Sept 25, 2008 (The Debate about the Debate)
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2008
Three events today: 1) FCC open meeting; 2) Senate Hearing on Broadband and Privacy; and 3) ITIF Conference: Innovation Economics for the Next Administration. And don't forget TPRC this weekend. See http://www.benton.org/calendar
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
To Debate or Not Debate: That's the Debate
Candidates' Performances a Matter of Debate
As Commerce Committee chairman, McCain left mixed legacy
McCain Camp Aims Again at The Times
Better than Lipstick on a Pig
Obama Dramatically Ramping Up Overall Ad Spending; Now Outgunning McCain
Shame on you too, Barack Obama, the truth sleuths say
JOURNALISM
Ask tough questions about the bailout
SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
FCC chief would cut minimum bid on D block airwaves
Timing lousy for emergency communications plan
Google's Page: White spaces test was unfair
Martin Voices Support For Other Uses Of Vacant Airwaves
Everyone declares victory in smutfree wireless broadband test
Illinois Supreme Court refuses to hear Sprint appeal in Nextel fight with affiliate
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Justice, Commerce Oppose IP Act
Media Mergers Threaten Community News
New Front Group Formed To Push Net Users To Legit Content
BROADCASTING/CABLE
News of the Day Gets in Networks' Way
House Approves NTIA, FCC Funding
Capps Introduces Analog-Nightlight Bill
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board Elects Chair, Vice-Chair
Do the Math: Broadcast, Cable Network Parity Play
ADVERTISING
Children Now: The stakes are too high to sell children's needs short
New Product Placement IDs? First Get Rid Of TV Program Promo Swipes
Ad Agencies Making Progress on Hiring Minorities, After All
First-Half Ad Spending Declines
Yahoo Overhauls System for Selling Display Ads
QUICKLY -- Most working Americans now use the Internet or email at their jobs; Tech giants invest in global ed reform; Senate approves extension to expired R&D tax credit; Health A Hot Topic On The Internet; All the News That's Fit to Tweet
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
TO DEBATE OR NOT DEBATE: THAT'S THE DEBATE
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Larry Barrett]
With all the major cable news networks gearing up for what was supposed to be the first presidential debate Friday between Sen Barack Obama and Sen John McCain, there's a possibility that the much-anticipated verbal sparring match may be postponed as the nation's top lawmakers circle the wagons to deal with the country's growing economic crisis. On Wednesday, Sen McCain announced that he would be suspending his campaign to return to Washington to "focus on the historic crisis" facing the U.S. economy and recommended that Friday's debate by postponed so he and other politicians from both parties can work out the details of the proposed $700 billion bailout of a quartet of top-tier financial institutions. Sen Obama answered saying, "It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who will be the next president. It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once. It's more important than ever to present ourselves to the American people."
http://benton.org/node/17289
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CANDIDATES' PERFORMANCE A MATTER OF DEBATE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
Performing well in Presidential debates, media and political analysts say, is only part of the battle. The moment each debate ends, the candidates, their aides and their surrogates will try to shape the coverage to their advantage. And if history is any guide, such full-court spinning can steal a victory after the clock has expired. A simple mistake need not prove fatal. The blunder must feed an existing media portrait of the candidate in question.
http://benton.org/node/17288
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AS COMMERCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, MCCAIN LEFT MIXED LEGACY
[SOURCE: Politico.com, AUTHOR: Daniel Libit]
To those who express doubts about his economic acumen, Sen John McCain has a simple answer: "I was chairman of the Commerce Committee, which oversights all of the commercial aspects of America's economy," he said in a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday. It's a bit of an exaggeration — the Senate Commerce Committee doesn't have primary jurisdiction over the financial services industry, which is at the heart of today's economic crisis — and it's also a more complicated story than McCain's declaration might suggest. Sen McCain wielded the gavel at the Commerce Committee from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2007. Supporters credit him with being open-minded and say he ran the committee with a steady, moderate hand during his stints in the chair. But critics who worked with the committee at the time contend that McCain avoided policy debates and sometimes seemed apathetic — and that his staff was too cozy with lobbyists. Experts who have worked with the committee or follow its deliberations paint a picture of McCain's tenure as unremarkable and sometimes contradictory — and often (but not always) fueled by a deregulatory bent.
