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September 2010

Tech Companies Launch Incentive Auction Lobby

The Consumer Electronics Association and three other tech associations have banded together to form the High Tech Spectrum Coalition, which will lobby for legislation approving incentive auction authority for the Federal Communications Commission.

That authority would allow the commission to pay broadcasters to clear off their spectrum using funds from auctions of that reclaimed spectrum. Joining CEA in the coalition are the Information Technology Industry Council, the Semiconductor Industry Association, and the Telecommunications Industry Association, which comprise computer and tech companies with a stake in seeing that spectrum freed up and re-used for advanced services like wireless broadband.

Finding Common Ground, But No Agreement

Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy and Linda Woolley with the Digital Marketing Association have very different views on how far Congress should go to protect consumer privacy online. But during a taped appearance this week on C-Span's "The Communicators" program, they did agree on a few things about the debate --- key among them being that information about Web users has become a commodity.

Advances in Social Networking Keep Twitter Atwitter

New developments in the tech world sometimes make mainstream news headlines, but they almost always generate major attention on Twitter. Last week was no exception as Twitter was dominated by developments and new products for leading social networking sites-and the announcement of a Google social network.

For the week of September 13-17, the top three stories on Twitter were about innovations by major players in the online world: Twitter, Google, and Facebook. Combined, they made up more than a third (36%) of the top news links, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. While a range of technology topics often lead Twitter's news agenda, last week's top stories were all focused on one very specific area: social media. Facebook, the preeminent social media tool, is still growing, especially internationally. Twitter, also a social networking tool, released a new layout last week. Google, an Internet powerhouse, has struggled to create a successful social networking tool and the announcement of a planned social network from them could have a significant impact in this field. And, as was the case last week, social media users often seem to function as announcers and reviewers of new online products.

Republicans Dominate Democrats in Social Media

Republicans are poised to pick up several seats in the Senate this November -- and if polls aren't evidence enough of this, just look to social media.

According to a new report from voter registration nonprofit (and nonpartisan) organization HeadCount, the GOP is crushing democratic candidates in online popularity as the mid-term elections draw nearer. As of this week, Republican candidates for Senate had more than four times as many fans on Facebook: over 1.4 million compared with 300,000 for Democratic candidates. Those Dems average just 8,260 Facebook fans. Republicans? More than 38,000. On Twitter, the disparity is even more stark. GOP candidates have close to 520,000 followers in total, compared with the Dem's 90,000--and this even without the support of conservative figurehead John McCain. Oddly, HeadCount decided to use the Arizona senator's official (far less popular) campaign Twitter account, rather than @SenJohnMcCain, which has over 1.7 million followers. Had those figures been included, this would be more of a social media landslide.

What's most remarkable about this data is how much Republicans have changed since the 2008 election. After President Obama's success in fostering grassroots support on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, it appears conservatives made a point of improving their tech- and social media-savvy.

Smart grid stimulus project updates: what, where, how much?

A look at 10 smart grid projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Creating the FCC's Cybersecurity Roadmap

In early August, the Federal Communications Commission asked for public input on creating a Cybersecurity Roadmap, a recommendation from the National Broadband Plan. The FCC intends for the roadmap to identify the five most critical cybersecurity threats to the communications infrastructure and its end users and establish a two-year plan, including milestones, for the FCC to address these threats. Telecommunications providers weighed in this week.

In comments filed September 23, the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom), the lobbying group for the telecommunications industry, warned that as a growing number of agencies move into the cybersecurity realm, there is an increasing level of redundant efforts and clouded authority. Such duplicative and inconsistent initiatives can often drain scare resources from substantive cybersecurity activity. There needs to be, USTelecom says, one central point of coordination to direct the nation's singular cybersecurity policy. USTelecom suggests that the proper role for the FCC is outreach and public education. "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the designated lead agency on matters relating to cybersecurity," USTelecom says. "To better ensure the development of a clear strategy for securing the nation's communications networks, the [FCC] should assist DHS in developing such a strategy."

