April 2007

BROADCASTING
Talk Radio Tries for Humor and a Political Advantage
Can the Marketplace Deliver the Media We Need?
Imus and =93I'm Us=94
NCTA Opposed to Dual Carriage
Local TV stations face Net threat

NEWS FROM CONGRESS
House Pitched On Public-Private Spectrum Plan
House panel approves anti-spyware bill

MEDIA & ELECTIONS
Hollywood on the Campaign Trail
Richardson Leads Race To TV Ads

TELECOM
Berlusconi Telecom Italia Move Will Further Politicize Battle

BROADCASTING

TALK RADIO TRIES HUMOR AND A POLITICAL ADVANTAGE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jacques Steinberg]
Only a week after Don Imus was fired by MSNBC and=20
CBS Radio for making a racially and sexually=20
charged aside about the women=92s basketball team=20
at Rutgers University, his former colleagues=20
across the spectrum of talk radio have wrestled=20
with how far they can go in sounding off (and=20
even mining for a few laughs) on the violence at=20
Virginia Tech. Some of the most prominent hosts =97=20
including Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and Neal=20
Boortz =97 have shown little restraint. This, after=20
all, is an incident in which many of the themes=20
that often serve as grist for those hosts and=20
their callers =97 including immigration (Mr. Cho=20
was Korean), gun control (he appears to have used=20
handguns that were legally bought ) and the=20
aggressive coverage of the national media (NBC=20
initially broadcast the suspect=92s multimedia=20
manifesto) =97 have coalesced. And then, in an=20
effort to link the events of the last two weeks,=20
Rush Limbaugh said, =93The only thing that Virginia=20
Tech and the Imus situation have in common is NBC.=94
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/us/20radio.html
(requires registration)
-- See also --
* Networks Limit Use Of Gunman's Video
Faced with an outpouring of anger over the airing=20
of the Virginia Tech gunman's hate-filled video,=20
network executives said yesterday that they are=20
sharply restricting their use of the chilling images.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR200704...
2394.html
* NBC bashed for airing Virginia Tech killer's rants
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-et-tapes20apr20,1,4187...
story?coll=3Dla-headlines-frontpage
* TV leaves us to face the terror
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-notebook20apr20,...
686764.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section
(requires registration)

CAN THE MARKETPLACE DELIVER THE MEDIA WE WANT?
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Charles Benton]
[Commentary] Some are hailing the outcome of the=20
Don Imus fiasco as a triumph of media companies'=20
self-regulation. But within days of CBS firing=20
Imus, we saw the limits of relying on the=20
marketplace to ensure the public interest. Today,=20
marketers are truly the reigning power in the=20
media world, but that how it should be. There=92s=20
been a slow erosion of broadcaster public=20
interest obligations that has left Americans to=20
ask whether broadcasters are really serving their=20
local communities, whether they are meeting the=20
diverse needs of all Americans who own the=20
airwaves, and whether they are contributing to a=20
vibrant and well informed democracy. If the FCC=20
had real public interest standards that=20
broadcasters must meet to win renewal of their=20
licenses to use our airwaves, broadcasters would=20
have focused on the national tragedy in Virginia=20
instead of offering its typical escapist fare. If=20
the stations airing the Imus show were owned by a=20
minority, had a more diverse set of workers,=20
still followed the ascertainment rules that=20
required them to meet with the community it=20
served, Don Imus would have been a better person,=20
his show would have been more responsive, and the=20
whole episode might have been avoided.=20
Broadcasters can offer more than escape =AD and,=20
according to the law, they should. Consumers=20
deserve to know how broadcasters will serve their=20
day-to-day television needs =AD healthy programming=20
for children, healthy programming for our=20
democracy, healthy programming for our=20
communities, and as much information about the TV=20
programs that come into our living rooms as=20
what=92s in the food that comes into our kitchens.
http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dnode/5538
* For more on Public Interest Obligations see:
http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dissues/obligations
-- See also --
* As with Imus, marketplace a fair arbiter of bad speech
[Commentary] Media and entertainment figures who=20
think they have to shock to be successful would=20
do well to consider self-policing in light of the=20
Imus, Mel Gibson, Ann Coulter and Michael=20
Richards slurs, and other recent incidents. It=20
could be that the marketplace is beginning to=20
define just what it is willing to accept. This is not a constitutional matt=
er.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070419/OPINION0...
04190375/1007

