Gutierrez Is Pick for Commerce Secretary
President Bush has nominated Carlos Gutierrez, Cuban-born chief executive=20
of the Kellogg cereal company, to replace Donald Evans as secretary of=20
commerce. The Post writes that the Commerce Department is a hodgepodge=20
agency that controls the Census Bureau, the National Oceanic and=20
Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the=20
National Institute of Standards and Technology (as well as the National=20
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)). Many of those=20
agencies will probably be on the chopping block when Bush unveils his 2006=
=20
budget request in February.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Mike Allen and Jonathan Weisman]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19761-2004Nov29.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20689-2004Nov29.html
(requires registration)
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Fox, Viacom/CBS, and GE/NBC Tell Supreme Court:
FCC Ownership Rules Violate Our First Amendment Rights!
Giants Rule the Media Sea
The Next Rebirth of the Media
FCC Sells 258 Stations in First FM Auction
The Future of Broadcast Network News
MORE MEDIA POLICY
FCC Pressed To Enforce Restrictions on Sirius and XM Radio
Consumer Advisory Committee Recommendations on Digital Television
TELECOM
Verizon, Philadelphia Discuss Deal on City's Wi-Fi Proposal
Bell Rivals Struggle to Connect
White Spaces Proposal Threatens Public Safety, APCO Says
QUICKLY -- Education technology; Nielsen, Univision declare truce;=20
Universal service;
Cingular, MetroPCS spectrum deal; Media in China
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
MEDIA GIANTS TELL SUPREME COURT: FCC OWNERSHIP RULES VIOLATE OUR FIRST=20
AMENDMENT RIGHTS!
[Commentary] Three of the country's most powerful media corporations have=20
asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a thirty-day extension as they consider=20
whether to submit arguments designed to eliminate media ownership=20
safeguards. It's clear that these giants are going apoplectic over the=20
decision by the Third Circuit US Court of Appeals last June, which sent=20
most of Michael Powell's conglomerate love letter back for agency review.=20
In a joint filing by Fox, NBC/Telemundo, and Viacom, the networks continue=
=20
their long-running disinformation campaign and abuse of the First=20
Amendment. In their November 19th petition, the gang of three tell the=20
Court that Congress was so "skeptical of the continuing need" for=20
media-ownership rules that "the 1996 Congress enacted Section 202(h) of the=
=20
Telecommunications Act, which directed the FCC to 'review=85all of its=20
ownership rules biennially,' to 'determine whether any of such rules are=20
necessary in the public interest as the result of competition,' and to=20
'repeal or modify any regulation it determines to be no longer in the=20
public interest.'" The 202(h) provision has been cited repeatedly by the=20
networks and other media moguls as the key legal rationale for all media=20
ownership rules to be swept away (except those they favor, of course). But=
=20
the networks didn't tell the Supreme Court that one of them had placed the=
=20
provision in the 1996 legislation as a "poison pill," designed to be a sort=
=20
of "Manchurian Candidate" legal provision that would help them in their=20
campaign to destroy media ownership safeguards.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/SupremeCourt202.html
GIANTS RULE THE MEDIA SEA
Pulitzer's move to possibly put itself on the market is a sign that=20
newspapers remain attractive businesses, despite declining circulation and=
=20
stiff competition from television, the Internet and other sources of=20
information. But the move also suggests that the days of small, independent=
=20
media companies are numbered, experts say. Before the age of conglomerates,=
=20
when most media companies were privately owned, they answered to three=20
constituencies, said Brian Steffens, executive director of the National=20
Newspaper Association. "Your stakeholders were the owners, the readers and=
=20
the advertisers," he said. When the companies sold stock to the public,=20
they added a fourth constituency - shareholders. That group, Steffens said,=
=20
"has no vested interest in the product, other than monetary return."
[SOURCE: St Louis Post-Dispatch, AUTHOR: Christopher Carey]
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/newswatch/story/591AD5...
