CHILDREN AND MEDIA
Study: Kids Are Multi-Media-Tasking
Clinton Reintroduces 'Media Health' Bill
MEDIA REFORM
FCC Urged to Withhold Low-Power Licenses
The Media Reform Campaign
THE BUSH AGENDA
Two Front-Runners Seen for Nomination to Lead FCC
Bush Backs Private-Sector Effort To Repeal or Modify 76 U.S. Rules
JOURNALISM
A Lobby for Sunshine
Senators Reassure Bloggers
Bloggers Parse Pool Reportage On Bush Doings
TELECOM
New Telephone Subscribership Report
Vodafone Looks To Emerging Markets
QUICKLY -- A New Diversity Tool; The Fight Over Univision; Burnett, Product=
=20
Placer Go to Court; Ad Spending up in 2004; Liquor Ads; Powell: One-Year=20
Set-Top Extension; Cable Poker; Outfoxed & Boston Legal
CHILDREN AND MEDIA
STUDY: KIDS ARE MULTI-MEDIA-TASKING
Kids are spending more time with new media, including computers and video=20
games, without cutting back on TV watching, reading or listening to music.=
=20
That's because they are becoming multi-media-taskers, according to a study=
=20
from the Kaiser Family Foundation released Wednesday. The study found that=
=20
since 1999, children and teens' exposure to media has gone up by more than=
=20
an hour, from 7:29 per day to 8:33, most of that increase coming from video=
=20
games or recreational computer time. But since much of that has become=20
multi-layered usage--surfing the Web while watching TV, for example--the=20
total number of hours of media usage has stayed virtually the same (6:19 in=
=20
1999 vs. 6:21 in the newest study).
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA509548?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
Kaiser Press Release: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905nr.cfm
Summary of report: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/7250.cfm
Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/7251.cfm
* Electronic world swallows up kids' time, study finds
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050310/1a_bottomstrip10.art.htm
* American children juggle media
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/11098189.htm
CLINTON REINTRODUCES 'MEDIA HEALTH' BILL
In the wake of a new Kaiser Family Foundation study showing that kids are=20
increasing their media usage and multitasking those media at the same time,=
=20
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is reintroducing a bill to create a=20
government-administered media research program under the National=20
Institutes of Health. The program would study the links between media and=20
child development, and between media consumption and childhood obesity, a=20
growing national health risk. Co-sponsors of the bill, the Children and=20
Media Research Advancement Act, are Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Sam=20
Brownback (R-KS), and Rick Santorum (R-PA).
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA509599?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
See "Children Now Welcomes CAMRA Legislation"
http://www.childrennow.org/newsroom/news-05/pr-03-09-05.cfm
See also:
* Kids' TV aims to attract more girls, preteens
Kids watched more TV last year, but only half their time in front of the=20
tube is spent with kids' programming. The major networks that cater to them=
=20
are trying to woo them back, many by broadening their focus from boy- and=20
kiddie-driven toons to include girls and preteens.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Gary Levin]
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050310/d_undergrids10.art.htm
* MCDONALD'S UNVEILS GLOBAL AD CAMPAIGN AIMED AT CHILDREN
Eating right and staying active -- that's what McDonald's is all about. In=
=20
response to the public health advocates, governments and other critics who=
=20
have called for a crackdown on the food marketers they blame for an=20
explosion in childhood obesity, McDonald's, the world's biggest fast-food=20
chain, unveiled an aggressively positive global marketing campaign to=20
promote eating right and staying active, especially in messages geared to=20
children, even as other marketers are shying away from ads aimed at=
youngsters.
