September 2007

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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
The Wiretap Flap Continues
Egypt extends crackdown to press

KIDS & MEDIA
Fox Explains Censorship of Actors at Emmys
Sex on TV Is OK as Long as It's Not Safe

BROADCASTING
Broadcasters Urge FCC to Reject Digital Transition Mandates

OWNERSHIP
Chicago Media Ownership Hearing Agenda
Outsourcing Local News For Smaller Communities
FCC Greenlights Weigel's Milwaukee Buy

SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
McDowell Sees Workable Unlicensed Mobile Device Sharing DTV Spectrum
LIN TV Sells Spectrum Licenses to Aloha

INTERNET/BROADBAND
Build broadband
Senator: Net neutrality push ain't over yet
Move to spur UK broadband speed
A call for Net neutrality debate in U.K.
Old-World Media Start to Feel the Pain
Alaska Air says plans to launch in-flight Internet

JOURNALISM
Foundations have role in keeping local journalism vibrant

QUICKLY -- New FCC Wireline Competition Bureau Chief

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

THE WIRETAP FLAP CONTINUES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Bruce Berkowitz, Hoover Institution]
[Commentary] American law has always assumed=20
that most domestic communications are protected=20
by the Constitution, but foreigners communicating=20
abroad are not, and are fair game for U.S=20
intelligence. Such intelligence is critical today=20
to monitor terrorists and proliferators of=20
weapons of mass destruction. The problem is that=20
our laws were not designed for today's=20
technology. Until about 10 years ago most=20
international communications traveled by=20
satellite, and intelligence services could snatch=20
them out of the air. Now this traffic is carried=20
over a highly interconnected fiber-optic network.=20
This fact raises a question that is at the core=20
of the controversy over what constitutes a=20
"domestic" communication. At least one judge=20
interprets the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance=20
Act (FISA, the law that regulates such=20
intercepts) to mean that any message traveling=20
over a cable on American soil is a domestic=20
communication -- even when it is from one=20
foreigner to another foreigner, and both are on the other side of the world.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119007762747930653.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

EGYPT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN TO PRESS
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Dan Murphy]
The arrest of Ibrahim Eissa and three other=20
opposition journalists is the latest signal of=20
tightening government control, reflecting anxiety=20
over presidential succession.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0918/p06s01-wome.html

KIDS & MEDIA

FOX EXPLAINS CENSORSHIP OF ACTORS AT EMMYS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Edward Wyatt]
When a federal appeals court ruled last summer=20
that broadcast networks were not responsible for=20
censoring =93fleeting expletives=94 uttered on=20
television, Fox hailed it as a victory for=20
viewers, saying they could decide themselves=20
=93what is appropriate viewing for their home.=94 But=20
when some performers and award winners blurted=20
out expletives on Sunday night on Fox=92s broadcast=20
of the 59th Primetime Emmys =97 including one that=20
came during antiwar comments =97 Fox censors hit=20
the delete button, leaving viewers with confusing=20
seconds of dead air and wondering whether the=20
censorship was of language or of political views.=20
Fox said it was only language.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/arts/television/18emmy.html?ref=3Dtoda...
aper
(requires registration)
* Why Fox censored Sally (et al)
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2007/09...
y-fox-censore.html
* FCC Draws Fire for Emmys Bleeping
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/09/fcc_draws_fire_for_emmys_bleep.php
(requires free registration)

SEX ON TV IS OK AS LONG AS IT'S NOT SAFE
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Claude Brodesser-Akner]
There's been a surge in sexual content on TV, and=20
the coming fall season features a prime-time show=20
on CBS about swingers, yet America's=20
contraceptive manufacturers are still finding it=20
hard to get lucky in Tinseltown. That's despite=20
the fact that conservative watchdog Parents=20
Television Council last week issued a scathing=20
report on the state of family-friendly TV. The=20
PTC's conclusion: Sexual references swelled 22%=20
during early prime time when compared with=20
programming from the same time slot six years=20
ago. And according to "Sex on TV 4," a 2005 study=20
by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, the=20
number of sexual scenes on TV has nearly doubled since 1998.
http://adage.com/article?article_id=3D120489