A99F7586256F59006D2BA5?OpenDocument&Headline=3DGiants+rule+the+media+sea+&hi=
ghlight=3D2%2Cpulitzer
THE NEXT REBIRTH OF THE MEDIA
[Commentary] The entire media landscape is undergoing basic, fundamental,=20
change. A decade from now, much of what we take for granted will be morphed=
=20
beyond recognition. With broadband Internet flowing in to your PC, personal=
=20
video recorder, iPod, even your cellphone, you will be able to access what=
=20
you like, when you like. Sound great? Maybe for you, but not for broadcast=
=20
TV affiliates who may face extinction as networks find it more economical=20
to distribute programming via the Internet. Without that programming, why=20
would you give any attention to the ex-ABC/CBS/Fox/NBC affiliate in your=20
area? You might, if they offered local programming, but, these days, that's=
=20
the last type of programming you'll get from many affiliates. How will=20
these stations survive? They will have to become local-content specialists,=
=20
with intensely local-news and current-affairs programming the heart of=20
their operations: From micro-coverage via C-SPAN-style narrowcasts of local=
=20
government, to real-time traffic updates, to aggressive development of all=
=20
manner of nonfiction programming, including weather, talk, sports, schools,=
=20
condo and civic association politics, consumer affairs, even local music=20
and arts. And, of course, they will have to compete with local newspapers=20
who are way ahead in this evolution. It's competition that might actually=20
end up leaving the public better informed and better served.
[SOURCE: Miami Herald, AUTHOR: Prof. Edward Wasserman, Washington and Lee=20
University]
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/10292032.htm?1c
(requires free registration)
FCC SELLS 258 STATIONS IN FIRST FM AUCTION
The FCC raised $147.4 million in the first-ever auction for FM 258 radio=20
licenses. Located in mainly rural areas, the licenses were purchased by new=
=20
entrants to broadcasting as well as some of the biggest conglomerates in=20
radio like Clear Channel (3 licenses in Iowa and Washington) and Cumulus (7=
=20
licenses, each in a different state). In 1997, Congress ordered the FCC to=
=20
issue TV and radio licenses through bidding rather than doling them out to=
=20
applicants the commission deemed most qualified, as it had previously done.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA483748.html?display=3DBreakin...
ws&referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
See also FCC Press Release:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-254665A1.doc
THE FUTURE OF BROADCAST NETWORK NEWS
Over the weekend, Newsday and the Chicago Tribune ran long stories=20
addressing the question "will broadcast TV network newscasts survive?" The=
=20
combined audience of the Big Three networks still draw a weekly audience=20
that dwarfs that of cable news networks. And they still produce big=20
profits. But their audience is aging, not very desirable to broadcast=20
advertisers and may not be replaced by younger people who are used to=20
getting news when and where they want to. One industry analyst asks, Why=20
call yourself a network, if you don't runs a news division?
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/ny-fftv4054422nov28,0,6600874....
y
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-0411280353nov28,1,34354....
y
MORE MEDIA POLICY
FCC PRESSED TO ENFORCE RESTRICTIONS ON SIRIUS AND XM RADIO
With envelope-pushing air talent like Howard Stern and Opie & Anthony=20
flocking to the less-restricted refuge of satellite radio, could the FCC --=
=20
and indecency enforcement -- be far behind? Legal experts think pay=20
services have deeper First Amendment rights, but one broadcaster believes=20
the FCC has the power to regulate satellite radio programming. Saul Levine=
=20
of Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters has told the FCC that the type of radio=20
service =93is not a relevant consideration=94 in the imposition of=
programming=20
or public-interest rules, nor is whether satellite radio operates as a=20
broadcast or subscription service. In fact, the FCC put satcasters on=20
notice in 1997 that it =93may adopt additional public-interest requirements=
=20
at a later date.=94 Bolstering his case is the fact that some spectrum that=
=20
satellite operators use was granted without an auction, placing it in the=20
province of the public airwaves. Since that slice of spectrum was borrowed,=
=20
not bought, it belongs to the people and, the argument goes, the FCC can=20
attach indecency regulations to it. Andrew Schwartzman of the Media Access=
=20
Project agrees that the FCC has the authority to apply the indecency=20
statute to satellite. But, he adds, =93to do it, they would have to change=
=20
their own current rules, and I'm not so sure they would do it on their own,=
=20
without pressure from Congress. =93The Communications Act defines=20
subscription service broadcasting differently than broadcasting,=94=20
Schwartzman says. =93The FCC has the power to change that. =85 (Whether it=
=20
would) hold up in court is another matter.=94
