July 2010

INTERNET/BROADBAND

THE US THREAT TO INTERNET FREEDOM
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: FCC Commissioner Robert McDoewll]
[Commentary] In 1988, delegates from 114 countries gathered in Melbourne, Australia, to negotiate an international treaty for the future of telecommunications regulation. Since then, representatives from nations as diverse as Ghana, China and the U.S. have reunited and agreed that the Internet -- that amazing global network of networks -- was different from traditional phone service, and was best kept free from international phone regulation. That could change soon. At least 191 countries are gearing up for the next round of talks at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the fall. The ITU is a treaty-based organization under the auspices of the United Nations that regulates international telecom services by, for instance, administering international telephone numbers. To date, the ITU has had no jurisdiction over the Internet. But the U.S.'s own telecom regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), may spark a possible cascade of international regulation of the Web, led by the ITU. The timing couldn't be worse. The FCC's proposal to reclassify broadband could inadvertently trigger ITU and, ultimately, U.N. jurisdiction over parts of the Internet. Unlike at the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. has no veto power at the ITU and may not be able to stop it. The best way to keep the Internet open, operating and growing is to maintain the current model. We should continue to rely on the "bottom up" nongovernmental Internet governance bodies that have a perfect record of keeping the Web working. Changing course now could trigger an avalanche of irreversible international regulation.
benton.org/node/39817 | Wall Street Journal
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WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT BROADBAND REGULATION?
[SOURCE: Public Knowledge, AUTHOR: Harold Feld]
"Progressive Era philosophy" means going back to a basic idea over why we care about services like broadband. When we have a service offered to the public, when members of the public depend on accessing this service reliably, and when a failure to have reliable access can have dire consequences, these services are "affected with the public interest." For these services, we need some basic safeguards to ensure fundamental fairness and, to the extent possible, prevent disasters before they occur whether that disaster is limited to a subscriber or small business cut off from a vital service or a failure to serve rural areas or a massive failure on order of a BP or Katrina-type disaster. We once took pride in having an electric grid and a telephone network that were the envy of the world because they reached everyone, worked reliably, and treated everyone fairly. We should want the same for our broadband networks in the 21st Century. Those who ignore the quiet role of government in ensuring basic principles of fundamental fairness and standards or reliability in making these previous networks the envy of the world leave us at the mercy of the market. But the market cannot protect either fundamental fairness or impose basic standards of reliability. Without these two principles, our broadband network will not flourish, and we will all pay the price.
benton.org/node/39778 | Public Knowledge
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WORLD RULES, AMERICA DROOLS
[SOURCE: App-Rising.com, AUTHOR: Geoff Daily]
[Commentary] While there's nothing new about lamenting over America's falling in the standings relative to broadband in the rest of the world, Daily continues to be amazed at how that gap seems to be widening, not just in the capacity and cost of bandwidth customers have access to, but in how quickly other countries are moving forward with real plans to achieve real progress relative to the US. Here in the US we barely have our first broadband plan. We're still caught up in debates over whether or not we're setting the standard for broadband too high, whether or not government should play any role in the deployment of broadband, and whether or not the agency charged with overseeing our country's communications infrastructure even has the authority to regulate broadband. After comparing that to the rest of the world, Daily concludes: If we feel any pride as a nation, if we have any sense about what our economic future can and should look like, then we need to make sure these stories about where the rest of the world's heading aren't swept underneath the carpet. The time to act is now. The rest of the world realizes this and is moving forward full steam ahead. The question is when will America wake up and start getting serious about our international competitiveness as a whole rather than focusing almost all of our attention on how do we get every American connected to yesterday's networks.