BROADCASTING

BROADCASTERS URGE FCC TO REJECT DIGITAL TRANSITION MANDATES
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Ira Teinowitz]
Broadcasting groups are rejecting suggestions=20
that the Federal Communications Commission=20
require broadcasters to promote the digital=20
transition with a specific number of public=20
service ads or messages. In comments filed today=20
with the FCC, the National Association of=20
Broadcasters and the Association for Maximum=20
Service Television said broadcasters are already=20
voluntarily committing to major education=20
efforts. The filing suggests the FCC should=20
concentrate on tracking the effectiveness of=20
various industry and government education=20
efforts, assessing any need to reach out to any=20
groups or populations that haven't been=20
adequately served. The groups said that imposing=20
specific time or message requirements on=20
broadcasters would hurt rather than help an=20
education effort that needs maximum flexibility=20
to =93ensure that all on-air messaging can be=20
adjusted=94 depending on needs. The National Cable=20
and Telecommunications Association also urged the=20
FCC to reject any requirements on cable.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/09/digital_transition_broadcaster.php
(requires free registration)

OWNERSHIP

CHICAGO MEDIA OWNERSHIP HEARING AGENDA
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission on Monday=20
announced further details of its previously=20
announced Chicago, Illinois field hearing=20
regarding media ownership. There will be two=20
panels offering perspectives on media ownership,=20
the first includes my boss, Charles Benton. The=20
hearing begins at 4pm at Operation Push
National Headquarters, Dr. King's Workshop, 930 East 50th Street.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-276685A1.doc

OUTSOURCING LOCAL NEWS FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES
[SOURCE: University of Colorado press release]
A new study by a University of Colorado at=20
Boulder journalism professor that spotlights the=20
growing trend of "news outsourcing" - when=20
big-city radio stations produce and package local=20
news stories for sister stations in distant=20
markets - has garnered the attention of federal=20
regulators who are reviewing media ownership=20
rules. More than 40 percent of radio stations=20
produce news for one or more stations outside=20
their own markets, according to data from the=20
Radio-TV News Directors Association cited in a=20
study by Lee Hood, assistant professor of=20
broadcast journalism at CU-Boulder. Hood's=20
research has captured the attention of the=20
Federal Communications Commission, which will=20
hold a meeting in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 20,=20
as part of a series of hearings around the=20
country revisiting media ownership rules. One of=20
the FCC commissioners has asked Hood to cite her=20
study during the hearings. Hood's study, the lead=20
report in the March issue of the Journal of=20
Broadcasting & Electronic Media, focuses on news=20
outsourcing and its effects on the quality and=20
relevance of local news coverage in smaller=20
communities. The "hub and spoke" system enables=20
large radio conglomerates to employ fewer people=20
and cut costs, but authenticity, regional nuances=20
and topical public affairs reporting are lost in the process, Hood says.
http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2007/357.html

FCC GREENLIGHTS WEIGEL'S MILWAUKEE BUY
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Harry A. Jessell]
The Federal Communications Commission has=20
approved the sale of WJJA-TV in Milwaukee to=20
Weigel Broadcasting for $7 million. Weigel plans=20
to complement its other stations in the market --=20
a full-power CBS affiliate (WDJT), a low-power=20
independent (WMLW) and a low-power Telemundo=20
affiliate (WYTU). Weigel also has clusters of=20
stations in Chicago and South Bend (IN). WJJA was=20
sold by Joel Kinlow who has no other broadcast TV interests.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/09/17/daily.7/

SPECTRUM/WIRELESS

MCDOWELL SEES WORKABLE UNLICENSED MOBILE DEVICE SHARING DTV SPECTRUM
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell is confident=20
that unlicensed mobile devices can eventually be=20
allowed to share the broadcast spectrum with=20
digital TV stations. Commissioner McDowell has=20
long been a strong advocate of unlicensed devices=20
in the so-called "white spaces" -- he prefers=20
"gray spaces" since there are current operators=20
in those spaces. But recent FCC testing has=20
raised questions about the current crop of those=20
devices, though the FCC is retesting after=20
computer companies blamed faulty equipment rather=20
than the underlying technology. Commissioner=20
McDowell , in a speech to a spectrum policy group=20
in Washington Monday, said that the FCC has a=20
duty to make sure the devices do not cause=20
"harmful interference" to the current occupants=20
of the band--the broadcasters making the leap to=20
digital. The devices, PDA's laptops--sense=20
out--or broadcasters would say "attempt to sense"=20
-- available broadcast spectrum. But Commissioner=20
McDowell also said he was confident that the=20
technology could be perfected if science, not politics, informed the proces=
s.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6479234.html?rssid=3D193

