October 2007

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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Democrats defy Bush, approve spy bill
Hillary Talks About 'It'
Censor's grip tightening on Internet in China

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Time running out on Bush's FCC
GE to decide on NBC after Olympics
Google-DoubleClick deal seen winning approval
NAB Asks FCC To Stop The Clock On XM/Sirius

SPECTRUM POLICY
FCC chief rebuffs wireless auction rule changes
Network Chiefs Join White Spaces Debate
NC Reps. Diss Unlicensed Mobile Devices

INTERNET/BROADBAND
House Telecom Subcommittee Passes e911, Broadband Data Bills
AT&T Seen Likely to Win a Reprieve From Some of FCC's Broadband Rules
Internet Tax Ban Legislation Approved
The Case For Universal Broadband in America: Now!
Researchers Map the Internet
Blazingly Fast Internet2 Gets 10x Boost
A Script for Every Surfer

CABLE/TELECOM
Texting is not calling, Verizon censors say
Cable vs. Telco: The Battle Heats Up
Now Playing on Cable: HDTV Catch-Up

BROADCASTING
FCC Announces New Radio Station Application Limit
Cashing In on TV Switch
NBC's Neal: Beijing Olympics to Kick-Start Mainstream HD Adoption

LOBBYING
Cable TV Industry Spent $6.9 Million Lobbying
Kushnick sees conspiracy where we see collaboration
Think-Tank Confidential

QUICKLY -- Despite Disclosure, a CBS Report=20
Raises Questions; Vonage seeking review of=20
Verizon patent verdict; FCC Consumer Advisory Committee to Meet Nov 2

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

DEMOCRATS DEFY BUSH, APPROVE SPY BILL
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Thomas Ferraro and Randall Mikkelsen]
In defiance of President George W. Bush (R), the=20
House Judiciary Committee Wednesday voted to=20
bolster civil-liberty safeguards in his=20
anti-terror spying program and refused to shield=20
phone companies from pending lawsuits. In a 20-14=20
vote, the Committee approved legislation to=20
ensure congressional and secret-court oversight=20
of the surveillance of enemy targets. The measure=20
would require the administration to obtain=20
one-year "blanket warrants" from the U.S. Foreign=20
Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor=20
telephone calls or e-mails of suspected=20
terrorists when they involve a U.S. citizen. It=20
would not require individual warrants to listen=20
in on Americans communicating with terrorists,=20
unless the U.S. citizen is also a specific target=20
of the surveillance. No warrant would be needed=20
to monitor foreign suspects speaking to each=20
other overseas. Pending consideration of the bill=20
by the House Intelligence Committee, which worked=20
on it behind closed doors, Democrats hope to get=20
it before the full House for passage next week.=20
The Senate Intelligence Committee is working on its own measure.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1025071120071010
* House Panels Vote for More Scrutiny Over Foreign Eavesdropping
The House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees,=20
along party lines, rejected President Bush=92s=20
request to renew the government=92s broad=20
eavesdropping authority, and instead adopted a=20
measure that would give federal judges greater=20
oversight and more scrutiny over electronic=20
surveillance conducted overseas by the National Security Agency.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/washington/11nsa.html?ref=3Dtodayspaper
* President Bush Discusses Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Legislation
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071010.html
* White House Fights Democratic Changes to Surveillance Act
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR200710...
1047.html
* Wiretap laws face new static
A political debate about how to craft U.S.=20
wiretapping laws has run aground on what might=20
seem to be a minor point: Should=20
telecommunications companies that may have=20
illegally opened their networks to intelligence=20
agencies be immunized from lawsuits?
http://www.news.com/Wiretap-laws-face-new-static/2100-1028_3-6212777.htm...
ag=3Dnefd.lede
* Steny Hoyer: Amnesty for Telecom Corporate Criminals Who Spy on You
http://openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3D1814
* Free Press: No Immunity for Telco Spying
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=3D280