benton.org/node/39785 | App-Rising.com
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LIBERTY AND BROADBAND FOR ALL
[SOURCE: The Atlantic, AUTHOR: Alexis Madrigal]
For the first time, the United States has a National Broadband Plan, and a bit of money to spend building infrastructure. In recent weeks, there has been plenty of debate about whether the plan is ambitious enough, as well as deeper soul searching about what the proper role of government in building the nation's Internet infrastructure should be. Just Sunday, Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg called for a more expansive broadband vision. There are legitimate questions about the plan, but little time or space is committed to understanding the details of how we're going to build this 21st century infrastructure. So in this occasional series, America the Connected, we'll be talking with different sorts of experts -- historians, political scientists, technologists, policy wonks, engineers, entrepreneurs -- about the National Broadband Plan. Each one will take the form of a statement, edited and condensed from a longer interview. As more come in, we'll offer you a landing page where you can compare and contrast their views. Up first is Robert Atkinson, head of The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a think tank devoted to technological issues of national importance. He says:
1) I would define the goal of a national plan not simply as the construction of a series of networks, but ultimately as the robust use of broadband. You could build an unbelievably great network and if nobody signed up for it, it doesn't really get you very much. The plan is quite good in recognizing that, and in addressing issues beyond the physical network.
2) I think the plan was very, very good. The best thing in the plan is its proposal to take much of the largely wasted TV spectrum and put it into wireless broadband. We can get by with much less TV spectrum (and still have very good TV broadcasting) and doing so will enable the next wave of the mobile broadband revolution. But this will be a tough fight as the broadcasters want to keep the spectrum they never paid for. If I have to have any criticism of the plan, it's two-fold. First, it was three or four years late. We were quite late to developing a national plan. Many other countries had put their strategies in place in the early part of the last decade. But better late than never. Second, the biggest limitation of the plan is that it doesn't have much money behind it. The plan can talk all it wants about wanting to get high speeds to a large number of people -- 10 megabyte download speeds for 100 million people, say -- and that's all well and good, but what's the real mechanism by which you do that?
benton.org/node/39777 | Atlantic, The
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FCC EXTENDS DEADLINE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
The Federal Communications Commission has extended the deadline for comments on the Effects on Broadband Communications Networks Of Damage to or Failure of Network Equipment Or Severe Overload until September 3, 2010. On April 21, 2010, the FCC released a Notice of Inquiry (Notice) in the proceeding, seeking comment to enhance its understanding of the present state of survivability of broadband communications networks. The FCC's goal to explore potential measures to reduce network vulnerability to failures in network equipment or severe overload conditions, such as would occur in natural disasters, pandemics, and other disasters or events that would restrain our ability to communicate.
benton.org/node/39810 | Federal Communications Commission
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM

SPECTRUM BILL MOVES IN SENATE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
On July 22, the Senate Commerce Committee passed, on a voice vote, the Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act of 2010 (S. 3490). The bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency that oversees federal spectrum, to provide more information to the public about its plans regarding reallocation of spectrum from federal to non-federal use. The bill also covers relocation costs for federal spectrum users who give it up for commercial purposes, and sets a date certain for doing so.
benton.org/node/39816 | Broadcasting&Cable
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BOUCHER ON D-BLOCK
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Juliana Gruenwald]
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) said that if Congress passes legislation reallocating a controversial chunk of spectrum for use by public safety officials for a nationwide interoperable broadband communications network, it would count as a loss of as much as $3 billion in revenues to the federal government. Chairman Boucher has crafted draft legislation that would implement the FCC's plan and authorize additional funding to make up for any shortfalls in proceeds from the D-block auction. He and some FCC officials argue that the FCC's plan is the most realistic way to ensure that an interoperable public safety network is built. Boucher said he is concerned about finding the funding to build the network without the proceeds from a D-block auction. "My view is it should be auctioned," Boucher said. "It is the most efficient way to move forward." He added, "If you simply give it to public safety you will need to account for that gift." Boucher said proceeds from a D-block auction are counted in the federal budget and have been scored by the Congressional Budget Office as being worth between $2 billion and $3 billion.
benton.org/node/39796 | CongressDaily
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IPHONE NETWORK MELTDOWN
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Fred Vogelstein]
AT&T's network proved unable to cope with the deluge of data traffic generated by the iPhone, particularly in cities like San Francisco and New York. Even as the #attfail meme burned up Twitter, AT&T accelerated its network upgrades -- it has spent nearly $37 billion on new equipment and capacity since the iPhone launch and expects to invest around $13.5 billion in 2010. The effort may have already boosted performance, with at least some independent studies showing that the carrier's network has improved. And yet AT&T's image remains deeply damaged, and the body slams keep coming -- including insults from mischievous blogger Fake Steve Jobs, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Meanwhile, the groundbreaking alliance has deteriorated into a loveless celebrity marriage. Each company has publicly described the other as the ideal partner (and neither would comment for this story beyond reiterating that talking point), but behind the scenes both have jockeyed for position while consumers have lashed out, looking for someone to blame.
