For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
TODAY'S QUESTION: Does the government have a bigger stake in you buying a=20
digital TV set -- or ensuring that digital TV programming is diverse and=20
includes local civic and public affairs?
MEDIA
Public Short-Shrifted in Digital TV Transition
EchoStar Thinks Locally
The Television Toddler Boom
Luring the Elusive Tween
When 'No Sex=92 Really Sells
China Formalizes Laws On TV Joint Ventures
TELECOM
Fees Paid by all Phone Customers Help Rural Phone Firms Prosper
Verizon and Sprint to Cut Fee For Transferring Cell Numbers
QUICKLY
Unused PC Power to Run Grid for Unraveling Disease
File-Swap Firm Gets License to Sell Music
Wireless to Drive Internet Growth, Tech Leaders Say
Conference on Blogs' News Impact
Privacy Groups Urge Appeals Court to Guarantee Email Privacy
MEDIA
PUBLIC SHORT-SHRIFTED IN DIGITAL TV TRANSITION
[Commentary] It's time to remind the FCC's Michael Powell that the public=20
is entitled to a fair return from its airways. The public owns the airwaves=
=20
and the broadcasters are trustees for the public good. Broadcasters get the=
=20
exclusive free use of the public airwaves, but in exchange they must serve=
=20
the public interest. The public interest is embodied in the Communications=
=20
Act and in seminal Supreme Court cases. Over the years it has meant many=20
things, but at its core, the public interest means providing local civic=20
and electoral discourse over the public airwaves. This core=20
obligation-which is fundamental to our democracy and self-governance-has=20
been languishing badly. Recent data shows that: 1) Network coverage of the=
=20
Democratic and Republican nominating conventions dropped to an all-time low=
=20
in 2004; just three hours of coverage per convention, per network. 2) A=20
viewer of local television newscasts saw an average of 2.4 minutes of=20
election coverage per half-hour of evening news in the weeks leading to the=
=20
November 2004 election; almost half (45 percent) of the coverage focused on=
=20
campaign strategy and fewer than one-third (29 percent) focused on campaign=
=20
issues, according to the Lear Center's Oct. 21, 2004, interim report. 3)=20
Nearly eight out of 10 of the campaign stories focused on the presidential=
=20
and vice presidential races as opposed to other races (also according to=20
the Lear Center interim report). These statistics show that coverage of=20
local issues in particular is lacking. Our democracy is predicated on an=20
informed citizenry. The FCC must define the public interest for digital=20
television now so that Americans, as consumers of democracy, don't miss out=
=20
on the enormous benefit of the digital airwaves.
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Gloria Tristani, United Church of Christ]
http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=3D26480
ECHOSTAR THINKS LOCALLY
EchoStar has launched a new crusade =97 one that calls on the FCC to impose=
=20
local programming quotas on TV stations. Under EchoStar=92s plan, stations=
=20
could refuse to comply, but they would forfeit their right to mandatory=20
satellite carriage in the relevant market. At a minimum, TV stations should=
=20
reserve 4% of their time to public-affairs programming and public-service=20
announcements geared toward the communities to which they=92re licensed to=
=20
serve, EchoStar says. It picked 4% because FCC rules require DBS operators=
=20
to set aside that amount for public-interest programming. The National=20
Association of Broadcasters is adamantly opposed to local programming=20
quotas, arguing that TV stations in the aggregate already offer =93vast=20
amounts of community-responsive programming=94 and help local charities=
raise=20
millions of dollars. In 1984, the FCC had rules that required a TV station=
=20
to offer local programming in order to gain staff approval of its=20
license-renewal application. The processing guidelines mandated at least 5%=
=20
local and a minimum of 10% non-entertainment programming. But broadcasters=
=20
=97 who said market conditions would force stations to provide local=20
programming =97 persuaded the FCC to drop the quotas. Over the last 20=
years,=20
EchoStar said many =97 perhaps even a majority =97 of TV stations have=
evolved=20
into nothing more than =93downlinks and distribution points for national=20
programming.=94
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA480164.html?display=3DPolicy
(requires subscription)
THE TELEVISION TODDLER BOOM
Cable networks are showing big interest in attracting the littlest viewers=
=20
these days. The expanded interest in reaching preschoolers stems from the=20
notion that there are new opportunities to be mined as little kids, and=20
their parents, are increasingly drawn to the educational and entertainment=
=20
content that can be found on digital media. What is really encouraging=20
about this boom in preschool programming, says Christy Glaubke, principle=20
associate of media watchdog Children Now, is that =93there can be some good=
=20
that comes from it =97 if it=92s educational.=94 She says, =93There have=
been=20
several studies that have found that young children =97 even=20
socio-economically-disadvantaged children who traditionally don't perform=20
