For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
TODAY'S QUESTION: Can the media do a better job covering politics and=20
elections?
MEDIA & ELECTIONS
Campaign's Lasting Effect for Media
Local TV Campaign Coverage Falls Following Debates;
Newspapers Surge
All Politics is Local Ad Dollars
The Valuable Lessons of Sinclair
Too Little, Too Late
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
MPAA to Sue Over Movie File Sharing
Copyright Enforcement Revisited
INTERNET/TELECOM
BellSouth Lobbies Powell's FCC To Undo Internet's Openness
NCTA: No High Court Hearing for Cities
Understanding Consumer Attitudes About Wireless Telephone Directories
and Privacy
CTIA Expresses Concern About Increase in Consumers=92
Universal Service Charge
QUICKLY
Federal Funds for Public Television Digital Transition
The People=92s Voice: Community Radio in Guatemala
Web Calls May Be More Popular Than Thought - Survey
Social Responsibility in Dollars and Cents
MEDIA & ELECTIONS
CAMPAIGN'S LASTING EFFECT FOR MEDIA
[Commentary] There's a growing sense that this election may mark tectonic=20
shifts in the landscape of political journalism that seems to have as much=
=20
to do with changes among the consumers of media as with the media itself.=20
Although the public viewed the media as biased, they still approved of=20
their performance. This election year marked the end of the mainstream=20
broadcast networks' serious participation in American political journalism=
=20
and the decisive rise to influence of the cable news operations. When CBS,=
=20
NBC, and ABC declined to offer serious coverage of the national political=20
conventions, it was a clear signal that their news divisions' corporate=20
overseers had lost the will -- that is, the financial incentive -- to=20
fulfill their obligation, as federal license holders, to operate in the=20
public interest. The issue of public interest obligations arose again=20
during the Sinclair case. While what Sinclair proposed to do was, by every=
=20
defensible journalistic standard, wrong and unethical, it was entitled to=20
behave so as an assertion of its rights under the First Amendment. The=20
First Amendment protects all speech, not just true speech or good speech or=
=20
fair speech. It affords its highest protection, moreover, to political=20
speech, which the Stolen Honor documentary -- whatever its moral or factual=
=20
defects -- most assuredly is. This threat to the most fundamental of our=20
liberties was created by the FCC's failure to defend the public's interest.=
=20
Media concentration raises the stakes in any given legal controversy to a=20
point where it virtually invites legal and governmental intrusion into the=
=20
media's editorial decisions, putting the First Amendment at unconscionable=
=20
risk. There's an unlooked-for lesson from this campaign.
[SOURCE: Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Tim Rutten writes about the=20
media for the Los Angeles Times]
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1103/p09s02-cogn.html
See Also:
Media Election Coverage: Did it serve voters?
News, research and analysis regarding coverage of the 2004 election finds a=
=20
lot to be desired, especially when it comes to voter knowledge.
[SOURCE: Free Press]
http://www.freepress.net/washington/election.php
LOCAL TV CAMPAIGN COVERAGE FALLS FOLLOWING DEBATES; NEWSPAPERS SURGE
With little more than a week remaining before Election Day, most San=20
Francisco Bay Area TV stations actually reduced their campaign coverage=20
from levels earlier in October, a Grade the News incremental analysis of=20
daily news reporting shows. However, newspapers, particularly the Contra=20
Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News, surged. With the presidential and=20
vice presidential debates over, viewers might have expected an intensifying=
=20
interest in California and local contests, particularly with ballots=20
crowded with state and local propositions. But the coverage emphasis=20
remained on the proven ratings winner -- the tight presidential contest.
There's much more about election coverage in and around San Francisco at=20
the URL below.
[SOURCE: Grade the News, AUTHOR: Michael Stoll]
http://www.stanford.edu/group/gradethenews/pages2/campaign2004-3.htm
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL AD DOLLARS
Profit reports are rolling in from television station owners in swing=20
states. Gray Television owns primarily CBS and NBC affiliates and reports a=
=20
whopping 22% increase in broadcasting revenues to $73.7 million for the=20
third quarter ended Sept. 30, versus $60.3 million for the same quarter in=
=20
2003. That was driven primarily by political spending, which was $12=20
million for the quarter vs. $1.1 million for the off-year elections in=20
2003. Excluding that windfall, the company's 30 TV stations' local ad=20
revenue was still up 5%, to $39.1 million from $37.2 million. Thanks to=20
political spending, Sinclair Broadcast Group was able to record a 1.8%=20
increase in net broadcast revenues to $164 million in the third quarter vs.=
=20
3Q 2003. Without the 2003-2004 boost in political spending from $1.3=20
million to $8 million, local ad revenue was down .8% as it was, but without=
=20
political spending, it would have been down 2.3%.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA477967?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA477977?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
THE VALUABLE LESSONS ON SINCLAIR
[Commentary] What did we learn from Sinclair's attempt to air "Stolen=20
Honor"? The goal of fair and balanced political discussion on local=20
television matters tremendously to millions of Americans. That one=20
corporation based in Baltimore could force 62 local stations in places as=20
different as Buffalo and Las Vegas to join its political crusade is the=20
nightmare scenario of media consolidation.
