For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Five Giants That Decide What We See
Murdoch Will Buy Rest of Fox Shares in $7 Billion Deal
BROADCASTING
Staffer Says Hill to Act on DTV Transition, Converter Subsidies
HBO to Give 3 New Films for Viewing on Public TV
MEDIA & POLITICS
Bush Draws Fire Over Fee Paid To Columnist to Promote Policy
McCain Goes to Battle
NEW COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
The Future of the Internet
When Law and Social Science Go Hand in Glove
Market Structure, Station Ownership, and Local Public Affairs on
Local Broadcast Television
Media Economics and Media Policy
Report: Schools Wired, but Still Not Internet Savvy
QUICKLY
Comcast Plans Major Rollout Of Phone Service Over Cable
Commerce Secretary to Urge China to Tighten Piracy Rules
Showstealers
Your Daily Paper, Courtesy of a Sponsor
The Future Of The New York Times
A Voice From Above, And to the Left
Comcast-King County Refranchise Agreement
K.C. Burb's Muni Isn't OK With Time Warner
Viacom Taps GOP Bridge-Builder
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FIVE GIANTS THAT DECIDE WHAT WE SEE
It's simple math. For a new show to launch in syndication, advertisers
demand that it be sold in the top three markets: New York, Los Angeles and
Chicago. But to get a syndicated product cleared in these markets requires
the participation of one of five major station groups: NBC, ABC, Viacom,
Fox and Tribune. "The 'five families' do control the landscape of
syndication," says John Nogawski, president of Paramount Domestic
Television. "If they decide a show should return, it's just one less place
a new show can really get launched." Some station groups that aren't quite
the size of the five giants are upping their hours of local news, figuring
it is better for their stations to do more local programming than to suffer
with subpar syndicated product. The new local shows include
advertiser-supported segments. "The industry is trending back to localism,"
says on station manager. "Doing local shows like this under the old format,
relying solely on advertising that came during the breaks, would be too
difficult. This way, you can create a greater revenue stream and still put
on a product that people care about seeing. Then you can overcome the
hurdle that has always been in the way of producing more local programming."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Paige Albiniak]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA493433.html?display=Special+R...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
MURDOCH WILL BUY REST OF FOX SHARES IN $7 BILLION DEAL
Rupert Murdoch, consolidating his global media empire in the United States,
is expected to announce today that he will buy out the shareholders of his
Fox properties for about $7 billion. The deal would solidify Mr. Murdoch's
control over some of the nation's most valuable media assets like the Fox
broadcast network and the DirecTV satellite service and help simplify the
complicated structure of his far-flung company, the News Corporation, which
includes newspapers, television, film and satellite assets around the
globe. The move to bring Fox Entertainment back inside the fold of News
Corporation also gives Mr. Murdoch more flexibility to wield his
deal-making muscle in the United States, where he used to have to rely on
the often faltering stock price of his Fox subsidiary as leverage for
deals. News Corp currently owns 80% of Fox which includes television assets
like Fox News and Fox Sports Net, 21st Century Fox, Fox Searchlights and
DirecTV satellite service.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Ross Sorkin & Geraldine Fabrikant]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/10/business/media/10deal.html?hp&ex=11054...
(requires registration)
BROADCASTING
STAFFER SAYS HILL TO ACT ON DTV TRANSITION, CONVERTOR SUBSIDIES
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the digital TV transition
was the topic for one panel with Pete Filon, the minority counsel of the
House Commerce Committee, promising that Congress will push this year to
"get more certainty" on the issue. What Congress does may well have a lot
to do with what the FCC does first. It will be up to Congress to subsidize
digital-to-analog convertor boxes, if any subsidies are needed. A
spokesperson from Zenith said those convertors could cost as little as
$50/each by 2006 or 2007 when produced in large volume. There's been "a lot
of progress" on the transition, Filon said, but he added that "many in
Congress feel the transition has been going a lot more slowly than they had
expected." He said the analog spectrum is "desperately needed" by emergency
responders and innovators. A cable lobbyist noted that high definition,
digital TV is already available to 90 million of 108 million homes passed
by cable.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Michael Feazel]
(Not available online)
HBO TO GIVE 3 NEW FILMS FOR VIEWING ON PUBLIC TV
In the first agreement of its kind, Home Box Office has entered into a deal
to allow the Public Broadcasting Service to replay three original HBO films
after they have completed a monthlong run on HBO's premium cable channel.
