January 2007

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

OWNERSHIP
FCC Commissioner: Declining Black Media Ownership is a =91National Disgrac=
e=92
Interest seems muted in bids for Tribune
If XM, Sirius Pursue Merger, Hurdles at FCC, Justice Loom
Verizon to Sell Phone Assets to FairPoint in 3 States
Cablevision Board Rejects Offer by the Dolans

TELEVISION
NTIA Chief: No DTV Plan B
Couch potato 2.0
Atop TV Sets, Basic Black Boxes Face Competition
Comcast To Challenge Ruling On Cable Boxes
Conservatives? On network TV? It's true.
How to Succeed in the Two-Way Media World
Skype founders unveil global online TV service
Another Perspective, or Jihad TV?

LEGISLATION
Debate About Royalties For Satellite Radio Is Back On
President signs pretexting bill into law

INTERNET/BROADBAND
U.S.: No Net governance changes expected
Videos Show Challenge of Info Wrangling

QUICKLY -- The Debate over Iraq Policy Dominates=20
the News; British band breakthrough another=20
online victory; Motorola, Nokia expect payoff in=20
bridging the digital divide; ACLU Backs AT&T=20
Holders On Privacy Fight; Telecommuters may go=20
nowhere -- careerwise; Smell-O-Phone

OWNERSHIP

FCC COMMISSIONER: DECLINING BLACK MEDIA OWNERSHIP IS A 'NATIONAL DISGRACE'
[SOURCE: Baltimore Times, AUTHOR: George Curry]
The level of Black ownership of broadcast media,=20
which has fallen by 30 percent over the past nine=20
years, is a =93national disgrace=94 and reflects=20
overall retrenchment in the march toward justice=20
and equality, said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps=20
before the 10th annual Wall Street Project=20
conference of Rainbow/PUSH. =93Today, we gather to=20
talk about equality and justice in our broadcast=20
media,=94 he began. =93Neither equality nor justice=20
exists there yet. We=92re not even moving in the=20
right direction toward equality and justice.=20
Minority issues don't get decent coverage.=20
Minorities don't own enough media. At its core,=20
this issue is about civil rights, and one of=20
those rights is accessible media that reflect and=20
nourish the diverse genius of our nation.=94 Jesse=20
L. Jackson, Sr., president and CEO of=20
Rainbow/PUSH, invited the Copps and fellow FCC=20
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein to a follow-up=20
meeting he plans to hold in Chicago within the=20
next two months to draw more attention to the=20
issue. Complaining about television news and talk=20
show programs that are =93all day, all night =96 all=20
White,=94 Rev Jackson agreed with the commissioners=20
that the public must become more aggressive in=20
insisting that the airwaves become more diverse.=20
=93We must make media access a mass movement,=94 Rev=20
Jackson told those attending the session. =93For=20
too long, this has been a small movement. One=20
hundred people at an FCC hearing may be more=20
important than 50,000 marching at HHS (the=20
Department of Health and Human Services).=94
http://www.btimes.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=3D11945&sID=3D3

INTEREST SEEMS MUTED IN BIDS FOR TRIBUNE
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: James Rainey]
The 4-month-old auction of Tribune Co. appeared=20
to be limping toward today's bidding deadline=20
with several potential buyers on the sidelines=20
and the California family that promoted a sale or=20
breakup unsure whether to respond with an=20
offer. The Chandler family, the previous owner=20
of the Los Angeles Times, is the largest single=20
shareholder of Tribune, the Chicago-based company=20
that owns The Times, KTLA-TV Channel 5, the=20
Chicago Cubs baseball team and various other=20
media properties. The Chandlers had been=20
pondering an offer for the company to protect the=20
value of their 20% stake. But they are currently=20
leaning against bidding, according to a person=20
familiar with a meeting Tuesday of the Chandler Trust board.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-chandler17jan17,1,531...
0.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)
* As Deadline Nears: No Sign of Strong Bid for Tribune
Tribune Co.'s approaching Wednesday night=20
deadline for potential buyers to submit final=20
proposals to acquire the media conglomerate was=20
being watched with interest by Wall Street, but=20
with low expectations that attractive offers were forthcoming.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003533484

