BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2012
ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
President Obama to 'fight hard' for Internet freedom
Reddit as journalism: Crowdsourcing an interview with the President
GOP platform slams FCC as stuck in the 19th century
Why Republicans Aren’t Serious About Getting Rural Areas Online - analysis
MPAA Supports GOP Platform's Opposition to Piracy [links to web]
Tax Policy and Low Regulation Drives Tech Innovation for Romney Backers
Most negative political ads of 2012 so far
You’d Need Six Months To Watch Every Presidential Campaign Ad
Wireless Industry Puts Out Text Donation Guidelines
3 Ways Tech Is Transforming Political Conventions
PRIVACY
Stakeholders Continue Slog on Mobile App Privacy
Court allows challenge to FTC's $22.5M Google settlement
SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
The State of Play in the Mobile Industry in One Venn Diagram [links to web]
Dish urges FCC not to shift its satellite spectrum holdings
Average Household Has 5 Connected Devices, While Some Have 15-Plus [links to web]
Study Suggests a ’7 Percent Solution’ for Mobile Marketing [links to web]
Placed wants to redefine mobile web analytics with location [links to web]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Why Time Warner Cable’s NYC fiber rollout is nothing like Google’s - analysis
New York Spends $27 Million Spreading Broadband
Cloud Computing for the Poorest Countries [links to web]
CONTENT
Court lets Authors Guild, attorney weigh in on Apple e-books case [links to web]
Mobile Users Prefer Mainstream News Sites [links to web]
Why Google’s homepage antics are more serious than they appear [links to web]
Apps Dominate Mobile Time Spent Accessing Travel in US - research [links to web]
Kobo in Deal to Sell E-Books [links to web]
OWNERSHIP
Facebook cleared by California to issue stock in Instagram deal [links to web]
TELEVISION
CBS, Derided For Its Older Viewers, Calls 54 The New 49 [links to web]
As Apple, Google Chase TV Market, Big Audiences Are Not Tuning In [links to web]
PANTENTS
Why Apple sued Samsung - analysis
Apple-Samsung patent fight: Fuzzy math - op-ed
Apple might give Samsung the shove it needs - analysis [links to web]
ACCESSIBILITY
Justice Department Settles with Sacramento Public Library Authority Over Inaccessible “E-Reader” Devices - press release [links to web]
GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Big Brother on a budget: How Internet surveillance got so cheap [links to web]
As Isaac Hits, Agencies take to Social Media [links to web]
MORE ONLINE
State and Local Health IT Spending to Grow [links to web]
ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
PRESIDENT OBAMA VOWS TO FIGHT FOR INTERNET FREEDOM
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Brendan Sasso]
President Barack Obama promised to "fight hard" to protect Internet freedom and said the Democratic Party will include the position in its 2012 platform. While answering questions on social-media site reddit, President Obama wrote, “Internet freedom is something I know you all care passionately about; I do too.” “We will fight hard to make sure that the internet remains the open forum for everybody — from those who are expressing an idea to those to [sic] want to start a business. And although there will be occasional disagreements on the details of various legislative proposals, I won't stray from that principle — and it will be reflected in the platform," he wrote.
benton.org/node/133408 | Hill, The | B&C
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CROWDSOURCING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: Mathew Ingram]
Reddit, the link-sharing web community that more or less took over from Digg as the “front page of the internet,” has another feather in its cap to brag about: President Barack Obama showed up to take part in one of the site’s famous “Ask Me Anything” features, where he got to field questions about things like space travel and his favorite room at the White House. Although his answers were by no means earth-shattering — and the chance to ask the sitting president of the United States a question created so much demand that the site had trouble coping with the traffic — his appearance helps bolster the site’s claim to being an alternative source of journalism. The president took part in the somewhat brief public Q and A session while at a campaign stop in Charlottesville, Virginia — which Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian said was a nice touch, considering he and his co-founder Steve Huffman came up with the idea for the web community in the library at the University of Virginia while they we’re both studying there in 2005. Although Reddit was for many years seen as a pale imitation of the then-dominant Digg, Reddit continued to grow even after it was acquired by the Conde Nast publishing empire. When Digg’s fan base started to implode following some poorly thought-out changes in 2010, Reddit picked up the slack. More recently, Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything” feature has become a popular way of crowdsourcing interviews with public figures.
