September 2006

To view Benton's Headlines feed in your RSS=20
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http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dtaxonomy/term/6/all/feed into your read=
er.
For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org

AGENDA
Congress Set for Combative Pre-Election Push
Elections, Net Neutrality May Disconnect Telecom Bill
Congress Unlikely to Tackle Net Neutrality
Congress should ensure Internet Providers don't Play Favorites
Tiering, It's Not Just For Telcos Anymore

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Clear Channel Presses FCC To Raise Ownership Caps In Largest Markets
Top 3 Cable firms offer $2.3 billion for Airwaves
Hubbard's Secret Satellite Weapon

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION
Let Broadcasters Be Free
In a TiVo World, Television Turns Marketing Efforts to New Media
Sci Fi Creates =91Webisodes=92 to Lure Viewers to TV
Reality show should make us all cringe

ADVERTISING
Exploitative Internet marketing fuels child obesity
Textbooks Are Free, but They Carry Ads

PEOPLE
NAB Hires Top Hill Staffer for Lobbying
PTC's Bozell to Step Down
Freston Resigns from Viacom

QUICKLY -- "Winning Online" -- A Manifesto ;=20
MySpace: Meet the Band, Buy the Song; One-stop=20
answers; Law =91Carves Out=92 Santa Cruz; New Charity=20
to Start Plan for $50,000 Artists=92 Grants; Brazil=20
judge orders Google to disclose users' data;=20
Online Game Seizes the Globe; Americans not eating enough fruits, veggies

AGENDA

CONGRESS SET FOR COMBATIVE PRE-ELECTION PUSH
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Thomas Ferraro]
U.S. lawmakers return to work today from a=20
month-long recess with time running out for=20
Republicans to pass legislation and impress=20
unhappy voters as they try to retain control of=20
Congress in November 7 elections. Both parties=20
are expected to jockey for political advantage in=20
the coming weeks, particularly over the=20
increasingly unpopular Iraq war and the battle=20
against terrorism. Congress is expected to pass=20
little more than big spending bills for the=20
departments of Defense and Homeland Security.=20
Deadlocks appear certain to remain on legislation=20
such as raising the federal minimum wage,=20
revamping U.S. immigration laws and reducing=20
inheritance taxes. Congress is set to recess on=20
October 6. But with Republicans so concerned=20
about losing power, they may break a week early=20
to give them more time to go home to campaign.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DpoliticsNews&storyID=
=3D2006-09-04T170548Z_01_N045159_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS.xml
* Congress's Fall Agenda Takes Shape
The House has scheduled 11 full days of=20
legislative work this month after Thursday's vote=20
to curb the slaughter of U.S. horses -- a bill=20
that has prompted dark jokes among Republicans=20
about what awaits lawmakers if they don't get=20
back on the campaign trail. To a remarkable=20
degree, the leadership is prepared to risk the=20
label of a "Do-Nothing Congress" if it means=20
getting rank-and-file members on the hustings.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115741016450653170.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)

ELECTIONS, NET NEUTRALITY MAY DISCONNECT TELECOM BILL
[SOURCE: MediaWeek, AUTHOR: Todd Shields]
Lawmakers returning to Washington this week will=20
be greeted by telephone company lobbyists engaged=20
in a final, uphill push for help in emerging as=20
cable=92s competitors. Verizon and AT&T want final=20
passage of a bill that would let federal=20
officials rather than localities set guidelines=20
for offering video services. Telephone executives=20
say kowtowing to thousands of localities is a=20
barrier to rolling out TV services that offer=20
hundreds of channels over high-speed lines.=20
Cities and counties are fighting the measure,=20
saying it saps their power to protect=20
constituents and rights-of-way. The bill has=20
prevailed in several votes and now needs an OK=20
from the full Senate to clear Congress. But=20
opponents have the calendar working for them.=20
Lawmakers return to work Sept. 5 and adjourn by=20
early October for the fall election campaign. The=20
intervening weeks are likely to be jammed with=20
routine appropriations and debate on national security.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D100...
6729
See also --
* Video Franchise Not On Senate Schedule
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunities=20
Reform Act of 2006 is not scheduled for this=20
week, and odds lengthen that it will be=20
considered before the post-election lame duck session, if at all.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6368461.html?display=3DBreaki...
News
** For more on the bill see http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dnode/2173

