=20
5th happened just yesterday morning.... sorry for the typo in the Subject=20
line yesterday. KT)
ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
Election Rules Proposed by Panel May Curb Interest Groups' Work
Bush Campaigns Amid a Furor Over Ads
CONTENT
FCC Targets Broadcasters, Stern
FCC Has Until Year-End on Violence Regs
Comcast Commits to New Indecency Measures
A Kiss Is Not Just a Kiss to an Angry Arab TV Audience
INTERNET
Politician: Govts. Should Not Set Internet Policy
UPCOMING EVENTS
Public Forum on Spectrum Management (3/8)
FCC Open Meeting (3/11)
Conf: Can Media Artists Survive Media Consolidation? (3/13)
Conf: Measuring Media Concentration and Its Consequences:
Is There a "Fair and Balanced" Approach? (4/2)
Conf: Media Concentration and the Internet: An Overall Solution or
Another Emerging Problem? (4/15)
** See a schedule of upcoming events on our new Media Policy-Related=20
Calendar **
http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
ELECTION RULES PROPOSED BY PANEL MAY CURB INTEREST GROUPS' WORK
The Federal Election Commission is considering how to regulate 527=20
committees, organizations created to get around fund-raising restrictions=20
in new campaign finance law. The primary issue is whether 527 committees=20
should be regulated the same way as other political groups, which are=20
subject to contribution limits and other campaign finance restrictions.=20
Such restrictions could effectively put the committees out of the=20
soft-money business. The FEC has invited public comment on a number of=20
proposals, will hold two days of public hearings in April and is expected=20
to make a decision in May. One key decision is whether or not to apply the=
=20
rules to this year's election.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Glen Justice]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/politics/campaign/05DONA.html
(requires registration)
See also
WP: Reining In Anti-Bush=20
Groups http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31690-2004Mar4.html
BUSH CAMPAIGNS AMID A FUROR OVER ADS
Headlines does not plan to cover the presidential campaign blow by blow,=20
but the content of some of President Bush's first ads are causing some=20
controversy because they use images from September 11. Some are calling it=
=20
crass politicalization of the horrible event while others call it a=20
tasteful reminder of the nation's shared experience. There's even debate=20
how the debate about the ads frames the election debate -- by talking about=
=20
the ads are we talking national security (which is what the President's=20
campaign wants to talk about) or about a political miscalculation?
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Richard Stevenson & Jim Rutenberg]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/politics/campaign/05BUSH.html
(requires registration)
See also
WP: Bush Ads Using 9/11 Images Stir Anger=20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31696-2004Mar4.html
USA Today: Bush accused of exploiting=20
9/11 http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040305/5981665s.htm
CONTENT
FCC TARGETS BROADCASTERS, STERN
The FCC is stepping up enforcement of decency even before legislation=20
moving through Congress becomes law. Expect announcements soon regarding=20
major radio companies carrying well-known "shock jocks" Howard Stern and=20
"Bubba the Love Sponge." The Commission is also expected to reverse an=20
earlier ruling that Bono's use of a vulgarity on live television during=20
the 2003 Golden Globes broadcast wasn't indecent. The Commission is moving=
=20
on more than two dozen pending cases decisions are expected on nearly all=20
of them in the next few months.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Anne Marie Squeo=20
annemarie.squeo( at )wsj.com and Joe Flint joe.flint( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107844821399147265,00.html?mod=3Dhome...
ts_news_us
(requires subscription)
FCC HAS UNTIL YEAR-END ON VIOLENCE REGS
Start the clock. The leadership of the House Commerce Committee is giving=20
the FCC 60 days to begin a proceeding on "the issue of excessively violent=
=20
broadcast programming and its impact on children." The Commission will have=
=20
to January 1, 2005 to issue a report on whether it is in the public=20
interest to define excessively violent programming, whether it is=20
Constitutional to come up with that definition and to prohibit such=20
programming at times when children are likely to be viewing, and whether=20
the FCC already has the authority or needs Congress to legislate it for=
them.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA401168?display=3DBreaking+News/)
(requires subscription)
COMCAST COMMITS TO NEW INDECENCY MEASURES
Cable giant Comcast is impressing members of Congress will a new program to=
=20
assist parents who want to protect their children from TV shows containing=
=20
sex, violence and harsh language. In a March 1 letter to the House Commerce=
=20
Committee, the company committed to an eight-point program designed to=20
provide parents with the tools they need to block and filter programming=20
they consider inappropriate for children. Specifically, he referred to=20
billing notices, on-screen communications and an updated Web page=20
(www.comcast.com). Comcast will continue to provide free traps to block=20
analog channels and require every cable network it distributes to provide=20
ratings for all of its programming so that digital subscribers can block=20
programming based on ratings.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA401105?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
A KISS IS NOT JUST A KISS TO AN ANGRY ARAB TV AUDIENCE
Protests in Bahrain led to the cancelation of the Middle Eastern version of=
=20
"Big Brother." "This program showed an abnormal way of living, which is=20
totally opposed to our thoughts, culture, everything," said Sheik Adel=20
al-Mawda, 44, a member of Parliament from the fundamentalist Salafi=20
movement who spearheaded the protests. "It is not reality TV at all,=20
especially in our part of the world." Across the Middle East (and other=20
parts of the world, too) there's a battle between those who find reality=20
programs scandalous and those who are interested or want to make money off=
=20
of them.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Neil MacFarquhar]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/international/middleeast/05ARAB.html
(requires registration)
INTERNET
POLITICIAN: GOVTS. SHOULD NOT SET INTERNET POLICY
"Government must be involved only when public policy issues are at stake,=20
but it is not the role of government to manage the Internet or to interfere=
=20
in its free development," Lucio Stanca, Italian minister for innovation=20
and technologies, told reporters via a conference call on Thursday summing=
=20
up the position of the European Union. The pro-free market comments come at=
=20
a time when many are questioning the Internet's structure. A host of=20
governments in the developing world recently challenged the pro-business=20
nature of the Internet, saying it is aggravating a "digital divide" where=20
the world's poor remain unconnected to modern Internet and=20
telecommunications innovations. In December, a United Nations task force=20
was formed to decide whether government officials should step in and set=20
Internet policy in an effort to speed up the bridging of the technology=20
gap. The decision before policymakers now is which group should lead the=20
Internet: the five-year-old International Corporation for Assigned Names=20
and Numbers (ICANN) or the UN-sanctioned telecommunications=20
standards-setting body the International Telecommunication Union. Stanca=20
says the EU favors ICANN.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=3D4...
