July 2006

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

TELECOM REFORM
Milking the Internet
Don't let Internet Bullies Stifle Reform

AT THE FCC
CBS Takes Jackson Fine to Court
168 Bidders Qualified in FCC Auction
Some Important FCC Developments
FCC Renews Three TV Licenses

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
The New Landscape of the Cable Industry
After Adelphia: Clusters Everywhere
Adelphia Deal May Cut Time Warner=92s Programming Costs,
but Not Customers=92 Bills
McClatchy/MediaNews Deal Clears Court Hurdle
3 Local Billionaires Bid for Los Angeles Times

INTERNET/JOURNALISM
Internet news supplements papers, TV
Newspapers to Use Links to Rivals on Web Sites

QUICKLY -- Nets May Not Have To Blur Bleepers;=20
Digital Replicas May Change Face of Films;=20
EchoStar Ad Complaint Referred to FTC; WGA/CBS=20
Contract Impasse Continues; A Language to Air=20
News of America to the World; Rove Hits 'Corrosive Role' of Journalists

TELECOM REFORM

MILKING THE INTERNET
[SOURCE: Forbes, AUTHOR: Tim Doyle]
The fight over the Internet and what fees should=20
be assessed for access is a surefire moneymaker=20
-- for their campaign coffers. The stakes are=20
huge for both sides of the debate, so both are=20
pouring millions of dollars into political=20
contributions and lobbying to press their=20
argument. Now you know why Congress would let=20
this debate linger on. As long as the issue stays=20
in play, the money keeps flowing. "Telecom reform=20
has been a cash cow for members of Congress,"=20
says Brookings Institution congressional scholar=20
Thomas Mann. "The battles go on for years, and=20
the fundraising requests never stop." The biggest=20
recipient of telco largesse during the 2005--06=20
election cycle, with $114,000 in contributions,=20
was Senator Conrad Burns. He's the Montana=20
Republican whose reelection has been endangered=20
by his connection to the scandal involving=20
convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. In June Sen=20
Burns joined other Republicans in killing a net=20
neutrality measure. He says he prefers less regulation.
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0814/044.html
(requires registration)
Also note --
* Lawmakers plan another lame-duck assembly
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Kathy Kiely]
Congress is leaving for a month-long recess with=20
so much unfinished business that it's planning a=20
fifth consecutive post-election session, the most=20
since 1935. Another lame-duck session raises the=20
prospect that important business could be=20
completed by lawmakers who have been rejected by=20
voters. If Republicans lose control of Congress,=20
they'd still direct the agenda until January,=20
when lawmakers are sworn in. Republicans can't=20
agree on curbing illegal immigration, while party=20
differences have stalled efforts to reduce gas=20
prices and lobbyists' influence. None of the 11=20
bills funding the government for the fiscal year=20
that begins Oct. 1 has reached President Bush's=20
desk. Political analysts say lame-duck sessions=20
aren't efficient. Lawmakers return =93tired and=20
distracted,=94 says Norman Ornstein, co-author of a=20
new book on Congress, The Broken Branch.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060731/a_unfinishedbiz31.art...

DON'T LET INTERNET BULLIES STIFLE REFORM
[SOURCE: Baltimore Sun, AUTHOR: Mike McCurry and=20
Christopher Wolf, co-chairs of Hands Off the Internet]
[Commentary] Congress is considering legislation=20
to bring greater consumer choice and control to=20
the cable TV industry by reforming our outdated=20
cable franchising system and allowing new=20
competitors into the video marketplace. Although=20
this reform has attracted widespread support on=20
both sides of the aisle, it is being threatened=20
by a theoretical problem invented by a few large=20
companies to cement their position in the market.=20
This issue is being pushed by Microsoft, Google=20
and other online giants that send massive amounts=20
of data over the Internet, and they call it=20
"network neutrality." This term is a misnomer. It=20
is only neutral if you are a company like Google=20
and want to sell movies streaming over the=20
Internet. If you're a consumer, it means you pay=20
higher prices so companies don't have to.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.internet27jul27,0,6...
204.story?coll=3Dbal-oped-headlines

