For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm
MEDIA
Spectrum Return Trumps HDTV
Public Television's 'Heat Shield' Withers Under White House Pressure
Clear Channel Settles Airplay Case
Powell Says Media Leaders Should Move Quickly to Ensure Security
Kids' Activists Concerned About DTV
Russian TV Newsman Fired in Media Crackdown
TELECOM
Friction Mounts Over Phone Access Fees
Regulators Tackle Wireless Broadband Issues
McCaw Unveils Wireless Broadband Service
Let Telecom Agreements Bloom
NEW RELEASES
A Failure To Communicate: Reforming Public Policy in the=20
Telecommunications Industry
ICANN Releases Draft Whois Privacy Reports
MEDIA
SPECTRUM RETURN TRUMPS HDTV
Leaders of the House Commerce Committee Wednesday heaped praise on the=20
Federal Communications Commission's plan to accelerate the digital-TV=20
transition and the committee's chairman, Rep Joe Barton (R-TX) said that=20
government spectrum needs trumped ubiquitous high-definition television=20
(HDTV). Television station owners oppose the plan and may start to feel=20
some heat after hearing from legislators. FCC Media Bureau Chief Ken Ferree=
=20
told lawmakers that the FCC must be proactive in defining how the 85% test=
=20
will be reached or the transition won't be completed for decades. "If we=20
wait for 85% of consumers to have digital equipment in their homes, we=20
could be waiting until 2050 or beyond," he said. Perhaps surprisingly, Rep=
=20
Barton was even supportive of the FCC's plan to use a portion of proceeds=20
from auctioning analog channels to pay the $50-$100 for supplying=20
over-the-air-only TV households with a digital-to-analog converter that=20
would keep their old sets functioning, saying that the subsidy would be a=20
bargain if it speeds the creation of new wireless and other telecom=
businesses.
Communications Daily reports that Rep Barton asked, "Why shouldn't the=20
Committee just uphold the 2006 deadline and pay for converter boxes=94 for=
=20
the poor and elderly?
CEA President Gary Shapiro and FCC Media Bureau Chief Kenneth Ferree had=20
replies, but only after *conspicuous moments of silence.* [Imagine that...=
=20
in Washington, DC.] NAB President Edward Fritts said nothing.
Former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani encouraged Congress to require the=
=20
FCC "to take advantage of the transition to digital to reestablish=20
meaningful public interest obligations for America=92s television=20
broadcasters." Ms. Tristani, Managing Director of the Office of=20
Communication of the United Church of Christ, stressed that clearly-defined=
=20
public interest guidelines must be in place before the FCC makes decisions=
=20
on the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. "The public deserves=
=20
to know what benefits it will get from the digital largesse that has been=20
gifted to broadcasters," said Tristani. "That benefit should include=20
reasonable minimums of local civic and electoral discourse =85 and for=20
children, commensurate amounts of educational and informational=20
programming, a prohibition of commercial website links embedded in=20
children=92s programming and incorporation of children=92s privacy=
protections."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA422817?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
Additional coverage from:
TVWeek http://www.tvweek.com/news/web060204.html#lawmakers
WHY NOT ENFORCE 2006 DTV TRANSITION DEADLINE, BARTON ASKS
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Terry Lane]
(Not available online)
Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ Press Release
http://www.ucc.org/news/u060204.htm
Testimony of NAB President Eddie Fritts
http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/PressRel/testimonies/FrittsDTV060204.asp
Testimony of NCTA President Robert Sachs
http://www.ncta.com/pdf_files/robert_sachs_testimony_6-02-04.pdf
Testimony of Thomas M. Lenard, Senior Fellow at the Progress & Freedom=20
Foundation
http://www.pff.org/issues&pubs/communications/testimony/060204lenarddtv.pdf
PUBLIC TELEVISION'S 'HEAT SHIELD' WITHERS UNDER WHITE HOUSE PRESSURE
Pingree writes: Public broadcasting has found itself in the crosshairs of a=
=20
partisan firing squad. New and intensifying ideological pressures from the=
=20
Bush Administration have forced the public broadcaster to add new programs=
=20
and alter others, in an attempt to be "more balanced" in the view of the=20
current leadership. At a time when Americans are finding it more and more=20
difficult to get past the clutter and partisanship on commercial TV and=20
radio to find truthful sources of information about their government, this=
=20
ideological pressure may gag one of the few sources of independent,=20
substantive news and commentary that Americans can count on. We cannot let=
=20
partisans drive an ideological stake in the heart of public broadcasting.=20
At a time when media consolidation makes it more and more difficult for=20
Americans to hear diverse points of view and to be exposed to substantive,=
=20
challenging journalism, we must save public broadcasting from these=20
attempts to meddle with its editorial independence.
