November 2006

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MEDIA & ELECTIONS
Just Like Old Times: Dingell, Markey in Charge
After Previous Gaffes, Networks Mostly Take Their Time
Blogs Take Lead in Reporting Polling Problems
All Slander All the Time
Tech Money Flows To Democrats

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Groups Petition FCC to Reverse Crossownership Decision
LA Times Editor to Forced to Quit

BROADCASTING
Requests for Closed Captioning Exemptions to get Public Comment
Google positioning for move into U.S. radio
Top Model Takes Strikers Off Payroll

INTERNET/BROADBAND
FTC: Policing online ads is 'daunting task'
Loose Ends... Following the Carter Model on Net Neutrality

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Karen's Rules on Diplomacy
13 nations denounced for Web censorship

MEDIA & ELECTIONS

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES: DINGELL, MARKEY IN CHARGE
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Kim McAvoy]
With the Democrats winning a majority of seats in=20
the House, John Dingell and Ed Markey will set=20
the agenda on telecom policy=97a mixed bag for=20
broadcasters. With Senate races in Virginia and=20
Montana too close to call, the GOP is just barely=20
clinging to Senate control. Republican broadcast=20
ally Conrad Burns is behind in Montana. NAB=20
President David Rehr told TVNEWSDAY in March that=20
the association was backing Burns =93150 percent=94=20
and would give an =93all-out maximum effort=94 to=20
help him win re-election. For TV broadcasters,=20
Dingell-Markey would have its pluses. It could=20
pave the way for a smoother DTV transition (more=20
money for DTV converter boxes) and possibly lead=20
to some type of multicast must-carry protection.=20
=93Barton and Barton=92s staff were aggressively=20
anti-multicast,=94 said NAB President David Rehr.=20
=93I think in a nutshell, Mr. Dingell would be more=20
open than Mr. Barton has been.=94 However,=20
broadcasters know from experience that=20
regulatory-minded House Democrats would also want=20
some type of enhanced public interest obligations=20
as part of any multi-cast deal or for any other=20
favors they do for broadcasters. Alan Frank, CEO=20
of Post-Newsweek Stations and chairman of the NAB=20
television board, is a Dingell constituent in=20
Detroit and is looking forward to his=20
restoration. =93It is clear that if you are a good=20
broadcaster, if you understand and take seriously=20
your special responsibilities and obligations,=20
which we do, then operating under John Dingell=20
and Ed Markey [as chairman of the House=20
Telecommunications Subcommittee] is a very positive experience.=94
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/11/08/daily.1/
* Rehr: NAB Ready to Work with Democrats
The NAB president says neither his partisan past=20
nor a slight GOP tilt to his government relations=20
team will impair the association's effectiveness=20
in the House now that the Democrats are in charge.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2006/11/08/daily.2/

AFTER PREVIOUS GAFFES, NETWORKS MOSTLY TAKE THEIR TIME
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
The television networks reporting on the results=20
of the midterm elections last night exercised an=20
unusual degree of caution in declaring any shift=20
of power in Congress, apparently chastened by=20
previous miscalculations based on exit poll=20
information. While some contested races, like the=20
Maryland and New Jersey contests for the Senate,=20
were called fairly quickly by all of them, they=20
held back on the night=92s marquee story: whether=20
Democrats would take control of either house. It=20
was just after 5 p.m. that exit poll data,=20
closely held under a =93quarantine,=94 were released=20
by the National Election Pool, the=20
network-created organization that provides=20
tabulated vote counts and the results of exit=20
surveys. Several network executives said later=20
that those early numbers had indicated a sweeping=20
victory for Democratic candidates, but for the=20
most part that was not mentioned on the air. The=20
reason was the experience of two years ago, when=20
the exit polls seemed to point to a victory by=20
Senator John Kerry in the presidential race. That=20
night the networks hinted broadly at such an=20
outcome, only to be repudiated by the real=20
numbers. Last night, network executives said, the=20
numbers seemed so skewed toward the Democrats=20
again that they simply did not trust them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/08networks.html
(requires registration)
* Fox News calls exit polls unreliable
In the middle of its election coverage, Fox News=20
-- one of the members of the consortium --=20
announced that it was going to stop relying on=20
the exit-poll data because its decision-desk=20
analysts had discovered a Democratic bias of six=20
to eight percentage points in many areas after=20
comparing the survey results with the actual vote.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-fox8nov08,1,1977...
.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section