AT&T said research shows that the most pressing cyber security vulnerabilities exist not in communications networks, but in operating systems and applications (and the devices on which they run) and among end users. AT&T says more emphasis must be given to cyber security in the design of operating systems and applications and end users at all levels must be better educated and trained about the need to take cyber security precautions.
Verizon told the FCC its cybersecurity roadmap should endorse a unified approach to cybersecurity that is supported by the rest of the government, while steering clear of potentially duplicative and/or burdensome proposals, such as a cybersecurity best practices certification program or cybersecurity event reporting. The roadmap should also recognize the important objectives of preserving the flexibility and speed of response that network providers have today and improving information sharing.

The wireless industry's lobbying arm, the CTIA, raised concerns about the proposed roadmap because it could make wireless networks less secure. By providing details of the vulnerabilities of commercial broadband networks and the steps planned by the public and private sectors to address these vulnerabilities, the roadmap runs the serious risk of becoming a tool for cyber attacks. Moreover, by setting forth a specific path to cyber security, along with clearly defined milestones and benchmarks, the Cyber Security Roadmap threatens to reduce the flexibility required by wireless network operators to dynamically manage their networks and thus hamstring their cyber security efforts. Rather than pursuing the proposed Cyber Security Roadmap, CTIA respectfully submits that the FCC should look for other, potentially more beneficial opportunities to contribute in this area.

The National Cable and Telecommunications Association also cautioned about putting security information in the public record. "From a public safety and national security perspective, it would be ill-advised given the risk of providing a roadmap to those who wish to harm the nation's broadband communications infrastructure." Rather than identifying the most critical cybersecurity threats to the communications infrastructure, the cable industry urges the FCC to rely on its Communications, Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, as well as other public-private sector cybersecurity initiatives at the Department of Homeland Security, to drive efforts to address cyber security threats.

The Broadband Connection: Jobs, Justice, and Sustainable Communities

Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media
Thu, Oct 7, 2010
1pm
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=7weyni7cuqir

Learn more about broadband's connection to jobs, economic development and vibrant communities. From filling out job applications and getting social services to doing homework and growing small businesses, broadband is increasingly the only way to get things done.

It is vital that funders who focus on job development, economic and racial justice, poverty, education, rural sustainability and urban development understand how broadband is connected to these issue areas, and how investing in broadband is one of the best tools to achieve programmatic goals.

Funders of every size and focus can make substantial contributions to broadband infrastructure, planning, technology training, advocacy and education through targeted and often small grants. Learn how two foundations approach this work and see broadband access as a tool to furthering their big-picture work.

Registration is required. Login information will be sent once your registration is confirmed.

This is a funders-only briefing.


September 24, 2010 (We will support a free and open Internet)

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010

Hold on to your hat -- a Discussion on Comprehensive Reform of the Jurisdictional Separations Process http://bit.ly/cfmewF


OPEN INTERNET/NETWORK NEUTRALITY
   Obama: We will support a free and open Internet
   US Initiative to Keep Internet Open for Innovation
   Chairman Waxman may move without full consensus on network neutrality bill
   More Hostile Environment For Network Neutrality After Nov Elections
   No FCC Rulemaking Authority on Latest Net Neutrality Bill
   Building a better net?
   Musicians and Writers Urge FCC to Protect the Open Internet

NEWS FROM THE FCC
   FCC Frees Up Vacant TV Airwaves For Wireless Broadband
   See also:FCC Commissioner McDowell: No need for network neutrality; we have white spaces!
   FCC Enables High-Speed, Affordable Broadband for Schools and Libraries
   FCC Takes Action to Improve Wireless 9-1-1 Services
   FCC Releases October Meeting Agenda -- No reclassification or network neutrality

MORE NEWS FROM THE HILL
   Digital Disability Access Bill Passes Senate
   Senate Commerce Committee Considers Spectrum for Public Safety Network
   NSA chief envisions 'secure zone' on Internet to guard against attacks
   See also: Agencies aim to bolster cybersecurity
   Privacy Likely To Remain On Agenda In House Next Year

BROADCASTING
   News goes on vacation at CBS-owned stations
   Number of Minority Journalists Down in 2009; Story Mixed for Female Journalists
   FCC Commissioner Copps: Broadcasters lack diversity
   Moonves: Reverse Comp to Grow in 2011 And Beyond
   FCC Plans March Auction for New FM Stations - 147 New FM Licenses for Sale