IF XM, SIRIUS PURSUE MERGER, HURDLES AT FCC, JUSTICE LOOM
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sarah=20
McBride sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com and Amy Schatz]
With speculation on the upswing about a possible=20
merger between satellite-radio rivals Sirius=20
Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio=20
Holdings Inc., the companies face a serious=20
obstacle: Federal Communications Commission=20
regulations that appear to specifically forbid a=20
merger. Winning approval for any deal, from both=20
the FCC and the Justice Department, may rest in=20
persuading regulators that the two companies face=20
many more competitors than just each other.=20
Competing technologies that have helped damp=20
satellite radio's growth -- like iPods, podcasts=20
and Internet radio -- may give the companies=20
ammunition to persuade regulators that a merger=20
of the only two satellite-radio players isn't a=20
threat to competition. An XM-Sirius merger is=20
gaining more urgency in the industry as both=20
companies struggle to win consumers. While both=20
firms add new listeners each quarter, neither is=20
reaching the lofty subscriber levels that were=20
expected a few years ago. FCC Chairman Kevin=20
Martin hasn't said how he might view a deal, but=20
he could be leaning toward a stricter definition=20
of competition in the satellite-radio arena. When=20
asked about a potential XM-Sirius deal last week=20
at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,=20
Mr. Martin pointed to how the agency viewed=20
competition in the satellite-television market=20
during its review of EchoStar Communications=20
Corp. and DirecTV Group Inc.'s failed merger=20
attempt a few years ago. In that case, the FCC=20
took a narrow approach to defining the market for=20
video competition. Chairman Martin's support for=20
a deal would be critical to its success. The=20
political climate at the Republican-controlled=20
commission has been more strained than usual=20
since Democrats took control of Congress, and it=20
isn't clear that the five-member commission's two=20
Democrats could be persuaded to support a further=20
consolidation of the market, given their staunch=20
opposition to relaxing media-ownership rules.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116899806305378365.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)

VERIZON TO SELL PHONE ASSETS TO FAIRPOINT IN 3 STATES
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Verizon is selling its residential telephone=20
business in three New England states for $2.72=20
billion, shedding more of what the company sees=20
as noncore assets as it invests billions to=20
upgrade its wired and wireless networks for=20
next-generation services. The operations in=20
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, serving 1.5=20
million homes, will be acquired by FairPoint=20
Communications of North Carolina. FairPoint owns=20
local phone networks in 31 mostly rural markets=20
in 18 states, including the 3 where it is=20
acquiring Verizon=92s business. Hoping to head off=20
concern among local officials that Verizon=92s=20
planned exit might lead to deterioration in phone=20
and Internet service, the companies emphasized=20
there would be no layoffs and that FairPoint=20
would invest heavily in the region to expand broadband availability.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17verizon.html
(requires registration)
* Verizon Agrees to Spin Off Local Telephone Business In Northern New Engla=
nd
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/16/AR200701...
1488.html

CABLEVISION BOARD REJECTS OFFER BY THE DOLANS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Ross Sorkin]
The board of the Cablevision Systems Corporation=20
rejected an $8.9 billion offer yesterday to sell=20
the company to the Dolans, its founding family.=20
The rebuff was a rare example of a board standing=20
up to and denying a request by a controlling=20
shareholder. The rejection by the board, which=20
set up a special committee to review the Dolans=92=20
proposal, is the second time it has refused to sell the company to the fami=
ly.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17cable.html
(requires registration)

TELEVISION

NTIA CHIEF: NO DTV PLAN B
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
The White House=92s point man on the digital-TV=20
transition said Tuesday that the Bush=20
administration isn't preparing a backup plan in=20
the event that millions of consumers lose TV=20
reception when analog-TV service is cut off in=20
762 days. =93We've got an existing statute that=20
defines the DTV transition, and that=92s what we=20
are working on,=94 said John Kneuer, director of=20
the Commerce Department=92s National=20
Telecommunications and Information=20
Administration. Last year, Congress passed a law=20
establishing the analog-TV cutoff Feb. 17, 2009.=20
The law included up to $1.5 billion to subsidize=20
digital-to-analog converters. The law allows a=20
household to obtain up to two $40 coupons to buy=20
converters beginning Jan. 1, 2008. The converters=20
will allow viewing of digital-TV signals on=20
analog-TV sets. But the $1.5 billion is=20
sufficient to fund about one-half of the=20
estimated 73 million analog-TV sets that rely=20
solely on free, over-the-air broadcasting. With=20
demand for converters potentially outstripping=20
supply, coupled with others factors, such as the=20
lack of consumer education, millions of consumers=20
could wake up Feb. 18, 2009, with no functioning=20
television as a result of federal law. Asked if=20
the White House had some kind of auxiliary plan=20
to avert a massive communications cutoff, Kneuer=20
replied that his job was to implement the new=20
law. =93There is nothing in the statute that=20
directs me to do anything except operationalize=20
this program as it exists in the statute,=94 he=20
added. =93That=92s what I'm focused on. That=92s what the whole team is foc=
used on.=94
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6407854.html?display=3DBreaking+News

