August 7, 2008 (Obama Fatigue)
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for AUGUST 7, 2008
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ELECTIONS & MEDIA
Obama Fatigue - 48% Hearing Too Much About Him
Obama and McCain on Technology and Government: Where They Stand
Win Points for McCain!
INTERNET/BROADBAND
McDowell Shouldn't Solve This Internet Crisis
FCC Grants Qwest Forbearance
Sprint, Clearwire Ask FCC To Reject Proposed Merger Provisos
Oklahoma City Wi-Fi Showcases City-Services Model
TELECOM
Industry Coalition Urges FCC to Reform Intercarrier Compensation
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC discloses logic behind its approval of XM-Sirius merger
Clear Channel Selling 60 More Radio Stations
BROADCASTING/CABLE
Dish Supports Retrans Quiet Period
Dates for Reimbursement Under the LPTV Digital-to-Analog Grant Program Revised
QUICKLY -- FCC's Martin on C-SPAN's The Communicators Saturday; TV Watch Fires Back at PTC; Bureau of Labor Statistics reports big drop in tech jobs; Institute of Interactive Journalism Moves to American University
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
OBAMA FATIGUE -- 48% HEARING TOO MUCH ABOUT HIM
[SOURCE: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, AUTHOR: Andrew Kohut et al]
Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) has received a lot of press coverage in this election -- is it starting to catch up with him? Close to half (48%) of Pew's interviewees say that they have been hearing too much about Sen Obama lately. And by a slight, but statistically significant margin - 22% to 16% - people say that recently they have a less rather than more favorable view of the Democratic nominee. In contrast, if anything, Pew's respondents said they want to hear more, not less about the Republican candidate. Just 26% in the poll said they had heard too much about Sen John McCain (R-AZ), while a larger number (38%) reported that they had heard too little about the Republican candidate. However, as for Obama, a slight plurality reports that recently they have come to have a less favorable view of McCain rather than a more favorable view of him - (23% to 18%). While Obama has dominated McCain as the candidate citizens say they have heard the most about in the news, roughly equal numbers say that they are aware of commercials on behalf of each candidate. About six-in-ten have seen commercials for both candidates. Most of those who are aware of Obama's commercials say they are mostly positive messages about the candidate (38%), while fewer (13%) characterize them as negative messages about McCain. The balance of opinion about McCain's commercials is the opposite - a plurality (31%) sees them as negative messages about his opponent, with fewer (19%) describing them as positive ads.
http://benton.org/node/15919
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OBAMA AND MCCAIN ON TECHNOLOGY AND GOVERNMENT: WHERE THEY STAND
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Emma Newcombe]
Technology, while perhaps not the most controversial matter in the election, is another critical topic that the nominees have discussed and debated. Both Obama and McCain acknowledge the significance of technology in the 21st century, and its possibilities for various, high-profile issues such as medicine, education and defense. However, beyond a basic agreement of its importance, the candidates differ greatly in their views on, and plans to utilize, technology. Sen Mccain tends to view technology from a business perspective, encouraging the use of market forces to stimulate broadband access and aid in other technology issues, while Sen Obama more often promotes government legislation that uses technology to address a number of the nation's issues.
http://benton.org/node/15918
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WIN POINTS FOR MCCAIN
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Paul Farhi]
Spread John McCain's official talking points around the Web -- and you could win valuable prizes! That, in essence, is the McCain campaign's pitch to supporters to join its new online effort, one that combines the features of "AstroTurf" campaigning with the sort of customer-loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotel chains, restaurants and the occasional daily newspaper. On McCain's Web site, visitors are invited to "Spread the Word" about the presumptive Republican nominee by sending campaign-supplied comments to blogs and Web sites under the visitor's screen name. The site offers sample comments ("John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan . . .") and a list of dozens of suggested destinations, conveniently broken down into "conservative," "liberal," "moderate" and "other" categories. Just cut and paste.
http://benton.org/node/15920
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
MCDOWELL SHOULDN'T SOLVE THIS INTERNET CRISIS
[SOURCE: SavetheInternet.com, AUTHOR: Craig Aaron]
[Commentary] Last week in the Washington Post, Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell published an op-ed asking, "Who Should Solve This Internet Crisis?" Based on that article and his lengthy, flawed dissenting statement at last week's FCC meeting, this much is clear: It shouldn't be McDowell. Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, secretly blocked Internet users from accessing legal content. It got caught. Last Friday, a bipartisan majority at the FCC moved to hold it accountable. That's the FCC's job. But McDowell, the commission's newest member, mounted a spirited defense on the company's actions that conveniently leaves out many facts of the case. McDowell, unlike his current Republican colleagues, is likely to stay at the FCC in the next administration. This makes his disconnect from the popular will even more disconcerting. Fortunately, a bipartisan majority at the FCC is listening to the public and has now established a clear precedent that blocking will not be tolerated. That's the kind of collaboration everyone should support.