HILLARY TALKS ABOUT 'IT'
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Daniel Henninger]
[Commentary] A question for Sen Hillary Clinton=20
(D-NY): Would you defend Rush Limbaugh's speech=20
rights against the pressure that was brought upon=20
him on the floor of the Senate by your colleagues=20
Harry Reid and Ken Salazar? Colorado's Sen.=20
Salazar went so far last week as to say he'd=20
support a Senate vote to "censure" Mr. Limbaugh.=20
When Sen. Reid attacked Mr. Limbaugh on the floor=20
of the Senate, some felt that Mr. Limbaugh was a=20
big boy and perfectly capable of defending=20
himself. I'm not so sure. If Mr. Limbaugh and his=20
critics at Media Matters want to have a street=20
fight, that's their business. But Sens. Reid and=20
Salazar aren't just a couple of opinionated guys;=20
they are agents of state authority, and they were=20
leaning hard on Mr. Limbaugh. If you are Media=20
Matters, if you are a man or woman of the Left,=20
does state pressure on someone's political speech=20
discomfort you? Or is it a welcome, even=20
defensible, repression of harmful right-wing=20
speech? This controversy over talk-show hosts is=20
usually fought around Democratic efforts of late=20
to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine. The purpose=20
of this effort -- the reason Sen. Reid has=20
attached himself to it -- is to suppress voter=20
turnout on the right and lift it on the left.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119206709393555563.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

CENSOR'S GRIP TIGHTENING ON INTERNET IN CHINA
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Internet censors in China are becoming more=20
systematic and sophisticated in how they monitor=20
the Web and eradicate content deemed sensitive,=20
according to a Chinese technician working for an=20
Internet firm. In a report published on Wednesday=20
by Reporters Without Borders and the group China=20
Human Rights Defenders, the unnamed author=20
details the secret workings of a censorship=20
machine that spans the information ministry, the=20
State Council, or cabinet, the Communist Party's=20
propaganda department and the police. "Prior to=20
2005, the Beijing authorities had not really=20
organized an Internet control system," the report=20
said. Now it keeps close tabs on online public=20
opinion, reporting daily and weekly to senior=20
leaders, and employs various targeted tactics to=20
keep Web sites in line in the world's second=20
largest Internet market, with over 162 million Web users.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSHKG27897020071010

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

TIME RUNNING OUT ON BUSH'S FCC
[SOURCE: Variety, AUTHOR: Brian Lowry]
[Commentary] "Presidential election could alter=20
shape of Tribune-Times Mirror Deal," read a New=20
York Times headline in early 2000, which=20
anticipated that a George W. Bush victory would=20
lead to the repeal or relaxation of media=20
cross-ownership rules. Fast-forward 7 =BD years,=20
and although those Times Mirror assets are set to=20
change hands again -- with Sam Zell's agreement=20
to take control of beleaguered Tribune Co. -- in=20
terms of efforts to amend or clarify the=20
regulatory thicket, the accomplishments under=20
now-President Bush stand at a big fat zero as his=20
second term winds down. Indeed, taking inventory=20
of the Bush administration's failings, among the=20
less ostentatious but nonetheless noteworthy is=20
the lack of progress in defining media policy --=20
an especially glaring oversight during a period=20
that has witnessed the most rapid and significant=20
technological change in telecommunications'=20
history. The realization time is running out=20
apparently hasn't been lost on the FCC's current=20
chair, the ambitious Kevin Martin, who sources=20
say is eager to expedite another attempt to=20
update the rules, perhaps by year's end. After a=20
series of public hearings, the deadline for a=20
final volley of comments has been set for Nov. 1.=20
If there has been any urgency about addressing=20
the sweeping issues facing the media industry,=20
however, it's hard to discern; instead, the=20
Bush-era FCC has frittered with trifles, pressing=20
for a la carte cable and joining with Democrats=20
to assail the TV industry over indecency,=20
neglecting rule-making to fret about boobs and=20
F-bombs. The bottom line is that wherever one=20
stands along the ideological spectrum, leaving=20
broadcasting tangled in regulatory uncertainty for so long serves nobody.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973713.html?categoryid=3D1682&cs=3D1

GE TO DECIDE ON NBC AFTER OLYMPICS
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Francesco=20
Guerrera, Joshua Chaffin and Aline Van Duyn]
The fate of NBC Universal, General Electric=92s=20
entertainment unit, will be decided only after=20
the Beijing Olympics, with executives at the US=20
conglomerate ruling out a sale before August=92s=20
showcase event. NBC, valued at about $40 billion,=20
has been the subject of repeated sale rumors=20
because of its lagging performance and the=20
awkward fit with the rest of GE=92s industrial and=20
financial businesses. The issue is likely to=20
resurface on Friday, when GE reports=20
third-quarter earnings that should show signs of=20
improvement at NBC. People close to the situation=20
say that Jeffrey Immelt, GE=92s chairman and chief=20
executive, will not consider the future of GE=92s=20
80 per cent stake in NBC =96 which had sales of=20
$16.2bn and profits of $2.9bn last year =96 before=20
the Olympics. The other shareholder, the French=20
media group Vivendi, is not seen as a potential=20
buyer or a long-term owner of the shares. Under a=20
deal with GE, Vivendi has the right to ask the US=20
company to buy back its 20 per cent stake or force a listing of NBC.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ebdbbdfe-776c-11dc-9de8-0000779fd2ac.html
(requires subscription)