[SOURCE: Center for American Progress, AUTHOR: Mark Lloyd]
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=3DbiJRJ8OVF&b=3D239581
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
[Commentary] George W. Bush=92s electoral victory is chilling proof that the=
=20
conservatives have achieved dominance over the flow of information to the=20
American people and that even a well-run Democratic campaign stands=20
virtually no chance for national success without major changes in how the=20
news media operates. The outcome of Election 2004 also highlights perhaps=20
the greatest failure of the Democratic/liberal side in American politics: a=
=20
refusal to invest in the development of a comparable system for=20
distributing information that can counter the Right=92s potent media=20
infrastructure. For the past quarter century, the Right has spent billions=
=20
of dollars to build a vertically integrated media apparatus =AD reaching=
from=20
the powerhouse Fox News cable network through hard-line conservative=20
newspapers and magazines to talk radio networks to book publishing to=20
well-funded Internet operations and right-wing bloggers. Using this=20
infrastructure, the conservatives can put any number of =93themes=94 into=
play=20
that will instantaneously reach tens of millions of Americans through a=20
variety of outlets, whose messages then reinforce each other in the=20
public=92s mind. Beyond putting opposing politicians on the defensive, this=
=20
Right-Wing Machine intimidates mainstream journalists and news executives=20
who will bend over backwards and cater to the conservative side, do almost=
=20
anything to avoid being tagged with the career-threatening tag of =93liberal=
.=94
Liberal foundations kept repeating the refrain: =93We don't do media.=94 One=
=20
key liberal foundation explicitly forbade even submitting funding requests=
=20
that related to media projects.
[SOURCE: ConsortiumNews.com, AUTHOR: Robert Parry]
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/110304.html
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
MPAA TO SUE OVER MOVIE FILE SWAPPING
The Motion Picture Association of America, which represents major Hollywood=
=20
studios such as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Viacom's Paramount=20
Pictures, plans to file about 200 suits against computer users who put=20
illegally obtained movies on Internet file-sharing services for other users=
=20
to download and watch for free. Gigi B. Sohn, president of Public=20
Knowledge, a Washington-based advocacy group that favors broad access to=20
digital copyrighted material, said that the industry has a right to sue to=
=20
protect its copyright but that consumers must be given a viable legal=20
alternative, or people will continue stealing movies. The industry needs=20
"an iPod for movies," said Sohn, referring to Apple's popular digital song=
=20
player. Apple's online music store, which sells songs for the iPod for 99=20
cents each, has been emulated by other companies. Also, "the movie industry=
=20
needs to clean up its own house," she said, referring to pre-release copies=
=20
of first-run films that get smuggled out of studios and wind up on the=20
Internet. Typically, pirated movies found on the Internet are of low=20
quality, having been recorded with hand-held devices in movie theaters.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Frank Ahrens]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25784-2004Nov4.html
(requires registration)
See Also:
Statement of Gigi B. Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, on the=20
announcement by the Motion Picture Association of America that it plans to=
=20
sue P2P File Traders:
Public Knowledge acknowledges the potential threat that large scale=20
unauthorized file trading of movies may pose, and has encouraged the motion=
=20
picture industry to protect its copyrights by pursuing strategically=20
targeted, appropriate legal action against actual infringers, particularly=
=20
in the case of pre-release films.
Public Knowledge also firmly believes that simply bringing lawsuits against=
=20
individual infringers will not solve the problem of infringing activity=20
over P2P networks. First and foremost, it is crucial that the motion=20
picture industry develop new business models that treat the low cost,=20
ubiquity, and speed of the Internet as an opportunity, not a=20
threat. Because the technology for downloading movies is not yet as=20
advanced as the technology for downloading music, the industry has some=20
time to work out an approach to leverage new and emerging delivery systems=
=20
to its advantage. We believe that if the motion picture industry provides=
=20
easy access to a wide array of movies, at a reasonable price, and also=20
provide consumers the flexibility of use to which they have become=20
accustomed, it will profit handsomely, just as it has for the past 20 years=
=20
in the home video and DVD market. Public Knowledge also supports the use of=
=20
limited, non-invasive self-help measures, and balanced public education on=
=20
the rights and responsibilities of consumers as strategies for limiting=20
infringing activity. We believe that motion picture industry can take all=
=20
of these approaches now, without further legislation or the imposition of=20
technology mandates.
