Benton's Communications-related Headlines for 8/09/04

For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

OWNERSHIP
Playing for Keeps
Bush Gets Pass on Ownership Debate

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION
Kerry Counts on Auction Revenue from DTV Transition
Young Men Are Back Watching TV. But Did They Ever Leave?

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Program Aids Urban Poor In Accessing The Internet

WIRELESS
Wireless Carriers Leave Many Callers in Dead Zone
FCC Releases Order on Interference Problem Faced by 800MHz Public Safety=20
Radio Systems

AT THE FCC
Sens Push for Adelstein

OWNERSHIP

PLAYING FOR KEEPS
Expecting the FCC to eliminate its ban on local cross-ownership, Media=20
General, Tribune and Gannett invested hundreds of millions to build=20
TV-newspaper combinations in markets across the country. But the companies=
=20
could have to make major divestments if FCC ownership rules are not changed=
=20
soon. The combinations have been permitted to exist because of temporary=20
waivers granted by the FCC and loopholes that allow a TV-station owner to=20
buy a newspaper in a single market and hold onto both properties until the=
=20
station's license is up for renewal. Media General will be the first=20
company to go under the FCC's microscope. The company's license for WBTW=20
Florence (SC) expires December 1. The company also owns The Morning News in=
=20
Myrtle Beach, which is considered the same market by the FCC. If the FCC=20
denies a waiver, one of the properties would have to be sold, probably by=20
October 2005. The companies' plans to expand cross-owned operations were=20
thrown into limbo in June when a federal appeals court struck down the=20
FCC's 2003 deregulation. Though saying the FCC could legally eliminate its=
=20
blanket ban on TV/newspaper cross-ownership, the judges threw out new rules=
=20
permitting combinations where there were four or more TV stations. The=20
judges said the FCC had little rationale for the four-station limit=97a sign=
=20
that they may favor a tighter one.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA443535?display=3DWashington
(requires subscription)

BUSH GETS PASS ON OWNERSHIP DEBATE
After delivering a speech at the Unity conference in Washington, DC,=20
President Bush (R-TX) was not asked about the his Administration's position=
=20
on media ownership consolidation as his rival, Sen John Kerry (D-MA), was=20
the day earlier. Instead, President Bush addressed workplace diversity,=20
saying his hiring practices should set an example for corporations. "We've=
=20
got a diverse cabinet, a diverse administration," he told the audience. "I=
=20
hope that sets an example for people when it comes to hiring--including=20
news organizations." The bulk of the President's talk focused on explaining=
=20
how his administration's tax cuts, opposition to higher education quotas,=20
school performance measures and other policies are helping minorities in=20
the U.S.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA443420?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION

KERRY COUNTS ON AUCTION REVENUE FROM DTV TRANSITION
Estimating $30-$60 million in revenue from auction of analog TV spectrum,=20
Sen John Kerry (D-MA) is suggesting that the transition to digital=20
television must be quickened. The Kerry campaign said the transition =93will=
=20
ensure that Americans continue to enjoy free, over-the-air television.=94=
Sen=20
Kerry is also proposing $2 billion in broadband tax credits and $22 billion=
=20
in additional research funding. Sen Kerry has touted the benefits of=20
broadband service in rural communities. =93As president, he will continue to=
=20
be a champion of expanded access for rural communities, to bridge the=20
digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to the=20
opportunities that come with cutting-edge technology,=94 said a campaign=20
document on rural issues.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Terry Lane]
(Not available online)

YOUNG MEN ARE BACK WATCHING TV. BUT DID THEY EVER LEAVE?
Yes, yes, they have been found! Young men, 18-34, have been found. They=20
were right in front of the TV where we left them two years ago. They were=20
not off forsaking both network and cable programs in favor of video games,=
=20
DVDs and the Internet. In July, one year after the falloff was detected, an=
=20
average of 25.8 percent of men from ages 18 to 34 were watching television=
=20
at any given moment in prime time. "It kind of went right back to where God=
=20
intended it to be," the president for research for NBC, Alan Wurtzel, said.=
=20
Thanks for your prayers and support... back to our regularly scheduled=
program.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/09/business/media/09ratings.html
(requires registration)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