GOOGLE-DOUBLECLICK DEAL SEEN WINNING APPROVAL
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Diane Bartz]
Antitrust experts predict that Google Inc's=20
purchase of advertising company DoubleClick for=20
$3.1 billion will be approved by U.S. regulators=20
despite vehement opposition from competitors=20
Microsoft Corp and Yahoo Inc. While Google's=20
rivals argue that the merger poses antitrust and=20
privacy concerns, experts say advertising remains=20
a big market and Internet advertising is wide=20
open for new entrants. Privacy, they add, is not=20
a core antitrust concern and regulators were=20
unlikely to consider it when evaluating the merger.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0923724220071010
* EU privacy body to take months on Google probe
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSL1024493820071010

NAB ASKS FCC TO STOP THE CLOCK ON XM/SIRIUS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The National Association of Broadcasters has=20
asked the FCC to pull the plug on its 180-day=20
shot clock for considering the XM-Sirius merger=20
to give the NAB time to go through documents it=20
says it is getting through a Freedom of=20
Information Request filed in March. In its FCC=20
filing, NAB says that the FCC's Enforcement=20
Bureau has said some documents related to FM=20
modulators and transmitters would be supplied to=20
NAB, but have not yet been released because they=20
are subject to various reviews. NAB says the=20
documents relate to "serious apparent wrongdoing=20
by XM and Sirius 'executive and senior-level=20
employees' regarding the operation of FM=20
modulators/translators and/or terrestrial=20
repeaters." The NAB request to stop the clock=20
came the same day some Wall Street analysts=20
predicted the Justice Department would OK the=20
deal by the end of November and predicted the FCC would follow suit.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488823.html?rssid=3D193

SPECTRUM POLICY

FCC CHIEF REBUFFS WIRELESS AUCTION RULE CHANGES
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
The Federal Communications Commission considered=20
applying its "open-access" conditions to more of=20
the spectrum that it is selling off in next=20
year's auction, but didn't due to concerns from=20
smaller telecommunications companies. FCC=20
Chairman Kevin Martin brushed aside proposals by=20
Verizon Wireless to modify open-platform rules=20
that the agency plans to impose in a January=20
auction of key wireless spectrum. he said the=20
agency would not alter an auction requirement=20
that the winner of the new spectrum must allow=20
consumers to connect using any device or=20
software. "I don't have any plans to try to=20
revise our open-platform rule the way Verizon=20
wants us to," Chairman Martin told reporters=20
outside a congressional hearing. Verizon Wireless=20
filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the=20
District of Columbia September 10 seeking to=20
overturn open-access rules imposed by the FCC.=20
Verizon had sought an expedited hearing, but the=20
court denied the request. In his House Small=20
Business Committee testimony on the auction,=20
Chairman Martin insisted several times that the=20
FCC=92s auction rules would give small businesses a=20
chance to acquire licenses because the FCC=20
restricted the geographic size of a license area=20
and provided bidding credits to so-called=20
designated entities that do not have the=20
resources of a large telecommunications carrier.=20
=93I think that will allow them to end up competing,=94 Martin said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1024940720071010
* FCC Considered Extending Conditions On Spectrum - Martin
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/26615.php?source=3Drss
* Statement of Chairman Martin Before the House Committee on Small Business
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-277217A1.doc
* FCC Chairman Martin Backs Internet Tax Ban Extension
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin=20
Martin said Wednesday that he supports extending=20
the federal law that bans taxation of high-speed=20
Internet access service provided by cable and=20
phone companies to millions of consumers. =93I=20
think that we need do whatever we can to extend=20
the moratorium on Internet taxes for as long as=20
possible,=94 Martin told reporters after testifying=20
before the House Small Business Committee on FCC=20
rules for a $10 billion spectrum auction set to begin Jan. 24, 2008.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6488767.html
* Martin Pitches Small-Business-Friendly Auction Rules
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488802.html?rssid=3D193