CONGRESS UNLIKELY TO TACKLE NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Grant Gross, IDG News Service]
The U.S. Congress may take another crack at net=20
neutrality and related broadband legislation when=20
it returns from a month-long recess next week,=20
but some observers aren't laying odds on either=20
package passing. The battle lines over net=20
neutrality have, if anything, become more defined=20
since votes earlier this summer on=20
telecommunications reform, and some people=20
involved in the broadband debate say the=20
legislation is unlikely to pass in a highly=20
politicized election year. Neither side has=20
offered a net neutrality compromise during the=20
August congressional recess. The net neutrality=20
debate has turned largely into a partisan issue,=20
at least on Capitol Hill. Many Democrats have=20
sided with consumer groups and many large=20
e-commerce companies backing a strong net=20
neutrality requirement. Many Republicans have=20
backed the large broadband providers and network=20
equipment vendors opposed to a new law.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/09/01/HNcongressnetneutrality_1.html

CONGRESS SHOULD ENSURE INTERNET PROVIDERS DON'T PLAY FAVORITES
[SOURCE: Anchorage Daily News, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] Advocates of wide-open access to the=20
nation's information superhighway are at odds=20
with Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. They're worried=20
that congressional update of the 1996=20
Telecommunications Act will allow companies that=20
control Internet connections to play favorites=20
with the content they deliver. Sen. Stevens=20
chairs the key Senate committee on the issue,=20
Commerce, and he does not share their concern.=20
The advocates point out that Internet providers=20
are free to fast-track content from favored Web=20
sites or companies, while slowing down=20
transmissions from everybody else. To prevent=20
those abuses, the access advocates want the new=20
federal law to ensure "net neutrality." That's=20
shorthand for saying Internet companies can't=20
discriminate in delivering content to your=20
computer. Net neutrality is hardly a=20
heavy-handed government intrusion into the=20
free-wheeling world of the Internet. It is a=20
simple antitrust rule that protects consumers by=20
keeping Internet companies from exploiting their=20
control over connections. Congress should get=20
ahead of the curve and ensure net neutrality=20
before abuses begin to spread. BOTTOM LINE: Net=20
neutrality is a good idea. Sen. Ted Stevens should support it.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/8156658p-8049486c.html
* Net Neutrality Wins More Senators
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060901NetNeutralityWi...
oreSenators.html

TIERING, IT'S NOT JUST TELCO'S ANYMORE
[SOURCE: Tales from the Sausage Factory, AUTHOR: Harold Feld]
[Commentary] New Internet registry contracts=20
will now allow price-tiering for names. As Milton=20
Mueller at ICANNWatch observes, this raises=20
similar worries as tiered Internet access. This=20
is why Sascha Meinrath's & Victor Pickard's new=20
paper on redefining net neutrality is important.=20
Meinrath and Pickard make the very good point=20
that the openness of the Internet rests on more=20
than just residential access providers. Those=20
concerned with the current fight to maintain net=20
neutrality -- as narrowly defined as preventing=20
the last-mile access provider from defining the=20
Internet experience -- should be aware of the=20
need to protect other potential bottlenecks from=20
emerging. What I love most about reality, is how=20
it will always turn around and bite you in the=20
rear end if you decide to ignore it. Reality=20
soooo does not care that you chose to be ignorant=20
of things like economics and political science,=20
any more than it cares when idiots in poli-sci=20
decide they can dictate technology and try to=20
make idiotic rules about blocking net gambling or=20
blocking indecency or outlawing peer-2-peer. Reality doesn't care. It just =
is.
http://www.wetmachine.com//item/584

