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http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dtaxonomy/term/6/all/feed into your read=
er.
For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org
TELECOM REFORM LEGISLATION
No Neutral Ground With Net Neutrality
House Judiciary Panel Is Denied Referral
Sensenbrenner Offers Neutrality Bill
Stevens Eases Pace on Franchising Bill=20=09
Local Government Concerns Lead Senate Committee to
Rethink Telecom Bill
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Senate Votes to Set English as National Language
BellSouth Demands Retraction From USA Today on NSA Article
A Nation of Suspects
INDECENCY
Senate Backs Ten Fold Hike in Indecency Fines
Networks Fight Rising Number Of FCC Fines
OWNERSHIP
Univision, Televisa Disagree on Internet Rights
Granite Suing Over Two WB Affils
QUICKLY -- One Billion People Online; Hollywood=20
Can't Kick the Junk-Food Habit; PBS Beefs Up Free-VOD Slate
TELECOM REFORM LEGISLATION
NO NEUTRAL GROUND WITH NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Internetnews.com, AUTHOR: Roy Mark]
From a formal Senate hearing to backroom=20
intrigue in the House to political theater=20
starring musician Moby, the issue of network=20
neutrality swirled around Capitol Hill Thursday.=20
As National Cable & Telecommunications=20
Association President Kyle McSlarrow said, "This=20
[net neutrality] is now the number one issue."=20
Speaking at a Senate Commerce Committee on=20
telecom legislation, McSlarrow called it a tough=20
issue. "It's a fundamentally stark choice of some=20
regulation of the Internet or no regulation of=20
the Internet." In both the Senate and House=20
telecom reform efforts, the question of=20
discriminatory handling of network traffic would=20
be left to the Federal Communications Commission.=20
"If we don't get this right, we're going to have=20
a lot of people in the slow lane," said Sen.=20
Barbara Boxer (D-CA). She and other Democrats on=20
the panel are expected to add net neutrality=20
amendments to the Senate bill when it comes up for a committee vote in June.
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3607371
* Rep. Markey, Moby Speak Out for Internet=20
Freedom, Against Corporate Web Takeover
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=3D134
HOUSE JUDICIARY PANEL IS DENIED REFERRAL
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
The House Judiciary Committee has been denied a=20
referral of a major telecommunications bill=20
approved late last month by the House Commerce=20
Committee. But apparently House Speaker Dennis=20
Hastert (R-IL) is working on a plan to involve=20
Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) in=20
the telecom bill process. There were indications=20
that Rep Sensenbrenner would be granted one week=20
to move his own telecom-related legislation=20
through the Judiciary panel, which would then be=20
given a chance to move either as an amendment to=20
the Commerce Committee bill or as a stand-alone=20
measure. But a Judiciary Committee source=20
professed to be unaware of any such arrangement.=20
Wednesday=92s developments cap weeks of speculation=20
over whether the Judiciary panel would be able to=20
leave its imprimatur on the telecommunications=20
legislation. The Energy and Commerce and=20
Judiciary committees have a long history of turf=20
battles; they also sparred a decade ago on=20
jurisdiction of the legislation that eventually=20
became the Telecommunications Act of 1996.=20
Details of the House Parliamentarian's decision=20
to deny referral to the Judiciary panel were=20
expected to be published in Thursday=92s=20
Congressional Record. The House had originally=20
planned to bring the telecom bill to the floor=20
two weeks ago, but action was delayed as the=20
Parliamentarian and Hastert=92s office considered=20
Sensenbrenner=92s request for a referral. A=20
congressional source said the Commerce Committee=20
legislation, sponsored by Committee Chairman Joe=20
Barton, R-Texas, and Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill.,=20
would not come to the floor next week. That means=20
consideration by the full House will be bumped=20
until at least the week of June 5, when Congress=20
returns from a weeklong Memorial Day recess.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-FDEN1147958391830.html
SENSENBRENNER OFFERS NEUTRALITY BILL
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
House Judiciary Committee Chairman James=20
Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced a bill Thursday=20
that would apply antitrust sanctions against=20
cable and other broadband-access providers that=20
discriminate against Web-based providers of=20
content, services and applications. The bill=20
would amend the Clayton Act to require=20
broadband-access providers to interconnect their=20
facilities on reasonable and nondiscriminatory=20
terms; to operate their networks in a=20
nondiscriminatory manner so that unaffiliated=20
content, service and applications have an equal=20
opportunity to reach consumers; and to refrain=20
from interfering with consumer access to lawful=20
content, services and applications. Under the=20
Clayton Act, passed in 1914, injured parties may=20
sue in federal court to obtain an injunction,=20
recover treble damages and collect attorneys=92 fees.
