August 2007

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

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Role of Telecom Firms in Wiretaps Is Confirmed

BROADCASTING
NTIA Coupon Program May Start Slowly
Legislation would restore radio's community presence
Additional Radio Stations in the Community Service Grant Program=09

JOURNALISM
America's foreign news deficit may benefit BBC

ADVERTISING
YouTube fans rant, threaten to leave over new ads
Facebook Gets Personal With Ad Targeting Plan
AT&T 1993 "You Will" Ads

POLICYMAKERS
Civil-Rights Groups Miffed at Martin=92s Response

INTERNET/BROADBAND
AT&T's Still Hiding $10 DSL Service

QUICKLY -- Murdoch's presence felt at Journal;=20
Britain enjoying 'digital boom'; New Media Lag=20
Communication Impact Of TV, Radio, Magazines,=20
Newspapers; Americans Use Cellphones for, Well,=20
Calling; Anonymous Lawmaker Helps to Build=20
OpenCRS Database; Sleepy? Cut out late-night Internet and TV

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

ROLE OF TELECOM FIRMS IN WIRETAPS IS CONFIRMED
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Lichtblau]
The Bush administration has confirmed for the=20
first time that American telecommunications=20
companies played a crucial role in the National=20
Security Agency=92s domestic eavesdropping program=20
after asserting for more than a year that any=20
role played by them was a =93state secret.=94 The=20
acknowledgment was in an unusual interview that=20
Mike McConnell, the director of national=20
intelligence, gave last week to The El Paso Times=20
in which he disclosed details on classified=20
intelligence issues that the administration has=20
long insisted would harm national security if=20
discussed publicly. Mr. McConnell made the=20
remarks apparently in an effort to bolster=20
support for the broadened wiretapping authority=20
that Congress approved this month, even as=20
Democrats are threatening to rework the=20
legislation because they say it gives the=20
executive branch too much power. It is vital, he=20
said, for Congress to give retroactive legal=20
immunity to the companies that assisted in the=20
program to help prevent them from facing=20
bankruptcy because of lawsuits over it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/24/washington/24nsa.html?_r=3D1&hp&oref=3...
ogin
(requires registration)
* Telecom Firms Helped With Government's Warrantless Wiretaps
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/23/AR200708...
2056.html
* Discussing NSA surveillance kills Americans? Hogwash
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
[Commentary] Having a free society requires being=20
able to report on and publicly discuss what our=20
government is doing with our tax dollars. This=20
principle is even more important when there are=20
allegations of wrongdoing. Which is why it's odd=20
to see National Intelligence Director Mike=20
McConnell say that Americans will die because of=20
the discussion of National Security Agency spying=20
in public and in the U.S. Congress.
http://news.com.com/8301-13578_3-9765305-38.html

BROADCASTING

NTIA COUPON PROGRAM MAY START SLOWLY
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Harry Jessell]
The National Telecommunications and Information=20
Administration is promising to start taking=20
requests for digital TV converter box coupons on=20
January 1, 2008, but no one is sure if those=20
boxes will be ready for purchase by then. =93My=20
sense is it will not be on Jan. 1,=94 says Marc=20
Pearl, executive director of the Consumer=20
Electronics Retailers Association. For the coupon=20
program to work, NTIA needs the cooperation of=20
every link in the broadcasting food=20
chain=97broadcasters, consumer electronics=20
manufacturers and consumer electronics retailers.=20
Participation is voluntary, although all segments=20
are under heavy political pressure to do all they=20
can to make it work. Retailers are not rushing to=20
join the coupon program. To take part, consumer=20
electronics manufacturers and retailers must be=20
certified by NTIA. The NTIA wants to make sure=20
the boxes work properly and that waste and fraud=20
don't creep in. Broadcasting says they will do=20
their bit, launching a major public awareness=20
campaign to inform consumers of the transition,=20
what their options are and the availability of the coupons.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/08/23/daily.5/

