: Drew Clark 6/9]

LOCAL STATIONS STRUGGLE TO ADAPT AS WEB GRABS VIEWERS, REVENUES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Brooks Barnes brooks.barnes@wsj.com]

The Federal Communications Commission is planning to examine the obligations of cable operators to ensure that consumers with analog-TV sets can view digital signals of local TV stations, an agency source said last Monday. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is trying to round up support to launch a rulemaking that would establish federal policy well before TV stations must cease analog transmission on Feb. 17, 2009, the source said. Chairman Martin is hoping to launch the rulemaking at the FCC’s June 21 public meeting -- and at the same the commission adopts rules that would allow digital-TV stations to demand cable carriage of every free programming service they transmit. FCC rules currently require carriage of just one signal per TV station.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6342684.html?display=Policy

MEDIA ACTIVISTS FIGHT CLEAR CHANNEL'S 'HATE RADIO'
[SOURCE: The NewStandard, AUTHOR: Catherine Komp]