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July 2009

President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to Meet

The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, a federal advisory group of the nation's leading scientists and engineers, will meet for the first time under the Obama Administration Thursday and Friday to set priorities for the year and hear from some Administration science and tech all-stars.

Judge rules for Fed in Fox News Network request

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied a bid by Fox News Network seeking details from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve about the central bank's loans to companies affected by the financial crisis. The owner of the Fox Business cable network made an initial request for documents in November last year under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) about the companies and funds they received between August 2007 and November 2008. Both parties had filed motions in Manhattan federal court to rule in their favor after Fox filed its request to the court in January. "I rule that one document, which the Board determined is not a record, is indeed, a record. The Board shall identify this document and either produce it or claim an exemption," Judge Hellerstein said in a written order. "In all other respects, I grant the Board's motion and deny Fox's motion, finding that the Board performed an adequate search and that Exemption 4 permits the Board not to disclose the documents that Fox seeks."

ACA Asks FCC to Investigate Retrans Payment Inequities

Small and mid-sized cable operators want the Federal Communications Commission to investigate the retransmission consent regime. That came in comments by the American Cable Association in the FCC's video competition report request for information. ACA has recently ramped up its attacks on what it sees as the ongoing inequities in retrans payments. Saying that broadcasters "routinely exploit their market power" by overcharging small operators, ACA said that was a "clear example" of a market failure that needed the FCC's attention. ACA has long argued that broadcasters were using undue leverage to make smaller operators pay more than larger ones for programming. "If the market is functioning as flawlessly as the National Association of Broadcasters claims," said ACA President Matt Polka in those comments, "then the NAB should have no reason to oppose ACA's request for an FCC investigation."

Bloggers Seize on Obama's Slipping Poll Numbers

At the six-month point of Barack Obama's term last week, bloggers considered how he was doing. That discussion was driven largely by conservatives who relished in what they saw as Obama struggling politically, perhaps for the first time in his presidency. From July 20-24, more than a third of the links in blogs (36%) were to stories about Obama's administration, according to the New Media Index by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. The majority of those links focused on new survey results from the Washington Post/ABC News and USA Today/Gallup that showed Obama's approval ratings slipping in recent weeks. Many conservatives argued these were the sign of a failing President.

Free Political Ads On U.S. TV? They Do It In Mexico

This country has got it all wrong when it comes to TV political advertising. In Mexico, TV broadcasters have to run political ads free of charge -- all to level the playing field. In this country, political messaging only has to be priced at the lowest commercial unit rate. At least U.S. TV stations get some form of payment. And, in big political years -- like in 2008 -- they can get plenty more. Last year's total TV political revenue was upwards of $3 billion, all of which was key to somewhat offset the crumbling of the TV advertising market, pulled down by the severely depressed automotive industry.

Big Radio's Attacks Aren't Surprising

[Commentary] Every time we buy a CD or download a song, the artist is paid for their work. You might not know that this isn't the case when a musician's work is played on the radio. That's because corporate radio stations are exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to play these artists songs without paying them for their work.

July 30, 2009 (Broadband Mapping Data)

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY JULY 30, 2009

The FEC Web Site and Internet Communications Improvement Initiative and Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board meetings continue today. See http://www.benton.org/calendar/2009-07-30


INTERNET/BROADBAND
   Telecom Groups Protest Broadband Mapping Data Requests
   Virginia State Officials Confident of Chances for Broadband Grants
   Nevada Names Connected Nation as Its Designated Eligible Entity for Broadband Mapping
   City libraries shut out of broadband stimulus money?
   Pew: Online Video-Sharing Audience Growing
   Bright Lights, Big Internet

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
   Microsoft and Yahoo Are Linked Up. Now What?
   Congress to Scrutinize Microsoft, Yahoo Deal
   What 'Microhoo' means for Google

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
   Congress: File sharing leaks sensitive data
   Congress allocates more for e-gov fund than ever before

POLICYMAKERS
   Hutchison Leaving Senate To Run for Texas Governor
   More Top Staff Announcements at FCC
   Many Tribes, One Family