MEDIA AND ELECTIONS
   GOP Blocks Campaign Finance Bill Again
   Hidden Under Tax-Exempt Cloak, Political Dollars Flow
   Virginia TV Station Pulls Ad Targeting Boucher

COMMUNITY MEDIA
These Headlines presented in partnership with:

   Portland commissioners support developing new broadband strategy
   Online Comments as Evidence
   2nd auction of newspapers likely to bring same result
   Journal Register Company Launching Hyperlocal Portal to Serve Philadelphia
   Library grant extends Internet's reach
   Students learn media literacy through "Safe Schools" grant
   Chicago News Co-op to woo paying readers while hunting more foundation support

STORIES FROM ABROAD
   Telecoms fear impact of EU regulation
   YouTube Can't Be Liable on Copyright, Spain Rules
   Discounted E-Books Spark Outcry From French Shops
   "A stab in the back": Europe tackles online piracy
   Thailand's bid for high-speed Internet stalled
   Wireless networks, apps gaining ground in unlikely places

MORE ONLINE
   Texting caused total 'distracted driving' deaths to rise, study finds
   Is the MiFi Model the Future of Mobile Broadband?
   Why No Second Internet Bubble?
   DSL, Now Offering Speeds of 700 Mbps
   Verizon to Move to Tiered Prices in 6 Months
   HIT Policy Committee's Information Exchange Workgroup Seeks Comments
   Warriors in the battle for cyberspace

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OPEN INTERNET/NETWORK NEUTRALITY

