For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
CHILDREN AND TELEVISION
Toddlers Who Watch TV May Risk Attention Problems
Publication -- Navigating the Children's Media Landscape
Publication -- Digital Television: Sharpening the Focus on Children
MORE ON TV
Sometimes Two Ain't Better Than One
Republicans Will Be Outspent!
Publication -- The Decline of Broadcasters=92 Public Interest Obligations
BROADBAND
VoIP Legislation Introduced in Senate and House
Cable or Phone? Difference Can Be Taxing
Bush's Statement Political, but Much-Needed
VoIP's Broadband Bottleneck
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service=20
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through=20
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,=20
policy issues, and other related news events. Headlines are compiled by=20
Kevin Taglang (ktaglang( at )etpost.net) -- we welcome your comments.
CHILDREN AND TELEVISION
TODDLERS WHO WATCH TV MAY RISK ATTENTION PROBLEMS
A new study to be published in the April issue of Pediatrics finds that for=
=20
every hour of TV watched daily, two groups of children -- aged 1 and 3 --=20
faced a 10% increased risk of having attention problems at age 7. "The=20
truth is there are lots of reasons for children not to watch television.=20
Other studies have shown it to be associated with obesity and=20
aggressiveness" too, said lead author Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a researcher=
=20
at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle. It may not=20
matter at all what shows kids watch; unrealistically fast-paced visual=20
images typical of most TV programming may alter normal brain development.=20
Jennifer Kotler, assistant director for research at Sesame Workshop, which=
=20
produces educational children's television programs including "Sesame=20
Street," questioned whether the results would apply to educational=20
programming. "We do not ignore this research," but more is needed on=20
variables that could affect the impact of early exposure to television,=20
including whether content or watching TV with a parent makes a difference,=
=20
Ms. Kotler said.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108112981691674019,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
See Also:
Attention Deficit Linked to TV Viewing: Risk to Children Increases With=20
Number of Hours Watched, Study Finds
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50301-2004Apr4.html
(same story -- you just don't have to pay to see it)
USAToday: Short Attention Span Linked to TV Children Show Effects by Age 7
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040405/6080001s.htm
PUB: NAVIGATING THE CHILDREN'S MEDIA LANDSCAPE
This report released by National PTA and Cable in the Classroom provides=20
tools to help parents take control of TV viewing and other media=20
activities. The report offers: 1) a guide to help families develop a=20
comprehensive media plan that allows them to take greater control of their=
=20
TV viewing, Internet and other media activities, 2) a chart with how to use=
=20
media to support age appropriate development, and 3) ideas and strategies=20
to help parents and caregivers select and use media in ways appropriate for=
=20
their children
[SOURCE: American Institutes for Research, AUTHORS: Douglas Levin, Sousan=20
Arafeh, Carla Baker Deniz, and
Julie Gottesman]
http://www.ciconline.com/Enrichment/MediaLiteracy/NavigatingMediaLandsca...
efault.htm
PUB: DIGITAL TELEVISION: SHARPENING THE FOCUS ON CHILDREN
Children Now is a research and action organization dedicated to assuring=20
that children grow up in a positive media environment. Recognizing the=20
importance of the current transition from analog to digital television, the=
=20
organization is raising awareness with child advocacy groups and putting=20
fort recommendations to policymakers concerning 1) Educational and=20
Informational Programming, 2) Interactive Advertising and Children's=20
Privacy and 3) Parents' Ability to Block Objectionable Programming.=20
Children Now has also published "The Promise and Peril of Digital TV for=20
Kids," a media backgrounder. The group is planning a National Press Club=20
event June 9 to raise issues with press.
[SOURCE: ChildreNow]
http://www.childrennow.org/media/medianow/mnspring2004.pdf
http://www.childrennow.org/newsroom/news-04/mb-02-17-04.pdf
MORE ON TV
SOMETIMES TWO AIN'T BETTER THAN ONE
Are TV duopolies good for station owners? Early results in new York say=20
"No." News Corp has owned two TV stations in New York, Los Angeles, and=20
Phoenix since mid-2000. In New York, the results have not been very=20
positive. In the nation's largest local TV market, News Corp owns both UPN=
=20
affiliate WWOR and Fox owned-and operated WNYW. In the February sweeps,=20
WWOR, formerly the Chris-Craft station, posted near-record low ratings.=20
According to a station executive who has seen the numbers, the UPN outlet=20
had about $125 million in revenues in 2003, down from about $185 million=20
before its acquisition by Fox. WNYW's revenues aren't as bad but are still=
=20
down, to about $220 million in 2003 from a previous high of about $280=20
million. News Corp believed duopolies would generate margins of 55% to 65%=
=20
on average. The margins for New Corp's New York stations are in the high-=20
20% range for WWOR and 50% for WNYW. News Corp is trying to improve WWOR's=
=20
numbers by cutting costs, in part by moving operations from Secaucus (NJ)=20
to the WNYW offices in New York City. Nut hold on partner... By law, WWOR,=
=20
licensed in New Jersey, is required to serve the public-interest needs of=20
New Jersey ahead of those of New York. And local Garden State politicians=20
will not let News Corp forget this.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Steve McClellan ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA408030?display=3DTop+of+the+Week
REPUBLICANS WILL BE OUTSPENT!