COUCH POTATO 2.0
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Editorial]
[Commentary] Recent developments illustrate at=20
least two things about the state of play in=20
Hollywood these days. First, barely a week goes=20
by without someone experimenting with a new way=20
to distribute videos. And second, those=20
experiments don't yet live up to the promise of=20
the Digital Age, which is enabling people to=20
watch whatever they want, whenever and wherever=20
they wish. The approaches of Netflix and Fox show=20
how two pillars of the California economy -- the=20
entertainment industry and the technology=20
industry -- approach this problem from different=20
angles. Curiously, or perhaps predictably,=20
Hollywood's obstacles are mostly technological;=20
Silicon Valley's are mostly contractual. How=20
quickly the public gets to the nirvana of=20
anywhere/anytime entertainment will depend on how=20
long it takes engineers to connect the Internet=20
to TV sets -- and how willing the studios are to=20
replace plastic discs that they find profitable=20
and convenient with digital bits that, so far, are neither.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-foxnet17jan17,1,5...
554.story?coll=3Dla-news-comment
(requires registration)

ATOP TV SETS, BASIC BLACK BOXES FACE COMPETITION
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Brad Stone]
For many Americans, the cable box =97 still=20
commonly called the set-top box, though it is now=20
too big to balance on top of increasingly thin=20
TVs =97 may be the most disappointing piece of=20
technology in their homes. As inventions like=20
TiVo and YouTube alter the way people watch and=20
control video, the traditional box has largely=20
failed to keep up. Now that is beginning to=20
change. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las=20
Vegas last week, makers of set-top boxes=20
exhibited devices with a host of new features:=20
more hard-disk space for storing digitally=20
recorded TV shows, easier-to-navigate program=20
guides, connections to Web sites, DVD burners and=20
video games. The box manufacturers and the cable=20
operators like Comcast, Cox and Time Warner Cable=20
that they sell to, have an age-old motivation for=20
improving their products: fear. New competitors=20
are flooding into the TV business, including the=20
industry=92s rivals in the telephone business, and=20
the computer kingpins Microsoft and Apple.=20
Consumers can buy those alternatives at regular=20
retail outlets, including the newest=20
high-definition version of TiVo. It sells for=20
$800 (with a $20 monthly fee) and can replace the=20
box that cable and satellite providers lease to=20
customers, instead of merely sitting on top of it=20
and adding to living room clutter. Cable=20
operators are being forced to play nice with=20
these new entrants. The Federal Communications=20
Commission has set a deadline of July 1 for all=20
cable operators to make their services work with=20
boxes from all third-party manufacturers, and=20
last week it rejected a request from Comcast to extend the deadline.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/technology/17settop.html
(requires registration)

COMCAST TO CHALLENGE RULING ON CABLE BOXES
[SOURCE: Technology Daily 1/11, AUTHOR: David Hatch and Andrew Noyes]
Comcast will ask the FCC to "immediately" review=20
the agency's rejection of the company's request=20
to be exempted from new rules governing cable=20
set-top boxes. The regulations, which take effect=20
July 1, require cable operators to offer units=20
that accommodate insertable cards with security=20
features designed to block channels and prevent=20
programming theft. The rules are intended to spur=20
a robust marketplace for the devices. Many=20
consumers now rent proprietary boxes from their=20
cable operators, meaning that if they switch=20
providers, they must obtain replacements. Under=20
the FCC's plan, a consumer could easily buy a=20
standard box off the shelf and use it with any=20
cable service. Comcast wants to continue to offer=20
three low-cost models that have integrated=20
security functions and do not accommodate=20
external cards. "These set-top boxes are allowing=20
more customers to get the advantages of digital=20
services more quickly," company spokeswoman Sena=20
Fitzmaurice said. If Comcast must offer=20
re-engineered units, rental prices would rise $2 or $3 a month, she added.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-BWGX1168973921194.html

