BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015
Promoting the Wider Use and Increased Accessibility of the Emergency Alert System At FCC today: https://www.benton.org/node/225894
TELEVISION
How the government helped end Dish, Sinclair TV blackouts
FCC Chairman Wheeler Calls for Emergency Meeting on DISH-Sinclair Dispute - press release
Dish Network Renews FCC Complaint Against Sinclair Over ‘Largest Blackout in US TV History’ [links to web]
Analyst: Sinclair Greed May Lead to Retrans Fix [links to web]
ACA to FCC: Smaller Cable Companies Are Shutting Down and Congress Should Know Why [links to web]
LPTV Coalition: Licensed Stations Must Have Priority [links to web]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
As Service Gaps Remain, New York City Says Verizon Broke Promise on FiOS
TELECOM
Sham telecoms created to scam AT&T must pay back ill-gotten gains
SECURITY
Counting on government to protect cars from hackers isn’t our best option - WaPo op-ed
The 22 Amendments That Could Determine the Fate of the Senate's Cybersecurity Bill [links to web]
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Researcher catches AT&T injecting ads on free airport Wi-Fi hotspot
AT&T Says Injecting Ads Into Airport Wi-Fi Was a Test That Is Now Over [links to web]
Why Gogo's Infuriatingly Expensive, Slow Internet Still Owns the Skies
CONTENT
Virginia TV shooting: Facebook, Twitter and others grapple with dark side of instant sharing
Americans’ Views on Mobile Etiquette - Pew research [links to web]
E-mail Isn’t Dead - op-ed [links to web]
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
Jorge Ramos: Part journalist, part activist, and now full-on Trump combatant
In taking on Jorge Ramos, Donald Trump may have tussled with the wrong media star - analysis
As Donald Trump and Jorge Ramos Clash, Latino News Media Airs Its Offense [links to web]
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
CBO Scores Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act - research [links to web]
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
FirstNet plans to release cybersecurity information this fall, Kennedy says [links to web]
EDUCATION
State of California Provides $50 Million to Connect Schools to the Internet - press release [links to web]
OWNERSHIP
The Upside of a Downturn in Silicon Valley [links to web]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Open Season on Service Providers? The General Data Protection Regulation Cometh… - IAPP op-ed [links to web]
Digital Divide Progress Report: 15 Year Review - ITU Blog [links to web]
Cuba's Internet Dilemma: How to Emerge From the Web's Stone Age [links to web]
TELEVISION
DISH-SINCLAIR DISPUTE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cecilia Kang]
On August 26, the Federal Communications Commission took the unusual step of intervening in the Dish-Sinclair dispute, the latest move by an activist communications agency that has become impatient of the private sector's business disputes. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler called representatives from both companies to the agency in Southwest Washington to hash out their differences. By the close of business, in remarkably short time, the two sides came to an agreement. They didn't sign a new licensing deal -- that's still being worked out. But unlike other disputes on retransmission fee negotiations, the two sides agreed to end blackouts. Dish said it still working on a long-term contract with Sinclair, but commended the FCC. Retransmission disputes have been a particular annoyance to Chairman Wheeler, even as Congress has for years struggled with the TV industry's contract squabbles. These fees, which cable and satellite firms pay local TV stations for the rights to their programming, have exploded in cost in recent years.
benton.org/headlines/how-government-helped-end-dish-sinclair-tv-blackouts | Washington Post | FCC Chairman Wheeler | TVNewsCheck | B&C
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FCC CHAIRMAN WHEELER CALLS FOR EMERGENCY MEETING ON DISH-SINCLAIR DISPUTE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Currently, there is a blackout affecting 129 television stations in 79 markets as a result of an ongoing dispute between Sinclair Broadcasting, the nation's largest broadcast group, and DISH, a direct broadcast satellite provider. On Aug 25, DISH requested an emergency order for injunctive relief, alleging violations of the Federal Communications Commission’s rules requiring good faith negotiations. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said, "Today, I have directed the Media Bureau to convene an emergency meeting with DISH and Sinclair to get to the bottom of the dispute and bring back local programming to consumers. The parties will have until midnight to file their views. The public interest is the Commission's responsibility. We will not stand idly by while millions of consumers in 79 markets across the country are being denied access to local programming. The Commission will always act within the scope of its authority if it emerges that improper conduct is preventing a commercial resolution of the dispute. [In 2014], Congress instructed the Commission to look closely at whether retransmission consent negotiations are being conducted in good faith. That’s why I have proposed to my fellow Commissioners a new rulemaking to determine how best to protect the publicinterest. The facts surrounding this dispute inform our findings in that proceeding, but we will not wait to act on behalf of consumers."