The idea, according to Chris Albrecht, chairman of HBO, is to make the
series of films on topics of public interest - biological warfare, genocide
and AIDS - available to a much wider audience. PBS will produce panel
discussions to accompany the films. HBO is being backed in this new effort
by the Council on Foreign Relations, which is sponsoring a screening of the
first film, "Dirty War," for invited guests in New York and is supplying
several participants for a panel discussion that will follow. Richard Haass
the president of the council, said that his group, which had participated
in previous HBO projects, had agreed to offer support because "these are
serious films about serious issues."
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/10/business/media/10hbo.html
(requires registration)
MEDIA & POLITICS
BUSH DRAWS FIRE OVER FEE PAID TO COLUMNIST TO PROMOTE POLICY
Armstrong Williams, a prominent commentator and frequent guest on
television news shows, lost his syndicated column after disclosures that he
was paid $240,000 by the Education Department to promote the "No Child Left
Behind" law to other black journalists. In the wake of the disclosure, the
Bush administration faces a closer look at how it tries to influence public
opinion as it readies campaigns to overhaul Social Security and the tax
code. Journalism ethicists said cases such as Mr. Armstrong's fan public
distrust of traditional media outlets and the pundits who appear on them.
"We have to then say: 'Is this happening on other fronts? Are there any
other journalists who are being paid by the government or advertising or
public-relations agencies to bring forth messages?'" said Bob Steele, who
studies journalism ethics at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg (Fla).
Such opinion management isn't a Bush-administration invention. In 2000,
President Clinton's drug czar, Barry McCaffrey, secretly paid television
networks to propagandize its antidrug message. The scripts of "ER,"
"Chicago Hope," "Beverly Hills 90210" and other programs were altered to
include antidrug messages. In return for changing scripts, the networks
were allowed to sell to higher-paying advertisers advertising time that had
been promised to the government.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher Cooper
christopher.cooper( at )wsj.com & Brian Steinberg brian.steinberg( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110512313100320173,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)
Lawmakers Pressure White House Over 'Covert Propaganda'
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA) and a coalition of Democrats on
Friday asked President Bush to crack down on efforts by federal executive
agencies to covertly influence public opinion. In a Jan. 7 letter, the
Democrats asked President Bush to direct "all department and agency heads
to immediately provide to us all past and ongoing efforts to engage in
covert propaganda, whether through contracts with commentators, the
distribution of video news releases or other means."
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Doug Halonen dhalonen( at )crain.com]
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7036
(requires free registration)
See also --
USAToday
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050110/a_williams10.art.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050110/edtwo10.art.htm (commentary)
MCCAIN GOES TO BATTLE
The 2004 election is over (really, it is, and it is safe to start watching
TV in Toledo again). Sen John McCain (R-AZ) and three other co-authors of
the 2002 campaign finance reform law -- Sen. Russ Feingold, (D-WI) and
Reps. Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Marty Meehan, (D-MA) -- promise to soon
introduce a bill that will eliminate 527 cash and impose other reforms. The
river of cash flowing through the current law's loophole helped fund a new
type of political advertising that came to characterize the 2004
presidential campaign; viewers were treated to massive negative TV ads
funded by nonprofit activist groups. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss), also says he
will back Sen McCain who received a commitment from President Bush to
support more reform. Sen McCain also hopes to restructure the Federal
Election Commission by replacing the current panel of six members (three
GOP, three Democrat) with five independent commissioners.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: ]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA493528.html?display=News&refe...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
NEW COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNET
Who can guess what the Internet will be in ten years? In September 2004,
Pew sent an email invitation to a list of respected technology experts and
social analysts, asking them to complete a 24-question survey about the
future of the Internet and asked the initial group of experts to forward
the invitation to colleagues and friends who might provide interesting
perspectives. Some 1,286 people responded to the online survey between
September 20 and November 1, 2004. About half are Internet pioneers and
were online before 1993. Roughly a third of the experts are affiliated with
an academic institution and another third work for a company or consulting
firm. The rest are divided between non-profit organizations, publications,
and the government. See the results at the URL below.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project]
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/145/report_display.asp
See coverage in --
News.com
http://news.com.com/The+Nets+future+It+depends+on+whom+you+ask/2100-1028...