http://benton.org/node/17270
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MCCAIN CAMP AIMS AT THE TIMES
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: ]
For the second time in a week, the McCain campaign has issued scathing commentary against The New York Times, this time complaining of unfair treatment in a memo about an article examining ties between the firm of its campaign manager, Rick Davis and Freddie Mac, the mortgage giant. The McCain campaign took issue with the article's characterization of Mr. Davis's financial relationship to his firm in recent years, among other things. It also contended that The Times has not delved as extensively into the lobbying/financial links that Senator Barack Obama's campaign and its associates have to financial institutions or to other special interests. Bill Keller, executive editor for The Times, said, "Nobody has disputed the facts reported yesterday by The Times."
http://benton.org/node/17269
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BETTER THAN LIPSTICK ON A PIG
[SOURCE: The Huffington Post, AUTHOR: Timothy Karr]
[Commentary] If you feel that pigs with lipstick and Paris Hilton have hijacked our political discourse this election season, you're not alone. Mainstream news shows have devoted too much attention to trivia, and too little to information that voters say matter most. This Friday's presidential debate with Jim Lehrer of PBS moderating may be a chance to get the media back on track. But if past is prologue, we can expect another parade of the petty. Media Matters analyzed the 2,304 questions asked during the 31 primary debates. Of these, only 9 percent of the questions addressed the economy, counted by Americans as the most important issue today -- followed by the war, healthcare, energy policy and jobs. Meanwhile, debate moderators piled on the fluff, asking questions about personality and other "non-substantive" matters more than 30 percent of the time. Before Americans close the curtains on this election, we deserve real political discourse from our media. If the news organizations aren't up to the task, it's up to us to hold our media -- and through them, our leaders -- accountable.
http://benton.org/node/17268
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OBAMA DRAMATICALLY RAMPING UP OVERALL SPENDING; NOW OUTGUNNING MCCAIN
[SOURCE: Talking Points Memo, AUTHOR: Greg Sargent]
In a sign that the Obama campaign is getting serious about tapping his financial advantage over McCain with six weeks to go, Obama's overall spending on TV ads has jumped 50% in the last two weeks, while McCain's has held steady -- and Obama is now outspending his rival even as he's up on the air in more states. In the week ending Sept. 21, Obama spent $9.4 million on TV ads in roughly 15 states, up from $6.5 million in the week that ended two weeks ago, Evan Tracey, who tracks national ad buys for the Campaign Media Analysis Group, tells me. Tracey's analysis is based on fresh data he obtained this afternoon. Obama's increased spending -- which has gone up at the rate of over 20% per week over the past three weeks -- is largely fueled by boosts in spending in Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, according to Tracey. In contrast to Obama's ratcheted up spending, his data shows, McCain's outlay has held steady at around $7.5 million in roughly a dozen states -- a number that Obama's expenditures have now surpassed.
http://benton.org/node/17267
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SHAME ON YOU TOO, BARACK OBAMA, THE TRUTH SLEUTHS SAY
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: James Rainey]
Some of the same mainstream media outlets and websites that exposed Sen John McCain's lies about Sen Barack Obama are now saying Obama is guilty of distortion, too.
http://benton.org/node/17283
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JOURNALISM
ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BAILOUT
[SOURCE: Romenesko, AUTHOR: David Clay Johnston]
Journalists, start your skepticism. In covering the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street don't repeat the failed lapdog practices that so damaged our reputations in the rush to war in Iraq and the adoption of the Patriot Act. Don't assume that Congress must act instantly, as so many news stories state as if it was an immutable fact. Don't assume there is a case just because officials say there is. The coverage of the Paulson plan focuses on the edges, on the details. The focus should be on the premise. And be skeptical of what gullible Congressional leaders, most of them up before the voters in a few weeks, say after being given a closed-door meeting on supposed horrors. The Administration has scared the markets and some key legislative leaders, but it has not laid out a coherent, specific and compelling need for this enormous proposal, which is the equivalent of a one-time 55 percent income tax surcharge. (Instead the money will be borrowed, so ask from whom and how this much can be raised so quickly if the credit markets are nearly seized up with fear.) Ask this question -- are the credit markets really about to seize up? If the problem is toxic mortgages then how come they are still being offered all over the Internet? How does the proposal help Joe and Mary Sixpack who can afford their current monthly payment, but not the increased interest rate that has been or soon will take effect? How will adding $700 billion to the national debt ease strains on the credit markets?