http://benton.org/node/15917
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FCC GRANTS QWEST FORBEARANCE
[SOURCE: Dow Jones, AUTHOR: Fawn Johnson]
Qwest has won partial regulatory relief from the Federal Communications Commission from rules governing the commercial Internet market. On Tuesday, the FCC lifted pricing restrictions for some of Qwest's Internet services offered to large companies that move massive amounts of data through their networks. AT&T, Embarq, and Verizon all have been given similar pricing flexibility. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said the relief granted to Qwest bolsters the commission's goal of allowing market forces to drive the commercial Internet market. Fellow commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein countered that numerous "me-too" company-related requests "divert attention from the many other critical priorities before" the FCC. Qwest said the FCC's decision will allow it to tailor its Internet services more closely to businesses' needs. The FCC's order doesn't relieve Qwest from pricing restrictions on the most popular commercial Internet connections, such as T1 lines, offered by its smaller competitors.
http://benton.org/node/15916
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SPRINT, CLEARWIRE ASK FCC TO REJECT PROPOSED MERGER PROVISOS
[SOURCE: Dow Jones, AUTHOR: Fawn Johnson]
Sprint Nextel and Clearwire intend to go head to head against the country's largest wireless Internet networks if their merger is approved, but that ability could be hampered if regulators call for new conditions, the companies told the Federal Communications Commission. AT&T, Vonage and the Rural Cellular Association were the only organizations that protested to the FCC about the proposed merger. In contrast, Sprint and Clearwire noted that about 100 other parties filed comments supporting the deal.
http://benton.org/node/15909
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OKLAHOMA CITY WI-FI SHOWCASES CITY-SERVICES MODEL
[SOURCE: BroadbandCensus.com, AUTHOR: William Korver]
Oklahoma may be without a statewide broadband strategy, but earlier this summer Oklahoma City re-launched what is being billed as the largest city-owned and operated municipal Wi-Fi network. Although the Wi-Fi mesh network went live in September 2006, it was re-launched in an expanded mode on June 3, 2008. It is devoted exclusively to public safety and municipal use, and is not available to the public. The city joined Corpus Christi, Texas, in launching a municipal wireless broadband network for municipal use only. Minneapolis and Riverside, Calif., are among the cities that offered mixed-use networks, allowing the public to access the system for Internet connections, as well as for city function. By concentrating on public safety needs first, some experts say, Oklahoma City's wireless network may be more likely to succeed where others have failed.
http://benton.org/node/15908
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TELECOM
INDUSTRY COALITION URGES FCC TO REFORM INTERCARRIER COMPENSATIONS
[SOURCE: TMCnet.com, AUTHOR: Eve Sullivan]
A broad coalition of technology, telecommunications and wireless companies and trade associations is supporting the Federal Communications Commission's effort to enact comprehensive reform of the nation's intercarrier compensation system. In a letter filed with the FCC, the group urges commissioners to "focus on policies that will help spur the continued evolution to more advanced IP and broadband networks," and commended the agency for its plan to complete the task by November. The filing suggests that the first step in the reform process should be to "clarify the regulatory requirements associated with the fastest growing segment of the communications industry - Internet Protocol-based technologies and services." The coalition also urges the agency to issue two rulings to clarify that all IP-based voice services, if regulated at all, are subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction, and to establish uniform compensation rules applicable to all traffic exchanged with or on the public switched telephone network. The letter is signed by AT&T, CompTIA, CTIA, Global Crossing, the Information Technology Industry Council, National Association of Manufacturers, New Global Telecom, PointOne, Sprint Nextel Corp., the Telecommunications Industry Association, T-Mobile, Verizon and VON Coalition.
http://benton.org/node/15915
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC DISCLOSES LOGIC BEHIND ITS APPROVAL OF XM-SIRIUS MERGER
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
The recently-released Federal Communications Commission order which allowed Sirius and XM satellite radio to merge reveals the Commission's reasoning. Essentially, the Commission defends the union on the grounds that voluntary commitments promised by the combined company override any potential anticompetitive harm. The FCC does not agree that the merger will harm to terrestrial radio: 1) it doubts studies which argued that satellite and free radio compete with each other, 2) it couldn't divine from the data the extent to which free radio listeners won't listen to AM and FM because of a merged Sirius/XM, 3) it rejected warnings that a united Sirius/XM will be better able to "steal" talent away from terrestrial radio. Many parties will probably be disappointed that the FCC has added no specific enforcement mechanism to this Order.