WHEN LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCE GO HAND IN GLOVE: USAGE AND IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL
AND NATIONAL NEWS SOURCES
An analysis of the FCC's Diversity Index and the response to this index
from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia. Dr.
Cooper's paper also outlines the parameters of a revised research approach
that the FCC could take as it revisits its Diversity Index.
[SOURCE: Donald McGannon Communication Research Center at Fordham
University, AUTHOR: Mark Cooper]
http://www.fordham.edu/images/Undergraduate/communications/Cooper%20Pape...
MEDIA STRUCTURE, STATION OWNERSHIP, AND LOCAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS ON LOCAL
BROADCAST TELEVISION
This study analyzes a two-week sample of broadcast television programming
in 2003 from a random sample of 285 full power television stations. Half of
the stations in the sample did not air any local public affairs programming
during the two-week sample period. That figure for commercials stations is
59%. In contrast, less than 10% of the sampled public stations failed to
air any local public affairs programming. In addition, the commercial
stations aired an average of 45 minutes of local public affairs programming
during the two-week sample period, significantly less than what the public
stations did. The results from the analyses showed that ownership by one of
the big four broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) significantly
decreased the amount of local public affairs programming on television. In
addition, among other findings, stations in larger television markets were
less likely to air any local affairs programming, contrary to popular
assumption.
[SOURCE: Donald McGannon Communication Research Center at Fordham
University, AUTHOR: Michael Yan & Philip M Napoli]
http://www.fordham.edu/images/Undergraduate/communications/publicaffairs...
MEDIA ECONOMICS AND MEDIA POLICY: THE GOOD AND THE BAD
This paper explores the role and function of economics in media
policymaking and policy analysis. This paper begins with an overview of the
distinctive economics of media industries in an effort to demonstrate the
importance of focused and specialized economic analysis of these
industries. The paper then chronicles the growing role of economics in U.S.
media policymaking and examines both the positive and the negative
implications of this transition for media policy. This paper represents a
first step in what should be a continued exploration of the implications of
the increased role of economics in media policymaking. While much more work
needs to be done, a number of points can be articulated at this stage that
can hopefully be useful in guiding future policymaking and policy analysis.
First, it is important to recognize that inefficiency can be good for media
markets. Indeed, inefficiency may very well be essential to media markets.
Second, there is much we still need to know about the dynamics of media
consumption and the appropriate contours of media markets. These issues
should be a focal point of future economic analyses. Ultimately, if we make
the mistake of treating and analyzing media markets like other markets, we
will suffer from a market failure far more profound and far more damaging
than economic tools can effectively capture or correct.
[SOURCE: Donald McGannon Communication Research Center at Fordham
University, AUTHOR: Philip M Napoli]
http://www.fordham.edu/images/Undergraduate/communications/Media%20Econo...
REPORT: SCHOOLS WIRED, BUT STILL NOT INTERNET SAVVY
Virtually all public schools in the United States have access to the
Internet, but few are taking full advantage of the technology to instruct
students, according to "Toward a New Golden Age in American Education: How
the Internet, the Law and Today's Students are Revolutionizing
Expectation." The new report from the US Department of Education urges
elementary and high schools to incorporate more computer technology into
classrooms, curriculum and school administration. Over the past decade, 99%
of schools have been connected to the Internet, with one computer for every
five students on average.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Alorie Gilbert]
http://news.com.com/Report+Schools+wired%2C+but+still+not+Internet+savvy...