President Bush's Media Director, Mark McKinnon, is fearful that even though=
=20
his candidate has raised more cash and has a bigger war chest than his=20
rival, pro-Democratic groups may push anti-Bush spending past that of the=20
President. "It will surprise people to know we are likely to be outspent.=20
Ninety percent of these 527s are Democratic. Labor and other core=20
constituencies," he claims. "Our base of support comes more from=20
corporations=97and they are far more fearful of violating the law." The=20
concern is that groups like MoveOn.org, the Media Fund, and America Coming=
=20
Together are raising millions and coordinating their ad campaigns with Sen=
=20
John Kerry's. So far, the combination of Kerry campaign and these groups=20
have matched ad for ad in major markets with President Bush's campaign, one=
=20
of the most well-financed media operations in history. The big winner in=20
all this spending, of course, is television. Sanford Bernstein media=20
analyst Tom Wolzien says election-year commercial spending will jump to=20
$1.6 billion.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR:Rory O'Connor]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA408041?display=3DTop+of+the+Week
(requires subscription)
See Also:
WSJ: Political Money Flows Faster in '04
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108112264058773933,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
PUB: THE DECLINE OF BROADCASTERS' PUBLIC INTEREST OBLIGATIONS
The indecency debate and the transition to digital television have sparked=
=20
renewed interest in defining how broadcasters should fulfill their role as=
=20
trustees of the public's airwaves. The New America Foundation -- an=20
independent, non-partisan, non-profit public policy institute -- has=20
published a new paper on the history of broadcasters' public interest=20
obligations. The paper looks at the Fairness Doctrine, Ascertainment,=20
License Renewal Procedures, Children's Television Rules, and Political=20
Advertising Rules. Also covered are the recommendations of the Presidential=
=20
Advisory Committee on the Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television=
=20
Broadcasters and broadcasters' own voluntary codes on conduct. The defining=
=20
court cases in these areas are also addressed as are rules for cable and=20
satellite TV.
[SOURCE: New America Foundation]
http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Pub_File_1518_1.pdf
BROADBAND
VoIP LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN SENATE AND HOUSE
Legislation introduced into Congress last week would prevent states from=20
regulating Internet telephone service (VoIP). In the Senate, the VoIP bill=
=20
was introduced by John Sununu (R-NH). The bill would call on the FCC to=20
address VoIP and universal service, law enforcement and disability access.=
=20
A similar, but not identical bill is being introduced by House Commerce=20
Vice Chairman Chip Pickering (R-MS).
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Terry Lane]
(Not available online)
See Also:
News.com: Feds Tell States 'VoIP is Ours'
http://news.com.com/2100-7352_3-5184603.html?tag=3Dnefd_top
Reaction available at URLs below:
INTERNET VOICE: NEW RULES FOR NEW TECH
[SOURCE: Progress and Freedom Foundation, AUTHOR: Randolph J. May]
http://www.pff.org/news/news/2004/040104internetvoice.html
COMPTEL/ASCENT P-RAISES HOUSE, SENATE VOIP BILLS
[SOURCE: CompTel/ASCENT Press Release]
http://www.comptelascent.org/news/recent-news/040204.html
CABLE OR PHONE? DIFFERENCE CAN BE TAXING
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia tax DSL customers -- but not=20
the broadband connections offered over cable lines. Senator George Allen=20
(R-VA) has strongly argued that state taxation of digital lines slows the=20
spread of high-speed broadband and unfairly distorts the market. "You're=20
giving the advantage to one technology over another," Senator Allen said.=20
"It's discriminatory taxes." Sen Allen is the main sponsor of a bill that=20
would ban taxes on all forms of Internet access. But state and local=20
officials argue that taxes on digital subscriber lines have become an=20
important source of revenue. A vote on Sen Allen's bill is expected this=
month.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Matt Richtel]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/05/technology/05taxes.html
(requires registration)
BUSH'S STATEMENT POLITICAL, BUT MUCH-NEEDED
Many critics have somewhat dismissed President Bush's remarks setting a=20
national broadband goal as merely political rhetoric and Jackson notes that=
=20
in the New Economy being for broadband is like being for apple pie. After=20
three years of ignoring the subject no one is about to dub Bush as the=20
"Telecom President," but his remarks remain important, Jackson writes,=20
"because it takes the notion of broadband as a universal service...off the=
=20
backburner and puts it in play at a critical juncture." We are at a point=20
when broadband needs to be considered as policymakers consider reform both=
=20
universal service and intercarrier-compensation. "Hopefully, Bush's=20
declaration ensures that broadband will be put on the table, so the=20
considerable political efforts to resolve these important issues will not=20
be deemed a waste a few years from now."
[SOURCE: Telephony's Regulatory Insider, AUTHOR: Donny Jackson ]
djackson( at )primediabusiness.com
VoIP's BROADBAND BOTTLENECK
Widespread penetration of Internet phone service (VoIP) may face a=20
technology problem: some residential Internet service providers in the=20
United States currently can't guarantee the bandwidth required to handle=20
calls effectively. Heavy Internet traffic can cause quality problems like=20
missed words or even dropped calls. Additionally, many VoIP services can't=
=20
reach emergency 911 services although a solution this problem may be near.=
=20
These problems may relegate VoIP to a battle to be a home's 2nd phone -- a=
=20
battle it will fight with cell phones which half the country already=20
subscribes to.
[SOURCE: CNET News.com, AUTHOR: Ben Charny]
http://news.com.com/2100-7352_3-5184599.html?tag=3Dnefd_lede
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