http://benton.org/node/17266
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SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
FCC CHIEF WOULD CUT MINIMUM BID ON D BLOCK AIRWAVES
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Kim Dixon]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin will propose halving the minimum opening bid on a piece of potentially valuable wireless spectrum, after an earlier auction failed to attract industry interest. The FCC is likely to vote Thursday on a plan that would cut the prior $1.3 billion minimum bid to $750 million. The aim is to lure interest in the airwaves, which come with a requirement to partner with public safety agencies during emergencies.
http://benton.org/node/17265
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TIMING LOUSY FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
A government plan to build a nationwide emergency communications network using private money and public airwaves flopped earlier this year when investors stayed away in droves. On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission was trying again, this time in the midst of a full-blown economic crisis. The commission was scheduled to vote on a tentative plan that makes the idea more palatable to potential investors -- perhaps too palatable, some say. The proposed network would be used by police, firefighters and other emergency crews responding to disasters or terrorist attacks. The draft rules would allow the private bidder to charge public safety organizations $48.50 a month, per user, which could be "cost prohibitive" to smaller and rural public safety users, according to Jessica Zufolo, a telecommunications analyst for Medley Global Advisors. Potential bidders include AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, the nation's top two wireless providers. The companies have paid billions of dollars for similar spectrum. Adding a public safety component to their networks would be easier for them than for a company starting from scratch. Adding to the sense of uncertainty is the current financial climate. With Congress considering a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, banks are not in a position to lend billions for a largely speculative undertaking.
http://benton.org/node/17285
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GOOGLE'S PAGE: WHITE SPACES TEST WAS UNFAIR
[SOURCE: The Industry Standard, AUTHOR: Grant Gross]
Every city in the country -- even New York City -- has a host of unused TV channels. Opening up that fertile field of spectrum to the seeds of innovation is a worthy-sounding goal that everyone can agree to in principle, but when it comes down to making the rules that govern access, and to certifying the devices that can operate, the debate hops on the express train to Nastytown. How did a campaign to allow unlicensed access to TV "white spaces" turn into a "campaign of fear," a "political proceeding," and a series of "ridiculous assertions"? Because of what's at stake. Google cofounder Larry Page blasted as unfair recent interference tests of prototype devices that would deliver wireless broadband on unused television spectrum. The tests, conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, measured interference with the wrong signals, Page said Wednesday. The tests attempted to measure interference with wireless microphones during a professional football game in Maryland, but those microphones were operating on spectrum also occupied by much stronger TV signals, said Page. Reps. Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) say they remain unconvinced by FCC testing of the devices.
http://benton.org/node/17264
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MARTIN VOICES SUPPORT FOR OTHER USES OF VACANT AIRWAVES
[SOURCE: Dow Jones, AUTHOR: Fawn Johnson]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told reporters after a Senate hearing Tuesday that the FCC should be able to make a decision before the end of the year about whether to grant those companies one of their top priorities, unlicensed use of the airwaves. "I do think we need to try to more efficiently use the broadcast spectrum and we need to do so trying to find a way to utilize those white spaces for other kinds of commercial services," Martin said. It would certainly be very helpful if we could find a way to use them for wireless broadband services and to do that in a way that doesn't create inference," he said. Chairman Martin said he is asking FCC's engineers to summarize their conclusions about the tests for the other commissioners. "This is going to help us inform what the rules should be to allow us to more effectively use the broadcast spectrum," he said. "Many people have claimed the devices passed or failed. Neither of that is accurate," he added. Martin said he is considering a certification process for the devices to identify any problems they cause with TV broadcasting or wireless microphones.