Those problems are exposing a fundamental schism that's occurring between all smartphone makers and carriers, not just Apple and AT&T. That partnership has lain bare a fundamental disconnect between phone makers -- who want to make indispensable devices that customers use constantly to their fullest capabilities -- and carriers, who want to limit the data demands on their networks. This dysfunctional relationship is not unique to Apple and AT&T; the tensions that have undercut the iPhone will likely bedevil every manufacturer and carrier. And what that means is, at some point, everyone with a smartphone will probably experience the same frustration as AT&T customers.
benton.org/node/39773 | Wired | PC World
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WIRELESS FRIENDS
[SOURCE: technology Review, AUTHOR: Tom Simonite]
Each time you make a cell-phone call, your network provider knows whom you're calling, for how long, and what device you're using. Now researchers at one of the world's largest wireless carriers are exploring whether such information can help companies target their marketing pitches. By analyzing billions of call records, the researchers at Telenor, a carrier in Scandinavia, mapped how social connections between people--measured partly by how often they called each other--correlated with the spread of Apple's iPhone after its 2007 debut. The research showed that socially connected groups of early adopters helped the iPhone spread rapidly. A person with just one iPhone-owning friend was three times more likely to own one themselves than a person whose friends had no iPhones. People with two friends who had iPhones were more than five times as likely to have sprung for the Apple device. Now Telenor's team wants to translate insights like that into marketing campaigns. For instance, a company might send promotional text messages or ads to people whose friends already use a product--and who would presumably be more likely to buy the product as well.
benton.org/node/39772 | Technology Review
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TELECOM

NEW USF REFORM BILL
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Rep Rick Boucher (D-VA), Rep Lee Terry (R-NE)]
Reps Rick Boucher (D-VA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Universal Service Reform Act of 2010. The measure will improve and modernize the Universal Service Fund (USF) by reining in the size of the fund and promoting broadband deployment. "The Universal Service Fund is broken. Consumers currently pay more than thirteen percent of long distance revenues into the fund and have at times this year contributed over fifteen percent. Our legislation is a comprehensive and forward-looking measure, which will control the spiraling growth of the Universal Service Fund while ensuring that sufficient universal service support is available on a technology-neutral basis to the carriers which rely on it to provide service. The measure will expand who pays into the Fund, control the growth of the Fund and modernize the Fund by allowing its use for the deployment of high-speed broadband service," said Reps Boucher and Terry. The bill would will ensure the continued viability of the Universal Service Fund by limiting universal service support in areas where there is competition among providers of voice and broadband services and directing the FCC to adopt a competitive bidding process to determine which wireless carriers will receive universal service support. The measure also directs the FCC to establish and implement performance goals for each universal service fund program and to determine the appropriate methodology for audits of universal service fund recipients. The Boucher-Terry measure has been endorsed by the American Public Communications Council, Inc., AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier Communications, the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, OPASTCO, Qwest, USTelecom, Verizon, Vonage and the Western Telecommunications Alliance.
benton.org/node/39804 | House of Representatives Commerce Committee | The Hill | B&C - positive industry reaction | Read the bill | summary | section by section
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TAXES AND THE TELECOM SECTOR
[SOURCE: BroadbandBreakfast.com, AUTHOR: Mytheos Holt]
According to a report released by the Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA), the key to spurring broadband adoption in previously under-covered areas is targeted tax relief. According to the group's summary of the study, "The study indicates how a reduction in special taxes applied to the telecommunications sectors in countries with different taxation approaches like Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh and South Africa will translate into higher Mobile Broadband service adoption and more wealth creation reflected in additional GDP growth." The study's methodology analyzed the relationship between mobile broadband adoption and tax rates in the four countries outlined above. Despite disparities in other areas, the study notes that every dollar reduced in taxes across Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh and South Africa will generate additional GDP ranging between US$1.4 to US$12.6 through enhanced broadband uptake.
benton.org/node/39783 | BroadbandBreakfast.com
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DIGITAL CONTENT

DEATH OF BOOKS?