NETWORK CHIEFS JOIN WHITE SPACES DEBATE
[SOURCE: tvnewsday, AUTHOR: Harry A. Jessell]
In an open letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin,=20
the heads of the companies that own the Big Four=20
broadcast TV networks said they were concerned=20
that permitting unlicensed wireless devices to=20
share the TV broadcast spectrum could cause=20
interference and "permanent damage" to=20
over-the-air TV. "Interference in the digital=20
world will cause a digital picture to freeze and=20
become unwatchable," said Peter Chernin,=20
president and CEO, News Corp.; Robert Iger,=20
president and CEO, Walt Disney Co.; Leslie=20
Moonves, president and CEO, CBS Corp.; and Jeff=20
Zucker, president and CEO, NBC Universal.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/10/10/daily.14/
* Network Chiefs Oppose Mobile Unlicensed Devices
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488840.html?rssid=3D193

NC REPS DISS UNLICENSED MOBILE DEVICES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
According to the National Association of=20
Broadcasters, four more North Carolina=20
representatives, all Democrats, wrote FCC=20
Chairman Kevin Martin to express their concerns=20
about allowing unlicensed mobile=20
=93spectrum-sensing=94 devices, like personal digital=20
assistants and laptops, to share the digital-TV=20
spectrum. An October 3 letter from Reps. David=20
Price, Heath Shuler, Bob Etheridge and Brad=20
Miller says such unlicensed devices should not=20
be allowed, period, citing interference to TV=20
reception that could cause "additional confusion=20
and frustration" in the transition to digital. In=20
September five other members of the North=20
Carolina delegation expressed similar concerns.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488639.html?rssid=3D193

INTERNET/BROADBAND

HOUSE TELECOM SUBCOMMITTEE PASSES E911, BROADBAND DATA BILLS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The House Telecommunications & Internet=20
Subcommittee voted to approve first drafts of=20
bills that would improve the FCC's broadband data=20
collection process and would make it the law of=20
the land that voice over Internet protocol (VOiP)=20
phone service providers have the interconnection=20
access they need to make sure emergency (e911)=20
calls go to a local operator. While the two bills=20
passed unanimously, they still must go through=20
some more negotiation before a vote in the full=20
Commerce Committee. Among the key issues are how=20
much company data the FCC will have access to in=20
its broadband collection process. Some=20
Republicans are concerned that the bill in its=20
current form does not sufficiently protect=20
sensitive corporate information. Among the=20
changes to the broadband bill worked out in what=20
Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey called a=20
bipartisan negotiation, was no longer redefining=20
broadband as speeds of at least 2 megabits per=20
second and no longer making gathering of=20
information on prices and speeds an industry=20
obligation, but a consumer survey conducted by=20
the FCC. The survey will include what types of=20
broadband applications and services consumers most use.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488835.html?rssid=3D193
* House Panel Approves Broadband Census Bill
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6488832.html?rssid=3D196

AT&T SEEN LIKELY TO WIN A REPRIEVE FROM SOME OF FCC'S BROADBAND RULES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Corey Boles]
AT&T is seen as likely to win a reprieve from the=20
Federal Communications Commission from having to=20
comply with some rules in the commercial=20
broadband market. In exchange, AT&T may have to=20
agree to stricter regulation over the=20
special-access market, which provides high-volume=20
voice and data services to large commercial=20
customers. The FCC is obliged to vote by midnight=20
today on a petition from the company filed 15=20
months ago to be excused from some of the=20
regulations it currently faces. The petition is=20
being opposed by smaller telephone and Internet=20
companies that have argued it would allow AT&T to=20
be excused from rules which give them access to=20
AT&T's network. Two FCC commissioners are opposed=20
to the motion, while two, including FCC Chairman=20
Kevin Martin, are in favor of it. That leaves as=20
the swing vote to Commissioner Robert McDowell.=20
Analysts say he may vote in favor of the AT&T=20
filing, but demand some movement from Chairman=20
Martin to exert closer scrutiny of the special-access market.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119206996267755639.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
* FCC faces Internet decision on AT&T, Qwest
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1024490220071010