as well in school =97 get a leg up by watching educational television.=94 At=
=20
the same time, she says, there is a potential downside to the programming=20
barrage. =93A concern that we have is the amount of commercialism that=20
children are exposed to on these channels,=94 says Glaubke, citing recent=20
fines levied by the Federal Communications Commission against ABC Family=20
and Nickelodeon for running excessive commercials during its children=92s=20
programming blocks. =93We realize that these networks need to make money,=
but=20
we also know that children under the age of eight are much more vulnerable=
=20
to commercial messages and unable to make a distinction between commercial=
=20
and program content. They=92re more susceptible to being swayed,=94 Glaubke=
says.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA479862.html?display=3DSpecial+Report
(requires subscription)
LURING THE ELUSIVE TWEEN
According to Nielsen Media Research, the "tween" demographic ranges from 9=
=20
to 14 years old, but depending on the network, or even the marketing group,=
=20
tweens can fall anywhere from 6 to 14. Because of the big range and varied=
=20
interests, programmers find it hard to target this audience. The younger=20
ones are not quite full-fledged adolescents, and the older ones want to=20
step back a bit from the razor=92s edge of teenage life. They might be=20
interested in watching MTV: Music Television, but are also willing to watch=
=20
great narrative, family-style programming.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA479863.html?display=3DSpecial+Report
(requires subscription)
WHEN 'NO SEX' REALLY SELLS
There is no doubt that when it comes to made-for-television movies, cable=20
has cleaned up at the proverbial box office. And while heightened sex and=20
violence may be key to attracting adult moviegoers, many cable channels are=
=20
finding they can pull in broader viewers, in major demos, with original=20
films aimed at families.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA479861.html?display=3DSpecial+Report
(requires subscription)
CHINA FORMALIZES LAWS ON TV JOINT VENTURES
A wave of small-scale foreign investments is expected as China has=20
formalized laws that allow international media companies to form=20
television-production joint ventures with Chinese media firms, a move that=
=20
opens up China's burgeoning media sector but restricts the introduction of=
=20
foreign brand names. As many industry observers had expected, the laws=20
require the ventures to be at least 51% owned by a Chinese partner and=20
forbid financial investors that don't specialize in the media business,=20
such as private-equity funds. China's central government has pressed=20
broadcasters to move all viewers to a digital-broadcast pay-TV standard by=
=20
2015. The switch to digital will open more channels to consumers, but=20
broadcasters will need better content to lure those consumers to pay=20
digital-subscription fees.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Geoffrey A. Fowler=20
geoffrey.fowler( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110054559850974374,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
TELECOM
FEES PAID BY ALL PHONE COMPANIES HELP RURAL PHONE FIRMS PROSPER
About 10% of the USA's phone lines are in rural areas, from the northern=20
plains to the Southwest. Many are run by small family-owned phone companies=
=20
and co-ops that sprang up early in the 20th century in out-of-the-way areas=
=20
shunned by big carriers because rural residents are expensive to serve. To=
=20
sustain rural providers, the government created the universal service fund=
=20
(USF). But some rural companies may milk the system. One big problem, some=
=20
say: The government guarantees the rural companies an 11.25% return on=20
their network investments. They can recoup all their operating and capital=
=20
costs, plus net a profit of 11.25%. This complex web of subsidies is coming=
=20
under close scrutiny now. The subsidies and a scarcity of competition in=20
their areas have helped rural companies fare well in a mostly bleak telecom=
=20
industry. They're losing lines -- but at only half the rate of the Bells.=20
Ninety-two percent of them offer broadband. About a third run wires outside=
=20
their home turf to compete with neighboring carriers -- something the Bells=
=20
have never done.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR:Paul Davidson]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20041116/ruralphone16.art.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20041116/ruralreg16.art.htm
VERIZON AND SPRINT TO CUT FEE FOR TRANSFERRING CELL NUMBERS
Verizon and Sprint wireless customers will get a small break on their bills=
=20
soon. The companies have decided to eliminate or reduce a 40-cent-per-line=
=20
monthly charge imposed to allow customers to transfer their phone numbers=20
to new carriers. "We call on all wireless providers to reduce or eliminate=
=20
these fees as well," said Janee Briesemeister, director of a cell phone=20
consumers rights project at the Consumers Union. "We've always questioned=20
whether the fees being charged for number portability were covering the=20
actual costs of switching phone numbers or were simply being charged to pad=
=20
profits."