LIN TV SELLS SPECTRUM LICENSES TO ALOHA
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Glen Dickson]
Station group LIN TV Corp. has reached a deal=20
with mobile-TV proponent Aloha Partners, L.P., to=20
sell 31 licenses in the lower 700 megahertz (MHz)=20
band=97specifically, UHF channels 54 and 59=97for=20
$32.5 million in cash. The deal, pending FCC=20
approval, is expected to close in the fourth=20
quarter. The sale to Aloha, which is the largest=20
owner of 700 MHz spectrum and is currently=20
testing its =93Hiwire=94 mobile-TV service in Las=20
Vegas, would bring LIN some $26.3 million more=20
than the $6.2 million it originally paid for the=20
licenses, which are in the lower 700 MHz =93C=94=20
Block and are clustered in the Northeast and=20
Upper Midwest markets, in addition to markets in South Central Texas.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6479255.html?rssid=3D193
* Spectrum Speculation Pays Off for LIN
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/09/17/daily.8/

INTERNET/BROADBAND

BUILD BROADBAND
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] The Internet is an important conduit=20
to commerce and innovation, a medium that has=20
wildly exciting communication potential. Yet, the=20
United States' paltry broadband network lags=20
behind most of the industrialized world. Our weak=20
Internet infrastructure not only puts the nation=20
at a competitive economic disadvantage, it=20
threatens democracy. Japan and South Korea have=20
cheaper Internet service that is many times=20
faster than that in the U.S. To get an idea of=20
how far behind Japan we are, think of our network=20
as a Soviet-era grocery store and Japan's as=20
Whole Foods. At least a dozen countries have=20
zipped by America because of smart government=20
regulations that encouraged the build-out of=20
networks and promoted competition. It is time=20
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission did the same.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003885128_brode...
.html

SENATOR: NET NEUTRALITY PUSH AIN'T OVER YET
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
To a standing ovation, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)=20
urged attendees at the Future of Music Policy=20
Summit here to "fight back and say this is=20
something that's important for our country's=20
interests." Sen Dorgan defended the bill he=20
reintroduced with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine)=20
earlier this year as necessary to prevent=20
Internet "gatekeepers" and "toll booths." He said=20
he's well aware there are plenty of naysayers out=20
there but hasn't heard any good arguments against imposing such regulations.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9779815-7.html

MOVE TO SPUR UK BROADBAND SPEED
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Parker]
The British government is willing to consider=20
some form of limited public intervention to spur=20
private-sector investment in =91ultra-fast=92=20
broadband networks, a minister will say on=20
Tuesday night. Stephen Timms, minister for=20
competitiveness, will use a speech to warn that=20
the UK risks lagging behind other leading=20
industrialized countries that are rolling out=20
super-fast, fixed-line broadband networks. He=20
will be addressing the Broadband Stakeholder=20
Group, a lobby group that warned in April that=20
ministers and regulators had just two years to=20
find ways to encourage investment in high-speed=20
broadband, or UK competitiveness would suffer.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/89e091fc-655a-11dc-bf89-0000779fd2ac.html
(requires subscription)

A CALL FOR NET NEUTRALITY IN UK
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: David Meyer]
The time has come for the United Kingdom to join=20
the growing debate surrounding Net neutrality,=20
the president of the British Computer Society=20
said. Professor Nigel Shadbolt said late last=20
week that, because so much of the Internet's=20
content is derived from the U.S., the U.K. and=20
Europe would be affected by any Net=20
neutrality-related decisions made across the=20
Atlantic. Because Internet users in the U.S. tend=20
to have a smaller range of ISPs to choose from=20
than do users in the U.K., the consensus in the=20
U.K. has been that Net neutrality is a=20
U.S.-centric debate. The U.K. government and the=20
U.K.'s regulator, the Office of Communications,=20
have both argued that, with a competitive U.K.=20
ISP market to ensure choice and existing European=20
Union legislation to protect the customer, U.K.=20
businesses and consumers have nothing to worry=20
about. However, Shadbolt argues that the time has=20
arrived for the U.K. and Europe to stop sitting on the fence.
http://www.news.com/A+call+for+Net+neutrality+debate+in+U.K./2100-1028_3...
08405.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert.hed