INTERNET TAX BAN LEGISLATION APPROVED
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday=20
approved a four-year extension of a ban on=20
Internet access taxes. The current law is set to=20
expire November 1, and Republicans have=20
complained that their Democratic colleagues are=20
moving too sluggishly to renew the expiring=20
rules. At Wednesday's House Judiciary Committee=20
debate, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) proposed a=20
series of amendments attempting to make the=20
prohibition more lasting--first a permanent ban,=20
then an eight-year extension, then a six-year=20
one. He argued those timetables were preferable=20
to give companies certainty and to encourage=20
broadband adoption by more American households,=20
particularly lower-income families. One by one,=20
the politicians present shot down the amendments.=20
Each of the votes was along party lines, with=20
Republicans voting in favor of the lengthier=20
prohibitions and Democrats shooting them down,=20
with the exception of Rep. Zoe Lofgren=20
(D-Calif.). Her tech-heavy district contains=20
companies that strongly support a permanent Internet tax moratorium.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9795198-7.html

THE CASE FOR UNIVERSAL BROADBAND IN AMERICA: NOW!
[SOURCE: Center for Creative Voices in Media]
A new CCVM report finds that wide swaths of=20
America have no broadband at all, or only=20
=93fraudband=94 that is so slow, unreliable,=20
expensive and/or consumer-unfriendly that it=20
cannot bring Americans the benefits of universal=20
broadband. The report details the overwhelming=20
evidence that fast, affordable and reliable=20
broadband access to the Internet often makes the=20
difference between success and failure. The=20
bottom line is that in 2007, America is not even=20
close to deploying fast, reliable and affordable=20
broadband to all its citizens. Our federal=20
government must undertake a concerted national=20
effort to deploy universal, net-neutral broadband=20
comparable to that which deployed telephone and=20
electric service and built a vast network of=20
superhighways. The economic, social and cultural=20
benefits to all Americans of this investment will=20
vastly outweigh its costs. Our nation will stop=20
falling farther behind our international=20
competitors, secure our leadership in global=20
technology, enhance our homeland security and=20
public safety, and provide all of our citizens=20
with the opportunity to participate in the new,=20
global, networked 21st Century world.
http://www.creativevoices.us/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=3D189

RESEARCHERS MAP THE INTERNET
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
It took two months and nearly 3 billion=20
electronic probes for University of Southern=20
California researchers to create a map of the=20
Internet. Now comes the task of making sense of=20
their data, and figuring out what they missed.=20
Over two months, computers sent queries to about=20
2.8 billion numeric "Internet Protocol," or IP,=20
addresses that identify individual computers on=20
the Internet. Replies came from about 187 million=20
of the IP addresses, and researchers used that=20
data to map out where computers exist on the=20
Internet. At one dot per address using a typical=20
printer, the resulting map was about 9 feet by 9=20
feet. The top finally was taped onto the 8-foot-high ceiling.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/95-10102007-1421509.html

BLAZINGLY FAST INTERNET2 GETS 10x BOOST
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
The ultrahigh-speed Internet2 network just got 10=20
times faster, partly in anticipation of rising=20
demand for capacity after the world's largest=20
particle collider opens near Geneva next year.=20
Until recently, the Internet2 had a theoretical=20
limit of 10 gigabits per second, which is=20
thousands of times faster than standard home=20
broadband connections. By sending data using 10=20
different colors, or wavelengths, of light over a=20
single cable, operators are boosting the=20
network's capacity to 100 Gbps. That means a=20
high-quality version of the movie "The Matrix"=20
could be sent in a few seconds rather than half a=20
minute over the old Internet2 and several hours=20
over a typical home broadband line.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FASTER_INTERNET?SITE=3DWABRE&...
TION=3DTOP_STORIES&TEMPLATE=3DDEFAULT&CTIME=3D2007-10-10-16-16-54

A SCRIPT FOR EVERY SURFER
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Catherine Rampell]
Since the Internet came into widespread use,=20
those among the 70 percent of the world that=20
doesn't speak English have argued that the Web is=20
inaccessible. So next week the nonprofit group=20
contracted by the U.S. government to run the=20
Internet will begin testing domain names in other=20
alphabets. On Monday, the Internet Corporation=20
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will=20
conduct a test to see whether domains written=20
entirely in foreign scripts can work without=20
crashing the Net. For several years, the company=20
has allowed domains that are half in foreign=20
characters. The long road to this stage, which=20
comes nearly a decade after the technology for=20
creating multilingual domains was invented, has=20
left many in the non-English-speaking world=20
impatient and angry. Questions of political and=20
linguistic sovereignty, alongside accusations of=20
American "digital colonialism," have motivated=20
some countries to create their own Internets,=20
effectively mounting a challenge to the World Wide Web.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR200710...
2642.html
(requires registration)