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Mark Franek]
[Commentary] Imagine going to the library and ending up in a museum with free wireless, and you get the picture of where the reading public is headed. Books, the kind with spines and glue, are heading for the rare manuscript collection. The age of books is ending. Children born today will experience not the extinction of the book, per se, but the slow decline of the universal yet wonderfully idiosyncratic process of giving and receiving actual books, holding and shifting them in the lap, turning pages, and moving the eye and the mind across ink and shadow. This communal human activity has spanned over five centuries, beginning with the invention of the Gutenberg Press and coming to rest not long after wireless technologies and e-readers started thumping their chests. My lament for a life without books stems not from mere affection for how books are made and handled, but from an appreciation for the messy tactile narrative of how books are made manifest and cling to our lives. Our treasured books hold more than dog-ears and bookmarks; they store the fragments we shore against our ruins, to paraphrase the poet T.S. Eliot. [Mark Franek is the academic dean at the Rock School for Dance Education, in Philadelphia, and has taught English for nearly 20 years.]
benton.org/node/39815 | Christian Science Monitor, The
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PRIVACY

PRIVACY HEARING
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee]
The House The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a legislative hearing on July 22. The hearing examined H.R. 5777, the BEST PRACTICES Act, introduced by Rep Bobby Rush (D-IL), and a discussion draft, released by Reps Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), to require notice to and consent of an individual prior to the collection and disclosure of certain personal information relating to that individual. Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Rush said that he knows there is no free lunch and that online advertising often pays for that lunch, but that he thought it was imperative before the August recess to address online privacy concerns and ways to craft safeguards to address foreseeable violations of consumer privacy, suggesting those isolations should not be part of that lunch tab. The Federal Trade Commission testified about FTC efforts to protect consumer privacy and commented on legislative proposals to improve privacy protections. David Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, described the FTC's law enforcement actions to hold companies accountable for protecting consumer privacy, focusing on data security, identity theft, children's privacy, and protecting consumers from intrusive spam, spyware, and telemarketing. The testimony noted that the FTC has brought 28 actions charging businesses with failing to protect consumers' personal information and 15 actions charging website operators with collecting information from children without parents' consent. The FTC also has brought 15 spyware cases and dozens of actions challenging illegal spam, including an action against a rogue Internet Service Provider that resulted in a temporary 30 percent drop in spam worldwide. Finally, the FTC has brought 64 actions alleging violations of the Do Not Call Rule, resulting in violators paying almost $40 million in civil penalties and giving up nearly $18 million, including consumer redress. The testimony also described the FTC's consumer and business education efforts, cross-border privacy and international enforcement work, and research and policymaking on emerging technology issues, including privacy roundtables held in 2009-10. Edmund Mierzwinski of U.S. PIRG argued that the bills "don't address the massive growth in data collection," and "largely sanction the existing and worsening regime of ongoing collection, analysis and use of off-and online data, through the industry-preferred regime of notice and choice." He suggested the bill's provisions were essentially being grafted on. On the other side, industry bill watchers are concerned that companies that violate the notice/consent policies could be fined $1,000 per violation up to $5 million, though they like the proposal of a "safe harbor" for companies that agree to self-regulation overseen by the FTC.
benton.org/node/39800 | House of Representatives Commerce Committee | B&C | FTC
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RESEARCH

COMPETES ACT IN SENATE
[SOURCE: US Senate Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Press release]
On July 22, the Senate Commerce Committee approved the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (S. 3605), a continuing effort with the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill invests in research and development (R&D), and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education drivers of America's economy and keys to our competitiveness in the global marketplace. Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) said, "While the United States continues to lead the world in science and engineering, other countries are working to close the gap by expanding their own investments in research, infrastructure, and education. A strong high-tech workforce is fundamental to addressing the challenges of the 21st century—from developing clean sources of energy to discovering cures for diseases. The small investments we make now in science and technology, research and STEM education will pay incredible dividends down the road."