LEGISLATION WOULD RESTORE RADIO'S COMMUNITY PRESENCE
[SOURCE: tennessean.com, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Small, low-power radio stations can=20
serve a variety of roles that larger media=20
cannot, such as keeping the community informed=20
about emergencies and neighborhood school=20
closings. They can also reflect the diversity of=20
their community in ways that corporate-owned=20
radio stations do not. Yet, low-power FM is=20
locked in a battle for survival. The=20
Telecommunications Act of 1996 led to=20
consolidation of radio stations to such an extent=20
that, in 2000, the Federal Communications=20
Commission told Congress there was too much=20
consolidation and community radio was endangered.=20
In June, Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Maria=20
Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced the Local Community=20
Radio Act of 2007, which seeks to remove those=20
restrictions, while keeping in place a grievance=20
process for large radio stations that believe=20
they are harmed by signal interference. If it=20
passes into law, educational groups, churches,=20
nonprofits and municipal governments around the=20
country are hoping to launch new radio stations=20
that serve their local area. Since the airwaves=20
belong to the public, it follows that the=20
airwaves should reflect all aspects of the=20
public. This bill would go a long way toward that=20
goal, and deserves full support.
http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070823/OPINI...
1/708230410/1007/MTCN0205
* Congress should help unique local stations
http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070823/OPINI...
1/708230406/1008
* Don't interfere with what listeners enjoy
http://www.dicksonherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070823/OPINI...
1/708230409/1007/MTCN0205
* The Promise of Low Power FM
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3306/

CPB WELCOMES ADDITIONAL NINE RADIO STATIONS TO=20
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
[SOURCE: Corporation for Public Broadcasting]
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)=20
today announced that an additional nine radio=20
stations have qualified for funding in Fiscal=20
Year 2008 through the Community Service Grant=20
(CSG) Program. This brings the total number of=20
radio stations receiving Community Service Grants=20
to more than 900. The nine successful applicants=20
are located in eight States (CA, CO, IA, GA, MI,=20
TN, VA, and WA). Contingent on Congressional=20
approval of CPB's budget, it is expected that the=20
organizations will collectively be receiving=20
approximately $830,000 in FY 2008.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=3D614

JOURNALISM

AMERICA'S FOREIGN NEWS DEFICIT MAY BENEFIT BBC
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Steve Brennan]
Who would have thought that the cynical adage "no=20
news is good news" could in fact be the best=20
calling card Britain's BBC might have when=20
knocking on the door of the potentially gigantic=20
U.S. market for its storied news operations? But=20
the fact is that the perceived dearth of=20
international news and analysis on U.S.=20
mainstream broadcasters is one of the big=20
marketing ploys the BBC is using to create a=20
bigger footprint in the U.S. for its global TV=20
news. BBC World News' slogan is "See the world=20
you've been missing." The campaign approach=20
follows a recent research study carried out by=20
U.S. pollster Frank Luntz for BBC World News=20
which found: 1) Sixty-five percent of people=20
questioned believed it is extremely important or=20
very important to have access to international=20
news. 2) There is a significant gap in the amount=20
of international news demanded and what is being=20
supplied. 3) Forty-seven percent of those=20
questioned rate current coverage of international=20
news as only fair or poor. 4) The biggest=20
frustrations with national cable news are too=20
many tabloid stories (40% name it as their=20
biggest or next-biggest frustration), too=20
repetitive (32%), biased (31%) and too much politics (20%).
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DindustryNews&storyID=
=3D2007-08-23T052502Z_01_N22209237_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-BBC-DC.XML

ADVERTISING

YOUTUBE FANS RANT. THREATEN TO LEAVE OVER NEW ADS
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Dan Nysted]
YouTube might need to rethink their new InVideo=20
advertising scheme based on initial feedback to=20
the popular video sharing Web site. Most users=20
responding to a YouTube blog post asking for=20
feedback gave the idea a resounding thumbs down,=20
and one even made a video to share his=20
displeasure. The responses, a total of 132 as of=20
this writing, may best be summarized by the first=20
post: "Yuck" wrote user 'quepasakoolj18', of Oro=20
Valley, Arizona. The new InVideo ads, launched by=20
Google's YouTube division on Wednesday, start as=20
an overlay on the bottom 20 percent of a video,=20
and people can click and watch the advertisement=20
if they want to. If the user does not click on=20
the overlay, the ad will simply disappear. They=20
are designed to interfere as little as possible=20
with viewing. If a user clicks on the=20
advertisement, the video they were watching pauses while the ad plays.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/08/23/YouTube-fans-rant-over-new-ads...
html?source=3DNLC-TB&cgd=3D2007-08-23