BROADCASTING

FCC ANNOUNCES NEW RADIO STATION APPLICATION LIMIT
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The FCC has adopted a ten-application limit on=20
noncommercial educational FM radio stations for a=20
filing window opening Friday. More than 10,000=20
comments were filed in response to the=20
Notice. The overwhelming majority of the=20
commenters support the proposed limit of ten new=20
station applications filed by any party during=20
the window. In addition to thousands of=20
individual commenters, the supporters of the=20
proposed cap include Native Public Media, Akaku=20
Maui Community Television, Colquitt Community=20
Radio, Inc., Omni Center for Peace, Justice, and=20
Ecology, Interlochen Public Radio, Kol Ami=20
Havurah, Capital Community Television, Driftless=20
Community Radio, Inc., Prometheus Radio Project,=20
DIYmedia, Free Press, Minority Media and=20
Telecommunications Council, National Federation=20
of Community Broadcasters, National Hispanic=20
Media Coalition, Office of Communication of the=20
United Church of Christ, Station Resource Group,=20
Public Radio Capital, Pacifica Foundation, Public=20
Radio International, California Public Radio,=20
Western States Public Radio, College=20
Broadcasters, Inc., Eastern Region Public Media,=20
Brown Broadcast Services, Reclaim the Media and=20
Common Frequency. Many parties emphasized that=20
the proposed 10 application limit would permit=20
the orderly processing of applications. The=20
overwhelming majority of individual commenters=20
generally argued that the 10 application limit=20
would foster localism and diversity. Public=20
Radio, Inc. ("NPR"), Minnesota Public Radio,=20
Radio Training Network, Inc., Illinois Bible=20
Institute, Cedar Cove Broadcasting, Inc. and KSBJ=20
Educational Foundation support a higher cap.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-179A1.doc
* FCC: no more than ten non-commercial radio applications per customer
http://www.lasarletter.net/drupal/node/482

NBC'S NEAL: BEIJING OLYMPICS TO KICK-START MAINSTREAM HD ADOPTION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Glen Dickson]
NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympic Games from=20
Beijing next summer should have a major impact on=20
consumer awareness of high-definition television=20
in both the United States and overseas, NBC=20
Sports executive producer David Neal. "It will be=20
a signature moment for the adoption of=20
high-definition as a mainstream delivery medium=20
for consumers," Neal said, predicting that more=20
than 50% of U.S. households will have HDTV sets in 2008.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6488584.html?rssid=3D193

CASHING IN ON TV SWITCH
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Shira Ovide shira.ovide( at )dowjones.com]
RCA and Zenith, two of television's oldest=20
brands, are expected to play a major role as TV=20
converts to digital-only broadcasts in early=20
2009. The switch away from traditional analog=20
signals may be the most significant TV change=20
since the introduction of color. Tens of millions=20
of Americans need an upgrade to go digital. To=20
ease the burden, the government set aside $1.5=20
billion to subsidize devices that make old TVs=20
digital-capable. The converter boxes are slated=20
to hit retail shelves early next year. For a=20
handful of manufacturers, including the owners of=20
the RCA and Zenith brands, the converter boxes=20
offer a potential multibillion-dollar market=20
opportunity and a chance to reunite a faded brand=20
with millions of TV watchers. The potential=20
market is sizable because more than 69 million TV=20
sets, by some estimates, rely on rabbit ears or=20
rooftop antennas. Without the converter boxes,=20
those TV sets will be useless after Feb. 17,=20
2009, the mandated end to more than 70 years of=20
U.S. analog transmissions. The majority of=20
Americans -- who have TV sets connected to cable,=20
satellite or other pay services -- will be=20
unaffected, as will people with high-definition=20
or other TVs with built-in digital tuners. The=20
digital changeover could sow confusion because=20
the converter boxes have to be able to work with=20
TVs spanning decades. Technical glitches could=20
frustrate converter-box buyers, many of whom are=20
expected to be older or not tech-savvy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119206565394155496.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

CABLE/TELECOM

TEXTING IS NOT CALLING, VERIZON CENSORS SAY
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle 10/10, AUTHOR:=20
James P. Tuthill, University of San Francisco Law School]
[Commentary] Once cellular phone service was a=20
luxury. Today, it is a necessity. The so-called=20
information services such as e-mail, voice mail,=20
and text messaging are all essential services in=20
our mobile and information rich society. No=20
provider of such services should be permitted to=20
deny access to the on-ramps of the information=20
highways because it doesn't like what you may=20
speak or write. The FCC needs to change the rules=20
and tell the carriers that they are not content gatekeepers.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2007/10/10/ED36SN7...
DTL