http://www.publicknowledge.org/pressroom/releases/pr110404
COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT REVISITED
[Commentary] On Thursday, the motion picture industry announced that it=20
will begin filing copyright infringement lawsuits against individual file=20
sharers. The industry claims its intellectual property (IP) rights have=20
been violated by the uploading and sharing of movies on various=20
peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. The movie industry=92s targeted lawsuit=
strategy=20
mimics the model previously employed by the music industry, which has filed=
=20
over 6,000 lawsuits against online file sharers since September 2003.=20
Targeted copyright enforcement along the lines of what the music and movie=
=20
industry are pursuing with their lawsuits against individuals file sharers=
=20
provides the best way of ensuring baseline copyright protections. It is=20
certainly preferable to a regime of overly broad contributory liability, or=
=20
ham-handed legislative or regulatory responses.
[SOURCE: Cato Institute, AUTHOR: Adam Thierer]
http://www.cato.org/tech/tk/041104-tk.html
INTERNET/TELECOM
BELLSOUTH LOBBIES POWELL'S FCC TO UNDO INTERNET'S OPENNESS
BellSouth has asked FCC Chairman Michael Powell to overturn critical=20
commission safeguards that have been important to the Internet's role as a=
=20
democratic medium. In a 27 October 2004 letter to Powell, BellSouth's=20
chief lobbyist petitioned to have the agency set aside two critical=20
rules. First, giant "Baby Bell" phone companies would be given full=20
control over the "last-mile" of broadband Internet delivery, permitting=20
them to favor their own Internet content. Since they would no longer be=20
"common carriers" under BellSouth's plan, they could effectively=20
discriminate against all competing and unaffiliated content. In addition,=
=20
these phone networks would no longer offer ISP choice, permitting companies=
=20
like BellSouth or Verizon to extend their monopolies into the broadband=20
market. The phone lobby has also embarked on a campaign to undermine=20
policies that now safeguard the Internet's "open" architecture, as=20
evidenced in its latest deregulatory-minded website, disingenuously named=20
The Future =85 Faster. CDD asks readers to tell the Chairman of the FCC and=
=20
the CEO of BellSouth that you oppose their plans to permit broadband=20
monopolies! Call Michael Powell at 202-418-1000 and BellSouth CEO F. Duane=
=20
Ackerman at 404-249-2000. Tell your pension plan not to invest in=20
BellSouth or in any other company lobbying to undermine the Internet.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/bellsouth.html
NCTA: NO HIGH COURT HEARING FOR CITIES
Cities from the around the country want the Supreme Court to overturn a FCC=
=20
ruling that denied them authority to collect franchise fees on cable-modem=
=20
revenue. But the National Cable & Telecommunications Association is arguing=
=20
that cities should not be granted a hearing. =93The cities=92 petition=
presents=20
no question that is worthy of this court=92s attention,=94 the NCTA said in=
a=20
Supreme Court brief. A few years ago, cable operators and cities agreed=20
that cable-modem service was a cable service under the law, and cable=20
operators agreed to pay franchise fees. But cable abandoned that position=20
and stopped paying franchise fees after the FCC ruled that cable-modem=20
service was strictly an interstate information service. The U.S. Court of=20
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overruled the FCC on that point by asserting=
=20
that cable-modem service was also a telecommunications service -- a=20
classification that exposes cable to Internet open-access mandates. The=20
NCTA and the Justice Department have asked the Supreme Court to strike down=
=20
the telecommunications-service holding. The high court is expected to=20
announce within a few months whether it will take the case.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA478175.html?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER ATTITUDES ABOUT WIRELESS TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES AND=20
PRIVACY
AARP conducted a nationwide survey to measure cell phone users' interest in=
=20
making their wireless phone numbers publicly available through a directory.=
=20
The survey asked respondents whether they thought it was good or bad that=20
there is currently no way for another individual to get the respondent's=20
wireless phone number unless the respondent chooses to give it to that=20
person. Wireless phone owners of all ages overwhelmingly said that they=20
thought this was a good thing. Respondents were also asked whether they=20
would want their cell phone number included in a directory so that others=20
could locate them. Ten percent of wireless phone owners age 18-49 said they=
=20
would want to be included in such a directory, while half as many (5=20
percent) wireless owners age 65 and older, and 6 percent of those age 50-64=
=20
indicated that they would want to be included in a wireless directory. The=
=20
survey asked wireless phone owners to assume that a cell phone directory=20
would in fact be compiled and then asked them to identify the best method=20
for creating a directory. More specifically, it asked whether wireless=20
providers should 1) add every cell phone number to their directory and give=
=20
wireless owners the ability to have their number removed upon request, or=20
2) only add those phone numbers of wireless users who give their permission=
=20
to do so. Respondents of all age groups overwhelmingly indicated that a=20
wireless directory should only include the cell phone numbers of those=20
wireless users who elect to participate. Cell phone owners highly value the=
=20
privacy of their wireless telephone numbers. An overwhelming majority of=20
them view the current lack of a publicly available wireless phone directory=
=20
as a positive. If such a directory were created, most cell phone owners=20
indicated they would not want to have their number included. In fact, they=
=20
believe that no wireless phone number should be added to the directory=20
unless the cell phone owner specifically requested it.