CONSERVATIVES? ON NETWORK TV? IT'S TRUE.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Melana Zyla Vickers, TCSDaily.com]
[Commentary] It's rare, indeed, to find a=20
prime-time character whose politics are similar=20
to the 31 million American women who voted=20
Republican in 2004. Sure, TV has had about one=20
conservative male per decade -- over-the-top=20
Reaganite Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties in the=20
'80s, and over-the-top elitist Denny Crane on=20
Boston Legal these days -- as well as plenty of=20
Donna Reed-type housewives whose views might have=20
been conservative had they been aired along with=20
the laundered sheets. But in the 50 years since=20
The Loretta Young Show, there have been few=20
female characters whose conservatism is a central=20
element of a show, according to TV historian=20
Walter Podrazik. Lately, viewers have begun to=20
see that perhaps times are changing. This season,=20
there's Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson), the=20
socially conservative Christian comedienne on=20
NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a drama=20
about the making of a weekly comedy show. There's=20
also Kitty Walker (Calista Flockhart), the=20
Republican aide on ABC's Brothers & Sisters, a=20
California family drama. Vague hints of the new=20
diversity came in 2005-06, with Bree Van De Kamp=20
(Marcia Cross) owning a gun on ABC's Desperate=20
Housewives, the muscular if apolitical patriotism=20
of Sidney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) on Alias, and=20
patriotic, God-referencing dialogue from the soldiers' wives on CBS' The Un=
it.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070117/oplededaily.art.htm

HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE TWO-WAY MEDIA WORLD
[SOURCE: tvnewsday]
Media consultant Tom Wolzien says TV broadcasters=20
are in for a rough time unless they find a way to=20
interact with viewers and produce hyperlocal=20
programming for the markets within their markets.=20
He says, "Television broadcasting is a dead-end,=20
one-way business in a two-way world." See more at the URL below.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/01/16/daily.1/

SKYPE FOUNDERS UNVEIL GLOBAL ONLINE TV SERVICE
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom founded Skype,=20
the service that provides free telephone calls=20
over the Internet, and later sold it to eBay for=20
around $2.5 billion in 2005. Now they want to=20
revolutionize television, launching Joost. Joost=20
is billing itself as the first free global TV=20
distribution platform, uniting advertisers,=20
content owners and viewers in a piracy-free interactive service.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2007-01-16T175021Z_01_L16876659_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEDIA-JOOST.xml&WTmodLoc=3D=
InternetNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-2

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, OR JIHAD TV?
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Judea Pearl]
[Commentary] The Arabic version of Al Jazeera and=20
its various spinoffs on satellite TV and the=20
Internet are usually credited with having a=20
positive influence on Arab society. True, Al=20
Jazeera=92s coverage has placed an emphasis on=20
younger leaders, reformers and successful=20
businessmen who may serve as role models for=20
today=92s Arab youth. And it has brought -- as the=20
press usually does -- a degree of inquisitiveness=20
and openness that could become a useful engine of=20
reform in the region. But what should concern=20
Westerners is that the ideology of men like Sheik=20
Qaradawi saturates many of the network=92s=20
programs, and is gaining wider acceptance among=20
Muslim youths in the West. In its =93straight=94 news=20
coverage on its Arabic TV broadcasts and Web=20
sites, Al Jazeera=92s reports consistently amplify=20
radical Islamist sentiments (although without=20
endorsing violence explicitly). I wouldn=92t call=20
for banning Al Jazeera English in the United=20
States even if that were possible. It is=20
important to extend a hand to the network because=20
it can become a force for good; but it is as=20
important for our news organizations to=20
scrutinize its content and let its viewers know=20
when anti-Western wishes are subverting objective=20
truth. As Al Jazeera on the whole feels the heat=20
of world media attention, we can hope that it=20
will learn to harness its popularity in the=20
service of humanity, progress and moderation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/opinion/17pearl.html
(requires registration)
See also --
* Why is Egypt airing insurgent TV from Iraq?
Al Zawraa's broadcasting of Sunni attacks on=20
American soldiers highlights sectarian politics.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0117/p01s03-wome.html