[SOURCE: MediaChannel, AUTHOR:Chellie Pingree, President of Common Cause]
http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/affalert206.shtml
CLEAR CHANNEL SETTLES AIRPLAY CASE
Nobody in Particular Presents -- a Denver concert promoter -- and the=20
nation's largest owner of radio stations, Clear Channel, have agreed to a=20
settlement of a case brought by the promoter accusing Clear Channel of=20
violating federal and state laws by reducing airplay for recording artists=
=20
who didn't hire the company's concert promotion unit for their=20
performances. Although in April a federal judge ruled that there was=20
sufficient evidence to present the case to a jury, Nobody in Particular=20
Presents faced financial pressure to settle the case and pay some bills.=20
"Clear Channel admitted no wrongdoing in connection with the lawsuit, but=20
we are pleased to get the matter behind us," Clear Channel Executive Vice=20
President Andrew Levin said.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Jeff Leeds]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-clear3jun03,1,1299584...
ry?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
POWELL SAYS MEDIA LEADERS SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY TO ENSURE SECURITY
FCC Chairman Michael Powell wants the new Media Security & Reliability=20
Council to begin implementing developed the past two years to ensure news=20
and information remain available in a crisis. The Chairman suggested there=
=20
is urgency to this since a number of events this year -- major sporting=20
events, global summits, political party conventions, even the Presidential=
=20
election -- could be viewed as terrorist targets. The Council's chairman,=20
David Barrett of Hearst-Argyle TV, said an infrastructure survey by the=20
first MSRC found only 15% of radio stations, 47% of TV stations and 71% of=
=20
cable operators had a disaster recovery plan. Among those, 7% of radio=20
stations, 17% of TV stations and 58% of cable operators had rehearsed the=20
plan. Mr. Barrett said one goal is for all media to have and rehearse a=20
plan. Thomas Fitzpatrick of Giuliani Partners, who heads the Council's=20
Local Coordination Working Group, intends to develop a plan to strengthen=20
local coordination among media, government and first responders: =93For us=
to=20
be able to reach mass groups of people during a crisis, we need=94 media=20
help, Mr. Fitzpatrick said. =93To accomplish the goal of protecting people,=
=20
there has to be a tremendous public education program in place.=94=20
Newscasters should be doing research now, Chairman Powell suggested, so=20
they can provide context to what is said during press briefing aired on TV=
=20
and radio. Broadcasters and government officials also need to be prepared=20
with experts who can speak to the public on scientific issues, officials=20
said. =93You have to get scientific people that can bring it down to the=20
level that an 8th grader can understand. Otherwise, it=92s not going to=20
work,=94 a local DC official said.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Brigitte Greenberg, Tania=20
Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)
KIDS' ACTIVISTS CONCERNED ABOUT DTV
Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and FCC Commissioners Kathleen Abernathy,=20
Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein will join Children Now, the American=20
Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association at a=20
half-day conference June 9 about the impact of the digital transition on=20
kids, including "intrusive interactive advertising." Heading the list of=20
topics are what new public interest obligations should be put on=20
broadcasters and the possible "adverse implications of digital TV=20
technology." There will also be a panel, moderated by CBS News' Joie Chen=20
looking at the educational and entertainment upside of digital TV.
For more information see=20
http://www.childrennow.org/media/dtv-convening/dtv-brief.pdf
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA422780?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
RUSSIAN TV NEWSMAN FIRED IN MEDIA CRACKDOWN
In what appears to be the latest step by President Vladimir Putin in=20
tightening control over the news media as well as other areas of Russian=20
public life, a prominent TV journalist was fired and the current affairs=20
show he appeared on was canceled after the show aired an interview with the=
=20
widow of a Chechen separatist leader, Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, who was killed=
=20
in Qatar. The interview was seen in some parts of the country, but abruptly=
=20
haled before it was aired in Moscow. "One of the best television hosts in=20
Russia and one of the best analytic and information programs have not only=
=20
been censored, they have been destroyed, which definitely indicates that we=
=20
live in a police state," the Russian PEN Center of writers, poets and=20
essayists said.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Seth Mydans]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/international/europe/03russ.html
(requires registration)
Additional coverage in:
WSJ=20
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108619315000926911,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
TELECOM
FRICTION MOUNTS OVER PHONE ACCESS FEES
Access charges were created in the 1980s, when the government broke up the=
=20
AT&T monopoly. At the time, the idea of access charges was that pricey=20
long-distance calls would continue to generate money to help maintain local=
=20
networks and keep local service affordable for most people. But a lot has=20
changed in twenty years. Long-distance phone calls have become inexpensive=
=20
for many consumers and flat-rate plans don't charge by the minute. Local=20
phone carriers have proliferated, local companies sell long-distance, and=20
consumers can bypass traditional phone companies either by using wireless,=
=20
or by signing up for phone service over the Internet or with a cable=20
company. Consumers pay about one cent per minute in access fees on=20
state-to-state calls. For long-distance phone companies that must connect=20
to the local phone lines of the caller and the person being called, access=
=20
charges make up an enormous portion of expenses. They provide significant=20
revenue to the Bell companies that own most of the local phone lines on=20
which calls begin and end. The nation's largest telecommunications carriers=
=20
collectively spend an estimated $25 billion each year on fees for access to=
=20
each other's networks. Nearly everyone in the industry agrees that the=20
Byzantine maze of fees and the regulations that govern them have become=20
counterproductive and invite cheating. The rules also can't cope=20
intelligently with new technologies, such as Internet calling, critics say.=
=20
"The system is totally dysfunctional," says Scott Cleland, chief executive=
=20
of Precursor Group, a research firm in Washington, D.C. "Everybody can game=
=20
the system and there is every economic incentive to game the fees or cheat=
=20
on them."
