TELEPHONY
Wireless Number Portability
INTERNET
U.S. Cable Modem Growth Slows, Opening Door to DSL
Video Streaming Market
QUICK HITS
'Stand By Your Ad' Is Changing the Face of Campaign Spots
Publication: "Digital Futures: A Need-to-Know Policy Guide for Independent=
=20
Filmmakers"
$1.2 Million to EFF to Defend Online Freedom
USAC Names New CEO
Hearing on the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act 2/24
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Hearing 2/26; Vote Expected 3/2
Conf: Can Media Artists Survive Media Consolidation?
TELEPHONY
WIRELESS NUMBER PORTABILITY
New FCC portability rules, which allow cellphone customers to retain their=
=20
phone numbers when switching carriers, are not having the major effect on=20
the industry that was expected. The rules went into effect in November and=
=20
most consumers who have changed carriers since then have also changed their=
=20
phone numbers. Of course, delays, glitches and billing problems may have=20
made it so hard to retain phone numbers that many people opted just to get=
=20
a new number. The process is still taking a day or more with customers=20
carrying two phones in that time -- receiving calls on old phones and=20
placing calls on new ones. Carriers may not be totally in the clear.=20
Business customers may start switching more when the process is more=20
reliable, many people may switch after long-term contracts expire and=20
one-third of the nation becomes eligible for number portability on May 24.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Carl Bialik at carl.bialik( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107723173017934508,00.html?mod=3Dtele...
unications%5Fprimary%5Fhs
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107720457054133952,00.html?mod=3Darti...
outset-box
(requires subscription)
INTERNET
U.S. CABLE MODEM GROWTH SLOWS, OPENING DOOR TO DSL
High-speed Internet service is a key market for both cable and telephone=20
companies because it provides high margins to the provider and helps retain=
=20
customers for the companys' other businesses. Cable controls 64% of the=20
high-speed Internet market right now, but is facing competition from=20
slower, cheaper DSL connections provided by phone companies. In the last=20
quarter of 2003, all the top cable companies reported slowed growth in=20
cable modem subscribers while the top telephone companies are reporting=20
quick growth in DSL subscribership.
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Michael Learmonth]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3DAYQ3Y12HZVMMMCRBAE...
Y?type=3DtechnologyNews&storyID=3D4398202
VIDEO STREAMING MARKET
Increased penetration of high-speed Internet services, better premium=20
content and more sophisticated media players are expanding the use of=20
streaming media services, according to AccuStream iMedia Research. Total=20
video streams were up by 104% in 2003 to 7.8 billion. 78% of video streams=
=20
served were viewed at broadband rates. Music videos captured 33% viewing=20
share, followed by news at 28% and sports 17%. The top ten streaming video=
=20
sites averaged over 400 million streams per month alone in =9203. Where's=20
that content coming from? Just three years ago, 85+% came from broadcast=20
and cable networks. News and sports are still dominated by broadcast and=20
cable TV network brands online, but their overall share has dropped to=20
under 5%. Instead, Internet users are turning to online brands -- AOL=20
Broadband, Real Networks, Yahoo and recent addition MSN Broadband.
AccuStream iMedia Research publishes the monthly reports iBroadcast Stream=
=20
Report, iBroadcast Avails Report, iBroadcast Wireless and Mobile Content=20
Report, plus other annual and semi-annual streaming media reports.
For more info contact: Paul A. Palumbo ppalumbo( at )concentric.net
[SOURCE: AccuStream iMedia Research Press Releases]
http://www.accustreamresearch.com/news/feb1804.html
http://www.accustreamresearch.com/news/feb1904.html
QUICK HITS
'STAND BY YOUR AD' IS CHANGING THE FACE OF CAMPAIGN SPOTS
New regulations -- part of the Campaign Finance Reform Act signed into law=
=20
in 2002 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year -- require=20
candidates to take personal responsibility for the messages in their=20
campaign ads. If you have seen political advertisements of late, you may=20
have noticed candidates saying "I approved this ad." The Alliance for=20
Better Campaigns was a leader in making this reform a reality and has made=
=20
links to coverage of this reform as well as commentary available on the its=
=20
web site.