benton.org/node/39799 | US Senate Commerce Committee | Chairman Rockefeller
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SCIENCE AND TECH BUDGET
[SOURCE: The White House, AUTHOR: OMB Director Peter Orszag, OSTP Director John Holdren]
This memorandum follows up on OMB Memorandum M-10-19 by outlining the Administration's science and technology (S&T) priorities for formulating FY 2012 Budget submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). These priorities for research and development (R&D) investments and other S&T investments build on priorities already reflected in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the FY 2010 and 2011 Budgets, and key Administration policy guidance such as the President's Strategy for American Innovation. This memorandum also provides program guidance for S&T activities in Executive Departments and Agencies. Agencies should explain in their budget submissions how they will redirect available resources, as appropriate, and consistent with their mission, from lower-priority areas to S&T activities that address six challenges and strengthen six cross-cutting areas (outlined in Attachment A) that underlie success in addressing all of these challenges. Agencies should describe expected outcomes from these S&T investments, providing quantitative metrics where possible. The President has a long-term goal that the R&D investment (both private and Federal) in the United States should reach three percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In order to understand the status of the Federal share of this goal, agencies are expected to work in close collaboration with OMB and OSTP to accurately classify and report R&D investment activities.
benton.org/node/39774 | White House, The
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OWNERSHIP

MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES REVIEW
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Sens Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) wrote Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski this week advising him that he did not have to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors when it comes to vetting the FCC's media ownership rules and that they were still concerned about consolidation. The letter came as the FCC was preparing to defend at least the authority and process by which Martin came to that decision in a brief to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which is currently hearing appeals of that 2007 decision by deregulation defenders and opponents alike. The FCC is concurrently reconsidering its ownership rules as part of a quadrennial review mandated by Congress. In the letter, they said they wanted to remind him of "the Senate's interest in public interest limits for media ownership and that the current commission is under no obligation to follow the footsteps of its predecessors." They also point out in the letter that the last two attempts to "weaken" the media ownership rules (in 2003 under Chairman Michael Powell and 2007 under Martin, were met with "considerable congressional opposition," including resolutions of disapproval passed by the Senate in both instances.
benton.org/node/39781 | Broadcasting&Cable
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WEAK RESPONSE FROM COMCAST
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Critics of the Comcast/NBCU merger, who banded together as the Coalition for Competition in Media (Bloomberg, Common Cause, Free Press, Media Access Project and the Writers Guild East and West among them), fired back at Comcast/NBCU's defense of its proposed deal. "Comcast's reply filing is a weak attempt to make regulators and consumers forget that they still have not offered any reasoning as to why this merger is good for consumers," the coalition said. "The merger would give Comcast unprecedented power nationally and in local markets to control cable television and broadband Internet service and drive up costs for consumers. Given the serious threat posed by a merger of this size and the lack of answers from Comcast, the FCC and the Justice Department should stand up for consumers and oppose this merger as proposed."
benton.org/node/39797 | Broadcasting&Cable
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COMCAST LOBBYING
[SOURCE: Bloomberg, AUTHOR: Todd Shields, Jonathan Salant]
Comcast, the largest US cable provider, boosted spending on political donations and lobbying as it sought approval to take over the operations of General Electric's NBC Universal. Comcast spent $6.9 million to lobby the federal government during the first half of the year, up from $6.1 million during the same period in 2009, new congressional filings show. GE also increased its lobbying expenditures, to $15.4 million during the first six months of 2010 compared with $11.7 million during the same period a year earlier. Comcast increased its political action committee donations to $2.1 million between Jan. 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, up from $1.6 million during the same period two years earlier. GE's PAC made $1.7 million in contributions in 2009-10, the same as in the corresponding period in 2007-08.