benton.org/headlines/fcc-chairman-wheeler-calls-emergency-meeting-dish-sinclair-dispute | Federal Communications Commission
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
VERIZON IN NYC
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Patrick McGeehan]
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-New York City) has made universal access to affordable broadband a top priority for his administration to help bridge the so-called digital divide between those who can get online easily and inexpensively and those who cannot, as well as to make the city a competitive technology hub. Verizon had agreed to have fiber-optic cable for FiOS pass all three million homes in the city by the end of 2014. Lawyers for each side, however, are arguing about the definition of “pass.” The company says it has met the deadline. The city’s response: not even close. FiOS remains unavailable in large swaths of the city. The city’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications released a scathing audit report in June concluding that Verizon “systematically refused to accept orders for residential service.” By the company’s admission, nearly one-fourth of the blocks in the city have no buildings wired for FiOS, the report said.
benton.org/headlines/service-gaps-remain-new-york-city-says-verizon-broke-promise-fios | New York Times
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TELECOM
SHAM TELECOMS CREATED TO SCAM AT&T MUST PAY BACK ILL-GOTTEN GAINS
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Jon Brodkin]
AT&T has won a $252,000 judgment from the remnants of sham telecommunication companies that were created in order to bill legitimate phone companies for services they didn't provide. The companies billed AT&T $13 million, but AT&T figured out the scam after paying only a fraction of that. The defendants, All American Telephone Co., e-Pinnacle Communications, Inc., and ChaseCom, operated out of Utah and Nevada and had all shut down by 2010. The Federal Communications Commission granted AT&T’s complaint against the companies in March 2013 and were ordered the defendants to pay back the $252,496.37 they got from AT&T. The FCC dismissed AT&T's request for interest and "consequential damages," saying the company can pursue those in court.
benton.org/headlines/sham-telecoms-created-scam-att-must-pay-back-ill-gotten-gains | Ars Technica
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SECURITY
COUNTING ON GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT CARS FROM HACKERS ISN'T OUR BEST OPTION
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Gary Shapiro]
[Commentary] Recently, two hackers wirelessly took over a Jeep Cherokee, including at one point on a Missouri highway. A couple of senators introduced legislation within hours of the story breaking. The Jeep experiment demonstrates how premature government involvement is likely to interfere with potential industry solutions. Software security teams in industry are better off focusing on the latest threats and security best practices, rather than compliance with bureaucratic measures handed down from Washington. We must keep in mind that the researchers behaved according to “white hat” rules, by giving Chrysler early access to data and time to develop a patch. Indeed, the automaker has already issued a security patch to fix a few of the issues, so the system worked as intended. Before we legislate new restrictions on innovation and technology, let’s take a moment to survey how the industry is best positioned to address potential problems — especially those based on some obscure, theoretical harm. Historically, automakers have a track record of advancing safety and security in cars, and there’s no reason to expect them to backpedal when it comes to the critical and forward-looking area of cybersecurity.
[Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)]
benton.org/headlines/counting-government-protect-cars-hackers-isnt-our-best-option | Washington Post
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
RESERACHER CATCHES AT&T INJECTING ADS ON FREE AIRPORT WI-FI HOTSPOT
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Jon Brodkin]
When computer scientist Jonathan Mayer was in Washington Dulles International Airport, he logged onto an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot and soon noticed that websites were showing a lot more ads than usual. The website of Stanford University, where Mayer conducts security and privacy research, was showing ads for a jewelry store and AT&T. "Last I checked, Stanford doesn’t hawk fashion accessories or telecommunication service. And it definitely doesn’t run obnoxious ads that compel you to wait," Mayer said. Ad-supported news sites like The Wall Street Journal had extra ads on top of them. Federal government websites were showing ads for both AT&T and other businesses. "Curious, and waiting on a delayed flight, I started poking through web source. It took little time to spot the culprit: AT&T’s Wi-Fi hotspot was tampering with HTTP traffic," Mayer wrote. The hotspot ads are similar to ones delivered by Comcast. It's also common for free Wi-Fi networks at airports to require users to watch an ad before logging on, but they don't necessarily show extra ads on top of websites after giving the user full access to the Web. AT&T could argue that injecting ads doesn't violate the ban on throttling since customers can still view the websites. The Federal Communications Commission's transparency rules require disclosure of privacy policies, and AT&T includes a privacy policy on its Wi-Fi terms of service, though it doesn't mention ad injection.