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Lisa Sanders]
http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=3D44488
MEDIA REFORM
FCC URGED TO WITHHOLD LOW-POWER LICENSES
A coalition of religious, community and media watchdog groups -- including=
=20
the Prometheus Radio Project of Philadelphia and the United Church of=20
Christ -- asked the FCC Wednesday to stop granting low-power broadcast=20
licenses, alleging speculators at three Idaho companies improperly made=20
more than $800,000 selling the government-issued permits to religious=20
broadcasters. According to the group's complaint, three Twin Falls=20
companies =97 Radio Assist Ministry Inc., Edgewater Broadcasting and World=
=20
Link Radio Inc.=97 have been "trafficking" in licenses. The coalition said=
=20
the companies sold 85 of the permits to the religious broadcasters,=20
allowing them to retransmit radio signals sent by satellite. During one=20
week in 2003, the coalition alleges, the three companies applied for 5,000=
=20
licenses. The coalition said it believed the companies were violating=20
federal laws against brokering licenses and also were depriving other=20
groups seeking media access through the licenses. "In effect, they've made=
=20
an end run about the FCC's rules and built a nationwide Christian broadcast=
=20
network ahead of other applicants that have patiently waited to go through=
=20
the regular low-power radio licensing process," said Harold Feld, a lawyer=
=20
for the coalition.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR:Jube Shiver Jr]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-fcc10mar10,1,1436304....
y?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)
More info from the Prometheus Radio Project:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/fourteenandahalfways.pdf
Press Release:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/freeze_press_release.doc
Text of petition:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/petition_freeze_translators.pdf
THE MEDIA REFORM CAMPAIGN
[Commentary] In our nation, no other entity is as potent or pervasive as=20
the American media in influencing thought and attitudes, impacting our=20
democracy and shaping the popular culture. Given this power, American=20
citizens share the responsibility for making sure the media is held to the=
=20
highest standards of ethics, fairness and objectivity. The AFL-CIO endorses=
=20
the Bill of Citizens' Media Rights as the standard-bearer for our ongoing=20
campaign to achieve that goal, as well as the goal of a diverse,=20
competitive, reliable and unbiased marketplace of ideas. We urge our=20
affiliated national unions to sign on to the statement and our state and=20
local labor councils to support community efforts to hold local media=20
accountable. We also look forward to continued work with our bi-partisan=20
allies in Congress, particularly with the members of the newly formed Media=
=20
Reform Caucus, on issues affecting media consolidation and=20
telecommunications policy that will serve the public interest and protect=20
our members.
[SOURCE: AFL-CIO]
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutaflcio/ecouncil/ec03032005m.cfm
THE BUSH AGENDA
TWO FRONT-RUNNERS SEEN FOR NOMINATION TO LEAD FCC
Two white guys, Michael D. Gallagher, a senior official in the Commerce=20
Department, and Kevin J. Martin, a commissioner at the Federal=20
Communications Commission, have emerged as the top contenders to become the=
=20
next chairman of the FCC. Officials said that Gallagher, the top=20
administration official on telecommunications issues at the Commerce=20
Department, met with White House officials recently to discuss moving to=20
the Commission. Director Gallagher is a former lobbyist at AirTouch=20
Communications and Verizon Wireless. As head of the National=20
Telecommunications and Information Administration, he played a major role=20
in negotiations between the wireless industry and the Pentagon over steps=20
to free valuable radio spectrum for use by the industry. His main political=
=20
patron has been Donald L. Evans, the former commerce secretary and a=20
longtime friend of President Bush. He began his career in the capital in=20
1995 as an aide to Representative Rick White, a Republican from his home=20
state, Washington. Commissioner Martin has long been viewed by industry=20
lobbyists and Congressional officials as the front-runner to succeed=20
Chairman Powell because of his ties to the White House and the fact that he=
=20
would not need to be confirmed by the Senate to take the job. He worked on=
=20
Mr. Bush's first presidential campaign, moved to the White House after the=
=20
election and was then appointed to a commission job in the spring of 2001.=