LEGISLATION

DEBATE ABOUT ROYALTIES FOR SATELLITE RADIO IS BACK ON
[SOURCE: Technology Daily 1/12, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
Legislation to make satellite radio companies=20
adhere to the same rate-setting and=20
content-protection rules as Internet-based=20
services is back in the Senate hopper. Sen.=20
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the same=20
language last year, but it failed to move despite=20
fierce lobbying by the music industry. The early=20
play this year shows that lawmakers "continue to=20
view parity among digital music services as a top=20
priority," said Mitch Bainwol, chief executive=20
officer of the Recording Industry Association of=20
America. Under the current system, satellite=20
radio has morphed into a digital distribution=20
service, "shorting the creators of music,=20
displacing licensed sales and threatening the=20
integrity of the digital music marketplace in the=20
process," he said. "This is simply no way to do=20
business." The National Music Publishers'=20
Association also hailed the new bill, S.256.=20
David Israelite, the group's president, said he=20
hoped that 2007 "will be the year that Congress=20
ensures that music publishers and songwriters are=20
compensated for their works when they are=20
transmitted over digital radio." But Public=20
Knowledge's Gigi Sohn said, "Consumers are=20
demanding the ability to do more with digital=20
media they lawfully acquire, not less. The bill=20
looks to the past rather than to the future."
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-GHUO1168974625716.html

PRESIDENT SIGNS PRETEXTING BILL INTO LAW
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
It's official: "pretexting" to buy, sell or=20
obtain personal phone records--except when=20
conducted by law enforcement or intelligence=20
agencies--is now a federal crime that could yield=20
prison time. President Bush on Friday affixed his=20
signature to the Telephone Records and Privacy=20
Protection Act of 2006. The measure threatens up=20
to 10 years behind bars to anyone who pretends to=20
be someone else, or otherwise employs fraudulent=20
tactics, to persuade phone companies to hand over=20
what is supposed to be confidential data about=20
customers' calling habits. Even before Bush's=20
move, federal law banned pretexting to obtain=20
someone's financial records. Some states, such as=20
California, have already outlawed telephone=20
pretexting. But many politicians and consumer=20
advocacy groups urged passage of a federal law to=20
clarify that the practice is illegal.
http://news.com.com/President+signs+pretexting+bill+into+law/2100-1028_3...
50572.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert

INTERNET/BROADBAND

US: NO NET GOVERNANCE CHANGES EXPECTED
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
Are tensions over the United States' historic=20
influence over key Internet management functions=20
a thing of the past? Two senior Bush=20
administration officials involved in setting Net=20
policy say that's the case. At a meeting here=20
organized by the Federal Communications Bar=20
Association, U.S. Ambassador David Gross and=20
Assistant Secretary of Commerce John Kneuer said=20
they view the question as settled: No United=20
Nations body will be exercising additional=20
control over tasks like handing out numeric=20
Internet addresses or operating the root servers=20
that power the Internet anytime soon. They said=20
they were encouraged that the new leadership of=20
the International Telecommunications Union, a=20
U.N. agency, claims to be more interested in=20
focusing on promoting cybersecurity and bridging=20
the so-called digital divide than on setting up a=20
new management structure for the Net, as some have called for in the past.
http://news.com.com/U.S.+No+Net+governance+changes+expected/2100-1028_3-...
0613.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert

VIDEOS SHOW CHALLENGE OF INFO WRANGLING
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
Safekeeping information -- video, photographs,=20
documents -- will become even tougher with the=20
emergence of additional "Web 2.0" services=20
designed for users to easily share data. Society=20
may have good reasons -- such as privacy,=20
security or taste -- for wanting to keep the lid=20
on some types of information, but it only takes=20
one individual to overrule that desire. "There=20
are more and more ways to distribute information,=20
but very few new approaches to keeping=20
information secret," said Steven Aftergood,=20
senior research analyst at the Federation of=20
American Scientists' Project on Government=20
Secrecy. "Paradoxically, the attempt to suppress=20
information often tends to draw greater attention=20
to it, so a government agency or an unhappy=20
celebrity or anyone else may decide that=20
challenging disclosure is counterproductive."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INFO_CONTROL?SITE=3DOHRAV&SECTION...
HOME&TEMPLATE=3DDEFAULT