benton.org/node/39779 | Bloomberg
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EDUCATION

RURAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
[SOURCE: BroadbandBreakfast.com, AUTHOR: Rahul Gaitonde]
On July 21, more than 150 rural education stakeholders and technology experts from 26 states came together to learn from one another and provide feedback to federal officials. The National Rural Education Technology Summit included the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture and the Federal Communications Commission. "Knowledge knows no boundaries and we cannot allow distance to stand between students, education and opportunity," said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We have the hardware, the latest software, and huge investments are being made in the build-out of the national broadband plan to connect us as never before." Secretary Duncan announced the creation of the Online Learning Registry which will provide access to the thousands of documents, photos and other data housed at the Smithsonian. This online registry was one of the many recommendations made by the National Broadband Plan. "No technological innovation in our lifetime has greater potential to transform education than high-speed Internet," said FCC Chairman Genachowski. "But computers and connections alone are not enough to seize the opportunities of broadband for education. The National Broadband Plan recommended that the federal government increase the pool of high-quality digital resources that educators can easily find, access, and combine with other content to help their students learn. I am very pleased to see this recommendation being adopted. The Learning Registry will put a library of world-class educational content at the fingertips of every American student and teacher."
benton.org/node/39782 | BroadbandBreakfast.com | FCC Chairman Genachowski
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HEALTH

HEALTH DATA AND INNOVATION
[SOURCE: nextgov, AUTHOR: Aliya Sternstein]
Efforts by federal agencies to release health data have given the Obama Administration an opportunity to tout its national innovation strategy, which is aimed in part at accelerating job growth in the health information technology sector. "Government health data in file cabinets in Washington actually is an inhibitor to all the creativity and entrepreneurial energy in the country. So we're releasing it," said Aneesh Chopra, federal chief technology officer. The Health and Human Services Department "says we're going to release thousands of data elements about the health performance at the community level." He said much of this data already is accessible on the Internet, but on websites that most people, including those at Wednesday's event, don't know exist. For example, Hospital Compare is a relatively obscure site that allows users to gauge the quality of health care services at hospitals that agree to report data on the outcomes of their procedures.
benton.org/node/39795 | nextgov
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DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMED
[SOURCE: Department of Agriculture, AUTHOR: Press release]
Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager announced that USDA will facilitate a virtual discussion for individuals interested in the field of telemedicine. The Power of Telemedicine web discussion is an extension of the USDA's Open Government effort and Rural Development's latest effort to encourage a more widespread use and understanding of telemedicine. The Power of Telemedicine discussion will encourage the exchange of information, innovations and success stories involving the varied uses of telemedicine. This information is essential as Rural Development examines the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program (DLT) and works to improve program delivery to telemedicine practitioners, patients, institutions and others affected by this cutting-edge technology. Rural Development is encouraging individuals, organizations, and professionals in the telemedicine community to contribute feedback and ideas on a series of questions provided for discussion.
benton.org/node/39798 | Department of Agriculture | join the discussion
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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

IMPOVERISHING DEMOCRACY
[SOURCE: AOL News, AUTHOR: Sean McLaughlin]
[Commentary] Thomas Jefferson once observed, "Information is the currency of democracy." That's never been more true than it is today. We live, after all, in an information age, one that's seen a virtual explosion in new sources of information -- ranging from newspapers and TV to talk radio, cable news, millions upon millions of blogs, even billboards. Today, particularly on the Web, openness is supposed to be the watchword when it comes to communication. But, oddly enough, rules that govern much of our information currency are being written by regulatory agencies and lawmakers in closed private meetings, accountable to no one. Secret meetings and redacted filings may serve private interests, which can be expected to look out for their own needs, even if it comes at the expense of the public good. But the real question is why federal communications agencies, and congressional committees charged with overseeing federal communications laws, are acquiescing to this. Why let laws and regulations governing the marketplace of ideas be secretly informed by private interests that are not enamored of democracy?