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

CLEAR CHANNEL PRESSES FCC TO RAISE OWNERSHIP CAPS IN LARGEST MARKETS
[SOURCE: RadioandRecords, AUTHOR: Jeffrey Yorke and Carol Archer ]
Clear Channel=92s legal eagles landed in two FCC=20
Commissioners=92 offices last week to influence=20
their positions on expanding ownership cap limits=20
in the largest radio markets. For months, Clear=20
Channel lobbyists have been pressing the flesh on=20
Capitol Hill and in the halls of FCC=20
headquarters. On Aug. 29, Clear Channel's=20
executive VP and chief legal officer Andrew=20
Levin, senior VP of government affairs Jessica=20
Marventano, and outside legal advisor John=20
Fiorini III of the influential K Street law firm,=20
Wiley Rein & Fielding, held separate meetings=20
with both Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate and=20
her legal assistant Chris Robbins, and with=20
Commissioner McDowell and his legal assistant,=20
Cristina Chou Pauze. A Tate staffer said that it=20
was obvious that Clear Channel=92s interest in=20
expanding market presence was due to its concerns=20
about =93audience fractioning=94 caused by growing=20
competition from iPods and satellite radio=20
operators Sirius and XM. The discussions are part=20
of the on-going 120-day comment period initiated=20
by the FCC earlier this summer when it invited=20
public comment its obligatory review of media=20
ownership rules. Current caps on large market=20
ownership limit one group to owning up to eight=20
stations =AD five on one band, three on another =AD=20
in a market the size of New York, Los Angeles,=20
Chicago, Dallas, Washington or even Baltimore.=20
But based on a document obtained by R&R, Clear=20
Channel specifically uses New York City -- with=20
149 stations in the area -- as an example that it=20
says shows that owning eight stations in markets=20
with 45-to-59 stations is just 18% of the market,=20
owning 10 stations in markets with 60-to 74=20
stations would be 17% of the market and owning a=20
dozen stations in markets of 75 or more stations=20
would be 16% or less of the market.
http://www.radioandrecords.com/radiomonitor/news/business/leg_reg/articl...
isplay.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D1003086023

TOP 3 CABLE FIRMS OFFER $2.3 BILLION FOR AIRWAVES
[SOURCE: Bloomberg News, AUTHOR: Molly Patterson & Christopher Stern]
The three largest U.S. cable operators have=20
offered more than $2.3 billion for airwaves in=20
the Federal Communications Commission's current=20
auction, a slice big enough to create a new=20
national wireless network. SpectrumCo LLC, 52=20
percent of which is owned by Comcast Corp., the=20
largest U.S. cable company, has made the top=20
offers for 132 of the licenses being sold by the=20
FCC, including ones in New York, Los Angeles and=20
Chicago. Overall, bids for 1,122 licenses totaled=20
$13.7 billion after Thursday's 70th round. The=20
Comcast-led group is poised to capture airwaves=20
covering about 265 million people, or 89 percent=20
of the U.S. population. Winning the licenses=20
would allow its members, which include Time=20
Warner and Cox Communications, to build their own=20
wireless network. Another member, Sprint Nextel,=20
has a separate agreement to provide wireless=20
services to cable-company customers. The=20
Sprint-cable partnership was third in total=20
bidding in Thursday's most recent round, after=20
T-Mobile USA Inc.'s $4.15 billion and Verizon=20
Wireless's $2.8 billion. With offers for the=20
largest swaths of spectrum unchallenged for a=20
week or more, participants are now battling for airwaves in midsize cities.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/283420_fccauction01.html

HUBBARD'S SECRET SATELLITE WEAPON
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John M. Higgins]
Why has Hubbard Broadcasting been an active buyer=20
of video programming lately? The Hubbards have a=20
little-known deal granting them slots for three=20
channels on DirecTV and the potential to reach=20
its 16 million subscribers -- and the deal=20
expires soon. Securities filings show that, when=20
DirecTV bought USSB, the satellite TV service=20
Hubbard controlled, in 1999, the deal included a=20
special agreement to carry the Hubbards=92 All News=20
Channel (which ultimately folded in 2002), as=20
well as two additional channels to be developed=20
later. With the deal expiring this year, the=20
company has had to move quickly. So when=20
Ovation=92s investment banker, Lazard Freres,=20
approached the company about the channel,=20
Hubbard=92s son, Stanley E. Hubbard II, pounced,=20
agreeing to buy in and use the DirecTV rights as leverage to secure carriag=
e.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6368381?display=3DBreaking+News