[SOURCE: AARP Public Policy Institute, AUTHORS: Neal Walters and=20
Christopher Baker]
http://research.aarp.org/consume/fs99_wireless.html
CTIA EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT INCREASE IN CONSUMERS' UNIVERSAL SERVICE CHARGE
CTIA-The Wireless Association expressed concern Wednesday about a=20
significant jump in federal universal service fund size projections that=20
could lead to a nearly 40% increase in the Universal Service Fund charge on=
=20
consumers=92 bills. This increase is primarily due to the application of=20
arcane U.S. government accounting rules, the Anti-Deficiency Act and the=20
Miscellaneous Receipts Act to the Universal Service Funds. If these=20
statutes are construed to apply to the schools and libraries program, as is=
=20
reportedly being recommended by FCC staff, wireless customers will see=20
their Universal Service Fund contribution increase almost 40% as of January=
=20
1, 2005. The FCC staff have advised the administrator of these funds, the=20
Universal Service Administrative Company (=93USAC=94) that, under the=20
accounting rules, USAC must collect funds for all commitments under the=20
schools and libraries universal service program, even when a significant=20
portion of those commitments never result in funding obligations.
[SOURCE: CTIA-The Wireless Association/ Press Release]
http://www.ctia.org/news_media/press/body.cfm?record_id=3D1463
QUICKLY
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TELEVISION DIGITAL TRANSITION
On Thursday, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded nearly $14=20
million to 33 public television stations nationwide. The funds will allow=20
the stations to acquire equipment needed to transmit a digital signal, and=
=20
eventually to provide digital services, ranging from regional public=20
affairs multicasts to full-time instructional and teacher development=20
channels and the delivery of new community emergency preparedness content.=
=20
Congress has provided CPB with nearly $150 million in special funding to=20
aid public television and radio=92s conversion from analog to digital=20
broadcasting. With today=92s announcement, CPB has awarded 285 digital=
grants=20
to public radio stations and 229 grants to public television stations. At=20
present, 292 of 356 public television stations are already broadcasting in=
=20
digital, making public digital television available in approximately 94=20
percent of U.S. television households. A list of grantees can be found at=20
the URL below. Applications will be accepted for the seventh round of=20
digital transition funding beginning mid-November through December 20.
[SOURCE: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Press Release]
http://www.cpb.org/programs/pr.php?prn=3D383
THE PEOPLE'S VOICE: COMMUNITY RADIO IN GUATEMALA
On May 22, 1987, Guatemalan guerillas hijacked the frequency of a=20
state-approved radio station to broadcast their popular revolutionary=20
message. Voz Popular, the voice of Guatemala=92s guerilla party, the URNG,=
=20
transmitted from a mobile unit atop the Volcano Tajumulco, Central=20
America=92s highest peak. For nine years, the insurgents provided an=20
alternative media source to the government propaganda broadcast by most=20
radio and television stations, which often censored their programming for=20
fear of government reprisal. Learn more about community radio at the URL=
below.
[SOURCE: Americas Program, Interhemispheric Resource Center, AUTHOR: Lisa=20
Viscidi]
http://www.americaspolicy.org/articles/2004/0410radio.html
WEB CALLS MAY BE MORE POPULAR THAN THOUGHT -- SURVEY
Over 50 million western European consumers with a broadband Internet=20
connection at home may use telephony software and special phones by 2008,=20
British research group Analysys found. "The impact on traditional telephony=
=20
providers' revenues could reach 6.4 billion euros in 2008, representing 13%=
=20
of the residential fixed-line voice market," said analyst Stephen Sale,=20
adding this was a worst case scenario drawn up for operators who want to=20
know how badly they can be hit.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=3D6...
78
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN DOLLARS AND CENTS
Nearly 50 hardware and telecommunications companies around the world use=20
guidelines developed by Global Reporting Initiative, a Netherlands-based=20
nonprofit that offers companies help on how to improve their performance=20
when it comes to social responsibility. The URL below links to an interview=
=20
with Ernst Ligteringen, GRI's CEO, about reporting to socially responsible=
=20
investors.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Dawn Kawamoto ]
http://news.com.com/Social+responsibility+in+dollars+and+cents/2008-1014...
439271.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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. While the summaries are=20
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the=
=20
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang=20
(headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------