"This legislation is a necessary step to protect=20
consumers and other Internet users from possible=20
anti-competitive and discriminatory conduct by=20
broadband providers,=94 Rep Sensenbrenner said of=20
the bill offered the bill with bipartisan support=20
from his panel's ranking Democrat, John Conyers=20
(Mich.), and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.).=20
Sensenbrenner=92s statement said he came forward=20
with his bill because the House Commerce bill=20
(H.R. 5252) fell "well short of ensuring that=20
broadband-network providers do not abuse their=20
market power.=94 Amazon.com, eBay, Google,=20
InterActiveCorp, Microsoft and Yahoo! issued a=20
statement in support of the Judiciary bill (H.R. 5417).
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6336026.html?display=3DBreaking+News
* Sensenbrenner Intros Net Neutrality Bill
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6336035?display=3DBreaking+News
* Politicos propose new action on Net neutrality
http://news.com.com/Politicos+propose+new+action+on+Net+neutrality/2100-...
8_3-6074108.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert
* Consumer Groups Applaud Bipartisan Bill on Network Neutrality
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=3D135
STEVENS EASES PACE ON FRANCHISING BILL
[SOURCE: MediaWeek, AUTHOR: Todd Shields]
Facing Democrats worried about haste and cities=20
concerned about losing privileges, Senate=20
Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens=20
(R-Alaska) delayed by nearly two weeks initial=20
votes on his broad telecommunications bill.=20
Still, Sen Stevens predicted passage, saying he=20
expects to send a modified bill to the Senate=20
floor =93with the full support of this committee.=94=20
He pledged to work with cities and other=20
localities toward meeting their concerns about=20
video franchising, or the process of granting=20
approval for TV service over landlines. At least=20
three Democratic senators said they were=20
concerned about moving too fast on the 135-age=20
bill unveiled May 1. =93I'm much more interested in=20
getting it right, than I am in speed,=94 said Sen.=20
Byron Dorgan (D-ND). Sen Stevens said the panel=20
had held 15 hearings before May 1. =93On this=20
bill?=94 shot back Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).=20
Chairman Stevens, whose nickname is "The Hulk,"=20
replied, =93This senator=92s going to see this bill=20
gets to the floor and it passes the Senate this year.=94
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D100...
8874
* Stevens sees US Senate passing communications bill
http://today.reuters.com/investing/FinanceArticle.aspx?type=3DbondsNews&...