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION

LET BROADCASTERS BE FREE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Former FCC Commissioner James H. Quell=
o]
[Commentary] Broadcasters need help. The=20
government must assure the future maintenance of=20
television and radio's expensive but vital=20
emergency, local-news and community services.=20
Foremost, the amazing influence of the Internet=20
and its universal omnipresence must be fully=20
considered. Second, the multichannel effect of=20
the digital transition, especially for=20
broadcasting, requires a revised regulatory=20
outlook. Quello concludes: "It may be nearing the=20
time that Congress set a date certain to=20
establish a telecommunications open marketplace=20
and eliminate the barriers between TV, radio,=20
newspaper, cable, satellite, DSL and phone=20
services. Companies should be allowed to enter=20
any field in open competition. Remember, it is=20
entrepreneurial industry, not government=20
regulation, that provides investments, jobs and=20
innovative consumer-serving technical advances.=20
Admittedly, this proposal may be a few years=20
ahead of itself, but the progressive benefits to=20
consumers and industries, plus the need to=20
effectively compete in the challenging,=20
burgeoning, international marketplace, makes it a future imperative.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6368434.html?display=3DOpinion

IN A TIVO WORLD, TELEVISION TUNES MARKETING EFFORTS TO NEW MEDIA
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stuart Elliott]
Two deals that are scheduled to be announced=20
today are indicative of the ways TV is headed in=20
new directions to meet the new needs of=20
marketers. CBS and TiVo will work together to=20
make it easier for TiVo subscribers to sample=20
four new series on the network's fall schedule.=20
The agreement is the first time that TiVo, which=20
is trying to change its image as being unfriendly=20
to advertisers, and a broadcast network have=20
teamed up for a sneak peak of a new series.=20
Previous preview deals struck by the broadcasters=20
have been off television, offering computer users=20
a chance to watch streaming video on Web sites=20
like msn.com and yahoo.com. The other agreement=20
involves ITN Networks, a media sales company in=20
New York with estimated annual billings of $300=20
million. ITN assembles customized national TV=20
networks for advertisers from the commercial time=20
it buys from local broadcast stations. ITN=20
clients include Burger King, Capital One, Clorox,=20
GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Sara=20
Lee and Sears. A group of media heavyweights --=20
Sony Pictures Television, Veronis Suhler=20
Stevenson and the Zelnick Media Corporation -- is=20
buying a majority stake in ITN, spending an=20
estimated $200 million initially as part of plans=20
to eventually invest up to $250 million. The=20
group also intends to expand ITN beyond broadcast=20
TV into other realms like cable and satellite TV,=20
the Internet and video games. For all the focus=20
on new media, =93people will not stop watching=20
television anytime soon,=94 said Strauss Zelnick,=20
chief executive at Zelnick Media in New York, who=20
will take the new post of chairman at ITN. The=20
problem with television is that =93for years, it=92s=20
been a one-size-fits-all medium, when advertisers=20
want to reach targeted audiences more=20
effectively,=94 Mr. Zelnick said. =93We=92re trying to=20
look around the corner and benefit from where the=20
media market is going in the future.=94
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/business/media/05adco.html
(requires registration)

SCI FI CREATES 'WEBISODES' TO LURE VIEWERS TO TV
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jonathan Glater]
The Sci Fi Channel has created online=20
mini-episodes of the television series=20
=93Battlestar Galactica;=94 the first is scheduled to=20
be posted at midnight. The 10 Web segments, each=20
just a few minutes long and viewable on devices=20
ranging from iPods to laptops to desktops to=20
full-size television sets, feature characters=20
from the television show. And they have the same=20
dark feel of broadcast episodes of =93Galactica,=94 a=20
post-apocalyptic survival tale of humans on the=20
run after their home planets have been destroyed.=20
The mini-episodes will go online, one at a time,=20
on Tuesday and Thursday nights until=20
=93Galactica=92s=94 season premiere on Oct. 6. The=20
=93Galactica=94 segments are part of a broader effort=20
by NBC Universal, which owns Sci Fi, to make new,=20
original video and audio material =97 content =97 available on the Internet.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/arts/television/05gala.html
(requires registration)