http://benton.org/node/17263
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EVERYONE DECLARES VICTORY IN SMUTFREE WIRELESS BROADBAND TEST
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
The leading advocate of a nationwide smutless, free broadband service held a press conference this morning to announce that recent tests conducted by the Federal Communications Commission prove that the proposed service creates "no technical barriers" in nearby bands. M2Z Networks says that the experiments, completed by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) in the first week of this month, demonstrate that different wireless transmission technologies can peaceably coexist in the 2.1GHz band, contrary to the assertions of T-Mobile, the proposed service's biggest critic. "Providing protection down to the level T-Mobile is asking to protect, would mean that Bluetooth, WiFi, home and small business wireless cell sites, and even microwave ovens would cause interference," M2Z's press release asserts. Judging by M2Z's rhetoric, the battle between these two companies over how the Advance Wireless Services 3 (AWS-3) band (2155-2180MHz) will be contoured has become quite bitter. The company called T-Mobile's calls for testing "aggressive" and "unprecedented."
http://benton.org/node/17262
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ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT REFUSES TO HEAR SPRINT APPEAL IN NEXTEL FIGHT WITH AFFILIATE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: David Twiddy]
The Illinois Supreme Court has dealt Sprint Nextel Corp. another setback in its fight with affiliate iPCS Inc. over the Nextel network. The court on Wednesday refused to hear Sprint's appeal of a March ruling by the Appellate Court of Illinois that would require Sprint to dismantle its Nextel network in regions of the Midwest. iPCS sells Sprint-branded services. It sued Sprint after the larger company acquired Nextel Communications Inc. in 2005, saying that it was violating iPCS' exclusivity agreement by selling Nextel products in the territory of its iPCS Wireless subsidiary. Cook County Circuit Judge Thomas Quinn determined in 2006 that Sprint Nextel had violated the agreement and gave the company 180 days to divest itself of its Nextel holdings in the affiliate's territory. That order has been put on hold while Sprint has appealed that decision, but it would involve Nextel customers in parts of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska, said Sprint spokesman Matt Sullivan.
http://benton.org/node/17261
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
JUSTICE, COMMERCE OPPOSE IP ACT
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Departments of Justice and Commerce came out against key elements in the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act, a bill that would boost the government's efforts to crack down on intellectual piracy, saying that they would turn the Justice Department into a de facto legal team for private industry and result in Congress trying to run the president's office for him. DOJ and Commerce said they support the goal of protecting intellectual property rights, but in a letter to Sens Leahy and Specter, top lawyers with both departments said they could not support authorizing the attorney general to pursue civil suits against copyright infringers, saying that it would result in government lawyers working pro bono to collect judgments for industry. Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, said, "We are pleased that the Justice and Commerce departments agree with us that it would be a mistake to give the Justice Department the authority to pursue civil suits in copyright cases... the private sector has all the resources necessary to pursue cases that companies want to pursue. The government should not be turned into the law firm for wealthy copyright holders. We hope that the sponsors of the bill will take these views seriously and will forgo action on the legislation for the foreseeable future."
http://benton.org/node/17260
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MEDIA MERGERS THREATEN COMMUNITY NEWS
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Sascha Meinrath]
[Commentary] The federal government's media ownership policies have tremendous impact on the community media that has traditionally played an important role in fostering community awareness and involvement. The past 20 years have seen an unprecedented number of media mergers among TV, radio, film, publishing and online holdings. An oligopoly has emerged in which six massive corporations control enormous numbers of media outlets. In 2006, combined revenues from these companies were greater than many countries' economies -- even individually, the economic might is daunting.