IMUS AND "I'M US"
[SOURCE: Center for American Progress, AUTHOR: Mark Lloyd]
[Commentary] Does his name say it all? Does Imus=20
really reflect the views of us...or just middle=20
age white men? Does the locker room banter of=20
=93I'm us=94 in the Morning reflect the way women and=20
minorities, and especially minority women, are=20
viewed by awakening white men? Is this, as some=20
of us fear, what is said and thought when the=20
rest of us are out of reach, where important=20
decisions are sometimes made in the U.S.? It is=20
important to point out that =93I'm us=94 in the=20
Morning was not on just any old soapbox. When CBS=20
and NBC fired him, =93I'm us=94 was carried by 61=20
radio stations and a cable service seen in every=20
major market in the U.S. With roughly 1.6 million=20
radio listeners per week and an average of=20
361,000 viewers, his was no small voice squeaking=20
away someplace on the Internet. =93I'm us=94 will=20
likely find another soapbox, not because he is=20
burning to do another interview, but because he=20
made his patrons some $50 million dollars a year.=20
Because there are so many people who include=20
themselves in the =93us=94 bit of =93I'm us.=94 Because=20
banter from the locker room sells. Because making=20
money is what counts most in our regulation of=20
media in America. Because profit has become the=20
substitute for the public interest.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/imus.html

NCTA OPPOSED TO DUAL CARRIAGE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The cable industry took issue yet again with FCC=20
Chairman Kevin Martin's proposal to require cable=20
systems to deliver both analog and digital=20
versions of TV station signals after the=20
transition to digital. The National Cable &=20
Telecommunications Association says that it has=20
always planned to deliver broadcast signals "to=20
all customers" after the transition. But its=20
point was that there was no call for a government=20
mandate. Cable operators are under no explicit=20
obligation to carry both analog and digital=20
signals after the conversion to digital, but=20
Martin apparently sees at least an implicit one=20
in a law requiring cable operators to deliver a=20
"viewable" signal to subscribers.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6435130.html
* Comcast Urges No Must-Carry Expansion
Comcast is urging the FCC to resist the adoption=20
of rules that would expand the boundaries of a=20
law that allows TV stations to demand systemwide=20
distribution from local cable systems.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6435145.html

LOCAL TV STATIONS FACE NET THREAT
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Greg Sandoval]
Some attendees of the National Association of=20
Broadcasters conference this week are worried=20
that local television affiliates will be the next=20
business species to be endangered by the=20
Internet. The warning signs are ominous for local=20
TV outlets. Last month, NBC Universal and News=20
Corp., parent company of Fox Broadcasting, helped=20
establish a new online video network that will=20
distribute full-length movies and TV shows across=20
some of the top Internet portals. CBS announced=20
its own video network last week. Is there a place=20
in this direct-to-consumers business model for=20
local TV stations? Certainly, the outlook for=20
regional broadcasters appeared troubled long=20
before the Web. Over-the-air broadcasters have=20
been challenged by cable and satellite=20
distributors for decades and for the past five=20
years by DVD sales. The Internet is just the=20
latest technological threat to come along and=20
carve another slice from the $75 billion market for TV advertising.
http://news.com.com/Local+TV+stations+face+Net+threat/2100-1025_3-617656...
tml

NEWS FROM CONGRESS

HOUSE PITCHED ON PUBLIC-PRIVATE SPECTRUM PLAN
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The House Commerce Committee was pitched Thursday=20
on a new private industry-government partnership=20
to use some of the auctioned analog TV spectrum=20
for a public safety communications systems. The=20
systems would be available for private use=20
during non-emergencies. Backers of the Frontline=20
Wireless proposal, which include former FCC=20
Chairman Reed Hundt, made their case at a House=20
Telecommunications Subcommittee hearing on the=20
future of wireless telecommunications.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6435106.html
* Chairman Dingell's statement
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110st36.shtml