A BITTER 'FLAVOR': REALITY SHOW SHOULD MAKE US ALL CRINGE
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: DeWayne Wickham]
[Commentary] There's more proof that Neil Postman=20
knew what he was talking about. In his 1985 book,=20
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in=20
the Age of Show Business, the media critic and=20
educator suggested that futurist Aldous Huxley,=20
not George Orwell, had a better vision of where=20
life on this planet is headed. =93What Orwell=20
feared were those who would ban books,=94 Postman=20
wrote in the foreword to his book. =93What Huxley=20
feared was that there would be no reason to ban a=20
book, for there would be no one who wanted to=20
read one. =85 Orwell feared that the truth would be=20
concealed from us. Huxley feared that the truth=20
would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell=20
feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley=20
feared we would become a trivial culture.=94 The=20
success of Flavor of Love 2, a VH1 reality show=20
whose second-season premiere last month brought=20
the cable network its highest rating for any=20
opening show, is a crass and tasteless descent=20
into the abyss that Huxley saw the world hurtling=20
toward. And it is proof positive that this nation=20
is at risk of amusing ourselves to death.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060905/opcomtues.art.htm

ADVERTISING

EXPLOITIVE INTERNET MARKETING FUELS CHILD OBESITY
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Michael Perry]
Self-regulation in food and beverage marketing is=20
being exploited and is failing to curb childhood=20
obesity, research by a global obesity taskforce=20
presented on Tuesday has found. The International=20
Obesity Taskforce said some Internet sites that=20
attracted children with advertising games were=20
being used to bypass stricter advertising=20
standards in traditional media, the 10th=20
International Congress on Obesity in Sydney=20
heard. The taskforce found that 85 percent of=20
businesses advertising to children on television=20
also had interactive Web sites for them. It said=20
12.2 million children had visited commercial Web=20
sites promoting food and beverages over a=20
three-month monitoring period in 2005. An=20
analysis of this marketing found that food and=20
beverage advertisers paid lip service to=20
advertising codes of conduct. It said some Web=20
sites pressure children to purchase before they played online games.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-09-05T092640Z_01_SYD96605_RTRUKOC_0_US-AUSTRALIA-OBESITY.xml

TEXTBOOKS ARE FREE, BUT THEY CARRY ADS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Justin Pope]
Textbook prices are soaring into the hundreds,=20
but in some courses this fall, students won't pay=20
a dime. The catch: Their textbooks will have ads=20
for companies including FedEx Kinko's and Pura Vida Coffee.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-textbookads5sep05,1,4...
820.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

PEOPLE

NAB HIRES TOP HILL STAFFER FOR LOBBYING
[SOURCE: TVNewsday, AUTHOR: Kim McAvoy]
The National Association of Broadcasters its=20
government relations department by bringing in=20
Mildred Webber, deputy chief of staff for House=20
Majority Whip Rep. Roy Blunt (MO), the=20
third-ranking Republican leader in the House.=20
Webber will join NAB as senior vice president of=20
government affairs on Sept. 29. She will report=20
to the department=92s executive vice president,=20
Doug Wiley, who assumed his post in May.=20
According to a June 2003 story in The National=20
Journal, Webber aided Rep Blunt in his duties as=20
Whip, always trying to make sure that 218 votes=20
-- a House majority -- were aligned with the=20
wishes of the Republican leadership. The article=20
also said that Webber tended to =93member services,=20
or taking care of Republican lawmakers' unique=20
problems, whether they involve policy, politics=20
or personal matters.=94 Webber's rise to prominence=20
on the Hill -- Roll Call, a Capitol Hill=20
newspaper, recognized her in 2004 as one of=20
Capitol Hill=92s 50 most powerful staffers -- may=20
have more to do with her association with Rep Tom=20
DeLay, the once powerful House Majority Leader=20
who decided not to seek reelection earlier this=20
year after being indicted for campaign financing=20
violations. Webber once served as Rep DeLay=92s=20
director of coalitions, responsible for rallying=20
outside support for the Republicans political=20
agenda among lobbyists and businesses. And Webber=20
is credited with helping Rep DeLay land the job=20
of House Majority Whip in 1994 in an upset over=20
more established rivals. The National Journal=20
reported in April 2005 that Webber contributed=20
$500 to Rep DeLay=92s legal defense fund. Prior to=20
her work for Reps Delay and Blunt, Webber was=20
staff director for the House Subcommittee on=20
National Economic Growth, Natural Resources and=20
Regulatory Affairs. Webber, who has a B.A. from=20
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,=20
also knows her way around the executive branch,=20
having worked for both the Reagan and the first Bush administrations.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/09/01/daily.4/