http://benton.org/node/17259
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COALITION FORMED TO PUSH NET USERS TO LEGIT CONTENT
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Todd Spangler]
Five large media, technology and service provider companies -- NBC Universal, Viacom, AT&T, Cisco Systems and Microsoft -- have lent their names to an advocacy organization designed to promote legal sources of content on the Internet and discourage consumers from engaging in piracy. The coalition, called Arts+Labs, is the brainchild of two erstwhile political operatives: Mike McCurry, White House press secretary under Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1998, and Mark McKinnon, a one-time songwriter who has served as chief media advisor to the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush and John McCain. Arts+Labs will "inform and educate" consumers about the availability of legal entertainment content online as well as the dangers of obtaining media content illegally. Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, "This latest in a string of big-money front groups is nothing more than the most concentrated attack on the free and open Internet we have seen to date. Combining the power and influence of AT&T and the entertainment industry means only that both are going to wage an all-out war for the right to filter every bit of data anyone sends across the Internet."
http://benton.org/node/17246
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BROADCASTING/CABLE
NEWS OF THE DAY GETS IN NETWORKS' WAY
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Lisa de Moraes]
Collapsing Wall Street is wreaking havoc on the broadcast networks during Premiere Week. First, President Bush decided to address the country last night -- the first Wednesday of the new TV season -- interrupting several networks' program-debut plans. Then, Republican presidential candidate John McCain bailed from David Letterman's show only about two hours before it was to tape, calling the late-night host personally to tell him the economy was in such a state of crisis he was suspending his campaign and had to leave immediately to get back to Washington., Letterman got word that McCain -- who had announced his candidacy on "The Late Show" way back when -- did not, in fact, rush back to the capital. Instead, he plugged his decision to suspend his campaign, bail on Friday night's debate with Democratic nominee Barack Obama and race back to Washington over on CBS's evening newscast. He was, in fact, taping an interview with Katie Couric.
http://benton.org/node/17287
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HOUSE APPROVES NTIA, FCC FUNDING
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The House Wednesday passed a continuing resolution to keep funding the government. The bill included an extra $20 million to administer digital-TV-to-analog converter-box-subsidy coupons, as well as an additional $20 million to the Federal Communications Commission for DTV education. Both the FCC and NTIA asked for the extra money, with FCC chairman Kevin Martin saying this week that the commission would need at least that much for DTV-outreach efforts. The NTIA only asked for $7 million but said it might need to come back for more.
http://benton.org/node/17286
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CAPPS INTRODUCES ANALOG-NIGHTLIGHT BILL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
As expected, Rep Lois Capps (D-CA) introduced a bill that would allow broadcasters to continue to air a digital-TV-education message or, if need be, emergency information for two weeks after the switch to DTV transmissions Feb. 17, 2009. Under the SAFER Act (the Short-Term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act), a slide in both English and Spanish would continue to air in analog for two weeks, providing a phone number for more information on how to prepare for the DTV transition.
http://benton.org/node/17258
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CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING BOARD ELECTS CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR
[SOURCE: Corporation for Public Broadcasting]
The board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) today elected Chris Boskin chair and Beth Courtney vice-chair of the board. Boskin, who has served as CPB's chair since last year, was unanimously reelected to a one-year term. She has been a member of the board since 2006. Courtney, who has served on CPB's board since 2003, was unanimously elected to a one-year term as vice-chair.
http://benton.org/node/17257
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DO THE MATH: BROADCAST, CABLE NETWORK PARITY PLAY
[SOURCE: MediaPost, AUTHOR: Diane Mermigas]
[Commentary] The mass audience reached by the Big 4 broadcast networks will be eroded by general entertainment cable networks in less than five years, when rivals seize more of their triple advertising dollar, pricing and viewer edge. That isn't a guess, according to Bernstein Research -- it's a mathematical certainty.
http://benton.org/node/17256
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ADVERTISING
CHILDREN NOW: THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH TO SELL CHILDREN'S NEEDS SHORT
[SOURCE: Children Now, AUTHOR: Patti Miller]
Children Now's Patti Miller testified before the US Senate on food marketing to children. She said that because there is no uniform nutrition standard; because unhealthy products creatively labeled as "better for you" are being passed off as healthy food for children; and because the media companies refuse to play a role in protecting children from the advertising of unhealthy food products, current voluntary industry initiatives to curb unhealthy food marketing to kids are not enough.
