The Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet) invites you to join over
600 attendees from around the world in Seattle, Washington for the largest
national gathering of community technology organizations, programs, and
experts addressing technology access, information resources and
applications for underserved communities. For this and other upcoming media
policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,
policy issues, and other related news events. Headlines are compiled by
Kevin Taglang (headlines( at )benton.org) -- we welcome your comments.
TELEVISION & RADIO
TV Has Grown Up. Shouldn't FCC Rules?
Radio to Make Big Noise in Upfront
SPECTRUM
Public Safety Backs Nextel on 1.9GHz
QUICKLY
Study: Media Overload on the Rise
Privacy Protections for Use of Data Mining Technologies
TELEVISION & RADIO
TV HAS GROWN UP. SHOULDN'T FCC RULES?
In an op-ed from Sunday's Post, Clark writes, "It no longer makes any sense
to impose one set of rules on the "over-the-air" networks while cable,
Internet, satellite and music providers can send -- almost unimpeded -- all
sorts of programming directly to your living room, car, laptop and even
your cell phone." The current debate over broadcast indecency standards,
Clark argues, is woefully out of touch with the realities of the digital
world as we now know it and based on a scarcity rationale that is obsolete.
Consumers, not the government, should decide what content makes it into the
home. Clark concludes: Within the next decade it will be impossible to
distinguish between televisions and computers. More cable, satellite and
high-speed broadband means that it is only a matter of time before all
Americans get television over the Internet -- wirelessly or through a pipe
of fiber or copper. It's time to recognize that Congress and the FCC can no
longer be the nation's "public interest" nanny. Instead of trying to
preserve rules from a world that no longer exists, they would do better to
encourage the development of tools that will let us regulate ourselves.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR:Drew Clark]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28452-2004May14.html
(requires registration)
Also see:
FCC ACTION LEAVES FIRST AMENDMENT ON CUTTING ROOM FLOOR
[SOURCE: Media Channel, AUTHOR: Peggy Charren & Jonathan Rintels]
http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/affalert197.shtml
B&C: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA418082?display=Breaking+News
RADIO TO MAKE BIG NOISE IN UPFRONT
People spend about 20 hours a week listening to radio, compared with 52
hours spent in front of the television. However, while TV receives 23% of
all advertising dollars, radio's share of ad spending is only about 8%.
Radio executives are busy figuring out how they can get a bigger share of
the advertising pie. As TV looks less appealing to advertisers because
people are watching less and skipping commercials whenever possible, some
are considering upfront ad sales for radio. The consolidation of radio
station ownership means the biggest radio companies can compete more
readily with national television networks, selling airtime for a large
group of stations across the country.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Sarah McBride sarah.mcbride( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108483479396713960,00.html?mod=todays...
(requires subscription)
SPECTRUM
PUBLIC SAFETY BACKS NEXTEL ON 1.9 GHZ
On Monday, public safety groups weighed in strongly supporting Nextel
arguments that it should get spectrum at 1.9 GHz as embraced by the
"consensus" plan, and not at 2.1 GHz proposed by the Cellular
Telecommunications & Internet Association and other wireless carriers. The
groups said they have grown "frustrated" with delays tied to the latest
rebanding debate and hope for a quick decision. Within the FCC, all eyes
seem to be on Chairman Powell concerning whether Nextel should get 1.9 GHz
vs 2.1 GHz spectrum, and other Commissioners are waiting for his decision
before they weigh in.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Howard Buskirk]
(Not available online)
QUICKLY
STUDY: MEDIA OVERLOAD ON THE RISE
Investment banker Veronis Suhler Stevenson is predicting that by 2007 the
average American will spend 3,874 hours per year (about 10.5 hrs/day) with
the major consumer media. "Consumers have increased their time spent with
media substantially over the past 25 years, owing to the almost ubiquitous
presence of wired cable in the home, the widespread acceptance of the
Internet as a communication/education/home utility and the development of
the home video and video game markets," noted the company's "Investment
Considerations for the Communications Industry" report. But even though
media consumption has risen steadily, given the accelerated rate of media
expansion and fragmentation, some industry executives have begun wondering
whether we could reach a point where there simply is too much media. Nearly
a third (29 percent) of consumers now feel overwhelmed by the volume of
media options available to them.
[SOURCE: TelevisionWeek, AUTHOR:Joe Mandese]
http://www.tvweek.com/planning/051704study.html
PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR USE OF DATA MINING TECHNOLOGIES
The Technology and Privacy Advisory Committee (TAPAC) to the Pentagon,
originally formed to provide advice on the Total Information Awareness
project, has recommended new rules for government data mining projects
involving personal data -- rules that would protect both civil liberties
and national security. TAPAC's final report was issued in March but has
just become publicly available.
Safeguarding Privacy in the Fight Against Terrorism
http://www.cdt.org/security/usapatriot/20040300tapac.pdf
More on data mining: http://www.cdt.org/security/usapatriot/datamining.shtml
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
http://www.cdt.org/
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