OLD-WORLD MEDIA START TO FEEL THE PAIN
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Matthew Creamer]
Last week, TNS found that U.S. ad spending fell=20
for the second quarter in a row, the first time=20
that had happened since 2001. Depressing as it=20
might appear, it's a trend you might want to get=20
used to, though not for the business-cycle=20
reasons you might expect. Sure, ad expenditure is=20
linked to the overall health of the U.S. economy.=20
And factors such as the ever-expanding=20
subprime-mortgage mess are sure to play a role,=20
as will the relative health of major mass=20
marketers such as the rather sickly Big Three=20
automakers, whose declining spend is what TNS=20
blamed for the downward slide. But there's=20
something else going on that has nothing to do=20
with the natural rhythms of booms and busts or=20
the fortunes of Madison Avenue's biggest clients.=20
Simply put, American companies are shifting more=20
and more marketing dollars out of paid media. You=20
see it happening every day as marketers=97smart=20
ones, at least=97talk about things such as=20
word-of-mouth and conversational marketing, the=20
kind of activity that doesn't feed the coffers of=20
media sellers or traditional ad agencies and=20
hence goes unmeasured in bellwethers such as TNS reports.
http://adage.com/article?article_id=3D120490

ALASKA AIR SAYS PLANS TO LAUNCH IN-FLIGHT INTERNET
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Alaska Airlines said on Tuesday it plans to=20
launch an in-flight wireless Internet service.=20
Alaska Air said it will test a system from Row=20
44, a provider of broadband communication for=20
airlines, on a Boeing 737 aircraft in spring=20
2008. Based on that trial's outcome, it plans to equip its 114-aircraft fle=
et.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1838081620070918

JOURNALISM

FOUNDATIONS HAVE ROLE IN KEEPING LOCAL JOURNALISM VIBRANT
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Dan=20
Gillmor, Center for Citizen Media]
[Commentary] As America wakes up to the crumbling=20
of basic infrastructure, with Minnesota's bridge=20
collapse the most recent example, a more subtle=20
but also alarming breakdown is hitting our cities=20
and towns. In community after community,=20
newspapers are shedding editorial staff at a rate=20
that spells trouble for a well-informed=20
citizenry, a foundation of a free society. As the=20
nation's community foundations gather in San=20
Francisco for their annual meeting this week, I'd=20
like to suggest that they put the survival of=20
quality local journalism squarely on their own=20
agendas. They, perhaps more than any other=20
entities, could play a vital role in ensuring=20
that communities emerge from an inevitably messy=20
media transition with the kind of local information sources we all need.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2007/09/17/ED1OS4O...
DTL

QUICKLY

NEW FCC WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU CHIEF
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J.=20
Martin announced his intention to appoint Dana=20
Shaffer as the Wireline Competition Bureau=20
Chief. During her tenure at the Commission, Dana=20
has served as Deputy Chief of the Wireline=20
Competition Bureau, interim legal advisor to=20
Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate and to=20
Commissioner Robert McDowell, and most recently=20
Deputy Bureau Chief of the Public Safety and=20
Homeland Security Bureau. Dana joined the=20
Commission after more than ten years' experience=20
in the telecommunications industry, during which=20
she served in a number of leadership roles,=20
including President of the Southeastern=20
Competitive Carriers Association and President of=20
the Tennessee Telecommunications=20
Association. Ms. Shaffer received her BS summa=20
cum laude from the University of Arkansas and her=20
JD magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University=20
School of Law. She was selected to the Order of=20
the Coif and served as law clerk to the Honorable=20
Eugene Siler of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-276674A1.doc
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------