05
UPCOMING EVENTS
PUBLIC FORUM ON SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the Consumer=20
Electronics Association (CEA) will convene a forum with the private sector=
=20
on how to better manage the nation's airwaves in a way that supports the=20
deployment of next-generation technologies for businesses and consumers.=20
The event will be held at Intel Corporation=92s campus in Santa Clara,=20
California on March 8, 2004 and will feature Acting Assistant Secretary of=
=20
Commerce Michael D. Gallagher. The public forum will be open to the public.=
=20
Space is limited. For security purposes, you will need picture=20
identification. To register, please send an email with your name and=20
company to spectrumevent( at )ce.org.
For More Information Contact:
Veronica O=92Connell, CEA =AD (703) 907-7577, voconnell( at )ce.org
Nick Kolovos, ITI =AD (202) 626-5744, nkolovos( at )itic.org
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.itic.org/2003prs/040227_spectrumforum.pdf
FCC MARCH 11 MEETING AGENDA
The FCC released an agenda for its open meeting on Thursday. Items include:=
=20
1) rules to protect consumers from unwanted mobile service commercial=20
messages under the CAN-SPAM Act and 2) a Notice of Inquiry concerning the=20
deployment of advanced telecommunications capability for all Americans.=20
Audio/Video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live over the=20
Internet from the FCC's Audio/Video Events web page at=
www.fcc.gov/realaudio.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-244633A1.doc
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=92s 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=92s arts and culture, and our democratic=20
values? Does media consolidation threaten the vitality of our nation=92s=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 conferees will also explore strategies to address these=20
issues on an ongoing basis, in order to help protect and promote access,=20
creativity, competition, diversity, and artistic freedom for the benefit of=
=20
both media artists and the American public. FCC Commissioner Jonathan S.=20
Adelstein will deliver the keynote address. Speakers include Congresswoman=
=20
Diane Watson (D-CA); Chellie Pingree, President, Common Cause; Andrew=20
Schwartzman, President, Media Access Project and many other wonderful=20
people. Saturday, March 13, 2004 9:00 AM =AD 12:00 PM Beverly Hills,=20
California
[SOURCE: Center for Creative Voices in Media]
www.creativevoices.us
CONF: MEASURING MEDIA CONCENTRATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: IS THERE A "FAIR=
=20
AND BALANCED" APPROACH?
During this April 2 symposium, CITI's Director, Prof. Eli M. Noam, will=20
present the results from his study of media concentration in 95 information=
=20
sector industries. Dr. Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America=20
will also be presenting the results of his media ownership measurement.=20
Other leading figures and experts from the media and communications=20
business, academia and the financial community are scheduled to participate=
=20
in the symposium, including Ben Compaine, author of "Who Owns the Media?,"=
=20
Jonathan Levy, Deputy Chief Economist at the Federal Communications=20
Commission (invited), Thomas Rogers, Chairman of Target Media LLC and=20
former CEO of Primedia Corp., Rick Blume, CEO of documentary cable network=
=20
Chronicle DTV, Dr. Thomas Hazlett of the Manhattan Institute, Jeff Chester=
=20
of the Center for Digital Democracy, David Honig of the Minority Media &=20
Telecommunications Council, and James Gattuso of the Heritage Foundation.
[SOURCE: Columbia Institute for Tele-Information]
http://www.citi.columbia.edu/
CONF: MEDIA CONCENTRATION AND THE INTERNET: AN OVERALL SOLUTION OR ANOTHER=
=20
EMERGING PROBLEM?
During this April 15 symposium, CITI's director Professor Eli M. Noam and=20
other researchers will present empirical data concerning the patterns of=20
online content consumption and distribution. Several leading experts from=20
the media and communications business, academia and the financial community=
=20
will analyze this data and the trends it indicates, while addressing the=20
roles of various players within the online environment such as content=20
providers, ISPs, search engines, portals and others. Additional panels will=
=20
directly examine the barriers to entry into the Internet content market,=20
and an analysis of the relations and interaction between broadcast media=20
and the Internet. The policy analysis will address the various roles of the=
=20
medium - as a provider of news, important information and opinions; as the=
=20
provider of commercial information; and as a provider of entertainment=20
forms such as music, movies and sports.
[SOURCE: Columbia Institute for Tele-Information]
http://www.citi.columbia.edu/
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...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend.
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