http://benton.org/node/15911
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CLEAR CHANNEL SELLING 60 MORE RADIO STATIONS
[SOURCE: MediaDailyNews, AUTHOR: Erik Sass]
Clear Channel Radio is selling 60 more stations in markets around the country. The company is selling the stations to comply with one of the conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice for approving the sale of Clear Channel Communications to two private equity firms. With the sale to private equity recently completed, Clear Channel is placing the FCC-mandated stations in the recently formed Aloha Station Trust, where a third-party company, Media Ventures, will have responsibility for marketing them. When it first acquired some of these stations, Clear Channel received special FCC permissions to avoid violating ownership rules, but the FCC said it would not renew the permissions, necessitating the current sale. The 60 FCC- and DOJ-mandated stations for sale are different from the 448 stations that Clear Channel put up for sale last year, of which 173 were withdrawn from the market in the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter, 52 of the 275 stations remaining in this group were still unsold.
http://benton.org/node/15912
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BROADCASTING/CABLE
DISH SUPPORTS RETRANS QUIET PERIOD
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Moss]
Dish Network, which is in the midst of a retransmission-consent dispute that dropped four TV stations off its lineup, Tuesday asked the Federal Communications Commission to impose a so-called "quiet period" that would prevent broadcasters from pulling their signals during the transition to all-digital television broadcasting next February. In a letter to FCC chairman Kevin Martin, Dish Network said it supports the request for a "quiet period," which was first sought by small and mid-sized cable operators. Dish Network asked that the "quiet period" maintain existing retransmission-consent deals until May 31 next year. Dish also said that once that period is over, the FCC should proceed to reforming the "broken" retransmission-consent process.
http://benton.org/node/15913
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DATES FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE LPTV DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG GRANT PROGRAM REVISED
[SOURCE: Davis Wright Tremain, AUTHOR: Brendan Holland]
On Monday, President Bush signed into law a bill adjusting the reimbursement dates of the Low Power Television grant program by which LPTV and TV translator stations can seek a $1,000 grant in order to ensure that they are able to continue to receive and rebroadcast the signals of primary full-power television stations once the full-power stations complete the transition to digital television. As a result of the recent change, funds granted through the LPTV Digital-to-Analog grant program will available beginning in fiscal year 2009 (Oct. 1, 2008 - Sept. 30, 2009), rather than in fiscal year 2011. In addition, the recent bill also extends the availability of funding through fiscal year 2012.
http://benton.org/node/15910
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QUICKLY
FCC'S MARTIN DOESN'T EXPECT ANOTHER WILMINGTON
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin will appear on C-SPAN's The Communicators on Saturday. He'll discuss the digital television transition (he doesn't expect any other markets to go all-digital early, as most of the television stations in Wilmington (NC) agreed to do September 8); indecency regulation (no decision yet on whether to appeal the reversal of the Janet Jackson fine); media ownership (don't expect any more FCC decisions this year); Network Neutrality; and where to find the best ice cream in Georgetown. Check local cable listings.
http://benton.org/node/15914
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TV WATCH FIRES BACK AT PTC
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Tim Dyke, the Executive Director of broadcast network TV-backed TV Watch said, "The Parents Television Council won't be satisfied with television content until they convince the government to enforce their personal, selective judgments. Over the years, the Parents Television Council has released numerous studies aimed at influencing lawmakers and regulators to believe that parents aren't competent enough to make television-viewing decisions for their own families."
http://benton.org/node/15907
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BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS REPORTS BIG DROP IN TECH JOBS
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Ephraim Schwartz]
Employment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor for the month of July, as well as its employment statistics comparing July 2007 versus July 2008, indicate a significant decline in information technology employment. Employment in the information industry declined by 13,000 in July and by 44,000 over the past 12 months. Telecommunications lost 5,000 jobs in July. Some of the lost jobs have gone to outsourcers, with companies increasingly outsourcing the lower to middle management layer of IT. The other jobs are simply going away, either due to cost-oriented automation efforts or due to increasing the remaining staff's workload. It appears that organizations are in cost-containment mode and not aggressively looking to expand technology. At the same time, there is no new must-have technology that is forcing companies to reengineer the way they are doing things.
http://benton.org/node/15906
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INSTITUTE OF INTERACTIVE JOURNALISM MOVES TO AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher, AUTHOR: ]
The Institute for Interactive Journalism announced Wednesday that it had moved to American University's School of Journalism, where it hopes to expand its operations following a $2.4 million grant by the Knight Foundation. The Institute, also known as J-Lab, was started in 2002 by Jan Schaffer at the University of Maryland-College Park. Schaffer says the mission of J-Lab is to "help transform journalism for today and reinvent it for tomorrow." The move to American became official in June. American's School of Communication is headed by former Benton Foundation president Larry Kirkman.
http://benton.org/node/15905
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