AT THE FCC

CBS TAKES JACKSON FINE TO COURT
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
CBS has paid the $550,000 indecency fine for the=20
Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident, but only so it=20
can take the decision to court. "CBS is filing=20
today an appeal with the United States Court of=20
Appeals for the Third Circuit seeking to overturn=20
the FCC=92s finding that the 2004 Super Bowl=20
half-time broadcast was legally indecent," the=20
network said in a statement. A prerequisite for=20
filing this appeal is to pay the $550,000 fine,=20
which we are also doing today only for this=20
procedural reason." CBS was paying a $27,500,=20
then the FCC maximum, for 20 station cited. It=20
made the wire transfer to the FCC Friday "under=20
protest." "CBS has apologized to the American=20
people for the inappropriate and unexpected=20
half-time incident, and immediately implemented=20
safeguards that have governed similar broadcasts=20
ever since. However, we disagree strongly with=20
the FCC=92s conclusions and will continue to pursue=20
all remedies necessary to affirm our legal=20
rights." The FCC's response Friday was=20
essentially, 'Bring it on': "The Commission will=20
vigorously defend the Forfeiture Order issued=20
against CBS," it said in a statement. "CBS=92=20
continued insistence that the halftime show was=20
not indecent demonstrates that it is out of touch=20
with the American people. Millions of parents, as=20
well as Congress, understand what CBS does not:=20
Janet Jackson=92s =93wardrobe malfunction=94 was indeed indecent."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6357266.html
* CBS to Fight Janet Jackson Ruling
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357463.html?display=3DBreaking+News

168 BIDDERS QUALIFIED IN FCC AUCTION
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Bruce Meyerson]
The Federal Communications Commission on Friday=20
issued a list of 168 bidders that have qualified=20
to participate in an upcoming auction of wireless=20
licenses that is expected to raise billions of=20
dollars for the government while ushering in more=20
next-generation services. The auction of 1,122=20
licenses, slated to begin on Aug. 9, covers=20
slices of the airwaves that are currently used by=20
the federal government. The FCC also issued a=20
list of more than 80 would-be participants whose=20
applications were rejected. The qualified bidders=20
include T-Mobile USA, a unit of Deutsche Telekom=20
AG that badly needs more spectrum so it can=20
introduce the speedier Internet connections that=20
its main cellular rivals already offer. Two of=20
those competitors, Cingular Wireless and Verizon=20
Wireless also were on the list of qualified=20
bidders even though both already have much more spectrum than T-Mobile.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/tech/D8J58L0O0.htm?sub=3Dapn_tech_up&chan...
tc
* FCC Says August Auction Won't Involve Blind Bidding
[SOURCE: Dow Jones Newswires, AUTHOR: Siobhan Hughes]
The Federal Communications Commission said on=20
Friday that an upcoming auction was competitive=20
enough that companies won't be required to bid anonymously.
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18554.php
* AWS Auction Includes DBS, Cable
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357403.html?display=3DBreaking+News
* FCC Public Notice:=20
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1525A1.doc
* Qualified Bidders:=20
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1525A2.doc
* Non-Qualified Bidders:=20
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1525A3.doc

SOME IMPORTANT FCC DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF THE BROADCAST BAND
[SOURCE: Truth, Justice and telecom Policy 7/26, AUTHOR: J.H. Snider]
[Commentary] While media reform activists have=20
been preoccupied with telecom legislation on the=20
Hill and the media ownership proceeding at the=20
FCC, the National Association of Broadcasters has=20
been quietly moving ahead with critical=20
initiatives at the FCC, especially in the radio=20
bands: 1) The NAB has asked the FCC to=20
drastically restrict the use of FM modulators in=20
the FM band (see more at the URL below). FM=20
modulators are unlicensed devices that use the=20
white spaces between licensed channels. 2) The=20
NAB has petitioned the FCC to allow AM radio=20
broadcasters to acquire available FM frequencies=20
for FM translator service within their own=20
protected coverage areas. 3) Expected to come up=20
in the next few weeks -- FM multicasting rights=20
-- a proceeding that may well be the last time to=20
point out to the FCC that it has given radio=20
broadcasters double their licensed spectrum and=20
the capacity to provide up to 20 times their=20
current service levels without asking for anything in return.
http://quixote.blogs.com/telecompolicy/2006/07/some_important_.html
* Breaking Terrestrial Radio's Automobile Monopoly
http://quixote.blogs.com/telecompolicy/2006/07/breaking_terres.html