=20
His wife, Cathie Martin, is a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney and=
=20
remains an official at the White House. President Bush is expected to name=
=20
a new FCC chair soon.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/10/business/media/10fcc.html
(requires registration)
BUSH BACK PRIVATE SECTOR EFFORT TO REPEAL OR MODIFY 76 US RULES
The Bush administration put its weight behind private-sector efforts to=20
repeal or modify 76 federal rules that businesses or consumer groups regard=
=20
as outmoded, burdensome or ineffective. The action by the White House=20
Office of Management and Budget is aimed at helping the manufacturing=20
sector, which was hard hit by job losses and contraction during President=20
Bush's first term. In many cases, officials said they would modify the=20
rules to address the concerns, but with some of the rules, the=20
administration promised only to review them. See two telecom-related items=
=20
below.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John D. McKinnon=
john.mckinnon( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111041714876875369,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
* Regulatory Reform of the U.S. Manufacturing Sector
Included in the mix is the FCC's "Do Not Fax" Rule which "prevents=20
businesses from using one of
their most effective means of advertisement by requiring prior written=20
consent, a stronger standard than that for telemarketers," the report says.=
=20
"The rule should be withdrawn," commentors suggest "or the standard should=
=20
be changed from requiring "written consent" to allowing faxes in cases of=20
"previous existing business relationships." The report includes a=20
recommendation from the Heritage Foundation on the FCC's pending=20
proceedings concerning the regulatory treatment of broadband - one to=20
determine whether broadband is classified as a "telecommunications service"=
=20
or "information service," another on whether telephone companies providing=
=20
broadband should be regulated as "dominant" providers . These should be=20
decided expeditiously in a way that reduces or eliminates regulation,=20
Heritage suggests.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/reports/manufacturing_initiative.pdf
JOURNALISM
A LOBBY FOR SUNSHINE (2nd item)
The Sunshine in Government Initiative, a new coalition of news media=20
groups, is lobbying Congress to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act.=
=20
SGI is supporting legislation sponsored in the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn=20
(R-Tex.) and Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and in the House by Rep. Lamar=20
S. Smith (R-Tex.). The bills, SGI said, are "aimed at . . . expanding the=20
accessibility, accountability and openness of the federal government. It=20
has been nearly a decade since reforms were made to FOIA. Since then,=20
terrorism has created new pressures to restrict access to information."=20
Walter Mears, the now-retired Associated Press executive editor, said the=20
proposed legislation would tighten the time requirements for federal=20
agencies to respond to FOIA requests and establish an ombudsman position to=
=20
oversee how the government is handling FOIA requests and to mediate=20
complaints. Coalition members include the American Society of Newspaper=20
Editors, the AP (for education purposes only, not lobbying), the Coalition=
=20
of Journalists for Open Government, Cox Newspapers, the Newspaper=20
Association of America, the Radio-Television News Directors Association and=
=20
the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Judy Sarasohn]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21929-2005Mar9.html
(requires registration)
SENATORS REASSURE BLOGGERS
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), authors of the=20
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, issued a statement on Tuesday in=20
response to comments made by a Federal Elections Commission commissioner in=
=20
a CNET News.com interview last week. "The latest misinformation from the=20
antireform crowd is the suggestion that our bill will require regulation of=
=20
blogs and other Internet communications," they said. "This issue has=20
nothing to with private citizens communicating on the Internet. There is=20
simply no reason -- none -- to think that the FEC should or intends to=20
regulate blogs or other Internet communications by private citizens," they=
=20
said. "Suggestions to the contrary are simply the latest attempt by=20
opponents of reform to whip up baseless fears."
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Marguerite Reardon]
http://news.com.com/Senators+reassure+bloggers/2100-1028_3-5606859.html?...