BLOGS TAKE LEAD IN REPORTING POLLING PROBLEMS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Tom Zeller]
Blogs of all political stripes spent most of=20
yesterday detailing reports of voting machine=20
malfunctions and ballot shortages, effectively=20
becoming an online national clearinghouse of the=20
polling problems that still face the election=20
system. And in a new twist this year, many=20
bloggers buttressed their accounts of electoral=20
shenanigans with links to videos posted on the=20
video Web site YouTube. That the blog now has a=20
firm place in the choreography of national events=20
=97 and in elections perhaps more so than in any=20
other cultural exercise =97 is a boon to the=20
democratic process, said Jonathan Zittrain, a=20
professor of Internet governance at Oxford=20
University and a co-founder of the Berkman Center=20
for Internet and Society at Harvard. =93In a lot=20
of ways they=92re helping to set the agenda for the=20
mainstream media in fast-moving events like=20
this,=94 Mr. Zittrain said. =93They just need to be=20
able to produce enough that=92s credible quickly to give a lead.=94
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/08blogs.html
(requires registration)

ALL SLANDER ALL THE TIME
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John Ellis, Boston Globe]
[Commentary] According to Advertising Age=20
magazine, the total amount spent this year on=20
political advertising will reach $2 billion, a=20
hefty increase over 2004. If one conservatively=20
estimates that at least half of all political=20
advertising can be fairly described as=20
"negative," then 2006 will be the first year that=20
negative political advertising expenditures=20
reached the $1 billion mark. That's a dollar=20
amount greater than all of the television, radio=20
and print advertising buys done by Anheuser-Busch=20
in 2005. Look through the list of the major=20
advertisers in the U.S. and what strikes you is=20
that all of them spend vast sums of money=20
building and strengthening brands. What makes our=20
politics so sensationally awful is not just the=20
amount of money spent denigrating the category=20
and the profession, but the equally stunning=20
amount of energy that is expended by party=20
apparatchiks to amplify the negative in=20
news-media coverage of politics. And the news=20
media are only to happy to comply. The truth is=20
they can't get enough of it. The net effect of=20
this constant and unrelenting assault on=20
politicians and the political process is voter=20
resignation and ultimately a kind of doomed acceptance.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116295075531916551.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

TECH MONEY FLOWS TO DEMOCRATS
[SOURCE: Technology Daily 11/6, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
AT&T, Microsoft, Time Warner and other=20
deep-pocketed technology giants are filling the=20
campaign coffers of House Democrats who could=20
emerge as key powerbrokers if their party=20
prevails in Tuesday's mid-term congressional=20
election. The beneficiaries include House=20
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and=20
John Dingell of Michigan, the top Democrat on the=20
House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep. Edward=20
Markey of Massachusetts, the lead Democrat on the=20
House Energy and Commerce Telecommunications and=20
the Internet Subcommittee, also is raking in tech=20
industry money. All three lawmakers are drawing=20
sizable donations despite supporting Internet=20
regulations that put them at odds with many of=20
the industry behemoths bankrolling their=20
campaigns. The trio voted against House-passed=20
deregulatory telecom legislation backed by the=20
Bell companies. Reps Markey and Dingell in=20
particular have been frequent critics of telecom=20
and cable giants. "Obviously people are hedging=20
their bets," said Gigi Sohn, president of the=20
watchdog Public Knowledge. "I think all [the=20
campaign money] gets them is access."
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-QPAY1162899874427.html

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

GROUPS PETITION FCC TO REVERSE CROSSOWNERSHIP DECISION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: ]
The United Church of Christ and Rainbow/PUSH have=20
petitioned the FCC to reverse its decision to=20
grant a permanent waiver of the=20
newspaper/broadcast crossownership ban to News=20
Corp. for its WNYW(TV) and extend a temporary=20
waiver for WWOR(TV) New York. New Corp. also owns=20
The New York Post and would have to sell either=20
the paper or the stations without the waiver.=20
=93These repeated and extended waivers by the FCC=20
essentially allow some companies to operate above=20
the law.=94 said Cheryl Leanza, managing director=20
of UCC, =93While in rare cases the FCC can make a=20
justified exception to its rules, this wavier is=20
inappropriate.=94 The groups complain that the=20
waiver was issued behind closed doors and=20
challenge Fox's character as a licensee.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6389130.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