FCC RENEWS THREE TV LICENSES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC Friday warned or took no action against=20
seven TV station's for violations of children's=20
TV reporting rules and ad limits, taking the=20
opportunity to renew three of the licenses. All=20
the violations had been reported by the stations=20
in their applications for license renewals. The=20
FCC granted three of the renewals while saying=20
the violations would not affect the prospects of=20
the other four, which are still under=20
consideration. Getting renewals were two Paxson=20
stations, KPXC Denver and KPXM St. Cloud (MN),=20
which were admonished--an official reprimand--=20
for failing to provide the age ranges of their=20
kids shows to program guide publishers. Also=20
getting renewed was ACME's WBXX Crossville (TN).=20
It was also admonished for exceeding children's=20
ad limits by over three minutes and for a=20
program-length commercial. The culprit was a=20
familiar one for WB stations--an ad in the=20
Pokemon program for a Gameboy E-Reader that=20
contained a fleeting image of a Pokemon card.=20
Several other stations have already been cited,=20
even fined, by the FCC for the same ad.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6357411.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

AFTER ADELPHIA: THE NEW LANDSCAPE OF THE CABLE INDUSTRY
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: George Winslow]
The U.S. cable map has just changed. After 15=20
months of delays and regulatory wrangling, the=20
$17 billion deal through which Comcast Corp. and=20
Time Warner Cable will acquire Adelphia=20
Communications Corp. and, at the conclusion, swap=20
a number of systems, is expected to close today.=20
This is how the numbers now add up: Time Warner=20
Cable systems pass 27 million homes, up from=20
about 19.8 million. The operator counts 14.5=20
million basic subscribers, up from 11 million.=20
About 85% of those subscribers will be located in=20
just five regions, or =93clusters=94: Southern=20
California, where it will now serve 2.4 million=20
households, up from 0.7 million; Texas, where it=20
will serve 2.6 million, up from 2.0 million; the=20
Carolinas, at 1.9 million, up from 1.7 million;=20
Ohio, at 2.3 million, up from 1.5 million; and=20
New York, at 3.1 million, up from 2.6 million.=20
Comcast, meanwhile, will expand its total number=20
of subscribers to 23.3 million, up from about=20
21.5 million in the first quarter of this year.=20
It strengthens its presence in markets such as=20
Washington, D.C.; Boston; Minneapolis-St. Paul.;=20
major Florida cities and Pittsburgh.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357343.html

AFTER ADELPHIA: CLUSTERS EVERYWHERE
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: George Winslow]
The Adelphia cable deal is scheduled to be=20
completed today. Time Warner will boost its=20
subscriber base by about 3.5 million, to 14.5=20
million customers. Comcast Corp., which will get=20
about 1.7 million customers through the deal,=20
will expand to 23.3 million cable homes. That=20
will give the two cable companies control of=20
roughly 58% of total U.S. television households.=20
More importantly, both companies will control a=20
combined 17 of the 20 largest markets in the=20
United States. =93It=92s a parallel evolution to=20
what=92s happening on the phone side -- Bell=20
Atlantic has gone away, BellSouth is going away,=94=20
said Janco Partners cable analyst Matt Harrigan.=20
=93It makes sense, especially when you look at the=20
complexity of the product bouquet.=94 Fragrance=20
aside, increased scale will allow both Time=20
Warner and Comcast to deliver advanced services=20
more efficiently. But Harrigan said he doesn't=20
expect to see a new wave of consolidation in the=20
industry for one simple reason -- a scarcity of=20
available properties. =93There aren't a lot of=20
elephants left on the savannah,=94 Harrigan said.=20
Instead, there may be more system swaps,=20
particularly among smaller players. Miller Tabak=20
& Co. media analyst David Joyce said. Mediacom=20
Communications Corp. could pare down some=20
non-core systems, and relatively new cable=20
companies such as Suddenlink Communications,=20
Bright House Networks and Bresnan Communications=20
all could be involved in swaps to better cluster=20
their operations. Creating large concentrations=20
of customers in major markets is a fundamental=20
strategy for cable operators such as Time Warner=20
or Comcast. The ability to serve the vast=20
majority of households in a given region allows=20
them to more effectively market advanced=20
services, as well as compete against satellite=20
operators, who can reach every home, and telcos,=20
which have lines into almost every one.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357493.html?display=3DTop+Stories

