For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
CORRECTION: We posted the wrong URL for yesterday's "TV on Steroids"=20
article. The correct URL is http://www.cjr.org/issues/2004/2/hickey-tv.asp
TELEVISION
Groups Press FCC for TV-Station Rules; Joined by FCC Commissioner Copps
FCC is Taking Wrong Turn on Digital Media
TELECOM
'Digital Migration' Critical to U.S. Competitiveness
INTERNET
E-mail Lists Choke on Spam
Google May Alter E-Mail Service Amid Concerns About Privacy
The Rise of Wireless Connectivity
Industry, Public Interest Groups File CALEA VoIP Comments
QUICK HITS
Cable is "Family-Friendly"
Federal Election Commission and "527" Orgs
People Don't Like Advertising
Cindy McCain Hospitalized
TELEVISION
GROUPS PRESS FCC FOR TV-STATION RULES; JOINED BY FCC COMMISSIONER COPPS
The Alliance for Better Campaigns, Benton Foundation, Common Cause, Center=
=20
for Digital Democracy, Center for Creative Voices in Media, Institute for=20
Public Representation of Georgetown University Law Center, Media Access=20
Project, New America Foundation and the Office of Communication of the=20
United Church of Christ are urging the FCC to set specific public interest=
=20
programming obligations for digital television broadcasters before the=20
Commission expands cable-system carriage obligations for those stations.=20
The groups -- acting as the Public Interest, Pubic Airwaves Coalition -- is=
=20
asking the FCC to require a minimum three hours per week of civic or=20
electoral affairs programming on a digital station's "most-watched" or=20
primary channel, and at least 25% of the channel=92s prime time schedule=20
devoted to independently produced programming. "One core component of these=
=20
public interest requirements is that broadcasters provide opportunities for=
=20
citizens to become informed about and involved in local civic affairs and=20
elections," the Coalition's proposal reads. FCC Commissioner Michael Copps=
=20
will join the advocates is highlighting the issue at the NAB convention=20
next week.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable/Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell/Ted=20
Hearn]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA410431?display=3DBreaking+News
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA410296?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
Also see:
Will Broadcasters Get Yet Another Giveaway Without Giving the Public=20
Anything in Return?
[SOURCE: Common Cause]
http://www.commoncause.org/news/default.cfm?ArtID=3D291
FCC IS TAKING WRONG TURN ON DIGITAL MEDIA
Outer Limits fans will remember the show's opening words: "We can reduce=20
the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. We will control=
=20
the horizontal. We will control the vertical. For the next hour, sit=20
quietly and we will control all that you see and hear." Ms. Sohn that the=20
course the FCC is taking could make this reality TV in the US. The FCC is=20
considering rules that would prevent the digital television picture from=20
reaching its full, sparkling potential, as well as defining where, when and=
=20
with what rights consumers can use digital media. The movie industry fears=
=20
that consumers will have too much say in how and when and where we can have=
=20
access to digital TV or cable. The FCC is considering allowing broadcasters=
=20
to make their picture quality more fuzzy -- known as "down-resolution" or=20
"down-rezzing" -- as a means of limiting the distribution of programming.=20
But this move would contradict the original aims of digital TV -- to=20
provide better TV service -- and begs the question: "Why would consumers=20
pay thousands of dollars for sets with fuzzy pictures." In another=20
proceeding, the FCC is considering the Personal Digital Network Environment=
=20
(PDNE) which would set boundaries on where consumers can view and use the=20
digital programming that comes into their homes. It is like a zone, "within=
=20
which consumers could freely redistribute digital broadcast television=20
content." That zone could be as vast as anywhere where there's Internet=20
connections -- or would become the most all-encompassing regulation ever=20
suggested. Sohn concludes, "There was one other part to that "Outer=20
Limits" introduction. It started out by saying, "There is nothing wrong=20
with your television set." If the FCC and the content community get their=20
way, there will be."