See Department of Education Press Release:
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/01/01072005.html
See the report:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/index.html
QUICKLY
COMCAST PLANS MAJOR ROLLOUT OF PHONE SERVICE OVER CABLE
Comcast plans to market an Internet-based phone service to 15 million homes
by the end of 2005 and to practically all 40 million of the households that
have access to its systems within 18 months. The company hopes to have 8
million phone subscribers within five years, or 20% of the homes its cable
lines pass by. Cable companies that have entered the phone business have
become the most effective competitors to the nation's local Bell telephone
giants since they were created by the breakup of the AT&T monopoly in 1984.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Peter Grant peter.grant( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110531356429521132,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)
COMMERCE SECRETARY TO URGE CHINA TO TIGHTEN PIRACY RULES
Departing U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans said he would travel to China
this week to let leaders there know that President Bush expected greater
efforts to tighten rules against patent and trademark piracy. The U.S.
trade office says piracy is the biggest problem in its $181-billion
commercial relationship with China.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR:Bloomberg News]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-evans10jan10,1,354962...
(requires registration)
SHOWSTEALERS
Alarmed that downloading content has the potential to damage everything
from the booming market for DVDs of TV shows (Merrill Lynch pegs sales for
2004 at $2.3 billion) to the all-important TV schedule itself, television
executives are racing to address a problem that barely existed 18 months
ago. To thwart this threat, the industry has launched a multifaceted
offensive, enlisting the help of the FCC; hiring lawyers to pursue
file-swappers in court; employing security firms to throw a monkey wrench
into the downloading process; and scrambling to develop their own
iTunes-inspired content-downloading services.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Mark Lasswell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA493430.html?display=Feature&r...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
YOUR DAILY PAPER, COURTESY OF A SPONSOR
Across the country each week, more than 1.6 million people who are not on
newspaper subscriber rolls are being delivered copies that did not cost
them a cent - but they are still being classified as paying customers. The
papers, which are typically paid for by advertisers, are delivered by small
and large dailies across the country, including The Miami Herald, The Wall
Street Journal, The San Jose Mercury News and The Boston Globe.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jacques Steinberg & Tom Torok]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/10/business/media/10paper.html
(requires registration)
THE FUTURE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES
How is the Times weathering the profound changes in communications
technology, the current political climate and journalistic screw-ups? A
look at publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr's business plan.
[SOURCE: BusinessWeek, AUTHOR: Anthony Bianco]
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_03/b3916001_mz001.htm
See also --
Reuters:
New York Times Mulls Charging Web Readers
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=IK1F4GZME2HKUCRBAEZS...
The Internet's Future? It Depends on Whom You Ask
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/10/technology/10pew.html
A VOICE FROM ABOVE, AND TO THE LEFT
A look at radio commentator Ed Schultz of Democracy Radio.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61992-2005Jan9.html
(requires registration)
COMCAST-KING COUNTY REFRANCHISE AGREEMENT
Comcast has negotiated a contract extension for its King County (WA)
franchise that reclaims some valuable analog real estate and provides
clarity on data "peering" requirements contained in the pact. Comcast's
franchise would have expired next month; it now lapses in February 2010.
Public, educational and government channels will be lost in the deal with
Comcast paying $1.2 million to reclaim the channels. The county will get
more DTV PEG channels when Comcast goes all-digital in the area. The
agreement covers about 800,000 homes currently served in the unincorporated
territory that surrounds Seattle.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA493399.html?display=Policy&referra...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
KC BURB'S MUNI ISN'T OK WITH TIME WARNER
Shake, Shake, Shake. Whoops, not that KC. Time Warner sticks up for the
little guy again: the company is pursuing a court injunction against a
municipal fiber-optic project in North Kansas City (MO) claiming the city
must seek voter approval to develop a publicly owned network. Unless U.S.
District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Western Division
issues an injunction against the entire project, Time Warner wants it to
prevent the city from using the network it's planning for cable TV, unless
it puts the issue on a ballot.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA493406.html?display=Policy&referra...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
VIACOM TAPS GOP BRIDGE-BUILDER
CBS parent Viacom Inc. is working overtime to get in the good graces of the
White House and the Republican-led Congress. In the latest move, the
company's lobbying office has hired Mehlman & Vogel led by Bruce Mehlman,
who was the Commerce Department's assistant secretary for technology policy
during President Bush's first term. His brother Ken ran the Bush reelection
campaign. Alex Vogel is Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (TN) former
chief counsel.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA493472.html?display=Breaking+...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
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Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
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