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Yuki Noguchi]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52986-2004Nov15.html
(requires registration)
QUICKLY
UNUSED PC POWER TO RUN GRID FOR UNRAVELING DISEASE
Can you volunteer your computer to help save the world? IBM will launch the=
=20
World Community Grid today. The goal is to combine computer resources and=20
the shared knowledge of researchers to accelerate the pace of scientific=20
discovery, unlocking the genetic mysteries of illnesses like AIDS,=20
Alzheimer's disease, malaria and cancer
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
http://tech.nytimes.com/2004/11/16/technology/16grid.html
(requires registration)
http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/
FILE-SWAP FIRM GETS LICENSE TO SELL MUSIC
In another sign of the music industry's grudging embrace of file-swapping=20
technology, Universal Music Group has agreed to license its 150,000-song=20
catalog to Snocap, a San Francisco company started by Napster founder Shawn=
=20
Fanning.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR:Dawn C. Chmielewski]
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/10193743.htm
WIRELESS TO DRIVE INTERNET GROWTH, TECH LEADERS SAY
At the TechNet National Innovation Summit, industry leaders predicted the=20
next big growth phase for the Internet will be in wireless services. "I=20
think the Internet's largest opportunities are in bringing new services,=20
ones that we barely imagine, to billions of people around the world,=20
wirelessly," said John Doerr, one of Silicon Valley's most renowned venture=
=20
capitalists and a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. One focus of=
=20
the discussion was new ways to use wireless technology to expand the Web.=20
Wi-Fi, the popular term for wireless high-speed Internet access over short=
=20
distances, is gaining traction and other wireless technologies are in the=20
works. TechNet is a bipartisan political network of about 400 CEOs that=20
promotes technology.
News.com reports an interesting quote from Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill=
=20
Joy: "I don't think there's enough money in people knowing the truth."=20
Sorry to read that.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Duncan Martell]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3DDNZCUGZHLU5TUCRBAE...
A?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=3D6821835
http://news.com.com/Internet+leaders+ponder+U.S.+tech+policies/2100-1022...
453833.html?tag=3Dnefd.top
http://www.technet.org/innovation/national/
CONFERENCE ON BLOGS' NEWS IMPACT
Ana Marie Cox, the Wonkette for blog readers, speaking at the Online News=20
Association conference over the weekend, said blogs have spurred a quicker=
=20
response to breaking news by major media outlets and made it harder for=20
them to sit on stories. Mark Glaser, a columnist for the Online Journalism=
=20
Review who writes about Web logs said bloggers face a near-constant=20
struggle to establish the credibility enjoyed by professionals. Mindy=20
McAdams, a University of Florida journalism professor, applauded bloggers'=
=20
efforts but urged them to adhere to ethical standards held by mainstream=20
journalists. "Our credibility is suffering with so many people rushing to=20
publish things without checking them out," McAdams said after Cox's speech.=
=20
"Blogging is really great. I like that more and more people have a voice.=20
That's good ... But it doesn't give people who call themselves journalists=
=20
an excuse to not check out the information."
[SOURCE: CNN.com]
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/11/15/onlinemedia.ap/index.html
PRIVACY GROUPS URGE APPEALS COURT TO GUARANTEE EMAIL PRIVACY
In response to a federal court of appeals announcement that it would=20
reconsider its earlier decision that the wiretap laws do not apply to=20
real-time interception of email, the Center for Democracy and Technology=20
and six other public interest organizations filed an amicus brief arguing=20
that the court's initial decision had misconstrued the wiretap statute.=20
Senator Patrick Leahy, who was deeply involved in extending the wiretap law=
=20
to email in 1986, also filed an amicus brief in the case.
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
(http://www.cdt.org)
Supplemental Amicus Brief in Favor of Reversal of CDT and others:
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/20041112joint.pdf
Supplemental Amicus Brief in Favor of Reversal of Senator Patrick Leahy:
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/20041112leahy.pdf
More on United States v. Councilman email privacy case:
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/councilman.shtml
More on wiretap laws:
http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------