January 2007

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CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA
Digital TV Transition Bill Introduced in House
CDT Releases 2007 Legislative Agenda

INTERNET/BROADBAND
Web power in White House race
Speed Matters: Affordable High Speed Internet for All
Music industry divided over digital future
Wire those jaws

BROADCASTING
VNR executive files e-mail with FCC against "radically left wing" group
Rumored FCC Payola Settlement Angers Critics
Family demands FCC pull radio station linked to water death

QUICKLY -- Sanders Addressees Media Conference; Rating the Ratings;
Many Managers Resist the Call for More Telecommuting; FCC Grants
Qualcomm Permission

CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA

DIGITAL TV TRANSITION BILL INTRODUCED IN HOUSE
[SOURCE: tvnewsday]
Former House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) and Reps
Fred Upton (R-MI) and Dennis Hastert (R-IL) have introduced a bill
dealing with a number of educational efforts related to the Feb. 18,
2009, "hard date" for turning off analog television. The bill's key
provisions include: 1) Requiring labeling and signs. Set
manufacturers would be required to place labels on analog TVs.
Retailers would be required to display signs near analog televisions.
This would help ensure that consumers who are thinking of buying an
analog television understand that after Feb. 17, 2009, they will need
to connect the television to a converter-box, or to cable or
satellite service, to receive broadcast television signals. 2)
Requiring billing notices. Cable and satellite operators would be
required to include information in their bills notifying subscribers
about the DTV transition and the digital-to-analog converter-box
program. Cable and satellite subscribers will be largely unaffected
by the transition, but this requirement will help ensure they
understand what is happening. 3) Broadcaster reporting. Broadcasters
will be required to file regular reports with the FCC detailing what
consumer education efforts they are undertaking, such as the airing
of public service announcements. Broadcasters and their viewers will
be among the prime beneficiaries of the DTV transition and the
converter-box program, and broadcasters are uniquely suited to
explain to consumers what will happen. 4) FCC outreach. The FCC would
be required to create a public outreach program to help educate
consumers. The FCC would also be required to create a DTV consumer
education working group that includes representatives from the FCC,
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), broadcasters, cable and satellite operators, consumer
electronics manufacturers and retailers, and consumer groups. The
working group would be charged with helping to advise the FCC on
consumer outreach. 5) Energy standards. The NTIA would be required to
establish energy standards for digital-to-analog converter boxes.
National standards will help ensure that manufacturers can produce
and distribute efficient, low-cost converter boxes for consumers
nationwide. 6) Progress reports. The FCC would be required to submit
regular progress reports to Congress on the DTV transition, including
discussion of the ongoing consumer education efforts of the FCC and
the private sector. The NTIA would be required to submit regular
reports to Congress on the distribution and redemption of coupons for
converter boxes.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/01/22/daily.10/
* Pols Call For Warning Labels on Analog-Only TV Sets
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11431
* See text of bill
http://www.nab.org/xert/corpcomm/pressrel/releases/012207_DTV_Edu_Act.pdf
* The National Association of Broadcasters loves the bill:
http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Room&CONTENTID=7946&TEMP...

CDT RELEASES 2007 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy & Technology]
CDT urged lawmakers to adopt an approach to Internet-related
policymaking that protects fundamental civil liberties, reestablishes
meaningful privacy protections and paves the way for the United
States' continued leadership in technological innovation. In its
Congressional Agenda for the 110th Congress, CDT offers both a broad
overview of the challenges associated with policymaking in the
Internet space, as well as granular, issue-by-issue recommendations
for lawmakers. CDT is distributing the recommendations to lawmakers
and the press.
2007 Legislative Agenda: http://www.cdt.org/legislation/110th/2007agenda.php
Press Release: http://www.cdt.org/press/20070122press.php