http://benton.org/node/17244
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NEW PRODUCT PLACEMENT IDs? FIRST GET RID OF TV PROGRAM PROMO SWIPES
[SOURCE: MediaPost, AUTHOR: Wayne Friedman]
[Commentary] TV networks now argue there should be no additional federal regulations for identifying product placements -- like extra visual messages at the time of their appearance. If so, Friedman suggests the networks get rid of identifying messages that already exist during current TV shows.
http://benton.org/node/17254
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AD AGENCIES MAKING PROGRESS ON HIRING MINORITIES, AFTER ALL
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Rupal Parekh]
Many people aren't satisfied with Madison Avenue's progress on the diversity front, but Patricia Gatling, head of the New York City Human Rights Commission, today said she is "cautiously optimistic" that ad agencies will ramp up the numbers of minority executives in their ranks.
http://benton.org/node/17253
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FIRST-HALF AD SPENDING DECLINES
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Andrew Hampp]
Total measured ad spending declined by 1.6% in the first half of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, according to TNS Media Intelligence. The second quarter alone was down 3.7% over last year, marking the biggest quarterly drop since 2001.
http://benton.org/node/17252
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YAHOO OVERHAULS SYSTEM FOR SELLING DISPLAY ADS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stephanie Clifford]
Yahoo announced on Wednesday the details about its system to buy and sell display advertising online, with the hope that the company can dominate the display ad market in the same way Google steers the search market. The new platform, called APT, will allow both publishers and advertisers to manage display advertising across the Web sites of several hundred newspapers across the country, along with Yahoo sites and large sites like eBay and WebMD. For advertisers, the new system would simplify the buying of display ads.
http://benton.org/node/17284
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QUICKLY -- Most working Americans now use the Internet or email at their jobs; Tech giants invest in global ed reform; Senate approves extension to expired R&D tax credit; Health A Hot Topic On The Internet; All the News That's Fit to Tweet
MOST WORKING AMERICANS NOW USE THE INTERNET OR EMAIL AT THEIR JOBS
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project, AUTHOR: Mary Madden, Sydney Jones]
A new national survey shows that 62% of adults who are currently employed use the Internet or email at work and they have mixed views about the impact of technology on their work lives.
http://benton.org/node/17251
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TECH GIANTS INVEST IN GLOBAL ED REFORM
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Meris Stansbury]
Looking to produce their next generation of employees (and customers), technology giants such as Cisco Systems, Intel, and Microsoft are setting their sights beyond just the United States and are investing heavily in global education reform initiatives. Developing nations such as India, Jordan, and Kenya are among the beneficiaries of these efforts, which underscore the need for US schools to prepare their students for an increasingly global, information-based workforce.
http://benton.org/node/17250
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SENATE APPROVES EXTENSION TO EXPIRED R&D TAX CREDIT
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Grant Gross]
Late Tuesday the Senate voted to extend the research and development (R&D) tax credit sought by many tech vendors, adding it to the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed in May. The tax credit, expired since December, can cover up to 20 percent of qualified R&D spending. It has expired 13 times since 1981, despite calls by tech, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing groups to make the tax credit permanent. Lawmakers have resisted making the tax break permanent largely because its price tag of about $7 billion a year. Some critics have called the tax credit a government subsidy for large businesses.
http://benton.org/node/17249
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HEALTH A HOT TOPIC ON THE INTERNET
[SOURCE: Center for Media Research, AUTHOR: Jack Loechner]
comScore, Inc. recently released results of a study showing that the health information site category has grown 21 percent during the past year, more than four times the growth rate of the total U.S. Internet population. In June, more than 1.5 billion display ad views were seen by nearly 54 million people via sites in the health information category.
http://benton.org/node/17248
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ALL THE NEWS THAT'S FIT TO TWEET
[SOURCE: American Journalism Review, AUTHOR: Laurie White]
Twitter is taking on an increasingly prominent role in the media universe.
http://benton.org/node/17247
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