FACEBOOK GETS PERSONAL WITH AD TARGETING PLAN
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal 8/23, AUTHOR: Vauhini Vara vauhini.vara( at )wsj.co=
m]
Social-networking Web site Facebook Inc. is=20
quietly working on a new advertising system that=20
would let marketers target users with ads based=20
on the massive amounts of information people=20
reveal on the site about themselves. Eventually,=20
it hopes to refine the system to allow it to=20
predict what products and services users might be=20
interested in even before they have specifically=20
mentioned an area. As the industry watches the=20
Palo Alto (CA), start-up to see if it can=20
translate its popularity into bigger profits,=20
Facebook has made the new ad plan its top=20
priority. The plan is at an early stage and could=20
change, but the aim is to unveil a basic version of the service late this f=
all.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118783296519606151.html
(requires subscription)
* Why Google Exec. is 'Intrigued' by Facebook
Marissa Mayer, the search giant's vice president=20
of search products and user experience, admitted=20
in a keynote address that she has a bit of=20
Facebook-envy. Mayer said she's "intrigued" by=20
Facebook's ability to collect information about=20
the connections people make at the social=20
networking site, such as how they met online.=20
"This information is particularly useful; we should do that," said Mayer.
http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3695801

AT&T 1993 "YOU WILL" ADS
So, looking back at what technology was=20
"futuristic" then, how much is commonplace today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DTZb0avfQme8

POLICYMAKERS

CIVIL-RIGHTS GROUPS MIFFED AT MARTIN'S RESPONSE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
"We have not been purchased by the cable=20
industry," said Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez,=20
president of the Hispanic Federation, warning=20
Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin=20
Martin to be "very, very careful what he quotes=20
publicly." To say that some civil-rights groups=20
were not persuaded by Martin's response to their=20
complaint about his comments on a la carte cable=20
at an Aspen Institute media conference would be=20
an understatement. In a call with reporters=20
Thursday, the heads of three of those groups,=20
including Rodriguez-Lopez, attacked the FCC=20
chairman, saying that his apology in a letter to=20
them wasn't an apology, that he was trying to=20
marginalize their arguments and that his agenda=20
was driven by the religious right's fear of diverse content.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6471386.html?rssid=3D193
* Civil Rights Groups Not Mollified by Apology
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/08/civil_rights_groups_not_mollif.php
* Minority Groups Rip FCC Chairman Kevin Martin
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6471383.html?rssid=3D196
* Read Chairman Martin's letter
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/documents/alacarte-ltr-082207.pdf

INTERNET/BROADBAND

AT&T'S SHENANIGANS IN HIDING $10 DSL SERVICE GO=20
FROM EXASPERATING TO INFURIATING
[SOURCE: HearUsNow.org, AUTHOR: Bob Williams]
[Commentary] Let's not and say we did. That=20
appears to be AT&T's newest tactic when it comes=20
to letting consumers know about a bargain=20
basement, $10 a month Internet service the=20
company was forced to begin offering to gain=20
government approval of its megamerger with=20
BellSouth last year. In June we told you how=20
there was not even a mention of the $10 a month=20
service on AT&T's Internet service web page. To=20
find out about it, consumers had to somehow=20
devine they needed to click on a tiny button=20
labeled "Term Contract Plans Available," which=20
was buried in the boilerplate language near the=20
bottom of the page. Like us, St. Louis Post=20
Dispatch consumer reporter Michael Sorkin has=20
criticized AT&T for its tactics. So Sorkin says=20
he was pleasantly surprised when he got an email=20
recently from AT&T saying it was taking steps to=20
make it easier for consumers to learn about and=20
sign up for the $10 a month service. As it turns=20
out, not so much. As Sorkin wrote in his "Saavy=20
Consumer" column this week, AT&T spokesman Kerry=20
Hibbs told him ""We've changed our website to=20
make our $10 DSL offer more prominent and easier=20
to find." There were new buttons and headers on=20
the web page, he was told. The company even sent=20
along instructions to Sorkin on how to do it. Sorkin tried it. It didn't wo=
rk.
http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2007/08/post_1.html