PTC's BOZELL TO STEP DOWN
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Brent Bozell, president of the Parents Television=20
Council, said Friday he will step down on Jan.1.=20
He will be replaced by the current executive=20
director Tim Winter. Winter is a former executive=20
with NBC in Burbank and London, and with the MGM=20
film studio. PTC has been one of the principle=20
forces behind the push for stronger FCC=20
enforcement of indecency regulations. Bozell will=20
continue to serve as an advisor and on the board. He founded the group in 1=
995.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6368240?display=3DBreaking+News

FRESTON RESIGNS FROM VIACOM
[SOURCE: Multichannel News]
Viacom said Tuesday morning that CEO Tom Freston=20
had resigned. The media giant named Philippe=20
Dauman president and CEO in the surprise=20
announcement. Viacom also promoted Thomas Dooley=20
to the newly created position of senior executive=20
vice president and chief administrative officer.=20
Freston, 60, became CEO of Viacom in January,=20
after the company split with its CBS Corp. unit.=20
Freston had worked as CEO of MTV Networks before taking the helm at Viacom.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6368477.html?display=3DBreaking+News

QUICKLY

'WINNING ONLINE' -- A MANIFESTO
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher, AUTHOR: Tom Mohr]
Newspapers must win online, or face a future of=20
painful contraction. To win, industry leaders=20
must adopt a Marshall Plan embodying two key=20
objectives: the migration to common platforms,=20
and the acquisition of the ability to sell=20
top-quality online product to our advertisers. To=20
fulfill these objectives, the independent=20
companies of a proud industry must aggregate into=20
an industry-wide network. In this network, each=20
company must cede some control over its digital=20
future into a =93Switzerland=94 organization that=20
manages the network. This will require a degree=20
of cooperation and trust rarely seen before in=20
the newspaper business, and therefore will only=20
be achieved through the active, visionary=20
leadership of the industry=92s captains. But, if=20
they pursue this path and plug into the power of=20
network economics, they will tap into $4 billion=20
of revenue upside for the industry by 2010.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003086961

MYSPACE: MEET THE BAND, BUY THE SONG
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Yuki Noguchi]
Technology is taking the middleman out of the=20
music business, giving artists a bigger array of=20
tools to get their songs in the MP3 players of=20
potential fans around the world. That trend is=20
hurting the classic record store chains, such as=20
Tower Records, and thousands of independent=20
stores, but it's also opening doors to digital=20
music sales direct from the artist to the fan.=20
The latest development in that direction comes=20
from MySpace, a social networking site that has=20
brought new audiences to many bands. Now MySpace=20
is adding a music-store feature that will allow=20
artists, labels and the site itself to cash in on=20
the popularity of those songs. The new feature,=20
expected to be announced today, will allow=20
musicians -- whether they are backed by a record=20
label or not -- to sell songs directly from their=20
MySpace profile pages. Assuming that the songs=20
for sale do not violate a copyright, the artist=20
or label can set a price and allow Web users to=20
buy songs the way they might with services such=20
as iTunes and Yahoo Music. The service is in=20
trial and will be available broadly by the end of the year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR200609...
0806.html
(requires registration)

ONE-STOP ANSWERS
[SOURCE: Sacramento Bee, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] Six years ago, the Federal=20
Communications Commission designated 2-1-1 as the=20
abbreviated dialing code for access to community=20
services. Operators for 2-1-1 direct callers to=20
welfare and mental health services, homeless=20
shelters, food pantries, financial assistance=20
agencies and more. The code 2-1-1 became the=20
central information resource for people displaced=20
by Hurricane Katrina. Worried about ongoing=20
costs, county budget advisers have recommended it=20
not be funded. That's a mistake. The code can=20
save money by diverting callers from the=20
overloaded 9-1-1 system. When it comes up for a=20
vote this week, 2-1-1 deserves Sacramento supervisors' strong support.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/editorials/story/14317407p-1523497...
html