ADELPHIA DEAL MAY CUT TIME WARNER'S PROGRAMMING COSTS, BUT NOT CONSUMERS' B=
ILLS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Ken Belson]
What does the Adelphia deal mean for Time Warner?=20
The cable giant will pick up 3.5 million new=20
cable customers which represent a 29 percent=20
increase and give it 14.5 million cable=20
subscribers. The company, which already has a big=20
position in New York, will also become the=20
dominant cable provider in Los Angeles. Since key=20
decision makers in the advertising and media=20
worlds are concentrated in these cities, Time=20
Warner Cable will become even more of a=20
destination for programmers. =93You will reach the=20
mind-share folks=94 if your network is carried on=20
Time Warner Cable, said Lowell Singer, an analyst=20
at Cowen & Company. =93If you=92re a programmer, you=20
have to be on there.=94 Precisely how much of an=20
advantage Time Warner Cable can gain in cable=20
channel negotiations is unclear since contract=20
details are rarely disclosed and each programming=20
contract is different. Time Warner expects=20
programming costs to rise by around 12 percent=20
for the remainder of the year. Time Warner will=20
have to wait years for its existing contracts to=20
expire before renegotiating them. Still, when=20
Adelphia is sold, its programming contracts will=20
lapse and Time Warner=92s agreements will be=20
applied, to the dismay of many programmers who=20
stand to earn less money. Time Warner=92s rates are=20
roughly 10 percent lower than Adelphia=92s.=20
Whatever Time Warner saves on programming is=20
unlikely to make its way into the pockets of=20
consumers, at least not directly. The company is=20
likely to use the money to offer new services=20
that produce revenue, like digital phones and=20
video-on-demand. Consumers get discounts for=20
buying bundles of services, but they also spend=20
more money. =93What mergers demonstrate is that=20
there is not competitive pressure to pass along=20
savings to customers even with the Bells getting=20
into the television market,=94 said Gene Kimmelman,=20
director of the Consumers Union. =93If people think=20
the transaction will lead to lower prices, there=92s no data to support it.=
=94
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/technology/31adelphia.html
(requires registration)

MCCLATCHY/MEDIANEWS DEAL CLEARS COURT HURDLE
[SOURCE: Associated Press 7/28]
A federal judge on Friday declined to block the=20
proposed sale of three McClatchy Co. newspapers=20
to rival MediaNews Group Inc. amid allegations=20
the $1 billion deal would give the Denver-based=20
chain a monopoly in the San Francisco-area=20
newspaper market. The antitrust lawsuit brought=20
by San Francisco real estate magnate Clint Reilly=20
was a bid to temporarily block the transaction=20
that also includes financing from the Hearst=20
Corp., which owns the San Francisco Chronicle and=20
would be the biggest competitor to MediaNews in=20
the Bay Area. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston's=20
decision doesn't mean the deal will go through.=20
Regulators in the Justice Department have not=20
signed off on the deal and he government has not=20
indicated when it would conclude its own=20
antitrust investigation. MediaNews' lawyers told=20
Illston that the deal needs to get closed within=20
days as financing agreements begin expiring.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1002914825

3 LOCAL BILLIONAIRES BID FOR LOS ANGELES TIMES
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Three local billionaires expressed interest=20
separately in buying the Los Angeles Times, and=20
were told the newspaper wasn't for sale "at this=20
time," the Times reported Saturday. The three=20
wrote letters to the Tribune Co., which reviewed=20
them at a board meeting July 19, the newspaper=20
said, quoting people who had seen the letters.=20
Those making inquiries were philanthropist Eli=20
Broad, who is involved in downtown redevelopment,=20
entertainment mogul David Geffen and former supermarket baron Ron Burkle.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1002914832