[SOURCE: Radio Ink]
http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=3D126024&pt=3Dtodaysnews
CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ON DIGITAL TELEVISION
On November 19, the FCC's Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) adopted a=20
number of recommendations for the Commission. Concerning the FCC's "DTV -=20
Get It!" campaign, the CAC recommended: 1) the Commission should convene a=
=20
high-profile panel on consumer concerns; 2) The Commission should strive to=
=20
make all of the DTV outreach materials and information, distributed=20
electronically or physically, accessible to people with disabilities,=20
speakers of other languages, and those with low literacy skills; 3) the FCC=
=20
should move to ensure closed-captioned and video-described DTV content; and=
=20
4) the FCC work to clarify a) financial issues in transitioning from analog=
=20
to digital TV, b) nomenclature confusion, c) emergency warnings and=20
emergency information, d) interference issues and cable reception of=20
off-air signals, e) accelerating the transition via equipment subsidies, f)=
=20
standards and variations consumers will experience as they receive DTV over=
=20
the air, via cable, via satellite and via the emerging VDSL=20
(Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line) and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)=20
delivery of DTV by phone companies, and g) compatibility with recording=20
devices (Personal Video Recorders, DVD-Recorders, etc.) and display devices
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/cac/
TELECOM
VERIZON, PHILADELPHIA DISCUSS DEAL ON CITY'S WI-FI PROPOSAL
The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation this month that could=
=20
make it illegal for municipalities to provide low-cost wireless Internet=20
access via the technology called Wi-Fi, or to provide other=20
telecommunications services. Gov. Edward G. Rendell has until the end of=20
today to sign or veto the pending legislation, which would require=20
municipalities to ask the local phone company for permission to offer such=
=20
services. If the phone company says it plans a similar offering, it would=20
have the power to deny the municipality and then have 14 months to offer it=
=20
themselves. These provisions are part of a much larger bill supported by=20
Verizon that gives phone companies in Pennsylvania large financial=20
incentives if they promise to deploy broadband networks. They are also part=
=20
of a larger trend by telecom providers to lobby legislators to stem=20
competition from the public sector. Verizon is negotiating a deal with=20
Philadelphia that would allow the city to proceed with a planned Wi-Fi=20
network, but watchdog groups say that although it is a good deal for=20
Philly, it is bad news for the rest of PA and cities across America.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Jesse Drucker at=
jesse.drucker( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110177460936386225,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
BELL RIVALS STRUGGLE TO CONNECT
Industry executives and investors say the biggest obstacle to success for=20
local telephone service competitors has been legal and regulatory=20
uncertainty. In the past eight years, rules for how local-phone competition=
=20
should work in a mostly deregulated world have been written by the Federal=
=20
Communications Commission three times and repeatedly rebuffed by the=20
courts. Now, as the FCC struggles to draft another set of rules, possibly=20
as soon as next month, congressional leaders are pushing a Telecom Act of=20
2005 that probably would further muddy the waters for those attempting to=20
plot successful strategies.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Anne Marie Squeo at=20
annemarie.squeo( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110177370537086201,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
WHITE SPACES PROPOSAL THREATENS PUBLIC SAFETY, APCO SAYS
In comments in an FCC proceeding due today, the Association of=20
Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) asked the FCC to refrain from=
=20
allowing unlicensed
operations between TV channels in the 470-512 MHz band, citing a potential=
=20
risk to public safety. Many groups are expected to oppose the FCC proposal,=
=20
but Edmond Thomas, chief of the FCC Office of Engineering & Technology, has=
=20
said in recent speeches he continues to believe that the TV =93white spaces=
=94=20
can be safely used for wireless Internet and other unlicensed users. APCO=20
notes that some of the largest U.S. public safety agencies use the band,=20
which includes channels 14-20, for their principal portable and mobile=20
systems; the controls proposed by the Commission, APCO says, are=20
inadequate and would lead to =93destructive interference=94 with public=
safety.=20
The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association encouraged the FCC to=20
proceed with opening the unused TV channels to unlicensed users.=20
=93Operations in the TV channel spectrum below 700 MHz will allow users to=
=20