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge]
http://news.com.com/2010-1025-5189489.html?tag=3Dnefd.acpro
TELECOM
=91DIGITAL MIGRATION=92 CRITICAL TO U.S. COMPETITIVENESS
FCC Chairman Michael Powell is traveling with Sen John Sununu (R-NH) in the=
=20
Granite State discussing the impact of new digital technologies with=20
government officials, businesses and academic leaders. At a Manchester town=
=20
meeting sponsored by the NH High Technology Council Chairman Powell said,=20
digital migration isn't just about technology, it=92s about =93the=20
infrastructure for U.S. competitiveness, period.=94 The U.S. faces a massive=
=20
capital expenditure project and a complete conversion away
from analog communications is inevitable, Chairman Powell said. Answering=20
questions from the audience, the Senator and FCC Chairman both spoke about=
=20
media ownership consolidation. Sen Sununu contested the =93mythology=94 of=
=20
increasing consolidation. Growing up in New Hampshire in the 1960s, he=20
said, viewers had a choice of 3 networks, and those =93networks owned 70-80%=
=20
of the audience. Today, there=92s 40 or 50 other channels on cable and=
that=92s=20
just TV.=94 Beyond TV, there=92s the Internet, radio -- =93thousands of=
media=20
outlets that aren't affiliated in any way.=94 (What was he saying about=20
myth?) Chairman Powell warned =93public policy can't be made by rhetorical=
=20
accolades about =91the death of democracy.=92=94
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: John Spofford]
(Not available online)
INTERNET
E-MAIL LISTS CHOKE ON SPAM
E-mail lists in general, long one of the most popular and useful online=20
tools, are increasingly in danger of becoming collateral damage in the=20
Net's war on unsolicited bulk mail. "Our cures for some of these diseases=20
are boomeranging and killing us," said Jim Griffin, chief executive officer=
=20
of Cherry Lane Digital. "What we're discussing is the passing of a medium.=
=20
It is alarming to me that one of the most basic features of the Net has=20
been threatened so badly." But techies are now working on how to keep spam=
=20
under control without so much of an effect on mail lists and other desired=
=20
e-mail messages. "In the early days of the Net, we built a nervous system,=
=20
but nobody built an immune system," said Marc Smith, a sociologist who=20
studies communities such as Usenet and e-mail groups for Microsoft's=20
research division. "What we're seeing now is the emergence of an immune=20
system." See more at the URL below -- and make your spam filter accept=20
Headlines! ;-)
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: John Borland]
http://news.com.com/2100-1038-5190826.html?tag=3Dcd.top
GOOGLE MAY ALTER E-MAIL SERVICE AMID CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY
Google President and Co-Founder Sergey Brin said the company is considering=
=20
allowing Gmail users to opt-out of the controversial targeted advertising=20
system in the wake of criticism from privacy advocates and policymakers. He=
=20
said that Gmail will be altered, including in many ways imperceptible to=20
users, in response to feedback during the current testing period, which he=
=20
estimates will last for three to six months. For more on Gmail and privacy,=
=20
see http://www.cdt.org/publications/pp_10.06.shtml
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Kevin J. Delaney=
kevin.delaney( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108189884390281981,00.html?mod=3Dtech...
gy_main_whats_news
(requires subscription)
See Also:
Google to Consider Gmail Changes
[SOURCE: News.com, AUTHOR: Evan Hansen]
http://news.com.com/2100-1024-5191028.html?tag=3Dcd.top
THE RISE OF WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
In February, Pew recorded the highest readings ever on the number of=20
Internet users who are e-shoppers, the number who participate in online=20
auctions, and the number of Americans who use computers. In addition, the=20
Project recorded its first reading ever on wireless connectivity. 1) Led by=
=20
generation Y (those ages 18-27), 17% of Internet users have logged on using=
=20
a wireless device. 2) 65% of Internet users have bought products online. 3)=
=20
23% of U.S. Internet users have participated in online auctions. 4) 73% of=
=20
American adults (those 18 and over) use computers. 5) 63% of American=20
adults use the Internet =AD that translates to 128 million people. 6) 55% of=
=20
Internet users go online during a typical day. 7) 53% of Internet users=20
have six or more years of experience. There's much more at the URL below.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life data memo]
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/reports.asp?Report=3D121&Section=3DRe...
Level1&Field=3DLevel1ID&ID=3D516
INDUSTRY, PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS FILE CALEA VOIP COMMENT
A diverse range of communications and Internet industry organizations and=20
public interest groups are filing comments opposing an FBI request that the=
=20
Federal Communications Commission extend the controversial Communications=20
Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) to broadband access and=20
broadband telephony. CDT Comments to FCC Regarding Petition for CALEA=20
Rulemaking [pdf], April 12, 2004:
http://www.cdt.org/digi_tele/20040412CDTCALEAComments.pdf
CDT VoIP and Law Enforcement Page:
http://www.cdt.org/digi_tele/voip.shtml
All Comments for FCC Proceeding RM-10865:
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.hts?ws_mode...
etrieve_list&id_proceeding=3DRM-10865
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
(http://www.cdt.org)
See Also:
Spitzer Joins Push To Enable Taps Of Latest Phones
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108189704030181904,00.html?mod=3Dtele...
unications%5Fprimary%5Fhs
(requires subscription)
QUICK HITS
* A survey of cable subscribers finds the following channels "family=20
friendly:" Disney Channel (86%), Cartoon Network (79%), Animal Planet=20
(78%), Nickelodeon (75%), Discovery Channel (72%), TV Land (72%), The=20
History Channel (66%), ABC Family (65%), The Learning Channel (63%), Home &=
=20
Garden Television (62%), Food Network (61%) and AMC (55%). Broadcasters?=20
Well, not so much. These cable networks topped broadcast networks in the=20
"family-friendly rating: ABC (47%), NBC (45%), CBS and Fox (42% apiece).=20
[SOURCE: Multichannel News]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA410357?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
* The Federal Election Commission is considering rules for "527" groups.=20
Many think its decision could alter the results of this year's election --=
=20
or, at least, how much broadcasters make off it. See coverage in today's=20
Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9493-2004Apr13.html
* You think? Yankelovich Partners, a market research company, will let=20
advertising executives know today that a recent survey finds that=20
consumers' "negative perceptions about advertising have substantially=20
increased." The survey also determined that the sky is up. [SOURCE: New=20
York Times]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/14/business/media/14adco.html
* Our best wishes to the McCain family; Sen McCain's wife, Cindy, suffered=
=20
a cerebral hemorrhage Monday. The prognosis "is cautiously excellent."
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