ryID=3D2006-05-18T181116Z_01_N18230128_RTRIDST_0_TELECOMS-CONGRESS.XML
* Stevens Announces Revised Video Franchising Legislation
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=3D10034
* Senate Commerce Delays Telecom Markup
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6335963?display=3DBreaking+News
* Stevens: Senate Will Pass Telecom Bill
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6336053.html?display=3DBreaking+News
* Dorgan Plans Media Concentration Amendment
Sen Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Thursday he would=20
take aim at "big Media" in the telecom reform=20
bill. He said that he planned to introduce an=20
amendment on the already omnibus bill to slow the "orgy of concentration."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6335898?display=3DBreaking+News
* Groups Testify for Choice and Access to Video and Internet
http://www.hearusnow.org/tvradiocable/16/
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONCERNS LEAD SENATE COMMITTEE TO RETHINK TELECOM BILL
[SOURCE: National League of Cities press release]
Dearborn (MI) Mayor Michael A. Guido told the=20
Senate Committee Commerce Thursday that the bill=20
it is currently considering will hurt consumers,=20
cities and counties by nationalizing video=20
franchising instead of encouraging local=20
competition. Speaking on behalf of a number of=20
national organizations representing city, town=20
and county officials, Mayor Guido voiced his=20
opposition to many of the provisions in the=20
Communications, Consumer's Choice and Broadband=20
Deployment Act of 2006 (S. 2686), introduced by=20
Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens=20
(R-Alaska). According to Mayor Guido, S. 2686=20
would undermine local franchising enforcement and=20
compliance authority, threaten local budgets,=20
limit the benefit of broadband-video competition=20
to a few well-to-do neighborhoods, weaken=20
provisions that ensure video providers meet each=20
community's needs and interests, and undermine=20
the ability of local governments to protect their=20
residents and/or respond to cable customer=20
service complaints. In commenting on the measure,=20
Guido said, "While this bill appears to preserve=20
local video franchising, it in fact strips that=20
authority from thousands of elected mayors,=20
commissions and councils across the country and=20
unfairly places it in the hands of five=20
un-elected commissioners of the Federal=20
Communications Commission here in Washington,=20
D.C. Communities across the country have seen the=20
telephone companies bypass poorer neighborhoods=20
while upgrading services in more affluent areas,"=20
Guido said. "Indeed, it has been reported that=20
AT&T informed its Wall Street investors that in=20
Michigan, the company was going to provide its=20
video product to ninety percent of its 'high=20
value' residents, but to only five percent of its=20
'low value' residents -- those customers who buy=20
less than $110 a month in telecommunications=20
services. It's not hard to see how such a=20
business plan on a national scale will deprive=20
millions of Americans of the benefits of=20
increased competition and technological=20
advances." Mayor Guido noted that new providers=20
of video into residential markets should not be=20
given a "blank check" and said that local=20
governments are more than willing to work with=20
them to increase competition. Recently, more than=20
600 local communities in Michigan asked AT&T to=20
enter into their video marketplaces. Guido said,=20
"But AT&T remained silent, leading Michigan's=20
towns and cities to publicly ask AT&T, 'Can you=20
hear us now? We want competition!' It was not=20
until the media was alerted that AT&T finally=20
began to respond." Due to the concerns raised by=20
Mayor Guido and others at today's hearing, US=20
Senator Ted Stevens (Ala-R) announced that the=20
bill would be redrafted over Memorial Day and new=20
hearings would take place in early June. Guido=20
said the coalition was eager to work with the=20
Senate Committee on key provisions of the bill.=20
Members of the coalition to support local video=20
franchising include: The U.S. Conference of=20
Mayors, the National League of Cities, the=20
National Association of Counties, the National=20
Association of Telecommunications Officers and=20
Advisors, the Government Finance Officers=20
Association, the International Municipal Lawyers=20
Association and the National Conference of Black Mayors.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=3D66053
* Senate Telecom Draft May Be "Too Tough" on Cities
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6335869?display=3DBreaking+News
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
SENATE VOTES TO SET ENGLISH AS NATIONAL LANGUAGE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Carl Hulse]
The Senate voted on Thursday to designate English=20
as the national language. In a charged debate,=20
Republican backers of the proposal, which was=20
added to the Senate's immigration measure on a=20
63-to-34 vote, said that it was equivalent to=20
establishing a formal national anthem or motto=20
and that it would simply affirm the pre-eminence=20
of English without overturning laws or rules on=20
bilingualism. Under the proposal, the federal=20
government is directed to "preserve and enhance=20
the role of English as the national language of=20
the United States of America." It does not go as=20
far as proposals to designate English the=20
nation's official language, which would require=20
all government publications and business to be in=20
English. Instead, it says government services and=20
publications now offered in other languages would=20
be unaffected. But the proposal declares that no=20
one has "a right, entitlement or claim to have=20
the government of the United States or any of its=20
officials or representatives act, communicate,=20
perform or provide services or provide materials=20
in any language other than English." The Senate=20
also passed a weaker, less-binding alternative=20
declaring English the "common and unifying"=20
language of the nation, on a 58-to-39 vote. The=20
question of which version survives would be=20
decided in negotiations with the House. The House=20
version of the bill relies on the traditional=20
method of speaking louder and s l o w e r.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/washington/19immig.html
(requires registration)
* Senate Votes English as 'National Language'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/18/AR200605...