PRESIDENT OBAMA AT UN
[SOURCE: The White House, AUTHOR: President Barack Obama]
On Sept 23, President Barack Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly. He said, "Civil society is the conscience of our communities and America will always extend our engagement abroad with citizens beyond the halls of government. And we will call out those who suppress ideas and serve as a voice for those who are voiceless. We will promote new tools of communication so people are empowered to connect with one another and, in repressive societies, to do so with security. We will support a free and open Internet, so individuals have the information to make up their own minds. And it is time to embrace and effectively monitor norms that advance the rights of civil society and guarantee its expansion within and across borders."
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, said "I commend President Obama for his strong statement before the United Nations General Assembly that communications networks can and must play a vital role in advancing economic development, freedom, and human dignity around the globe. It is essential that we preserve the open Internet and stand firmly behind the right of all people to connect with one another and to exchange ideas freely and without fear."
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell raised concerns about the reaction of the international community in his statement on the same net neutrality order, saying he had talked with international regulators who were "waiting for the U.S. to assert more government authority over the Internet to help justify an increased state role over Internet management internationally." He said that the FCC needed to be careful of unintended consequences and not inadvertently [set] a precedent for some foreign governments with less pure motives to use in justifying stricter Internet regulation."
benton.org/node/42546 | White House, The | FCC Chairman Genachowski | www.broadcastingcable.com
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OPEN INTERNET PROCEEDING AT DEPT OF COMMERCE
[SOURCE: Department of Commerce, AUTHOR: Press release]
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced the official launch of an initiative aimed at preserving the global, free flow of information online to ensure that the Internet remains open for commercial opportunity and innovation. The Commerce Department will publish a Notice of Inquiry (NOI), developed by its Internet Policy Task Force, which will seek public comment on the extent to which evolving policies from governments around the world may be restricting information on the Internet and inhibiting innovation and economic growth for US companies. The NOI will seek input from all stakeholders to better understand the types of emerging government policies that restrict online information, how they are adopted, and what impact they have on innovation, job creation, economic development, global trade and investment.
benton.org/node/42545 | Department of Commerce | The Hill
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WAXMAN NET NEUTRALITY BILL
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Sara Jerome]
Full consensus may not be the end game of an effort by House Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) as he crafts a bill on network neutrality, according to House aides involved in the process. Chairman Waxman may move forward with a bill that does not get full agreement from all sides in the debate but that seems to have enough support to pass the House, three aides said. As Congressional staffers weigh input from public interest groups and cable, phone, and Internet companies, their consideration has in part turned to whether moving without the approval of certain major stakeholders would sink the bill, the aides said. Chairman Waxman "is a master legislator. He prevents the perfect from becoming the enemy of the good," one aide said. "That's not always easy -- when you're talking to everyone -- for everyone to swallow." Two of the aides said they do not anticipate support from public interest groups no matter how the draft is written.
benton.org/node/42544 | Hill, The
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POST-ELECTION NETWORK NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Juliana Gruenwald]
With Republicans poised to make gains in both chambers of Congress, President Obama's campaign promise to preserve the Internet's openness should face a more hostile reception after the midterm elections. If Republicans take control of the House, either Rep Fred Upton (R-MI) or rep Cliff Stearns (R-FL) would likely chair the House Commerce Committee. Rep Upton opposes government regulation of the Internet as favored by advocates of net neutrality and has called FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's plan to reclassify broadband under a more stringent regulatory regime a "blind power grab." Rep Stearns has been an outspoken critic of government regulation of the Internet and went so far as to introduce a bill aimed at prohibiting the Federal Communications Commission from subjecting broadband to a heavier government hand.
benton.org/node/42543 | CongressDaily
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NET NEUTRALITY BILL
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: Eliza Krigman]
Apparently, the latest version of the House network neutrality bill will take away the Federal Communications Commission's rulemaking authority on the issue. Without rulemaking authority on the possible legislation, the commission's ability to enforce compliance is substantially weakened. The bill would also prohibit the commission from reclassifying broadband under title II of the Communications Act, a more stringent regulatory regime, until the measure sunsets in two years. Other provisions of the proposal include a non-discrimination principle for wired networks and for wireless devices, no blocking of websites and competing voice applications. Under that scenario, wireless providers could block peer-to-peer activity and other applications. No FCC rulemaking authority on the bill "is a huge victory for the carriers," the source said. "I'm stunned the Waxman team is going along with it...If I had to measure this, it's probably slightly worse than the Verizon-Google deal."
benton.org/node/42522 | CongressDaily
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BUILDING A BETTER NET?
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Subhajyoti Bandyopadhyay, Hsing Cheng, Hong Guo, J. Scott Holladay, Joacim Tåg]
[Commentary] As economists who study network neutrality, we have watched the debate over the future of the Internet closely. The new policy proposal from Google and Verizon opens the possibility that some Websites will be treated better than others. This might not be such good news for Internet users. In the past, broadband Internet Service Providers have operated according to net neutrality principles, meaning companies providing Internet service treat all content sources equally. Under this rule, the Internet has produced billions of dollars of free value for the US public -- which could be swallowed by Internet Service Providers like Verizon, if net neutrality were lost.
It might also possibly mean a change in the rapid improvements in Internet content, which users have come to expect. The process that led us from Pets.com to YouTube in such a short time may be slowed. In fact, YouTube itself might not have emerged if, 10 years ago, AOL had decided to deliver content preferentially only from, for example, Real Networks. Is that what we really want to see? If ISPs upend that balance by blocking any FCC move to codify the current structure, we can expect changes in the way we use the Internet. And not all change is good.
benton.org/node/42520 | Politico
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NEWS FROM THE FCC