benton.org/node/39794 | AOL News
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GOVERNMENT AND WEB 2.0
[SOURCE: Government Accountability Office, AUTHOR: Gregory Wilshusen]
"Web 2.0" technologies -- such as Web logs ("blogs"), social networking Web sites, video- and multimedia-sharing sites, and "wikis" -- are increasingly being utilized by federal agencies to communicate with the public. These tools have the potential to, among other things, better include the public in the governing process. However, agency use of these technologies can present risks associated with properly managing and protecting government records and sensitive information, including personally identifiable information. In light of the rapidly increasing popularity of Web 2.0 technologies, GAO was asked to identify and describe current uses of Web 2.0 technologies by federal agencies and key challenges associated with their use. Federal agencies are using Web 2.0 technologies to enhance services and support their individual missions. Federal Web managers use these applications to connect to people in new ways. As of July 2010, 22 of 24 major federal agencies had a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Several challenges in federal agencies' use of Web 2.0 technologies have been identified: 1) Privacy and security and 2) Records management and freedom of information. (GAO-10-872T)
benton.org/node/39793 | Government Accountability Office | Highlights
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JOURNALISM

THE POWER OF FOX NEWS
[SOURCE: The Huffington Post, AUTHOR: Cenk Uygur]
[Commentary] As we can all see now, when Fox says jump, the Obama administration asks how high? (Then jumps one inch less and considers it a progressive victory). Is there anyone Obama won't fire or throw under the bus if Fox asks him to? What if they ask Obama to fire himself? Would he do it? Or would he just fire Biden and say he met them halfway? I understand the Obama team is playing the old Washington games and think they're very clever at it. But those games don't work anymore. Bad news cycles are not created by genuine mistakes anymore, they're artificially created by Fox News channel. You can't make them go away by giving into them. You're just feeding the beast. And more importantly, you're starving your own side. It isn't about fighting Fox News to make yourself feel better. It's about ignoring their silly attacks so you can actually bring us the progressive change you promised. Otherwise, we would be retarded to come and vote for you again.
benton.org/node/39780 | Huffington Post, The | MSNBC
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VJs AND NEWS
[SOURCE: NewsLab, AUTHOR: Deborah Potter]
As television newsrooms expect more of their journalists to work solo, the trend is affecting both the process of newsgathering and the product that goes on the air. Many news managers believe video journalists (VJs) offer more flexibility at a lower cost with little or no reduction in quality. But new research suggests it's not all good news. Mary Bock of Kutztown University spent two years studying the VJ revolution. Her unpublished dissertation highlights many of the challenges faced by journalists who report, shoot, write and edit. Some may be obvious: It's tough to do this kind of physical work and still look good at 5 p.m., one VJ told her. A bigger concern is what Bock's analysis reveals about how the use of VJs is changing the content of TV news. "Because they work alone, VJs will be more apt to look for quick and easy access to story elements," Bock writes. "Instead of the smaller cameras and simpler software making it easier to take chances, television VJs see themselves as having less freedom to take chances with their stories."
benton.org/node/39811 | NewsLab
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THE DECISION
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: ]
ESPN's internal journalism watchdog sharply criticized the cable-sports network for what he said were ethical missteps in its recent broadcast of a TV program devoted to basketball star LeBron James. In a column on ESPN's website, the ombudsman harshly criticized ESPN for over-hyping its coverage of James, for failing to explicitly disclose to viewers the ties between James and ESPN, and for what he said was an effective payment for a news story which is typically considered improper for journalists. "ESPN made some major mistakes handling the entire affair," said Don Ohlmeyer, the journalism watchdog, or ombudsman. "ESPN should never have traded [advertising] inventory for access or allowed a subject to select his inquisitor."