benton.org/node/133407 | GigaOm | AdWeek
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GOP PLATFORM AND FCC
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Brendan Sasso]
The Republican Party's 2012 platform includes a section devoted to ripping the Federal Communications Commission as out of date. "The most vibrant sector of the American economy, indeed, one-sixth of it, is regulated by the federal government on precedents from the nineteenth century," the party writes. The FCC was created in 1934, but it took over some of the responsibilities that had belonged to the Interstate Commerce Commission, which was created in 1887 to regulate railroads. "This is not a good fit," the GOP writes. "Indeed, the development of telecommunications advances so rapidly that even the Telecom Act of 1996 is woefully out of date. An industry that invested $66 billion in 2011 alone needs, and deserves, a more modern relationship with the federal government for the benefit of consumers here and worldwide." The party accuses the Obama Administration of being "frozen in the past."
benton.org/node/133371 | Hill, The
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GOP AND RURAL BROADBAND
[SOURCE: New Republic, AUTHOR: Lydia DePillis]
Spectrum policy isn’t the most incendiary or outlandish of the planks in the now-public Republican platform. But for pure disingenuousness, it ranks pretty near the top. To put this as simply as possible: The U.S. is running out of the airwaves that transmit TV, radio, and phone signals. Or at least, it’s running out of the big chunks of airwaves—called spectrum—that aren’t reserved for the government or already licensed to telecom companies and other private corporations that have their own exclusive channels. Running out entirely would choke off new wireless communication, putting a serious damper on economic growth. The GOP platform derides the Obama administration’s broadband policy, saying the feds spent lots of money and still left millions of people—especially in the rural heartland—without Internet access. To fix this, Republicans propose freeing up pieces of spectrum currently occupied by federal agencies and allocating them to the private sector through auctions, which have generated $60 billion for the treasury since the government started holding them in 1994. Here’s the problem: Auctions haven’t done much to expand access in the rural areas Republicans claim to love.
benton.org/node/133365 | New Republic
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TAX POLICY AND LOW REGULATION DRIVES TECH INNOVATION FOR ROMNEY BACKERS
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Adam Mazmanian]
Technology innovation in the United States will be driven by corporate tax reform and reduced regulation, according to a panel of prominent Republicans at a Republican National Convention event hosted by Bloomberg and Google. The panel was convened to discuss how government might create policies to encourage investment in high-technology and Internet companies — one of the few areas of growth among startups in recent years, according to a Bloomberg analysis that was briefly presented at the event. However, as is often the case when talking about technology with backers of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, the conversation kept returning to overall tax and economic policy. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of American Action Forum, called for an end to the taxation of repatriated capital by U.S.-based multinationals and a lowering of the overall tax burdens on U.S. corporations.
benton.org/node/133397 | National Journal
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NEGATIVE POLITICAL ADS
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Juana Summers]
The 2012 presidential race has been more blistering, negative and caustic than the race four years ago — and the general election hasn’t even officially started yet. According to a study by the Wesleyan Media Project, 70 percent of campaign ads run so far this election cycle have been negative, compared with 9 percent over the same period of time in the 2008 presidential campaign. Super PACs, the big-money outside groups well-known for carpet-bombing opponents with attack ads are largely to blame, according to the study. Outside groups have been responsible for 60 percent of all ads aired so far this year, according to the study. Of those ads, 86 percent were negative, and 14 percent were positive. But for all their big spending, super PAC aren’t the only culprits.
benton.org/node/133395 | Politico
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PRESIDENTIAL ADS
[SOURCE: Bloomberg, AUTHOR: Greg Giroux]
At 30 seconds a spot, and sometimes 60, it would take more than six months to watch all 526,633 presidential election ads that have run on television since the general election began in earnest in early April. It breaks down to roughly one spot promoting President Barack Obama or attacking Republican challenger Mitt Romney for every spot taking the opposite stance for the Nov. 6 election, according to data compiled by New York-based Kantar Media’s CMAG, which tracks ads on national network, national cable and local broadcast stations. Of the 526,104 presidential ads supplied by groups that paid for at least 200 such commercials to run from April 10, when Romney effectively clinched his party’s nomination, to Aug. 20, the last day for which data are available, 264,542 came from campaigns or groups that favor Romney and 261,562 came from pro- Obama organizations. That’s a partisan breakdown of 50.3 percent Republican to 49.7 percent Democratic. While the cumulative total points to partisan parity, it hasn’t been like that for long stretches of the campaign.