FCC WHITE SPACES ORDER
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to free up vacant airwaves between TV channels -- called "white spaces" -- to unleash a host of new technologies, such as "super Wi-Fi," and myriad other diverse applications. This is the first significant block of spectrum made available for unlicensed use in more than 20 years. TV white space spectrum is considered prime real estate because its signals travel well, making it ideally suited for mobile wireless devices. Unlocking this valuable spectrum will open the doors for new industries to arise, create American jobs, and fuel new investment and innovation. The National Broadband Plan noted the importance of unlicensed spectrum in creating opportunities for new technologies to blossom and recommended that the Commission complete the TV white spaces proceeding as expeditiously as possible. The Second Memorandum Opinion and Order (Second MO&O) resolves numerous legal and technical issues. Notably, the Order eliminates the requirement that TV bands devices that incorporate geo-location and database access must also include sensing technology to detect the signals of TV stations and low-power auxiliary service stations (wireless microphones). It also requires wireless microphone users who seek to register in the TV bands databases to certify that they will use all available channels from 7 through 51 prior to requesting registration. Requests to register in the database will be public, thus allowing interested parties to weigh in on any given request. The FCC is also taking steps to ensure that incumbent services are protected from interference from the use of white spaces in various ways. In particular, the Order reserves two vacant UHF channels for wireless microphones and other low power auxiliary service devices in all areas of the country. It also maintains a reasonable separation distance between TV White Space device and wireless microphone usage permitted to be registered in the database.
benton.org/node/42541 | Federal Communications Commission | read the Order
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FCC MODERNIZES E-RATE PROGRAM
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
The Federal Communications Commission moved to upgrade and modernize the E-rate program to bring fast, affordable Internet access to schools and libraries across the country. The changes will help ensure that America's students can learn and develop the high-tech skills necessary to compete in the 21st Century economy. The Order makes it easier for schools and libraries to get the highest speeds for the lowest prices by increasing their options for broadband providers and streamlining the application process. The Order is another advance in the FCC's ongoing transformation of the Universal Service Fund, of which the E-rate program is part, to deploy broadband throughout America.
The FCC's upgrades to E-rate include:
Super-Fast Fiber: The FCC's E-rate Order will help bring affordable, super-fast fiber connections to America's schools and libraries. It allows participants to use E-rate funds to connect to the Internet in the most cost-effective way possible, including via unused fiber optic lines already in place across the country and through existing state, regional and local networks. With these fiber networks, schools and libraries can provide students and communities with cutting-edge connectivity, while at the same time saving millions of dollars by bypassing more expensive options.
School Spots: The FCC is also opening the door to "School Spots" -- where schools have the option to provide Internet access to the local community after students go home. With affordable fiber, these School Spots are a major step toward the National Broadband Plan's goal of connecting an anchor institution in every community to affordable 1 gigabit per second broadband. School Spots will help ensure that people who otherwise lack access can use broadband.
Learning On-the-Go: The FCC is launching a pilot program that supports off-campus wireless Internet connectivity for mobile learning devices. Education doesn't stop at the schoolyard gate or the library door. Digital textbooks and other innovative wireless devices allow students to learn in a real-world context, inside the classroom and beyond. Because of their low cost and accessibility, these mobile devices can also help advance digital equality, particularly for children from economically disadvantaged communities.
Indexing the cap on E-rate funding to inflation in a fiscally responsible manner, so that the program can more fully meet the needs of students and communities. Since 1997 when the E-rate program started, inflation has raised costs 30 percent but the program has remained capped, significantly decreasing its effective purchasing power. Earlier this month, the Commission reserved hundreds of millions of dollars annually from another program of the Universal Service Fund to cover the incremental E-rate support (less than $25 million next year) it is providing, without growing the overall size of the Universal Service Fund.
Supporting connections to the dormitories of schools that serve students facing unique challenges, such as Tribal schools or schools for children with physical, cognitive, or behavioral disabilities.
Bolstering protections against waste, fraud, and abuse by codifying competitive bidding requirements and clarifying ethics obligations.
Streamlining the E-rate application process for educators and librarians.
benton.org/node/42539 | Federal Communications Commission
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FCC OCTOBER AGENDA
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the following items will be on the tentative agenda for the next open meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2010:
Bill Shock NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on rules requiring mobile carriers to provide usage alerts and related information that will assist consumers in avoiding unexpected charges on their bills.
Mobility Fund NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a proposal to use recently reserved universal service funds to create a Mobility Fund to support private investment in current- (3G) and next-generation mobile services in areas where consumers currently lack such services.
CableCARD Third R&O and Order on Reconsideration: A Third Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that will make changes to the FCC's CableCARD rules to improve the consumer experience with the video navigation devices used with cable services and promote the development of a competitive market for such devices.
benton.org/node/42542 | Federal Communications Commission | The Hill
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NEWS FROM THE HILL