QUICKLY

MURDOCH'S PRESENCE FELT AT JOURNAL
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Joseph Menn]
Rupert Murdoch doesn't yet own the Wall Street=20
Journal, but he's already flexing his muscles. In=20
the last two weeks, the chairman of News Corp.=20
has called at least three reporters who were=20
considering leaving the top financial publication=20
and asked them to stay. Some journalists in the=20
newsroom took the gesture as a sign of Murdoch's=20
commitment to keep the staff's quality high.=20
Others said it showed that Murdoch would take a=20
hands-on approach in newsroom affairs despite a=20
special committee established to keep him from interfering in coverage.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-journal24aug24,1,3396...
.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

BRITIAN ENJOYING 'DIGITAL BOOM'
[SOURCE: BBCNews]
The net, mobile phones and MP3 players are=20
revolutionizing how Britons spend their time,=20
says Ofcom's annual report. It reveals that older=20
media such as TV, radio and even DVDs are being=20
abandoned in favour of more modern technology. It=20
also shows that women, in some age groups, are=20
the dominant web users and older web users spend=20
more time online than any group. Among children=20
it showed that web and mobile phone use is=20
growing at the expense of video games.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6959864.stm

NEW MEDIA LAG COMMUNICATION IMPACT OF TV, RADIO, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS
[SOURCE: MediaDailyNews, AUTHOR: Joe Mandese]
New and emerging digital media platforms may be=20
the rage on Madison Avenue and in the news media,=20
but some highly regarded consumer research=20
suggests they still have a long way to go before=20
they replace traditional media as effective=20
advertising alternatives with most consumers. The=20
conclusion, which comes from the 2007 release of=20
Compose, a collaboration of WPP Group's Kantar=20
Media Research unit and Netherlands-based=20
Pointlogic, is one of an array of new research=20
studies being used by big media shops to evaluate=20
the efficacy of using a wide range of=20
communications platforms to reach consumers. Of=20
the 33 channels - ranging from traditional=20
outlets like TV, radio and print to new media and=20
marketing channels like sampling, promotions and=20
direct marketing - the study found that the vast=20
majority of consumers still find mainstream media=20
to have the greatest influence.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=3DArticles.showAr...
leHomePage&art_aid=3D66241

AMERICANS USE CELLPHONES FOR, WELL, CALLING
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Megan McIlroy]
American mobile users are still using cellphones=20
primarily for calls, falling behind other=20
countries in adopting them as multimedia devices,=20
a new study by Universal McCann discovered. The=20
study found 65% of mobil-phone usage in the U.S.=20
is made up of phone calls, one of the highest=20
percentages in the world. Internet usage on=20
mobile phones in the U.S. is above the global=20
average -- the average U.S. user makes 12 visits=20
a month -- but still lags behind the leading=20
market, Japan, where users go online an average=20
of 40 times a month, the study found.
http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=3D120049

ANONYMOUS LAWMAKER HELPS BUILD OPENCRS DATABASE
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy & Technology]
A member of Congress has agreed to provide CDT=20
with a running list of new Congressional Research=20
Service reports in order to help bolster CDT's=20
OpenCRS project, which provides the reports to=20
the public at no cost. CRS generates in-depth,=20
non-partisan research on a wide range of issues=20
critical to Americans, but while the=20
taxpayer-funded reports are unclassified, the=20
government has never made them readily available=20
to the public. Drawing on the catalog provided by=20
the lawmaker -- who asked to remain anonymous --=20
CDT has created a list of "fugitive" reports that=20
are not yet in the database. OpenCRS is an=20
interactive project that encourages users to=20
obtain and add new reports to the database.
Press Release: OpenCRS: http://cdt.org/press/20070823press.php
OpenCRS: http://www.opencrs.com/
Fugitive CRS Reports: http://www.opencrs.com/fugitives.php

SLEEPY? CUT OUT LATE-NIGHT INTERNET AND TV
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Joene Hendry]
People who spend more pre-bedtime hours using the=20
Internet or watching television are more likely=20
to report that they don't get enough sleep, even=20
though they sleep almost as long as people who=20
spend fewer pre-bedtime hours in front of a=20
computer or television screen, survey findings show.
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=3DtelevisionNews&sto...
D=3D2007-08-23T213316Z_01_KRA377543_RTRIDST_0_TELEVISION-SLEEPY-DC.XML
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------