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Shawn Young shawn.young( at )wsj.com and=20
Almar Latour almar.latour( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108621672093927375,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_marketplace
(requires subscription)
REGULATORS TACKLE WIRELESS BROADBAND ISSUES
At the Wireless Communications Association conference in Washington,=20
policymakers from the FCC and the National Telecommunications and=20
Information Administration spoke about promoting the emerging wireless=20
broadband industry. The regulators are trying to more efficiently manage=20
radio spectrum to encourage private companies to bring broadband to the=20
shrinking number of Americans who do not have it. The FCC has already been=
=20
working to change the allocation of spectrum and is working on a policy=20
that's productive for broadband growth. The agency is looking at=20
reallocating spectrum for broadcast television to wireless and expanding=20
bands in the 5GHz range. The FCC is expected to meet June 10 to discuss=20
reforming the 2.5GHz radio bands to 2.7GHz and making it available for=20
licensed wireless broadband use.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Richard Shim]
http://news.com.com/Regulators+tackle+wireless+broadband+issues/2100-103...
5224641.html?tag=3Dnefd.top
MCCAW UNVEILS WIRELESS BROADBAND SERVICE
As expected, U.S. mobile phone industry pioneer Craig McCaw said on=20
Wednesday he was poised to launch a wireless broadband Internet service in=
=20
the United States and several other countries. McCaw's company, Clearwire=20
Inc., will target up to 20 markets by the end of next year where telephone=
=20
and cable companies have been slow to roll out wired broadband, offering=20
data downloads comparable to cable modems and basic telephone service.
[SOURCE: Reuters]
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3DBHDM05RWHCRB2CRBAE...
Y?type=3DtechnologyNews&storyID=3D5326815
Additional coverage in:
WP http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10974-2004Jun2.html
(requires registration)
LATimes=20
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-rup3.6jun03,1,2366488...
ry?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)
LET TELECOM AGREEMENTS BLOOM
Randolph J. May of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, Adam Thierer of the=20
Cato Institute and James L. Gatusso of the Heritage Foundation have teamed=
=20
up on an Washington Times op-ed urging state utility commissions to avoid=20
"putting their own regulatory stamp on the freely negotiated agreements,"=20
such as those reached by Qwest with Covad and SBC with Sage Telecom. The=20
conservative policy experts fear "state public utility commissioners are=20
determined to throw roadblocks into the negotiating process, and there have=
=20
been indications the FCC may be meddling as well by, say, requesting=20
negotiation information and pressuring parties to use mediators."=20
Subjecting such agreements to state 'public interest' review would cause=20
the FCC-desired goal to fail "since the incentive to negotiate will be=20
severely diminished."
See the full op-ed at=20
http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20040529-110729-2666r.htm
[SOURCE: Progress and Freedom Foundation Press Release]
http://www.pff.org/news/news/2004/060204negotiate.html
The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a think tank that studies the digital=
=20
revolution and its implications for public policy.
NEW RELEASES
A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE: REFORMING PUBLIC POLICY IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS=
=20
INDUSTRY
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has largely failed in its three-part=20
mission to decrease telephone service prices, increase service quality, and=
=20
create high-tech networks. The author explores how the Act fell short of=20
its goals and identifies some initial steps toward revitalizing the=20
telecommunications sector.
[SOURCE: Economic Policy Institute, AUTHOR: Stephen Pociask]
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/books_failure
ICANN RELEASES DRAFT WHOIS PRIVACY REPORTS
Three task forces at ICANN, the domain name coordination group, have=20
released for public comment reports on policy issues surrounding the Whois=
=20
database of domain name registration information. The reports examine the=20
mining of Whois domain name holder data by advertisers, privacy protections=
=20
for Whois data, and the accuracy of Whois information. CDT has called for a=
=20
balanced Whois policy that does more to protect the private information of=
=20
individuals who register domain names - an approach endorsed by one of the=
=20
task force reports.
Generic Names Supporting Organization (with links to reports):=20
http://gnso.icann.org/
More information on Domain Name Management Policy: http://www.cdt.org/dns/
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
(http://www.cdt.org)
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------