June 2012

Former top military and intelligence officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations are calling on Senate leaders to bring up cybersecurity legislation that includes protections for critical infrastructure.

The military and intelligence officials urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a letter to bring cybersecurity legislation to the Senate floor this year, saying the measure is "critically necessary to protect our national and economic security." The leaders did not endorse any specific proposal, but noted that the legislation from Senate Homeland Security Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-CT) "has received the most traction."

The Federal Communications Commission came under some fire in a Senate committee for the impact of Universal Service Fund reforms on carriers serving Native lands, which are being implemented beginning July 1.

Those reforms include phasing out some legacy phone support as the FCC migrates to wired and wireless broadband, legacy support smaller carriers have been using to secure long-term loans made by another government agency, the Agricultural Department's Rural Utilities service (RUS). Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chair Daniel Kahikina Akaka (D-Hawaii) said that the FCC's Universal Service reforms have "disproportionate and potentially dangerous" impacts on Native communities. Various legislators weighed in with their concerns that the reforms would cut off $600,000 in annual support to some companies supplying communications services in high-cost Native areas as the FCC migrates support from phone to broadband.

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn came to the FCC's defense. She told the committee that the reforms "will make a significant dent in the digital divide." She also pointed out that there was a waiver process in place "for those carriers who cannot adjust to the reforms." She also pointed to the FCC's Office of Native Affairs, which is helping with the transition.

Caught in the crosshairs of a contentious dispute between the White House and Congress, The New York Times is vowing to charge ahead with its coverage of developments in U.S. national security - and denying that the paper is on the receiving end of silver-platter leaks from the Obama Administration.

“These are some of the most significant developments in national security in a generation,” Times managing editor Dean Baquet said, referring to his paper’s recent reports on the Obama administration’s use of drone strikes and cyberattacks. “We’re going to keep doing these stories.” Baquet said his reporters came by the stories “strenuously.” “I can’t believe anybody who says these are leaks,” he said. “Read those stories. They are so clearly the product of tons and tons of reporting.”

Netflix is joining Redbox in defying Walt Disney Studios' attempt to stop DVD rentals for four weeks after the discs go on sale. Disney recently decided not to provide its discs to the nation's largest rental companies until 28 days after they hit store shelves, adopting a policy similar to those of 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. (Warner's so-called "window" is even longer: 56 days). T

he studios believe the delay can help boost home entertainment revenue by steering consumers toward more profitable DVD purchases and video-on-demand rentals. Fox, Universal and Warner reached agreements with Netflix in which the rental company doesn't offer the movies to its customers until after the window. In exchange, the studios provide a healthy supply of DVDs at the end of the period at a discounted rate. But Disney and Netflix were unable to come to terms on such a deal, as the Burbank studio apparently wanted more favorable terms than those of its competitors, said a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. As a result, Netflix is now buying copies of recent Disney releases, including "John Carter," from other retailers rather than directly from the studio. All of Netflix's copies of Disney's big-budget flop, which came out June 5, are already out to subscribers and there is a waiting list.