For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
** Commercial media was not in Saint Louis, but we've found plenty for you
to read about the National Conference on Media Reform. See links below. **
JOURNALISM
A Battle Over Programming at National Public Radio
New Survey Finds Huge Gap Between Press and Public on Many Issues
Caveat Vendor
CDT Expands Campaign to Keep Online Political Speech Free of Regulation
Fake News Is Hazardous to Your Health
COMPETITION
Phone Companies Shut Out of Local Cable for Some Ads
QUICKLY -- Rewriting the Telecom Act of 1996; When They Abolished the FCC;
The FCC's Threat to the 1st Amendment; New Profile of Online Community;
"Upfronts" this Week
COVERAGE OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDIA REFORM
JOURNALISM
A BATTLE OVER PROGRAMMING AT NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
Executives at National Public Radio are increasingly at odds with the Bush
appointees who lead the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. CPB Chairman
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson is considering a plan to monitor Middle East coverage
on NPR news programs for evidence of bias. CPB's board has also told its
staff that it should consider redirecting money away from national
newscasts and toward music programs produced by NPR stations. Top officials
at NPR and member stations are upset as well about the corporation's
decision to appoint two ombudsmen to judge the content of programs for
balance. And managers of public radio stations criticized the corporation
in a resolution offered at their annual meeting two weeks ago urging it not
to interfere in NPR editorial decisions.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/16/business/media/16radio.html
(requires registration)
See Bill Moyer's speech on CPB pressure on public broadcasting:
http://www.cctvcambridge.org/freepress/archive/freepress-closing40515.zip
NEW SURVEY FINDS HUGE GAP BETWEEN PRESS AND PUBLIC ON MANY ISSUES
The University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy will release
results of a new survey today revealing a wide gap on many media issues
between a group of journalists and the general public. In one finding, 43%
of the public say they believe the press has too much freedom, while only
3% of journalists agree. Just 14% of the public can name