CABLE VS TELCO: THE BATTLE HEATS UP
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Richard Siderman]
The trends in U.S. wireline telecommunications of=20
the past two years have continued over the past=20
several months, with phone companies still losing=20
residential-access lines while adding more=20
digital-subscriber-line (DSL) customers.=20
Meanwhile, competition between cable and phone=20
companies for video customers has heated up.=20
Overall growth remains good in the wireless=20
sector, but not all carriers are benefiting=20
equally. The cable industry seems to have peaked=20
in terms of the number of video subscribers,=20
though growth from advanced services is still=20
solid. Significant longer-term uncertainty=20
pervades the telecom sector because the clear=20
lines of demarcation between industry subsectors=20
are all but gone. And the establishment of=20
wireless as a substitute for a traditional=20
wireline has redefined the balance between the two technologies.
http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/oct2007/pi20071010_242433.h...
campaign_id=3Drss_tech

NOW PLAYING ON CABLE: HDTV CATCH-UP
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sara Silver]
Satellite TV operators offer between 55 and 100=20
channels of high-definition television; the=20
largest cable operators offer just 20 to 30 HDTV=20
channels. The gap is becoming more important as=20
more households buy the HDTV sets. They are now=20
in one-third of U.S. homes, and are expected to=20
be in half of U.S. households by 2009. The=20
average price of a 42-inch flat-panel TV set is=20
now $1,856, compared with $3,855 in 2004. Some=20
smaller HDTV sets sell for under $1,000. Cable=20
operators are determined not to give DirecTV an=20
HDTV advantage, especially since cable has gained=20
an edge over satellite recently by bundling phone=20
and high-speed Internet service with cable TV.=20
Also, cable operators have to defend themselves=20
against a growing threat from telephone companies=20
that are adding television service. Cable=20
operators are coming up with a number of creative=20
ways to make up for the bandwidth constraints in=20
traditional cable systems that limit the number=20
of HDTV channels. A few are simply increasing the=20
capacity of their systems. Many are moving=20
channels from analog tiers of service to digital=20
tiers, which use bandwidth more efficiently. Some=20
operators also are adding high-definition=20
programming to their video-on-demand services, a=20
feature that satellite can't offer because it's=20
broadcast only. To save bandwidth, large cable=20
operators also are installing a new technology=20
known as "switched digital video."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119206092122955361.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

LOBBYING

CABLE TV INDUSTRY SPENT $6.9M LOBBYING
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
The National Cable & Telecommunications=20
Association spent nearly $6.9 million in the=20
first six months of 2007 to lobby the federal=20
government. The trade group - which represents=20
cable operators such as Comcast Corp., Time=20
Warner Cable Inc. and Charter Communications=20
Inc. - lobbied on numerous cable-related issues=20
and bills, but some key issues centered on=20
subscriptions of bundled channels, the regulation=20
of high-speed Internet service and the digital television transition.
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/cable-tv-industry-spent-69m-lobbyi...
n20071009170409990025?cid=3D1221
* Charter Spent $350,000 Lobbying in 2007
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/charter-spent-350000-lobbying-in-2...
/n20071009170609990025?cid=3D1221

KUSHNICK SEES CONSPIRACY WHERE WE SEE COLLABORATION
[SOURCE: Nieman Watchdog, AUTHOR: Matt Bennett,=20
New Millennium Research Council]
[Commentary] Bruce Kushnick=92s Oct. 1, 2007=20
commentary to the Nieman Watchdog makes numerous=20
incendiary claims regarding corporate funded=20
research influencing public policy. Many=20
aspersions were lobbed against the New Millennium=20
Research Council (NMRC), which I serve as=20
Executive Director. While the NMRC was singled=20
out, Mr. Kushnick also took aim at some of the=20
largest and most respected think tanks and=20
scholars in America. In this regard, the NMRC is=20
in good company. In his article, Mr. Kushnick=20
appears to firmly believe that he alone has a=20
monopoly on truth, especially when it comes to=20
the telecommunications industry. His steadfast=20
conclusion that all think tanks and scholars that=20
write about this field are somehow unduly=20
influenced by evil monied interests is an=20
unfounded attack based upon his personal=20
disagreements and not any impartial facts.=20
Nowhere in Mr. Kushnick=92s diatribe against the=20
NMRC and other institutions does he challenge on=20
the merits positions taken by these=20
organizations. Rather, he questions their=20
motivations, without presenting data supporting=20
his thesis of pay-for-play, and concludes that they all must be corrupt.
http://niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=3Dbackground.view&backgro...
id=3D00212=20