INTERNET/BROADBAND

WEB POWER IN WHITE HOUSE RACE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Ellen Wulfhorst]
Just how powerful will the Web be in the 2008 race for the White
House? Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen Hillary Clinton (NY),
Sen. Barack Obama (IL), and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson all used
the Web to announce their campaign plans. "These campaigns are not
going to be about who has the best television commercials or who has
the greatest direct mail or who can make the most phone calls," said
political strategist Hank Sheinkopf. "You're going to see greater use
of the Net than ever before," he said. "You get your news out when
you want to." The Web is inexpensive, allows control of a political
message and can target groups of voters, experts say.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID...
* On Web, Voters Question Clinton Directly
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/us/politics/23webcast.html
* Clinton Dives in Media Waters
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR200701...
* Throwing Their Blogs into the Ring
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR200701...
* Media can learn from White House hopefuls
"Although masterful reliance on these new digital venues and tools
might not immediately alter the $3 billion in ad spending expected
across all media platforms for the 2008 presidential race, it likely
will have a profound impact on the reallocation of political
advertising dollars to the Internet in the next decade."
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID...

SPEED MATTERS: AFFORDABLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET FOR ALL
[SOURCE: Communications Workers of America]
CWA has released a new whitepaper exploring how Americans pay too
much for too little when it comes to broadband Internet access. CWA
argues: It is now time for the United States to adopt a comprehensive
national high speed broadband policy to ensure that we all benefit
from the telecommunications and information revolution.
Throughout our history we have been able to benefit from major
technological advances because we adopted national policies to ensure
their widespread and equitable
deployment. In the 19th century we adopted policies to develop canals
and a national railroad system. In the 20th century we instituted
policies to develop national telephone and highway systems. It is now
the 21st century but we still do not have a national high speed
broadband policy. CWA also identifies five key goals: real high-speed
access, access for all, a better definition of "high-speed" for
policymakers, Network Neutrality, and consumer and worker protections.
http://www.speedmatters.org/blog/page.jsp?itemID=28211126

MUSIC INDUSTRY DIVIDED OVER DIGITAL FUTURE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Kate Holton]
With global music sales down for a seventh straight year, the talk at
an annual industry meeting in Cannes, France, has become heated over
how to develop digital sales against competition from the dreaded F
word -- free. Global sales are expected to be down again for 2006
despite digital sales almost doubling to $2 billion and the
popularity of music being as strong as ever. Critics of the major
players in the industry argue that they have been distracted by the
fight against piracy and in doing so, hindered the growth of the
legal business. In response, the accused argue that they had little choice.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&story...
* Record Labels Contemplate Unrestricted Digital Music
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/technology/23music.html

WIRE THOSE JAWS
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] With San Francisco's plan to secure citywide wireless
Internet access ready to launch, we have to ask the dissenting
supervisors a simple question: Do you want to complain, or do you
want to do something positive? Citywide wireless is the kind of
experiment that's best left to the private enterprises that
specialize in the engineering feats that will be necessary to build
and maintain a network on the city's hilly terrain -- especially if
they're doing it for free. That's what convinced our neighbors --
Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Foster City -- who have
either public-private partnerships or privately owned agreements for
their services. "It's been a positive experience for us, a real
benefit to the community," said Ellis Berns, economic development
manager for the city of Mountain View. "I'm mystified about the
resistance in San Francisco."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/0...

BROADCASTING

VNR EXECUTIVE FILES E-MAIL WITH FCC AGAINST "RADICALLY LEFT WING" GROUP
[SOURCE: Lasar's Letter on the FCC, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
The president of a company that makes Video News Releases (VNRs) has
filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission describing
an organization critical of his products as a "radically left wing
anti-corporate group." "The Center for Media and Democracy [CMD]
continues to fallaciously charge that what we do is somehow dishonest
and that stations airing our content are violating our rules," Kevin
Foley, President of KEF Media Associates, Inc., e-mailed FCC Chair
Kevin Martin in mid-December. "Neither accusation is true." Foley
cc'd the e-mail to Republican Commissioners Robert M. McDowell and
Deborah Taylor Tate, but not to either of the agency's two Democrats:
Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps. The Commission accepted and
publicly filed the comment on January 9th of this year. For almost
ten months the CMD has run a spirited campaign against the
undisclosed broadcasting of VNRs, which the group calls "fake news."
http://www.lasarletter.net/drupal/node/300