benton.org/node/133394 | Bloomberg
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TEXT DONATIONS GUIDELINES
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Adam Mazmanian]
The wireless industry association CTIA issued guidelines for the processing of text message-based contributions to political candidates, committees and political parties. The Federal Election Commission approved the use of mobile phone donations in June and recently addressed lingering industry concerns. These SMS-based shortcode donations got their first high profile exposure in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake in January 2010, when the Red Cross raised $32 million in under a month. CTIA administers the shortcode system. Its advice to carriers includes the right to refuse proposals from some committees, although FEC filings indicate that refusals should be for business and not partisan reasons. Political organizations collecting funds should use a single shortcode to help ensure that donors don't exceed limits of $50 per month and $200 per year from any one mobile number, the CTIA said. The fundraising campaigns and organizations will receive mobile numbers from the "aggregators" charged with processing the donations on behalf of the wireless carriers. The contribution amounts are relatively small, and much of the value to text-message based donations is in the collection of mobile numbers, which can be used for subsequent campaign communications.
benton.org/node/133393 | National Journal
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TECH AND CONVENTIONS
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: Noelle Knell]
The Republican National Convention is noteworthy for much more than the official business of bestowing the title of 2012 Republican presidential nominee on Mitt Romney. Technology has truly transformed the political landscape in 2012. The RNC, as well as the Democratic National Convention (DNC) scheduled for next, bears little resemblance to the last nationwide gathering held just four years ago.
CNN correspondent Wolf Blitzer hadn’t yet joined Twitter when the 2008 political conventions took place. Contrast that with 2012, when Blitzer has 540,000 Twitter followers — evidence that social media will make 2012 the year of the truly interactive convention.
Tampa Bay and Charlotte have experienced a surge in cellular network growth in the months leading up to this year’s conventions. Conventioneers, media and speakers will surely flood the area’s bandwidth in their efforts to share first-hand observations via their smartphones and tablets.
A new weapon in the arsenal of Tampa police is getting a fair amount of attention as law enforcement aims to keep convention activities secure. Dubbed by one news outlet as a “profiling” tool, behavior recognition software will help local police proactively identify potential threats to security.
benton.org/node/133353 | Government Technology
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PRIVACY
MOBILE APP PRIVACY MEETING
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Juliana Gruenwald]
After their third meeting August 29, industry, privacy advocates and other stakeholders made little headway in actually developing an industry code of conduct for mobile applications but may be making some progress in finding ways to work together. The latest meeting hosted by the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration once again focused on where to begin actual discussions on developing an industry code of conduct for mobile apps transparency. The code is part of a larger effort proposed by the Obama administration aimed at improving online privacy for consumers by encouraging companies, privacy advocates and other stakeholders to develop industry codes of conduct. The first proposed code is focused narrowly on providing more transparency in what information developers and sellers of mobile apps are collecting from users and how they are using that data. The half-day session hosted at the Commerce Department centered on trying to narrow down the list of topics that stakeholders should begin focusing on. While some industry representatives argued that the process needs to begin by nailing down a definition of a mobile app, privacy advocates said there needs to be a better understanding of what practices industry is engaged in right now including what information is being collected from app users and how is it used.
benton.org/node/133390 | National Journal
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COURT ALLOWS GOOGLE-FTC CHALLENGE
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Tony Romm]
The Federal Trade Commission will have to defend in court why it's penalizing Google $22.5 million for a privacy violation while still allowing the company to deny any wrongdoing. A federal judge granted Consumer Watchdog the ability to challenge the legal logic behind the FTC's settlement with Google over charges it misrepresented its tracking of Safari Web browser users. Google earned that fine because the FTC alleged its actions violated a 2011 privacy settlement over the company’s rollout of the now-defunct Buzz social network. That order also subjected the company to 20 years of regular privacy check-ups and other penalties. Neither the FTC nor Google contested Consumer Watchdog's court motion, which could result in a hearing. But the agency has vigorously defended its rationale, stressing that it can enforce settlements even without an admission of guilt.
benton.org/node/133348 | Politico
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SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
DISH SPECTRUM
[SOURCE: , AUTHOR: Phil Goldstein]
Dish Network is urging the Federal Communications Commission not to shift its spectrum holdings in the 2 GHz band and to approve rules for using satellite spectrum in terrestrial settings. On Aug. 24 Zachary Katz, chief of staff for FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, met with Jeffrey Blum, Dish's senior vice president and deputy general counsel. At the meeting, Dish said that a "5 MHz upward shift at 2000-2020 MHz would needlessly inject serious regulatory and technical obstacles" into Dish's plans. Dish is awaiting final FCC rules on the terrestrial use of MSS spectrum and is seeking a crucial waiver to offer terrestrial-only devices. However, Dish has indicated it will move ahead with handsets that use the satellite component of the wireless network regardless of the FCC's actions. Dish said a 5 MHz shift would set back its mobile broadband plans for several reasons, most notably because it "would introduce substantial delay and risk into the standard-setting process, which in turn would further delay--if not possibly scuttle--Dish's planned deployment." Dish also said a shift in its holdings "would significantly undermine the usefulness" of its 2 GHz satellites by limiting the spectrum available for satellite service.