access the unlicensed signals regardless of the amount of arboreal foliage=
=20
along a transmission path,=94 the group
said. =93The impact of universal coverage on small, rural, economically=20
deprived communities will be measurable.=94
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Howard Buskirk, Tania=
Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)
QUICKLY
Ed funds up $1.4B, ed-tech off $200M
Though overall education funding will top $57 billion in fiscal year 2005,=
=20
ed-tech advocates are faulting the omnibus spending package for failing to=
=20
provide enough money to support the use of technology in the nation's=20
schools. The legislation has some $200 million less for the Enhancing=20
Education Through Technology (EETT) block-grant program, the primary source=
=20
of federal funding for school technology. Don Knezek, chief executive=20
officer of the International Society for Technology in Education=20
(ISTE), said the final cuts fly in the face of everything the federal=20
government has said with regard to its support of technology in schools. He=
=20
said the current administration has repeatedly tried to justify cuts to=20
smaller technology-specific education programs, such as the now defunct=20
Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology program and the Star=20
Schools program, by continuing to pump money into EETT and other No Child=20
Left behind-related initiatives. But as EETT and other tech-specific=20
education programs continue to suffer major hits, he said, questions abound=
=20
with regard to the federal government's true intentions.
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Corey Murray]
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=3D5388
New site highlights ed-tech research
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA=20
http://www.setda.org/) has unveiled a new web site intended to highlight=20
nine federally funded studies currently under way in eight states -- all=20
charged with exploring the effects of educational technology on student=20
learning.
[SOURCE: eSchool News, AUTHOR: Corey Murray]
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=3D5391
Doubts about school computer use
A new study done by Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann of the CESifo=20
economic research organization in Munich finds that students who use=20
computers often actually perform poorer than those who use them less often.
[SOURCE: BBC News]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4032737.stml
The Kids Are Online
Kids ages 2 to 11 viewed 106% more Web pages on average in October 2004=20
than two years before in October 2002, according to a Nielsen//NetRatings=20
report.
[SOURCE: eMarketer.com]
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003151
Nielsen's Concessions End Fight With Univision
Univision Communications and Nielsen Media Research have dropped lawsuits=20
against each other over the rollout of Nielsen's controversial "personal=20
people meters," which critics said undercount the size of minority=20
television audiences.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Frank Ahrens]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20829-2004Nov29.html
(requires registration)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/30/business/media/30adco.html
(requires registration)
FCC Acts To Reduce Backlog of Petitions on Universal Service Issues
The FCC dismissed a number of petitions for reconsideration filed in=20
response to the rules adopted concerning universal service.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-237A1.doc
Cingular, MetroPCS Agree To $230 Million Spectrum Deal
Cingular Wireless agreed to sell wireless spectrum in Dallas and Detroit to=
=20
MetroPCS in a deal valued at $230 million as part of the company's=20
regulatory obligations for its merger with AT&T Wireless Services.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110173867660985543,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_money_and_investing
(requires subscription)
China Blocking Access to Google News Site - Watchdog
China is blocking access to the Web site Google News, media watchdog=20
Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday, and accused the U.S.-based=20
company of being complicit by filtering its Chinese-language site.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3DDHMKFW5JGPL0ICRBAE...
A?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=3D6951891
Chinese Game Show Offers a Big Prize: A 15-Second Ad Slot
China can be both a centrally planned economy and a sometimes-crass=20
capitalist juggernaut. Both faces show up at the lurid "Economic Olympics,"=
=20
an annual televised event designed to sell advertising on China's state-run=
=20
TV network. During the event, the nation's businessmen bid to buy ad slots=
=20
for 2005 in front of a studio audience and in the process sometimes become=
=20
instant celebrities.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Geoffrey A. Fowler at=20
geoffrey.fowler( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110176504019385950,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------