MORE ONLINE
   ED issues rules on ed-tech stimulus funds
   Tech Groups Push for Telehealth Provisions in Health Reform Bill
   Senators to introduce ban on texting while driving
   How To Hijack 'Every iPhone In The World'
   Nielsen: 98.9% Of American Homes Able To Receive DTV
   Average Time Spent For Top 30 Newspaper Sites
   Focus on Internet Safety Education
   At Postal Service, A Plan for Survival

Recent Comments on:
The Recession Is Over

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INTERNET/BROADBAND


TELECOM GROUPS PROTEST BROADBAND MAPPING DATA REQUESTS
[SOURCE: Dow Jones, AUTHOR: Fawn Johnson]
The National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the wireless association CTIA, USTelecom, the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance, and COMPTEL, a group of competitor phone companies, are protesting guidelines from the Commerce Department about the $7.2 billion broadband stimulus. In a draft letter addressed to Lawrence Strickling, the department's Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information the groups say the Commerce Department is seeking "granular data" that is "highly sensitive from competition, network security and public safety standpoints." The economic stimulus law funds an Internet mapping project to produce statewide maps about broadband availability in various areas. The problem with the mapping project, according to the draft letter, is that the Commerce Department wants the entities collecting the information to provide sensitive or hard-to-acquire company data that eventually could be obtained by competitors. Strickling met Wednesday morning with executives of the telecom associations crafting the letter to go over their concerns. Participants said it was a cordial discussion, where Strickling appeared willing to address their worries.
http://benton.org/node/26761
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VIRGINIA STATE OFFICIALS CONFIDENT OF CHANCES FOR BROADBAND GRANT
[SOURCE: BroadbandCensus.com, AUTHOR: Tina Nguyen]
Virginia Deputy Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson said Monday that the second version of Virginia's innovative, multi-platform broadband map would be publicly released on Friday. The timing means that Virginians who apply for federal broadband funds will have a data-driven competitive edge against other applicants. "We're going to make sure we [Virginians]—no offense to anyone—win," Jackson said at the Virginia Summit on Broadband Access, held Monday at Piedmont Virginia Community College. The new map had been scheduled to be released Monday, but was held for "some fine-tuning." The map is scheduled to be launched on Friday, on wired DOT virginia Dot gov. Visitors will have access to broadband coverage data, census block information, population, and more. "We want to make sure you're competitive," she said.
http://benton.org/node/26760
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NEVADA NAMES CONNECTED NATION ITS OFFICIAL BROADBAND MAPPER
[SOURCE: Connected Nation, AUTHOR: Press release]
Nevada Gov Jim Gibbons (R) has notified the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that Connected Nation will serve as the state's designated eligible entity under the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program. Connected Nation's designation coincides with Gov. Gibbons' creation of the Nevada Broadband Task Force, which is charged with identifying and removing barriers to broadband access and identifying opportunities for increased broadband applications and adoption in unserved and underserved areas of Nevada. As the designated eligible entity, Connected Nation will serve as a resource to the Nevada Broadband Task Force as the group begins to address barriers to broadband access. This relationship will include extensive broadband mapping, as well as support for other broadband stimulus grant applications that the state or broadband providers may choose to make. As a first step to support Nevada's broadband providers in making applications for broadband infrastructure grants during the first round of funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Connected Nation -- using ArcGIS technology in partnership with ESRI -- has released a statewide map depicting rural and remote areas in Nevada that will be eligible for infrastructure grant funding.
http://benton.org/node/26759
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CITY LIBRARIES SHUT OUT OF BROADBAND STIMULUS MONEY?
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Matthew Lasar]
Millions of Americans are turning to the Internet to look for new jobs. But in many parts of the United States, public libraries are the only free provider of that crucial combo: a computer plus Internet access. This means that low-income job seekers depend on them when searching for employment. Oddly, as library development directors look for funds to beef up their networks, they're not finding the support they expected from the White House's $7.2 billion broadband stimulus package. The first round of stimulus grants "in effect de-prioritizes libraries and discourages them from applying for funding," complains the American Library Association in a letter sent to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. "The ability of our libraries to meet community needs is in jeopardy—especially when library use has heavily increased across the country in these difficult economic times."
http://benton.org/node/26758
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THE AUDIENCE FOR ONLINE VIDEO-SHARING SITES SHOOTS UP
[SOURCE: Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, AUTHOR: Mary Madden]
As the audience for online video continues to grow, a leading edge of Internet users are migrating their viewing from their computer screens to their TV screens. At the same time, more cell phone users are opting for the convenience of watching video on smaller screens via their handheld devices. According to an April 2009 survey, the share of online adults who watch videos on video-sharing sites has nearly doubled since 2006. Fully 62% of adult Internet users have watched video on these sites, up from just 33% who reported this in December 2006. Over time, online video has also become a bigger fixture in everyday life, garnering 19% of all Internet users who use video-sharing sites to watch on a typical day. In comparison, just 8% of Internet users reported use of the sites on a typical day in 2006.
http://benton.org/node/26750
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BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG INTERNET
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Wasik]
[Commentary] Believe it or not, the Internet is a tougher town than New York; fewer people make it here, but no one there seems to make it for long. [More at the URL below]
http://benton.org/node/26762
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP


MICROSOFT AND YAHOO ARE LINKED UP. NOW WHAT?
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
There's plenty of skepticism about whether Microsoft and Yahoo can make a serious dent in Google's dominance in Internet search and advertising. Even with the deal, the Microsoft-Yahoo search operation will be dwarfed by Google — with a 28 percent market share in the United States, versus 65 percent — and will face an uphill struggle to try to wean people away from Google's simple white search page. If Yahoo and Microsoft cannot persuade people to switch, they will not build the larger audience that will bring in more revenue from ads tied to searches. "This battle is won or lost as the user sits at the keyboard," said Peter S. Fader, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of its Interactive Media Initiative. "Google is winning for good, consumer-friendly reasons. You can't just buy that."
http://benton.org/node/26765
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CONGRESS TO SCRUTINIZE MICROSOFT, YAHOO DEAL
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cecilia Kang]
Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) said the Internet search and advertising partnership announced Wednesday between software giant Microsoft and Yahoo "warrants our careful scrutiny." He said lawmakers are "concerned about competition issues in these markets because of the potentially far-reaching consequences for consumers and advertisers."
http://benton.org/node/26745
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WHAT 'MICROHOO' MEANS TO GOOGLE
[SOURCE: CNNMoney.com, AUTHOR: David Goldman]
Size really matters to advertisers in the search market. More data means more relevant searches and ads, which means more money can be charged to advertisers. It's a fact that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said unfairly benefits Google, as many ad companies were less willing to deal with Microsoft or Yahoo because each maintained a tiny fraction of the market compared to the search leader. But Ballmer said a combined effort "provides consumers and advertisers ... with a real No. 2 advertiser in search." Even if Microhoo doesn't make a run at the top of the search market, some argue that the deal is good for both firms, advertisers and consumers. "Overall, the deal makes sense," said Shar VanBoskirk, search market analyst at Forrester Research. "It potentially creates synergies between the two firms -- each had a gap the other one could fill -- to create another one-stop-shop and a stronger second-place player." VanBoskirk said the consumer experience on Yahoo.com and Bing.com will improve, because data sharing will help Microsoft and Yahoo better customize content for each user. And with more relevant ads, advertisers will get more clicks and a better return on their investment.
http://benton.org/node/26744
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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS


CONGRESS: FILE SHARING LEAKS SENSITIVE DATA
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
Sensitive files like Secret Service safehouse locations, military rosters, and IRS tax returns can still be found on file-sharing networks, according to a report to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In many cases, that's because federal government employees or contractors installed peer-to-peer software on their computers without paying attention to which documents would be shared, Robert Boback, the chief executive of Tiversa, told the panel. Boback said his company found the Secret Service's evacuation plans for the first lady and motorcade routes. That led some politicians to announce that new federal laws were necessary to stop inadvertent file sharing.
http://benton.org/node/26757
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CONGRESS ALLOCATES MORE FOR E-GOV FUND THAN EVER BEFORE
[SOURCE: FederalNewsRadio, AUTHOR: Jason Miller]
The House and Senate appropriations committees allocated more funding for the e-government fund in fiscal 2010 than in the previous seven years combined. In the Financial Services bill, the House's version includes $33 million for the General Services Administration, which manages the fund for the Office of Management and Budget. The Senate's version includes $35 million. Both houses of Congress want to approve GSA's spending plan for the fund.
http://benton.org/node/26753
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POLICYMAKERS