[SOURCE: Alliance for Better Campaigns]
http://www.bettercampaigns.org/
PUBLICATION: "DIGITAL FUTURES: A NEED-TO-KNOW POLICY GUIDE FOR INDEPENDENT=
=20
FILMMAKERS"
From the Foreword: In a world of flickering screens, large and small, one=
=20
group has consistently championed more inclusive views of the world around=
=20
us: independent filmmakers. Working outside of the studios and television=20
networks, indies bring diverse voices to televisions, cinemas, and=20
computers alike, telling stories ruled not by profit but by art, by=20
conviction, and by people=92s need to connect to one another and the world=
=20
around them. Today=92s digital technology has forever transformed the way we=
=20
make and consume media in America. [This] publication ... exists to help=20
... [the] independent media makers navigate these ongoing changes and learn=
=20
how to protect [their] interests=97as both a citizen and a filmmaker. And it=
=20
comes at a moment when critical decisions are being made, in the halls of=20
government and in the marketplace, about how digital technology will be=20
used to create, copy, distribute, and present media in the years to come."
[SOURCE: Center for Social Media]
http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/documents/ITVSdigitalfutures.pdf
$1.2 MILLION TO EFF TO DEFEND ONLINE FREEDOM
the estate of Leonard Zubkoff, a software developer and entrepreneur who=20
died in 2002, has given the Electronic Frontier Foundation $1.2 million.=20
EFF will use $1 million of this money to establish the EFF Endowment Fund=20
for Digital Civil Liberties. "This gift is important to us for several=20
reasons," said EFF Executive Director Shari Steele. "Not only does it help=
=20
us establish our endowment fund, Leonard's legacy makes it possible for us=
=20
to bring aboard a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to create and implement a=
=20
technology strategy for EFF. With our combined expertise in both the law=20
and technology, EFF is perfectly situated to help create and foster new=20
technologies designed to enhance freedom."
[SOURCE: Electronic Frontier Foundation Press Release]
http://www.eff.org/about/20040218_eff_pr.php
* The Universal Service Administrative Company's Board of Directors=20
unanimously elected Lisa M. Zaina as its CEO. Ms. Zaina will start with=20
USAC on March 1, 2004. She most recently served as Senior Legal Advisor to=
=20
Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein. She was formerly Vice President for=20
Industry and Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Secretary of Shenandoah=20
Telecommunications Company (Shentel) in Edinburg, VA. Prior to joining=20
Shentel, she served as Senior Vice President for Wallman Strategic=20
Consulting, LLC. She also served as Senior Counsel and Deputy Bureau Chief=
=20
for the Federal Communications Commission=92s Common Carrier Bureau (now the=
=20
Wireline Competition Bureau) as well as Vice President and General Counsel=
=20
of the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small=20
Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO). She also served as Deputy Assistant=
=20
General Counsel for the National Association of Regulatory Utility=20
Commissioners (NARUC).
See http://www.universalservice.org/
* The House Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee will host a=20
hearing on the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (SHVIA) Tues., Feb.=20
24, 4 p.m., Rayburn Bldg. Rm. 2141. SHVIA is designed to promote=20
competition among multichannel video programming distributors, such as=20
satellite companies and cable television operators while, at the same time,=
=20
increasing the programming choices available to consumers. Currently, SHVIA=
=20
permits satellite companies to provide local broadcast TV signals to all=20
subscribers who reside in the local TV station=92s market and "distant"=20
network broadcast stations to eligible satellite subscribers. Learn more at
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/shva/shviafac.html
* House Telecom Subcommittee will discuss broadcast decency enforcement for=
=20
the 3rd time on February 26. A vote on HR-3717, a bill to increase=20
indecency fines by a factor of ten, is expected March 2. The bill's main=20
sponsor, House Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI)=20
is trying to limit the number of amendments to the bill fearing the could=20
slow or deny eventual passage of the bill.
CONF: CAN MEDIA ARTISTS SURVIVE MEDIA CONSOLIDATION?
Media consolidation is rapidly changing the way films, television, music,=20
and other popular cultural works are created, produced, and=20
distributed. The proposed Comcast merger with Disney and the FCC's 2003=20
decision to further relax media ownership rules will doubtless unleash a=20
new wave of mergers and consolidation. What are the implications for the=20
creators of those popular works? What are the implications for the=20
American public, our nation's arts and culture, and our democratic=20
values? Does media consolidation threaten the vitality of our nation's=20
arts, culture, and democratic values? Are added safeguards are needed to=20
protect and promote freedom of expression and access to the public=20
airwaves? The Center for Creative Voices in Media will host a conference=20
to discuss these issues on the morning of March 13, 2004. The conferees=
=20
will also explore strategies to address these issues on an ongoing basis,=20
in order to help protect and promote access, creativity, competition,=20
diversity, and artistic freedom for the benefit of both media artists and=20
the American public.
The conference is free to the public, RSVP is required. To RSVP and for=20
further information, contact the Center for Creative Voices in Media at=20
434-971-3699 or at CONFERENCE( at )CREATIVEVOICES.US
[SOURCE: Center for Creative Voices in Media]
(www.creativevoices.us)
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...and we are outta here. Have a great weekend.
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