LOS ANGELES TIMES SAYS EDITOR TO QUIT
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Los Angeles Times editor Dean Baquet, who has=20
resisted parent company Tribune Co.'s plan to lay=20
off staff to cut costs, will leave the newspaper.=20
He was forced to resign at the request of the=20
publisher after he refused to agree to further=20
cuts of his editorial staff. Baquet surprised=20
industry experts when he did not resign in=20
October when Jeffrey Johnson quit as the paper's=20
publisher. Johnson had supported Baquet's=20
decision to fight the Tribune's efforts to=20
eliminate jobs at the paper, which is one of the=20
largest in the United States. Johnson was=20
replaced by David Hiller, former publisher of the=20
Chicago Tribune in Tribune Co.'s home town.=20
Hiller told Times employees Tuesday that the=20
company will cut positions sometime next year.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DindustryNews&storyID=
=3D2006-11-07T223509Z_01_N07453038_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-MEDIA-TRIBUNE-LATIMES=
-DC.XML
* LA Times job cuts will come next year - publisher
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=3DindustryNews&storyID=
=3D2006-11-08T000232Z_01_WEN9349_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-MEDIA-LATIMES-JOBS-DC.X=
ML
* Times editor Baquet is forced out
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-110706baquet,0,7757157.story?coll=3Dl...
ome-headlines
* Los Angeles Paper Ousts Top Editor
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/business/media/08paper.html

BROADCASTING

REQUESTS FOR EXEMPTION FROM FCC's CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Numerous television broadcasters have filed=20
petitions for exemption from the FCC's closed=20
captioning requirements, claiming that compliance=20
would impose an undue burden. The FCC's Consumer=20
and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), which=20
decides on these petitions, is now placing them=20
on public notice allowing for public comment. For=20
hundreds of pending petitions, the CBG is now=20
allowing 20 days for those comments to be filed.=20
Comments filed via email will NOT be part of the=20
official record. For more info: Michael Jacobs=20
(202) 418-2859 (voice), (202) 418-8233 (TTY); e-mail Michael.jacobs( at )fcc.gov.
http://www.fcc.gov/da062287.pdf

GOOGLE POSITIONING FOR MOVE INTO US RADIO
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Sue Zeidler]
Web search leader Google is hiring scores of=20
radio sales people and is spending heavily in a=20
bid to expand its position in the $20 billion=20
radio industry. Google spokesman Michael Mayzel=20
said this week that the company will begin a=20
public test of Google Audio Ads by the end of the=20
year. Advertisers will be able to go online and=20
sign up for targeted radio ads using the same=20
AdWords system they use to buy Web search ads.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2006-11-07T224846Z_01_N02437989_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEDIA-GOOGLE-RADIO.xml&WTm=
odLoc=3DTechNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-2

TOP MODEL TAKES STRIKERS OFF PAYROLL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Jim Benson]
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) has=20
cried foul after the producers of The CW=92s=20
America=92s Next Top Model scratched a dozen=20
striking staffers off the payroll. The WGAW=20
Monday filed unfair labor practice charges with=20
the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB),=20
alleging the show=92s producers unlawfully=20
eliminated the jobs of the 12 =93writers=94 in=20
retaliation for their decision to go on strike=20
last July to demand union representation.=20
Responding to the complaint, Top Model Executive=20
Producer Ken Mok said in a statement issued by=20
The CW Tuesday, "When our story producers walked=20
off the job, we exercised our right to sustain=20
production during the strike. In the process, we=20
were able to create a new system utilizing IATSE=20
editors that has not only maintained the quality=20
of our episodes, but at the same time has=20
improved the efficiency of our post-production=20
operation.=94 This latest labor strife, which some=20
fear could be a preview of things to come if=20
there is an industry-wide strike in 2007-08, has=20
the WGAW seeking to have the NLRB issue an order=20
reinstating the strikers, as well as providing=20
them with compensation for lost wages.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6389164.html