DISABILITY BILL PASSES SENATE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
On Sept 22, the Senate passed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (S. 3828), a bill that updates disability access to communications services elements of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The bill takes a number of steps to update the Telecommunications Act disability access provisions to reflect the rise of broadband, including reinstating the FCC's video description rules, which were tossed by a court in 1992, and applying closed captioning rules to online video as well as TV. A similar measure already passed in the House.
benton.org/node/42523 | Broadcasting&Cable
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PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK
[SOURCE: US Senate Commerce Committee]
The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing exploring the need for a nationwide public safety network. Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) said the country should be "ashamed that [public safety officials] lack a nationwide, interoperable wireless broadband communications system." he introduced legislation that would 1) allocate 10 megahertz of spectrum known as the "D-block" to public safety to support a nationwide, interoperable wireless broadband network that will help keep us safe; and 2) give the Federal Communications Commission the authority to hold incentive auctions based on the voluntary return of spectrum.
There is bipartisan support atop the Senate Commerce Committee for giving the D block of spectrum to first responders, rather than trying to re-auction it, as the FCC proposed to do in its national broadband plan. Ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) said she is prepared to support direct allocation. She said she was ready to work with Chairman Rockefeller, but that there were still some technical questions to sort through. She also said that Congress needed to make sure that there was sufficient funding.
benton.org/node/42536 | US Senate Commerce Committee | Chairman Rockefeller | Broadcasting&Cable
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CYBER SECURITY ZONE?
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Gautham Nagesh]
General Keith Alexander, who heads the U.S. Cyber Command, said the government should create a "secure zone" for federal agencies and critical private sector industries to protect them from potential attacks. He said network sectioned off from the rest of the Internet is probably inevitable for systems crucial to national security. Gen Alexander said the Pentagon would likely have to work with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigations to secure the country's critical infrastructure, 85 percent of which is owned by private companies. He said the agencies may need additional powers to take action during a cyber attack.
benton.org/node/42537 | Hill, The
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BROADCASTING

SELLING THE NEWS
[SOURCE: Vocalo, AUTHOR: Robert Feder]
[Commentary] When Chicago's Steve Baskerville cheerfully delivered the weather forecast for Honolulu during WBBM-Channel 2's 5 p.m. newscast Sept 20, he wasn't just shilling for the premiere of "Hawaii Five-O" that night. He was taking part in a well-coordinated plan to prostitute the newscasts of CBS-owned stations nationwide. From New York to Los Angeles, CBS stations transformed their local newscasts into shameless infomercials for the prime-time drama series. News anchors at KCBS-TV in L.A. even wore leis on the air, according to a published report. "This was beyond embarrassing," wrote Scott Jones, editor of the industry website FTVLive.com. "Hijacking a large market newscast and turning it into [one] long promo should be a crime." Nowhere was the mandate carried out with more gusto than in Chicago, where Channel 2 ran commercials for weeks featuring its top news talent pimping for "Hawaii Five-O." In one, they were seen sitting around pretending to conspire to find ways to tie themselves in to the hot new series.
benton.org/node/42509 | Vocalo
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DECREASED DIVERSITY IN JOURNALISM
[SOURCE: Radio Television Digital News Association, AUTHOR: Press release]
A new survey by the Radio Television Digital News Association and Hofstra University finds that the percentage of minority news directors rose in both television and radio in 2009 but, overall, the percentage of minorities in both radio and television fell for the third straight year, although the drop in television was small. "Again, the percentage of minorities in television decreased from the year before. In fact, we end the decade with no gains whatsoever for minorities in TV news, and the percentage of minorities in radio news is down substantially," said Bob Papper, professor of journalism at Hofstra University and the survey director. According to the survey, women in radio news rose slightly, but the percentage of women radio news directors went down, as did both the overall percentage of women in TV news and women TV news directors. The drop in women TV news directors was small, and the percentage of women TV news directors stands at the second-highest level ever. "Women have been right around the 40 percentage mark of the TV workforce for more than a decade. Last year, the number edged up to 41.4 percent, but this year it's back down to 40.0 percent. That could indicate that women in TV news lost their jobs at a higher rate than men, but it could also just be an anomaly in the numbers," Papper said. According to the survey, it was a mixed picture for women in radio news this year. The percentage of women in the radio workforce stayed essentially the same, up by 1.0 percent, and the percentage of stations with women rose by 10 percent, but the percentage of women radio news directors fell by nine percent.
benton.org/node/42534 | Radio Television Digital News Association | read the survey
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BROADCASTERS LACK DIVERSITY
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps has some concerns with the broadcast industry. Media consolidation, he worries, will stamp out diverse voices on the airwaves. And he doesn't think broadcast stations do a good enough job covering public affairs. Broadcasters currently reapply for their licenses every eight years. Copps said he wants them to reapply every three years, as was the standard a couple of decades ago. "It shouldn't just be automatic renewal," he said. "In return for being stewards of the public airwaves, their responsibility is to serve the public interest." Commissioner Copps thinks broadcasters should spend more time covering local politics. "What passes as election coverage in this country is just scandalous," he said.
benton.org/node/42518 | Politico
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MEDIA AND ELECTIONS