HOUSE PANEL APPROVES ANTI-SPYWARE BILL
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Legislation that would help protect consumers=20
from harmful spyware that can harvest personal=20
data from a user's computer was approved on=20
Thursday by the House Subcommittee on Commerce,=20
Trade and Consumer Protection. The bill would=20
require software distributors and advertisers to=20
clearly notify and obtain consent from consumers=20
before their programs can be loaded onto a=20
computer. Violators could be fined up to $3=20
million for each unfair or deceptive act.=20
"Protecting Internet users from dangerous=20
programs that steal consumers' identities, invade=20
their software or just plain harass them is a top=20
priority," said House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI).
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1933708420070419
* Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer=20
Protection Completes Markup on =93Spy Act=94, H.R. 964
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr27.shtml

MEDIA & ELECTIONS

HOLLYWOOD ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
[SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter, AUTHOR: Brooks Boliek]
If campaign donations are any indication, Viacom=20
is fond of Barack Obama, Comcast likes Hillary=20
Clinton and Time Warner is sweet on both.=20
Hollywood continues to be a major financier of=20
the nation's presidential campaigns, handing out=20
$2.4 million to White House hopefuls during this=20
election cycle (Jan. 1-March 30), according to an=20
analysis of campaign contributions by the Center=20
for Responsive Politics. While Sen. Obama (D-IL)=20
has made headlines with high-profile fundraisers=20
in California, he trails Sen. Clinton (D-NY) by a=20
substantial margin in the Hollywood money race.=20
Sen Clinton raised $806,558 from the television,=20
movie and music industries, compared with Sen=20
Obama's $661,385, according to CRP's examination=20
of the Federal Election Commission records of the=20
2008 cycle. The CRP calculates the data from=20
political action committee contributions and=20
contributions from individuals giving more than $200.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/business/news/e3i24b...
16578451e574c7f02ce9449906
* Financiers, Along with Lawyers, are=20
Underwriting the Race for the White House, Watchdog Finds
http://www.opensecrets.org/pressreleases/2007/PresidentialMoney.4.18.asp
-- See also --
* Presidential campaigns seek to turn=20
virtual-world interest into real-life votes
Democrat or Republican, the White House campaigns=20
are using new online tools this year in an effort=20
to attract supporters who they hope will give not=20
only their votes, but their time and money to the=20
effort. The technology is new, but not the=20
political chase - candidates want to be where the=20
voters are. And Americans today are spending their time online.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/latestheadlines/ci_5705638

RICHARDSON LEADS RACE TO TV ADS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Chris Cillizza]
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will take to the=20
airwaves in Iowa and New Hampshire next week,=20
making him the first Democratic candidate to run=20
television ads in the states that will lead off=20
the presidential caucus and primary calendar. The=20
30- and 60-second spots were produced by Murphy=20
Putnam Media and are meant to introduce=20
Richardson to voters in two of the most critical=20
states in the nomination fight. The shorter ad=20
details Richardson's rationale for running and=20
outlines his plans for moving forward in Iraq;=20
the 60-second spot highlights his record as governor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR200704...
2813.html
(requires registration)

TELECOM

BERLUSCONI TELECOM ITALIA MOVE WILL FURTHER POLITICIZE BATTLE
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Gabriel Kahn gabriel.kahn( at )wsj.com]
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi=20
offered to use his vast media empire to help=20
ensure Telecom Italia SpA doesn't fall into=20
foreign hands, but his involvement will only=20
further politicize the heated battle for control=20
of the company. Mr. Berlusconi's offer is the=20
latest theatrical twist in what has become a=20
long-running soap opera that pits Telecom=20
Italia's major shareholder, Marco Tronchetti=20
Provera, against Italy's center-left government.=20
Prime Minister Romano Prodi has been trying to=20
prevent Mr. Tronchetti Provera from selling part=20
of his controlling stake in Telecom Italia to=20
foreign players. Instead, Mr. Prodi's government=20
has rallied a group of Italian banks to try to=20
ensure that the country's former phone monopoly remains under Italian contr=
ol.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117703010706976294.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
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...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend.
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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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