THINK-TANK CONFIDENTIAL
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher=20
Demuth, American Enterprise Institute]
[Commentary] A "kiss and tell" from AEI's=20
president who is stepping down. Think tanks are=20
identified in the public mind as agents of a=20
particular political viewpoint. It is sometimes=20
suggested that this compromises the integrity of=20
their work. Yet their real secret is not that=20
they take orders from, or give orders to, the=20
Bush administration or anyone else. Rather, they=20
have discovered new methods for organizing=20
intellectual activity -- superior in many=20
respects (by no means all) to those of=20
traditional research universities. To be sure,=20
think tanks -- at least those on the right -- do=20
not attempt to disguise their political=20
affinities in the manner of the (invariably=20
left-leaning) universities. Think tanks aim to=20
produce good research not only for its own sake=20
but to improve the world. And they pay careful=20
attention to the craft of good speaking and=20
writing. By the measures of participation in=20
political debate and generation of influential=20
policy ideas and proposals, the right-of-center=20
think tanks have been stupendous successes. They=20
appear in the national media, liberal as well as=20
conservative, well out of proportion to their=20
numbers and output. AEI essays appear more=20
frequently than those from other think thanks of=20
all persuasions, not only in the opinion pages of=20
The Wall Street Journal but also those of the New=20
York Times and Washington Post. Every one of the=20
right-of-center think tanks was founded in a=20
spirit of opposition to the established order of=20
things. Opposition is the natural proclivity of=20
the intellectual, and is of course prerequisite=20
to criticism and devotion to reform. And for=20
conservatives, opposition lasted a very long time=20
-- in domestic policy, from the New Deal through 1980.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119206742349355601.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
nion
(requires subscription)

QUICKLY

DESPITE DISCLOSURE, A CBS REPORT RAISES QUESTIONS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jacques Steinberg]
profile of Lynne Cheney, the vice president=92s=20
wife, that appeared on the CBS News program=20
=93Sunday Morning=94 last weekend included a=20
statement of disclosure. The correspondent, Rita=20
Braver, told viewers that her husband, the=20
Washington lawyer Robert B. Barnett, had=20
represented Ms. Cheney in the publishing deal for=20
her new memoir, =93Blue Skies, No Fences,=94 which=20
served as the main peg for the story. Yesterday,=20
after questions about the propriety of Ms.=20
Braver=92s assignment were raised on several media=20
Web sites, including that of CBS News, the=20
division=92s senior vice president for standards,=20
Linda Mason, defended it. But some journalists=20
have suggested CBS News would have been better=20
served by assigning someone whose spouse had no=20
financial ties to Ms. Cheney to do the profile,=20
which included an extended tour of the vice president=92s home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/arts/television/11brav.html?ref=3Dtoda...
aper
(requires registration)

VONAGE SEEKING REVIEW OF VERIZON PATENT VERDICT
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Internet phone company Vonage Holdings Corp said=20
on Wednesday it filed a motion seeking a review=20
of a U.S. court's verdict on a patent litigation=20
case with Verizon. On September 26, a U.S.=20
appeals court upheld a verdict that Vonage=20
infringed two patents held by Verizon, although=20
it reversed a lower court's interpretation on the=20
third patent and ordered more proceedings to recalculate damages and royalt=
ies.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSWNAS597320071010

FCC CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET ON NOV 2
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The next meeting of the FCC's Consumer Advisory=20
Committee will take place on Friday, November 2,=20
2007, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., at the Commission's=20
Headquarters Building, Room TW-C305, 445 12th=20
Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20554. The Committee=20
will continue its consideration of DTV outreach=20
including a demonstration of converter box=20
technology. The Committee will also consider=20
other consumer issues within the jurisdiction of=20
the Commission. A limited amount of time on the=20
agenda will be available for oral comments from=20
the public. For further information=20
contact: Scott Marshall, Consumer & Governmental=20
Affairs Bureau, Phone: 202-418-2809 (voice) or=20
202-418-0179 (TTY). Email: scott.marshall( at )fcc.gov.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4132A1.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.
--------------------------------------------------------------