benton.org/headlines/researcher-catches-att-injecting-ads-free-airport-wi-fi-hotspot | Ars Technica
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WHY GOGO'S INFURIATLINGLY EXPENSIVE, SLOW INTERNET STILL OWNS THE SKIES
[SOURCE: Bloomberg, AUTHOR: Sam Grobart]
If you’ve flown for work on a major US airline over the past five years, you’ve probably used Gogo, and “fast and reliable” are probably not how you’d describe it. More like “hell-sent and extortionate." Since pioneering the in-flight Internet business, Gogo has dominated, commanding about 80 percent of the market. And as often happens with near monopolies, Gogo has become a name people love to hate. “So, Gogo is officially a joke at this point, right?” is the title of a well-commented-on thread on the road warrior site FlyerTalk. “They’ve got a monopoly, and they just don’t care,” says pharmaceutical executive and frequent flyer Keith Lockwood. “Once you have it, it’s hard not to have it.” But for the first time since that famous 2008 Louis CK rant, Gogo has some serious competition. At least two companies -- ViaSat and Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) -- are encroaching on its airspace, winning business by offering faster, cheaper connections that use satellites instead of cell towers. Gogo is launching its own satellite system that should come online by the end of 2015. “We’re going to create a great new future in aviation,” Small says. “And as long as we keep making progress, the customers are going to hang with us.”
benton.org/headlines/why-gogos-infuriatingly-expensive-slow-internet-still-owns-skies | Bloomberg
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CONTENT
DARK SIDE OF SHARING
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Queenie Wong]
As posting, linking and streaming videos online become more immediate, the Virginia shooting highlights a growing challenge among social media companies that try to crack down on users who promote violence online, experts say. Even as one violent video or account comes down, another pops back up. "The Internet is inherently more difficult to control because it has several gatekeepers," said Rita Cant, a legal fellow at the Center for Democracy & Technology's Free Expression Project. Facebook, Twitter and Google-owned YouTube all have rules against promoting violence on their sites, but with billions of videos uploaded every day, the companies heavily rely on their users to report harmful content.
benton.org/headlines/virginia-tv-shooting-facebook-twitter-and-others-grapple-dark-side-instant-sharing | San Jose Mercury News
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ELECTIONS & MEDIA
JORGE RAMOS: PART JOURNALIST, PART ACTIVIST, AND NOW FULL-ON TRUMP COMBATANT
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Janell Ross]
Jorge Ramos would be the first to say it. In his role as the lead anchor of Univision's nightly Spanish-language newscast and a series of English-and Spanish-language news and public affairs programs for nearly three decades, he regards his role as one part traditional journalist. He's there to tell people what has happened, when it happened and what it means. But he would also say that, with the nation's Latino population growing rapidly, the number of Latino elected officials nowhere near keeping pace and the fate of some 11.3 million undocumented immigrants -- many of whom are Latino -- now the primary issue in the 2016 election, he and the rest of the news staff at Univision must also play another role: They must embrace the work of social justice. They must report accurately and fairly but never pretend that all information or points of view are equally valid. So, to say that Ramos -- one part journalist, one part activist -- understands a critical part of his job to include questioning Donald Trump and challenging Trump's ideas on immigration -- well, that would be an understatement.
benton.org/headlines/jorge-ramos-part-journalist-part-activist-and-now-full-trump-combatant | Washington Post
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RAMOS V TRUMP
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Christine Mai-Duc]
In his latest showdown, Donald Trump ordered Univision anchor Jorge Ramos out of a news conference, telling him to "go back to Univision." Ramos, who like Trump is known for his confrontational style, didn't back down until he was escorted out of the room by security. Eventually, Ramos was invited back, where he sparred with Trump over the Republican candidate's immigration proposals. Trump has had some high-profile tiffs with media figures recently, battling publicly with Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly, and with the network's chairman, Roger Ailes. But prodding Ramos, who has been called the Spanish-language Walter Cronkite, could prove dangerous for Trump, who thus far been something of a Teflon candidate. Here's why:
Ramos is a very important figure for American Latinos
Ramos has a personal connection to immigration issues
Ramos sees himself as an advocate for millions of Latino immigrants, and so do they
Much like Trump, Ramos seems to welcome conflict and doesn't often back down
benton.org/headlines/taking-jorge-ramos-donald-trump-may-have-tussled-wrong-media-star | Los Angeles Times
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