QUICKLY

THE DEBATE OVER IRAQ POLICY DOMINATES THE NEWS
[SOURCE: Project for Excellence in Journalism, AUTHOR: Mark Jurkowitz]
The debate over what to do next in Iraq=20
thoroughly dominated the news landscape last=20
week, according to the PEJ News Coverage Index.=20
In the second week of the new year (January 7-12)=20
Iraq policy filled 34% of the overall newshole=20
and was the top story in all five media sectors =AD=20
newspapers, online, network TV, cable and radio.=20
That was followed by events in Congress and=20
Somalia, and two other Iraq-related stories, but=20
none of these even reached double digits in the=20
main Index. In a week of deadly serious events,=20
there was still a California-sized helping of=20
celebrity journalism as well. The Malibu=20
wildfires were the sixth-biggest story largely=20
because one of the destroyed homes belonged to=20
=93Three=92s Company=94 star and ThighMaster pitchwoman=20
Suzanne Somers. That overshadowed an event that=20
affected millions more Californians, the=20
unveiling of Governor Schwarzenegger=92s $12=20
billion health care plan, which finished in tenth=20
place. (The health care story was even topped by=20
news that fabulously famous British soccer star=20
and Posh Spice husband David Beckham had accepted=20
an Alex Rodriguez-like $250 million to play in=20
Los Angeles. Beckham was the seventh biggest=20
story, with cable paying the most attention.)
http://www.journalism.org/node/3654

BRITISH BAND BREAKTHROUGH ANOTHER ONLINE VICTORY
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Mike Collett-White]
Koopa is the first unsigned band to land a top 40=20
single -- "Blag, Steal & Borrow" -- that is=20
available only by downloading it on the Internet.=20
The breakthrough followed changes to the chart=20
this month that mean no physical version of a=20
record is required for the track to qualify.=20
Record executives believe the change will level=20
the playing field in music making, allowing new=20
acts to land hits and old favorites to get a fresh lease of life.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=3DmusicNews&storyID=...
007-01-16T111401Z_01_L16607569_RTRIDST_0_MUSIC-BAND-INTERNET-BREAKTHROUGH-D=
C.XML
* Is the music any good? You decide:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3D0-H3iKSxTxw

MOTOROLA, NOKIA EXPECT PAYOFF IN BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Kevin Maney]
It feels perverse to meet amid the spectacle of=20
108-inch TV screens, automatic scalp massagers=20
and cars with 20,000-watt stereos and talk about=20
the digital divide. It's like ordering a=20
seven-course spread at Spago and then discussing=20
world hunger. But for at least two of the CEOs at=20
this month's Consumer Electronics Show -- Ed=20
Zander of Motorola and Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo of=20
Nokia -- the billions of unconnected,=20
undigitized, underserved people around the globe=20
are often top of mind. On the crass side, those=20
billions are virgin potential customers, viewed=20
by cellphone companies much the same as Starbucks=20
sees the unfortunate souls who have never downed=20
a half-caf mocha latte. As Zander noted during=20
his CES speech, the number of new cellphone=20
customers in India each month equals the=20
population of Denmark. But there's another, more=20
magnanimous side. Cellphones aren't at all like=20
mocha lattes. They are miniature self-improvement=20
machines. They can make as much difference in=20
individual lives as literacy, without the steep learning curve.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20070117/maney17.art.htm

ACLU BACKS AT&T HOLDERS ON PRIVACY FIGHT
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal]
The American Civil Liberties Union is backing a=20
group of AT&T Inc. shareholders who are=20
pressuring the company to disclose more about=20
whether it turned over phone records to the=20
government. Investor-activist group As You Sow=20
has submitted a resolution to be included in=20
AT&T's proxy that calls for the San Antonio,=20
Texas, company to disclose any policies relating=20
to sharing phone records with the federal=20
agencies without a warrant and also to detail the expense of doing so.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116900968733178693.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)

TELECOMMUTERS MAY GO NOWHERE -- CAREERWISE
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Molly Selvin]
Maybe Woody Allen was right, that 80% of life=20
really is just about showing up. At least that's=20
what most executives seem to think about people=20
who work from home. Telecommuters are less likely=20
to get promoted than peers who head into the=20
office every day, according to a global survey of=20
1,300 executives released Tuesday by Los=20
Angeles-based executive search firm Korn/Ferry=20
International. That's even though most of the=20
executives consider telecommuters to be at least=20
as productive as their desk-bound colleagues,=20
according to the survey. And three-quarters of=20
those bosses also said they'd like a job in which=20
they could regularly telecommute.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-tele17jan17,1,6097460...
ory?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

SMELL-O-PHONE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Aiko Wakao]
Japan's top wireless operator NTT DoCoMo unveiled=20
on Tuesday a mobile phone that gives off a relaxing scent.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=3DtechnologyNews&sto...
D=3D2007-01-16T131716Z_01_T295921_RTRUKOC_0_US-DOCOMO-DS.xml&WTmodLoc=3DTec=
hNewsHome_C2_technologyNews-4
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"That's funny; you don't smell relaxed."
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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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