HUTCHINSON LEAVING SENATE TO RUN FOR TEXAS GOVERNOR
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Chris Cillizza]
Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, will resign her seat this fall to focus on challenging Texas's incumbent Republican governor, Rick Perry. The gubernatorial primary will be in March 2010. Sen Hutchison plans to step away from the Senate in October or November.
http://benton.org/node/26764
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MORE TOP STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AT FCC
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced more senior staff: Media Bureau Chief William Lake and Wireline Competition Bureau Chief Sharon Gillett; Media Bureau Deputy Chiefs Robert Ratcliffe and Kris Monteith and Enforcement Bureau Deputy Chief Suzanne Tetreault; Office of Communications Business Opportunities OCBO Director Thomas Reed, OCBO Senior Deputy Director Carolyn Fleming Williams, and Associate General Counsel and Chief Diversity Officer Mark Lloyd.
http://benton.org/node/26756
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MANY TRIBES, ONE FAMILY
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Commissioner Michael Copps spoke at the Indian Telecommunications Initiative in Rapid City (SD) on July 28. American Indians, he recalled a friend saying, are "many tribes, one family." He said that's a good way to think about our country -- all in it together. Bringing that family together is our challenge. It's not something that can be finished at a two or three day conference. But it is something that can be launched and he offered some principles to guide the work: 1) Public participation in crafting a National Broadband Plan due to Congress in February. 2) Planning isn't enough -- we need implementation: bringing telecommunications to Indian Country and reforming universal service programs. 3) Partnerships are how, coursing back throughout history, we have overcome our greatest challenges and how we built our essential infrastructure. 4) Americans everywhere are much better served if their media is local and diverse and competitive rather than centrally-owned, centrally-managed and centrally-programmed by Madison Avenue advertisers.
http://benton.org/node/26755
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Microsoft and Yahoo Are Linked Up. Now What?

There's plenty of skepticism about whether Microsoft and Yahoo can make a serious dent in Google's dominance in Internet search and advertising. Even with the deal, the Microsoft-Yahoo search operation will be dwarfed by Google — with a 28 percent market share in the United States, versus 65 percent — and will face an uphill struggle to try to wean people away from Google's simple white search page. If Yahoo and Microsoft cannot persuade people to switch, they will not build the larger audience that will bring in more revenue from ads tied to searches. "This battle is won or lost as the user sits at the keyboard," said Peter S. Fader, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of its Interactive Media Initiative. "Google is winning for good, consumer-friendly reasons. You can't just buy that."

Hutchison Leaving Senate To Run for Texas Governor

Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, will resign her seat this fall to focus on challenging Texas's incumbent Republican governor, Rick Perry. The gubernatorial primary will be in March 2010. Sen Hutchison plans to step away from the Senate in October or November. When Hutchison, first elected to the Senate in 1993, makes her resignation official, Perry will be able to appoint her successor, who would take office once Hutchison steps down and would face reelection next year. GOP strategists see the strongest potential candidates for the seat as Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and state Attorney General Greg Abbott. Other names mentioned on the Republican side include former secretary of state Roger Williams, Railroad Commissioners Michael Williams and Elizabeth Ames Jones, and state Sen. Florence Shapiro. The leading Democratic contenders for the seat are former state Comptroller John Sharp, who has twice run for and lost bids for lieutenant governor, and Houston Mayor Bill White. Both men already have millions of dollars in reserve for the race.

At Postal Service, A Plan for Survival

Lawmakers on Thursday will consider various proposals to restructure the US Postal Service, just days after government auditors warned that it must quickly address its financial viability. Confronting a sharp decline in mail volume tied to the recession and the continuing migration to e-mail and online payment options, the Postal Service projects a net loss of $7 billion this fiscal year and debt exceeding $10 billion, leading to a cash shortfall of about $1 billion. Losses are expected next year as well. The Government Accountability Office added the Postal Service to its list of high-risk government agencies and programs on Tuesday, and it will further explain its decision Thursday at a House subcommittee hearing. The GAO has urged a rapid overhaul of the Postal Service that includes layoffs, plant closures and changes to retiree health benefits. Since 2006, federal law has required the agency to pay about $5.5 billion annually to cover future retiree benefit costs while paying $2 billion to $4 billion a year to cover current retirees.

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