DISCLOSE ACT BLOCKED
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Lichtblau, Carl Hulse]
The Senate failed to advance campaign finance legislation that would force businesses, unions and others to disclose how they were spending money in political campaigns and where they were getting it. Republicans blocked the bill, the DISCLOSE Act, from even coming to a vote and accusing Democrats of ignoring bigger problems. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican minority leader, said Democrats should be focusing on issues that Americans really care about -- especially jobs and the economy -- instead of wasting two days of debate on a measure that he asserted would mean "more government control" over political finance. Liberals pushing for changes in campaign finance did take some solace, however, in a separate vote in a House committee to provide some public financing for Congressional candidates. "It was a 'you win some, you lose some' day for campaign finance," Lisa Gilbert, who tracks political finance issues for U.S. PIRG, a federation of public interest groups. The House committee on administration voted to approve a bill that would provide matching federal money for Congressional candidates who attract enough small local donors. The financing -- potentially hundreds of millions of dollars -- would come from the sale of broadcast spectrum and would not require any additional taxpayer money, sponsors say. Republicans quickly signaled that they would fight this bill as well. Mr. McConnell, in fact, linked the two measures in voicing his opposition and questioning the priorities of Democrats who support public financing.
benton.org/node/42554 | New York Times
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GOP Blocks Campaign Finance Bill Again

The Senate failed to advance campaign finance legislation that would force businesses, unions and others to disclose how they were spending money in political campaigns and where they were getting it. Republicans blocked the bill, the DISCLOSE Act, from even coming to a vote and accusing Democrats of ignoring bigger problems.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican minority leader, said Democrats should be focusing on issues that Americans really care about -- especially jobs and the economy -- instead of wasting two days of debate on a measure that he asserted would mean "more government control" over political finance. Liberals pushing for changes in campaign finance did take some solace, however, in a separate vote in a House committee to provide some public financing for Congressional candidates. "It was a 'you win some, you lose some' day for campaign finance," Lisa Gilbert, who tracks political finance issues for U.S. PIRG, a federation of public interest groups. The House committee on administration voted to approve a bill that would provide matching federal money for Congressional candidates who attract enough small local donors. The financing -- potentially hundreds of millions of dollars -- would come from the sale of broadcast spectrum and would not require any additional taxpayer money, sponsors say. Republicans quickly signaled that they would fight this bill as well. Mr. McConnell, in fact, linked the two measures in voicing his opposition and questioning the priorities of Democrats who support public financing.

Hidden Under Tax-Exempt Cloak, Political Dollars Flow

"Americans for Job Security has no purpose other than to cover various money trails all over the country," the staff of the Alaska Public Offices Commission said in a report last year. The report went mostly unnoticed outside Anchorage. But its conclusions suddenly loom large in the current debate over nonprofit advocacy groups like Americans for Job Security, which campaign watchdogs say allow moneyed interests to influence elections without revealing themselves.

Congress is now wrangling over a bill that would require some disclosure. With every election cycle comes a shadow army of benignly titled nonprofit groups like Americans for Job Security, devoted to politically charged "issue advocacy," much of it negative. But they are now being heard as never before -- in this year of midterm discontent, Tea Party ferment and the first test of the Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited, and often anonymous, corporate political spending. Already they have spent more than $100 million -- mostly for Republicans and more than twice as much as at this point four years ago. None have been more active than Americans for Job Security, which spent $6 million on ads during the primary season. This week, emboldened by the court ruling, the group paid close to $4 million more for ads directly attacking nine Democratic candidates for Congress. That made it among the first to abandon the old approach of running ads that stopped just short of explicitly urging voters to elect or reject individual candidates.

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