=3Dnefd.top
BLOGGERS PARSE POOL REPORTAGE ON BUSH DOINGS
The Internet and blogging appear to be changing the tenor of the White=20
House pool report. Written by rotating members of the small pool designated=
=20
to watch the president at close quarters, the pool report is designed to be=
=20
shared with the hundreds of reporters covering the president who, because=20
of space considerations and time restraints, can't gather the information=20
firsthand. Paper copies were once shared, but now it is done by email --=20
almost inviting it to be posted on the Web. Because of that growing=20
audience, the reporters who write the report are watching what they right.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher Cooper=20
christopher.cooper( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111041711828575367,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
TELECOM
NEW TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERSHIP REPORT
The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday released its latest report=
=20
on telephone subscribership levels in the United States. The report=20
presents subscribership statistics based on the Current Population Survey=20
conducted by the Census Bureau in November 2004. The report also shows=20
subscribership levels by state, income level, race, age, household size,=20
and employment status. Highlights from November 2004: 1) telephone=20
subscribership penetration rate in the U.S. was 93.5%, 2) the telephone=20
penetration rate was 77.3% for households with annual incomes below $5,000,=
=20
while the rate for households with incomes over $75,000 was 98.0%, 3) the=20
penetration rates ranged from a low of 87.9% in Mississippi to a high of=20
97.1% in Minnesota, 4) penetration was higher amongst Whites, households=20
headed by a person between 65 and 69, and the employed (big surprise=20
there). This report is updated three times a year and can be downloaded=20
from the FCC-State Link Internet site at=20
http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/stats.html For more info, contact the talented=
=20
Alexander Belinfante at (202) 418-0944.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-257258A1.doc
VODAFONE LOOKS TO EMERGING MARKETS
Vodafone, the world's largest cellphone-service provider, said it is in=20
talks to acquire Telesystem International Wireless Inc.'s operations in the=
=20
Czech Republic and Romania for about $3.5 billion. It is also considering a=
=20
bid for Telsim Mobile Telecommunication Services Inc., a Turkish=20
cellphone-service provider that is set to be auctioned by the Turkish=20
government. Expansion into developing markets could help Vodafone=20
compensate for slowing growth in its core markets in Western Europe and=
Japan.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: David Pringle david.pringle( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111040567414475071,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
QUICKLY
DIVERSITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY
The FCC Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the=20
Digital Age launched a new web tool, the Diversity Resource Directory,=20
geared to assist companies with their diversity efforts. The webpage is a=20
one-stop resource for industry executives, human resources personnel, and=20
employees to go to for assistance in establishing a program that will=20
enhance development of a company's workforce. The online Directory will=20
contain detailed information on the diversity efforts implemented at=20
various organizations, on diversity studies, employment research, and trade=
=20
association and foundation programs that focus on creating and maintaining=
=20
a diverse workforce. Development of the webpage is ongoing and the public=20
is invited to share suggestions for materials to post to the webpage.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-257263A1.doc
See the directory at:
http://www.fcc.gov/DiversityFAC/directory.htmlhttp://www.fcc.gov/Diversity=
FAC/directory.html=20
THE OLD VERSUS EL NUEVO
Emilio Azcarraga Jean, who owns the Spanish-speaking world's largest media=
=20
company, Grupo Televisa, has made no secret of his desire to dominate the=20
U.S. Latino market. He has set his sights on the multibillion-dollar=20
broadcasting and entertainment conglomerate known as Univision=20
Communications Inc. -- the company that his grandfather founded 44 years=20
ago and that his family was forced to sell in the 1980s. His path to power=
=20
is blocked, however, by a man twice his age: A. Jerrold Perenchio, the=20
iron-willed chairman and chief executive of Univision. The 74-year-old Los=
=20
Angeles billionaire has spent more than a decade building Univision into a=
=20
fortress. The Century City-based company's three networks command more than=
=20
75% of the U.S. audience for Spanish-language TV.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Meg James]
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-emilio10mar10,1,764...