benton.org/node/39787 | Wall Street Journal | ESPN
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ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
Schumer files new version of campaign-finance bill to court centrist votes

DISCLOSE ACT UPDATE
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Susan Crabtree]
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has filed a new version of a campaign-finance bill aimed at winning the support of Maine's key GOP centrist Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. The new version strips out several provisions included in the House-passed bill that conservative groups, as well as Collins, had said provides an unfair advantage to unions over corporations and other groups. Democrats are courting Snowe and Collins and could bring the bill to the floor for a vote as early as next week. The bill specifically jettisons a provision dealing with requirements that all businesses, unions and groups must disclose transfers to or from or between their affiliates of $10,000 or more, according to a Senate aide familiar with the changes. In order to appease labor unions, the House added language exempting any groups from reporting such transfers if the source of the funds comes from member dues, not large donations from corporations or individuals. Another change would affect all groups. In the House-passed version, businesses and groups would be forced to disclose transfers of $50,000 or more between organizations and other businesses only if the money could be traced back to an individual large donor. "That's a huge loophole that escaped notice [in the House-passed version]," the Senate aide said. "That loophole was closed to improve the integrity of the bill." In addition, Sen Schumer got rid of an amendment that would have barred any oil and gas companies that drill in the Outer Continental Shelf from funding political advertisements. It was sponsored by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and was added to the House bill when it was considered on the floor. He modified another provision requiring businesses and groups to state their geographic locations in political advertisement disclaimers. The new bill would only require those locations to be highlighted in TV and not radio ads because television ads could do so visually while radio ads would have to voice the lengthy disclaimer. He also added language from Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI.) that requires senators to file their quarterly Federal Election Commission reports electronically.
benton.org/node/39805 | Hill, The | B&C
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WHEN IN DOUBT, KEEP THEM OUT: MEDIA ACCESS IS KEY TO ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE GULF
[SOURCE: CNN, AUTHOR: Amy Masciola]
The explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig in April killed eleven workers, and led to the biggest oil spill and one of the worst environmental catastrophes in U.S. history. The spill and its effects on the economy, the environment, and the people of the Gulf region will be an important story for months, if not years, to come. Journalists must have unfettered and unfiltered access to sources, places, and people in order to tell that story. But every day, we hear reports that journalists continue to be denied access. I traveled to Louisiana last week to investigate those reports for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). It is clear that obstacles to access remain despite repeated statements by BP and Unified Command that the press will have unfettered access to cover the disaster. Confusion on the part of authorities at every level, and a lack of coherent, consistent information flowing from Unified Command's Joint Information Center (JIC) to local responders has often made it difficult for journalists to do their jobs. Even more disturbing is the pervasive culture of secrecy and hostility toward the press that leads authorities and responders-at every level-to block the media. The default position seems to be "when in doubt, keep them out."
benton.org/node/39763 | CNN
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PEG ACCESS TV EMBRACES ONLINE JOURNALISM AS FUNDING UNCERTAINTY GROWS
[SOURCE: New America Foundation, AUTHORS: Bill Densmore, Colin Rhinesmith]
With the nation's non-profit public-access television services often unable to count on a reliable stream of government-enforced funding from the cable industry, many are beginning to embrace the Internet and even journalism training as ways to further their public-service mission. The change is spurred by two counterbalancing trends. On the one hand, large cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas have pulled the plug on funding for public-access cable services. On the other hand, the plunging cost and easy use of web-based video technology is making it easier for the services that remain to embrace an entirely new method for delivering citizen-generated multimedia and information to mobile- and web-enabled citizens. In the process, the managers of an industry once know by the acronym "PEG access" - for Public, Educational and Government access cable television - are increasingly thinking of themselves as "Community Media Centers" that embrace multiple delivery methods.
benton.org/node/39767 | New America Foundation
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REPORTER FIRED FOR LEAKED MEMO
[SOURCE: Current, AUTHOR: ]
There's one more voice that's off the air of Mississippi Public Broadcasting following the state network's cancellation of Fresh Air. Carl Gibson, whose first job out of journalism school was covering the state capitol for MPB, was fired on July 16 for leaking an internal memo about the state network's decision to drop the NPR-distributed show. Gibson was just returning from an assignment covering the Gulf Coast oil spill, he said, when controversy over MPB's cancellation erupted over the blogosphere on July 15. Friends at the Jackson Free Press, the state's only alternative newspaper, approached Gibson as a source, and he wanted to help them get the story straight. Leaking the memo was a violation of MPB policy, Gibson acknowledged, but he mostly regrets sending it from his office email account, which was traceable. "I was not the only one leaking emails; I was the only one that got caught." He believes that, by canceling Fresh Air, MPB Executive Director Judith Lewis violated another important policy: MPB's commitment not to censor or edit programs for broadcast "solely out of fear of complaint."
benton.org/node/39769 | Current
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