LAW 'CARVES OUT' SANTA CRUZ
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
While the new legislation in California will=20
allow incumbent cable operators to seek state=20
operating authority, one system won't be filing=20
anytime this decade. That would be Charter=20
Communications=92 Santa Cruz County system. Though=20
not named in the newly passed legislation,=20
specific terms in the bill target the system and=20
prevent it from taking advantage of the new=20
policy until July 2014. The language says no=20
system operating under a consent decree from=20
federal court can expand its system boundaries,=20
and it can't apply for state authorization until=20
that date. A 2004 consent decree governs=20
Charter=92s operations including keeping rates=20
about $18 lower than expanded basic rates charged=20
in the region by Comcast. Supporting the original=20
county suit was the Santa Cruz City Council. One=20
of the council=92s members was John Laird. Laird is=20
now the democratic assemblyman for Santa Cruz and=20
Monterey counties, and he got the amendment=20
inserted into the state franchising bill preserving the local agreement.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6368151.html?display=3DBreaking+News

NEW CHARITY TO START PLAN FOR $50,000 ARTISTS' GRANTS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: ]
A new charity, United States Artists, will=20
announce today an ambitious plan to provide=20
support to working artists, starting with a grant=20
program that will be one of the most generous in=20
existence. Fifty artists working in a wide=20
variety of disciplines and at various career=20
stages will receive $50,000 each, no strings=20
attached. The first recipients will be announced on Dec. 4.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/arts/design/05unit.html
(requires registration)

BRAZIL JUDGE ORDERS GOOGLE TO DISCLOSE USERS' DATA
[SOURCE: Reuters]
A Brazilian judge has ordered the local office of=20
Web search company Google to disclose the data of=20
users of Google's social networking site Orkut=20
accused of crimes like racism or child=20
pornography. Federal judge Jose Lunardelli ruled=20
late on Thursday that Google be given 15 days to=20
disclose the information, including the Internet=20
Protocol addresses that can uniquely identify a=20
specific computer on a network. The judge set a=20
daily fine of 50,000 reais ($23,255) for each=20
individual case if Google refuses to reveal the=20
data. Brazilians account for 65 percent of=20
Orkut's nearly 27 million users and public=20
prosecutors have recently been investigating=20
Orkut communities set up by Brazilians and=20
dedicated to such subjects as racism, homophobia=20
and pedophilia. Google officials in Brazil have=20
said all clients' data is stored on a server in=20
the United States and is subject to U.S. laws,=20
which makes it impossible for them to reveal the=20
data in Brazil. They also said the local=20
affiliate only deals in marketing and sales and has nothing to do with Orku=
t.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-09-01T154938Z_01_N01443799_RTRUKOC_0_US-BRAZIL-GOOGLE.xml&archived=
=3DFalse

ONLINE GAME, MADE IN US, SEIZES THE GLOBE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Seth Schiesel]
Less than two years after its introduction, World=20
of Warcraft, made by Blizzard Entertainment,=20
based in Irvine, Calif., is on pace to generate=20
more than $1 billion in revenue this year with=20
almost seven million paying subscribers, who can=20
log into the game and interact with other=20
players. That makes it one of the most lucrative=20
entertainment media properties of any kind.=20
Almost every other subscription online game,=20
including EverQuest II and Star Wars: Galaxies,=20
measures its customers in hundreds of thousands=20
or even just tens of thousands. And while games=20
stamped =93Made in the U.S.A.=94 have often struggled=20
abroad, especially in Asia, World of Warcraft has=20
become the first truly global video-game hit since Pac-Man in the early 198=
0=92s.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/technology/05wow.html?hp&ex=3D11575152...
en=3D9d3b5750e6f5e8bc&ei=3D5094&partner=3Dhomepage
(requires registration)

AMERICANS NOT EATING ENOUGH FRUITS, VEGGIES
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Get that donut out of your mouth and grab some kale!
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=3DdomesticNews&storyID=
=3D2006-09-04T165038Z_01_SIB460618_RTRUKOC_0_US-AMERICANS-EATING.xml&archiv=
ed=3DFalse
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------