PROGRAM AIDS URBAN POOR IN ACCESSING THE INTERNET
As the nation's transformation to a wired society has accelerated, many=20
policymakers have shelved fears of a gulf between Internet haves and=20
have-nots. Internet use at all income levels has gone up. The government=20
program known as E-rate helped subsidize the wiring of schools and public=20
libraries, while recent government efforts have focused on proving=20
broadband to rural areas. Yet a significant digital divide based on income=
=20
persists, largely affecting the urban poor. In 2002, more than 75 percent=20
of U.S. households with incomes of more than $50,000 had Internet access,=20
but the share was 38 percent for those with household incomes of less than=
=20
$30,000, according to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.=
=20
There are no comparable figures for high-speed Internet access, which=20
typically costs $30 to $50 per month and has been embraced by an estimated=
=20
30 percent of Internet users. With such prices, some researchers worry that=
=20
it will be even harder for the poor to catch up. Home use is especially=20
vital, researchers say, because unlike other technologies, such as=20
television sets, Internet use requires computer skills and practice to take=
=20
full advantage of its power to help children learn and their parents get=20
services and do business more efficiently.
Learn more about how One Economy Corp is helping to bridge the gap at the=20
URL below. And when's the last time you read a long Digital Divide piece=20
from a major newspapers, anyway?
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50706-2004Aug8.html
(requires registration)

WIRELESS

WIRELESS CARRIERS LEAVE MANY CALLERS IN DEAD ZONE
As wireless carriers make the transition from analog to digital networks,=20
many consumers are discovering that their fancier digital phones simply=20
can't complete a call in a lot of places where their old phones worked just=
=20
fine. Problems with blocked calls and dead zones are afflicting callers in=
=20
big cities, including New York and Los Angeles, but they are especially=20
pronounced in rural areas. It's an unforeseen drawback of the=20
telecommunication industry's big investment in so-called next-generation=20
equipment. As a group, U.S. cellular providers have spent more than $146=20
billion to upgrade their networks from analog to more-efficient digital=20
technology, according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet=20
Association. The problems with the analog-to-digital transition are=20
expected to recede as digital coverage continues to spread, but they could=
=20
still last several years.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Marlon Walker at=20
marlon.walker( at )wsj.com & Jesse Drucker jesse.drucker( at )wsj.com]
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109200979893986122,00.html?mod=3Dtoda...
s_page_one
(requires subscription)
What's all this talk about analog in a digital world? Also see:
A Digital World With Analog as Its Workhorse
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Barnaby Feder]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/09/technology/09texas.html
(requires registration)

FCC RELEASES ORDER ON INTERFERENCE PROBLEM FACED BY 800MHZ PUBLIC SAFETY=20
RADIO SYSTEMS
Although it was adopted a month ago yesterday, the FCC released on Friday=20
the Report & Order on the technical and procedural measures designed to=20
address the ongoing and growing problem of interference to public safety=20
communications in the 800 MHz band.
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-168A1.doc
* July 8, Press Release
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249414A1.doc
* Additional background information
http://wireless.fcc.gov/publicsafety/800MHz/bandinterference.html

AT THE FCC

SENS PUSH FOR ADELSTEIN
Seventeen members of the Senate Commerce Committee, including ranking=20
members John McCain (R-AZ) and Ernest Hollings (D-SC), have signed a letter=
=20
sent to President Bush (R-TX) asking him to renominate FCC Commissioner=20
Jonathan Adelstein whose term on the Commission expired June 2003 but=20
government rules allow him term serve until a successor is confirmed or the=
=20
current Congress adjourns. The seat must be filled by a Democrat and Senate=
=20
Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) asked the White House to re-nominate=20
Adelstein in February 2003. President Bush complained about the many=20
battles over his nominations in a speech to minority journalists Friday.=20
Democrats "need to stop playing politics with my nominees," he said.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA443552?display=3DBreaking+News
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Do we not have one Republican in the Land of Lincoln?
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------