benton.org/node/133345 |
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
TWC AND GOOGLE FIBER
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: Stacey Higginbotham]
[Commentary] Time Warner Cable will spend $25 million to bringing the potential for gigabit broadband to hundreds of New York City office buildings through a fiber to the building rollout. This is awesome. But, it’s absolutely nothing like Google’s fiber-to-the-home buildout in Kansas City despite what multiple press reports may say. Yes, both companies are deploying fiber and both will offer gigabit speeds, but that’s about the end of the similarity. Let’s start with the scope of the projects. Time Warner Cable is spending $25 million to connect “hundreds of buildings” in NYC, which means the cable company will extend its existing fiber to the building. At that point those tenants in the building will have to connect to the fiber in the building and bring it to their floor/offices. Analysts estimate Google is spending between $500 million and $800 million to connect parts of Kansas City. It’s not just the spending that’s different, and understanding what else is can help explain why the U.S. broadband infrastructure is not keeping up. Comparing TWC’s investments in its network to Google’s network investments, just because TWC tosses the words gigabit and fiber around, is like comparing McDonald’s oatmeal to the porridge nutritionists recommend because both contain oats. Don’t buy into that hype.
benton.org/node/133358 | GigaOm
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NEW YORK BROADBAND
[SOURCE: Government Technology, AUTHOR: ]
New York will spend $27 million bringing broadband Internet to underserved rural and urban areas of the state as part of what governor's office called “the single largest direct investment of state funding into expanding broadband access in the United States.” The city is now accepting applications for the $25 million “Connect NY” program, which is supplemented by a $2 million Regional Council initiative, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D-NY) announced Aug. 27. "This investment in high-speed Internet access will ensure that the information superhighway will be open to all New York businesses," Cuomo said in a statement. "By expanding the availability of high-quality broadband services, Connect NY makes our state a national leader in the digital economy and gives our businesses the tools they need to compete and prosper in the global economy." More than 700,000 New Yorkers are unable to access high-speed internet, according to the governor's office, and another 6 million citizens face “significant obstacles” in connecting. The grant funds will be made available to applicants based on criteria determined by the Regional Economic Development Councils and Empire State Development, entities through which the funds were initially made available.
benton.org/node/133355 | Government Technology
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PANTENTS
WHY APPLE SUED SAMSUNG
[SOURCE: Fortune, AUTHOR: Philip Elmer-DeWitt]
[Commentary] Asymco's Horace Dediu says the real reason Apple sued Samsung (and Motorola and HTC) to send a signal. "Signal to competitors, partners, customers and employees. In other words, they are used to create psychological effects." Dediu believes there are better ways to send signals -- through advertising, say, or the products themselves. But Apple had a different kind of signal to send, one that couldn't be delivered in an ad. The real reason Apple sued Samsung, I believe, is the one The Loop's Jim Dalrymple laid out in early August, before the trial began.
"Apple has a purpose for everything it does, including this lawsuit," he wrote in a piece entitled Apple's motivation for suing Samsung. “There can be no doubt that Apple has some clever, perhaps industry changing products in the pipeline over the next few years. Although none us know for sure what those products are, if they are truly disruptive, like the iPhone and iPad, it's in Apple's best interests to stop Samsung now. This will effectively cut off the worst offender of companies copying its products in their tracks.”
benton.org/node/133346 | Fortune
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FUZZY MATH
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Brian Love]
[Commentary] The Apple-Samsung jury's $1 billion-plus verdict breaks down to just under $48 for each of the roughly 22 million infringing phones sold by Samsung. To the jury, 50 bucks per phone must have sounded like a reasonable figure, and it may well to you too. But it's not — it's way too high — and here's why: The average smartphone may arguably infringe as many as 250,000 patents, not to mention myriad copyrights and other design-related intellectual property. If you were to divide the average retail price of a smartphone — about $400 — by those 250,000 potentially applicable patents, you'd find that each one would account for just $0.0016 of the phone's value. And, in reality, even that's too much, once you factor in the costs of raw materials, labor, transportation and marketing, which also contribute to a phone's value.
[Love is an assistant professor of law at Santa Clara University School of Law]
benton.org/node/133401 | Los Angeles Times
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