INTERNET/BROADBAND

FTC: POLICING ONLINE ADS IS 'DAUNTING TASK'
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
As ads and marketing messages spread to a growing=20
number of devices and with increased=20
personalization, challenges lie ahead for=20
authorities charged with policing deceptive=20
schemes, a Federal Trade Commission official said=20
Tuesday. Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch predicted=20
that the next decade will bring concerns the FTC=20
could never have foreseen in the early 1970s,=20
when the agency made it a top priority to clamp=20
down on pitches laced with false or=20
unsubstantiated claims. "Monitoring advertising=20
and marketing is a bread-and-butter investigative=20
technique used by FTC staff," Commissioner Rosch=20
said at the second day of FTC hearings on=20
Internet consumer challenges. "In a growing media=20
universe, that's a daunting task."
http://news.com.com/FTC+Policing+online+ads+is+daunting+task/2100-1024_3...
33250.html?tag=3Dnefd.top

LOOSE ENDS... FOLLOWING THE CARTER MODEL ON NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Holman Jenkins]
[Commentary] Think how different the world might=20
be today if former President Jimmy Carter had=20
spent the past 25 years insisting that Democrats=20
embrace the legacy he created with airline=20
deregulation, natural gas deregulation, trucking=20
deregulation and rail deregulation. Think how=20
utterly transformed today's "net neutrality"=20
debate might be. Net neutrality is one issue=20
stalling the AT&T-BellSouth merger approval at=20
the FCC. The Commission remains in a 2-2 tie=20
because Commissioner McDowell refuses to vote.=20
Jenkins concludes: "Yet there is a solution. The=20
FCC's Office of General Counsel can effectively=20
rule that Mr. McDowell's previous employment is=20
no hindrance to his voting on the deal. Mr.=20
McDowell would be bound by law to carry out his=20
job and fulfill the FCC's mandate to vet the=20
merger. Even better, this circus should be our=20
indication that it's time for the FCC to fold up=20
its pup tent and go the way of the now-extinct Civil Aeronautics Board."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116294754879516433.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

KAREN'S RULES OF DIPLOMACY: TALK TO THE MEDIA -- IF YOU DARE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Elizabeth Williamson]
Karen Hughes, the State Department's=20
undersecretary for public diplomacy and public=20
affairs, sent a long memo to chief diplomats, top=20
deputies and public affairs officers worldwide=20
Friday, spelling out "Karen's Rules" for working=20
with the media. Rule #1: Think Advocacy. I want=20
all of you to think of yourselves as advocates=20
for America's story each day. Rule #2: Use What's=20
Out There. You are always on sure ground if you=20
use what the President, Secretary Rice, Sean=20
McCormack or Senior USG spokesmen have already=20
said on a particular subject. Rule #3: Think=20
local. Because your key audience is your local --=20
or regional -- audience you do not need clearance=20
to speak to any local media, print or television.=20
Rule #4: Use Common Sense to respond to natural=20
disasters or tragedies. You do not need to get=20
Department clearance to express condolences in=20
the event of a loss, or express sympathy and=20
support in response to a natural disaster. Rule=20
#5: Don't Make Policy. This is a sensitive area=20
about which you need to be careful. Do not get=20
out in front of USG policymakers on an issue,=20
even if you are speaking to local press. Rule #6:=20
No Surprises. You should always give PA a=20
heads-up in the event that you speak to=20
U.S.-based media. This ensures that those who=20
should know are in the loop on what is happening.=20
Rule #7: Enlist the help of the hubs (for those=20
who have regional media presence) or my office if=20
you don't get a quick response for clearance or help.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR200611...
1254.html
(requires registration)

13 NATIONS DENOUNCED FOR WEB CENSORSHIP
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Verena Dobnik]
The Internet enemies list numbers 13: Belarus,=20
China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea,=20
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,=20
Uzbekistan and Vietnam. These are the countries=20
singled out by the press freedom group Reporters=20
Without Borders as the worst culprits for=20
systematic online censorship, and they were=20
targeted in the group's 24-hour online protest=20
ending at 5 a.m. Wednesday. "No one should ever=20
be prevented from posting news online or writing=20
a blog," said the Paris-based group, Reporters=20
Sans Frontieres in French, which taps more than=20
100 journalists who are "keeping us informed."=20
Worldwide, 61 people, 52 in China, are in prison=20
for posting what the countries claimed was=20
"subversive" content, the reporters' group said in its annual report.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/15955567.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------