.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-frontpage
(requires registration)
REALITY TV KING FACES COUNTERSUIT BY PRODUCT PLACER
Mark Burnett Productions filed a suit against entertainment-marketing firm=
=20
Madison Road Entertainment alleging that Madison Road told advertisers it=20
had exclusive rights to broker agreements to place products on "The=20
Apprentice," which airs on General Electric's NBC. The reality production=20
house further alleged that the three-year-old Los Angeles firm charged=20
advertisers as much as 250% more than it eventually paid to Mark Burnett=20
Productions to get brands included in contestant challenges. Madison Road=20
has now counter sued, charging the company owned by the king of reality=20
programs with defamation and unfair competition, among other things.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Suzanne Vranica=20
suzanne.vranica( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111042450032575577,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
AD SPENDING ROSE 9.8% FOR 2004, TNS REPORTS
US ad spending rose 9.8% to $141.1 billion from $128.5 billion in 2003.=20
There were gains for every medium but one. The exception: national spot=20
radio, down 0.7% to $2.6 billion. The surging Internet showed the biggest=20
gain, up 21.4% to $7.4 billion. Outdoor advertising had a strong 20.1%=20
increase to $3.2 billion. In TV, national syndication had the biggest gain=
=20
(15.8% to $3.9 billion), followed by cable (up 13.8% to $14.2 billion),=20
spot TV (up 11.7% to $17.3 billion) and broadcast network TV (up 10.7% to=20
$22.5 billion). Procter & Gamble Co. continued as the top U.S. advertiser=20
in 2004, increasing measured spending 7.4% to $2.9 billion. General Motors=
=20
Corp. was No. 2, boosting measured media by 17.5% to $2.8 billion.
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Bradley Johnson]
http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=3D44485
LIQUOR COMPANIES WIELD NEW AD CODE AS COMPETITIVE WEAPON
Alcoholic beverage makers, who joined together in 2003 to revise their=20
industry code defining the limits of liquor advertising, have turned out to=
=20
be their own worst critics. A report released today by the Distilled=20
Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) shows that during the first year of=20
independent review compliance, 12 of the 15 complaints filed against liquor=
=20
advertising campaigns came from industry competitors rather than the public=
=20
at large. Curiously, although the focus of public criticism has been on=20
alcoholic beverage ads on TV, not one of the complaints received in the=20
first year involved broadcast commercials. Instead, all complaints were=20
directed toward brochures, print ads or Web sites. Most were concerned=20
about ads appearing in print publications whose readership age bracket=20
didn't meet industry code standards.
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Ira Teinowitz]
http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=3D44483
POWELL: ONE-YEAR SET-TOP EXTENSION
Apparently Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell has=20
proposed giving the cable industry an additional year to terminate=20
deployment of integrated set-top boxes. Current FCC rules require cable=20
MSOs to deploy only CableCARD-enabled boxes after July 2006, but the cable=
=20
industry fought for an extension, claiming that FCC policies would drive up=
=20
set-top costs without providing subscribers with any new benefits. Chairman=
=20
Powell=92s proposal has been circulated to the other four FCC members, but=
=20
none of them has cast a vote, FCC sources said. Powell has attached some=20
conditions to the extension, including reporting requirements on progress=20
toward development of downloadable security and on implementation of=20
cable-industry support for one-way digital-TV sets that function with=20
CableCARDs. One source said agreement on these details and others has not=20
been reached.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA509564.html?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP&referral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
NJ POL EYES CUT OF CABLE POKER
New Jersey Democratic Assemblywoman Joan Voss said Tuesday that she wants=20
networks that feature gambling to help gambling addicts by giving money to=
=20
treatment agencies, calling for a surcharge on the state=92s cable operators=
=20
if the networks don't agree.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA509673.html?display=3DBreaking+New...
ferral=3DSUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
FREE SPEECH IMPEDIMENT
Rory O'Connor, AlterNet
This Sunday's episode of ABC's 'Boston Legal' focusing on censorship was=20
itself censored, purged of all references to Fox and Bill O'Reilly. And=20
nobody's talking.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21463/
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------