INTERNET/JOURNALISM

INTERNET NEWS SUPPLEMENTS PAPERS, TV
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Peter Johnson]
Mainstream media may be able to breathe a sigh of=20
relief, at least for now: A study finds that=20
although the Internet has grown significantly in=20
the past decade, it is supplementing traditional=20
outlets such as newspapers and television, not=20
replacing them. The biennial news consumption=20
survey of 3,204 adults, out today from the Pew=20
Research Center for the People & the Press, finds=20
that although a growing number of people go=20
online for headlines, most still also go to=20
newspapers and television for in-depth news. The=20
findings suggest that =93for at least the=20
forseeable future, traditional media are going to=20
continue to co-exist with online news, and that=20
the online news experience is a partner to other=20
traditional news sources and not growing fast=20
enough to supplant traditional media,=94 Andrew=20
Kohut, Pew's president, said Sunday. The study=20
found that just a decade ago, one in 50 Americans=20
got their news from the Web. Today, one-third of=20
Americans go online for news -- mainly to get the=20
headlines. But as the Internet has become more=20
mainstream, its audience growth has slowed considerably since 2000.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20060731/d_pew31.art.htm
* Online news audience growth slows in US: survey
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-07-31T013547Z_01_N30225019_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEDIA-ONLINENEWS-SURVEY.xm=
l&archived=3DFalse

NEWSPAPERS TO USE LINKS TO RIVALS ON WEB SITES
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bob Tedeschi]
The Washington Post, The New York Sun and The=20
Daily Oklahoman, in Oklahoma City, have=20
contracted with an online news aggregator,=20
Inform.com, to scan hundreds of news and blog=20
sites and deliver content related to articles=20
appearing on their Web sites, regardless of who=20
published those articles. Links to those articles=20
will appear in a box beside the site=92s original=20
article or within the text of the story.=20
Newspaper Web sites, which commonly post articles=20
from sister publications, wire services and even=20
blogs, have typically stopped short of providing=20
generous doses of news from competitors. The move=20
made by these papers is not a result of=20
cooperation across the industry as it is a=20
counterattack by publishers against Google and=20
Yahoo, which have stolen readers and advertisers=20
from newspapers in recent years, both with their=20
search engines and their own news aggregation services.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/technology/31ecom.html
(requires registration)

QUICKLY

NETS MAY NOT HAVE TO BLUR BLEEPERS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
[Commentary] When B&C suggested back in March=20
that broadcasters might have to start pixelating=20
the mouths of anyone uttering profanity over the=20
air to ensure they don't run afoul of the Federal=20
Communications Commission=92s mercurial standards=20
of broadcast indecency, the absurdity of the idea=20
didn't escape us. But the double prophylactic of=20
bleeping profanity and pixelating the source of=20
the utterance seemed to be the logical conclusion=20
to the indecency "guidance" that the FCC had just=20
handed down, particularly the judgment passed on=20
The WB=92s Surreal Life 2. The commission decided=20
that pixelating sexual organs that appeared=20
during a party scene in the reality show was=20
insufficient since "it is unmistakable that=20
partygoers are exposing and discussing sexual=20
organs." By that measure, we reasoned, if it is=20
"unmistakable" that someone is saying the F-word,=20
even if it is bleeped out, then the FCC could=20
throw a flag on the play. Well, Fox started=20
digitally obscuring potty mouths on all of its=20
programs, and PBS told its stations in May that=20
program producers should do likewise for=20
profanity airing before 10 p.m. For its part, the=20
commission, through an unnamed official, says it=20
has previously found bleeping to be sufficient=20
and that it has never fined anyone who has=20
bleeped bad words. Nor has it stated that the=20
Surreal Life ruling will be a precedent for=20
adjudicating bleeped profanity. Lest you mistake=20
that for a rare instance of "clear guidance" from=20
the FCC, we=92re told by some close to Chairman=20
Kevin Martin that he has let it be known that=20
networks are free to pixelate mouths if they=20
believe it is in the interest of protecting=20
children. However, they needn't do it "on the FCC=92s account."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6357483.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