RUMORED FCC PAYOLA SETTLEMENT ANGERS CRITICS
[SOURCE: National Public Radio, AUTHOR: Neda Ulaby]
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission promised to pick up
Elliot Spitzer's investigation into payola. But rumors around
Washington and the music industry suggest that the FCC is dropping
the investigation and settling with broadcasting companies. The music
industry received a big jolt a few years ago after a payola
investigation conducted by Spitzer, then New York State's attorney
general, resulted in multi-million dollar settlements with two record
companies. Musician advocates and media critics hoped it might pave
the way for further reforms in the industry -- including the other
half of the issue: the media companies that work with record labels.
But sources have told NPR that the Federal Communications Commission
is planning to announce a settlement with broadcasters over the
payola issue. Some artist advocacy groups, such as the Future of
Music Coalition, are fearful that in its settlement, the FCC will not
adequately address enforcement and oversight. Until payola is removed
from both the broadcasting and recording arms of the music industry,
they say, future abuses are likely.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6944954&ft=1&f=1001

FAMILY DEMANDS FCC PULL RADIO STATION LINKED TO WATER DEATH
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Lawyers for the family of a woman who died after drinking nearly two
gallons of water in an on-air radio contest are demanding the Federal
Communications Commission terminate the station's license. The
development comes as the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department
continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of
28-year-old Jennifer Lea Strange, and as the family's lawyers
threaten to file a wrongful-death suit against the station as early
as Thursday. In a letter Sunday to FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, the
family's lawyer writes, "We believe the conduct of the radio
management and the on-air staff mandates that your agency terminate
the radio station's license and discipline its ownership for their
wanton disregard of the safety of the participants in this contest."
http://www.sacbee.com/114/story/111720.html

QUICKLY

SANDERS ADDRESSES MEDIA CONFERENCE
[SOURCE: Democracy Now, AUTHOR: Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT)]
[Commentary] Last weekend, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders gave what
could be described as an alternate State of the Union before
thousands gathered in Memphis, Tennessee at the third National
Conference for Media Reform. (see text of speech at URL below) Sen
Sanders is an Independent who was elected to the Senate in November
of 2006. He is the country's first self-described socialist to be
elected to the U.S. Senate. Before becoming Senator, Bernie Sanders
served in the House of Representatives for 15 years where he was the
longest-serving Independent in modern history. "If You Are Concerned
About Health Care, Iraq, the Economy, Global Warming You Must Be
Concerned About Corporate Control of the Media."
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/22/1455248

RATING THE RATINGS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: William Booth]
Dan Glickman says the changes in the movie ratings system he
announced Monday were not inspired by the Sundance documentary "This
Film Is Not Yet Rated," which trashed the ratings body that grades
films G, PG, R, etc., as a super-secret, censorious cabal that
suffocates filmmakers -- and gives violent movies a pass while being
too strict about sex. The timing? Purely coincidental, says Glickman,
chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, which lobbies
for the major Hollywood studios in Washington, and runs the rating
system along with the National Association of Theatre Owners.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR200701...
(requires registration)

MANY MANAGERS RESIST THE CALL FOR MORE TELECOMMUTING
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Stephen Barr]
Concerns over employee productivity and a lack of control over
employee activities make it difficult for federal managers to support
telecommuting, according to a survey released yesterday. But federal
managers also think telecommuting improves "work-life balance" for
employees, and makes their agencies more competitive in hiring and
keeping employees, the survey found.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR200701...
(requires registration)

FCC GRANTS QUALCOMM PERMISSION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC has granted Qualcomm permission to operate on channel 55 in
St. Louis and Norfolk, Va., after WRSP, the Fox station on channel 55
in nearby Springfield, Ill., and WHAG, THe NBC stations in
Hagerstown, Md., agreed to accept interference to some analog
viewers. Qualcomm says it is spending $800 million to roll out a
national video service, MediaFLO, to wireless phones using channel
55, which is being vacated along with other channels in the 700 mHz
band when TV switches to all-digital in 2009. In the interim, the FCC
is allowing Qualcomm to pay stations to vacate the band early, and
nearby stations to accept increased interference levels, so it can
launch its next-generation wireless service. The FCC takes into
account how many viewers will be affected and what alternative
viewing choices they have before deciding whether to grant the applications.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6409127.html?display=Breaking...
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Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary
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industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events.
While the summaries are factually accurate, their often informal tone
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Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we
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