DIGITAL REPLICAS MAY CHANGE FACE OF FILMS
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Nick Wingfield nick.wingfield( at )wsj.com]
Steve Perlman, best known for selling a=20
pioneering set-top box company called WebTV=20
Networks Inc. to Microsoft Corp. almost a decade=20
ago, has devised technology that he says can=20
create digital reproductions of the human body=20
that are as accurate as photographs. If it works=20
as planned, Mr. Perlman's system could open up a=20
host of creative possibilities. Game makers could=20
use the system, called Contour, to create very=20
realistic animated characters in videogames with=20
fully controllable movements and facial=20
expressions. Film makers could use the technology=20
as a kind of digital makeup, changing an actor's=20
looks or words or switch camera angles without=20
costly retakes. The technology can even=20
substitute one actor's face for another's and=20
create exact replicas of long-dead historical figures.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115430654184321852.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

ECHOSTAR AD COMPLAINT REFERRED TO FTC
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Council of Better Business Bureaus' National=20
Advertising Division has referred a Time Warner=20
complaint against EchoStar's advertising to the=20
Federal Trade Commission. Last week, the bureau=20
announced that Echostar's marketing company, The=20
Elephant Group, had been asked to correct some ad=20
claims for the satellite broadcaster and had=20
agreed to some and questioned others. NAD claimed=20
it had made "repeated attempts" to get EchoStar's=20
cooperation in investigating the challenge to=20
claims about price and service in its ad=20
campaigns, but "the company did not respond."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6357381.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
* Time Warner Challenges Dish Ads
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357435.html?display=3DBreaking+News

WGA/CBS CONTRACT IMPASSE CONTINUES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Writers Guild of America negotiating=20
committee says it unanimously rejected a=20
proposal, made in a sidebar discussion with CBS=20
in its protracted contract talks, that would have=20
left producers in the union, for now. According=20
to an advisory sent to members, CBS said it would=20
no longer ask that producers be taken out of the=20
union, but said that if the union ever agreed to=20
take producers out in a contract with another=20
employer, CBS would get to do the same. Removing=20
producers from the union is considered a nonnegotiable, non-starter by WGA.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6357321.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

A LANGUAGE TO AIR NEWS OF AMERICA TO THE WORLD
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Holli Chmela]
Voice of America, the government-sponsored news=20
organization that has been on the air since 1942,=20
broadcasts in 44 different languages =97 45 if you=20
count Special English. Special English was=20
developed nearly 50 years ago as a radio=20
experiment to spread American news and cultural=20
information to people outside the United States=20
who have no knowledge of English or whose=20
knowledge is limited. Using a 1,500-word=20
vocabulary and short, simple phrases without the=20
idioms and clich=E9s of colloquial English,=20
broadcasters speak at about two-thirds the speed of conversational English.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/washington/31voice.html
(requires registration)

ROVE HITS 'CORROSIVE ROLE' OF JOURNALISTS
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Presidential adviser Karl Rove said Saturday that=20
journalists often criticize political=20
professionals because they want to draw attention=20
away from the "corrosive role" their own coverage=20
plays in politics and government. "Some decry the=20
professional role of politics, they would like to=20
see it disappear," Rove told graduating students=20
at the George Washington University Graduate=20
School of Political Management. "Some argue=20
political professionals are ruining American=20
politics -- trapping candidates in daily=20
competition for the news cycle instead of=20
long-term strategic thinking in the best interest=20
of the country." But Rove turned that criticism=20
on journalists. "It's odd to me that most of=20
these critics are journalists and columnists," he=20
said. "Perhaps they don't like sharing the field=20
of play. Perhaps they want to draw attention away=20
from the corrosive role their coverage has played=20
focusing attention on process and not substance."
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1002914831
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Communications-related Headlines is a free online=20
news summary service provided by the Benton=20
Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday=20
through Friday, this service provides updates on=20
important industry developments, policy issues,=20
and other related news events. While the=20
summaries are factually accurate, their often=20
informal tone does not always represent the tone=20
of the original articles. Headlines are compiled=20
by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we welcome your comments.
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