0242.html
BELLSOUTH DEMANDS RETRACTION FROM USA TODAY ON NSA ARTICLE
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Dionne=20
Searcey dionne.searcey( at )wsj.com and Sarah Ellison]
BellSouth yesterday demanded that USA Today=20
retract "the false and unsubstantiated=20
statements" outlined in an article naming the=20
company as having provided domestic calling=20
records to the National Security Agency. In a=20
letter to USA Today president and publisher Craig=20
Moon, as well as to the general counsel of the=20
newspaper's parent company, Gannett Co., the=20
phone company asks for an immediate retraction of=20
the article's characterization of BellSouth's relationship to the NSA.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114797579880156768.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
e_one
(requires subscription)
* BellSouth Wants Story Retractions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/18/AR200605...
2300.html
* BellSouth calls for a retraction of report it gave records to NSA
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060519/a_nsa19.art.htm
* Who Is Leslie Cauley, Whose 'USA Today' Bombshell on NSA Is Now Disputed?
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1002501824
A NATION OF SUSPECTS
[SOURCE: Center for American Progress, AUTHOR: Eric Alterman]
[Commentary] With the Democrats powerless to=20
force Congress to respond, now, more than ever,=20
the health of our political system depends on a=20
media that holds power accountable, as the saying=20
goes, =93without fear or favor.=94 But fear is=20
exactly what the administration seeks to sow in=20
the minds of the media. With a president=92s=20
popularity plummeting, now is the time to find=20
the courage to fight this fight as rights forfeited can rarely be reclaimed.
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=3DbiJRJ8OVF&b=3D1695725
INDECENCY
SENATE BACKS TEN FOLD HIKE IN INDECENCY FINES
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
The Senate late on Thursday approved boosting=20
fines tenfold to $325,000 on television and radio=20
broadcast stations that violate rules on airing=20
profanity or sexually explicit material. The=20
measure had languished for almost 16 months,=20
drawing criticism from family groups and=20
conservatives including Senate Majority Leader=20
Bill Frist (R-TN), a likely 2008 contender for=20
the Republican presidential nomination. Lawmakers=20
demanded higher fines on broadcasters after pop=20
singer Janet Jackson briefly exposed her breast=20
during the 2004 Super Bowl football halftime show=20
broadcast on national television. "Radio and=20
television waves are public property and the=20
companies who profit from using the public=20
airwaves should face meaningful fines for=20
broadcasting indecent material," said Sen. Sam=20
Brownback (R-KS), author of the bill. The Federal=20
Communications Commission is the agency=20
responsible for reviewing indecency complaints=20
and the current maximum fine that can be imposed=20
is $32,500 per violation. The House of=20
Representatives more than a year ago passed a=20
bill that would hike fines to as much as $500,000=20
per violation and require the FCC to consider=20
revoking a station's license after three=20
indecency violations. House and Senate=20
negotiators will have to work out their=20
differences before any increase can become law.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DpoliticsNews&storyID=
=3D2006-05-19T031345Z_01_N18389202_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS-DECENCY.xml&archiv=
ed=3DFalse
* Senate OKs Higher Fines for Indecency on Television
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-indecent19may19,1,130...
9.story?coll=3Dla-headlines-pe-business
NETWORKS FIGHT RISING NUMBER OF FCC FINES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Amy Schatz Amy.Schatz( at )wsj.com]
As lawmakers embark on an election-year push to=20
clean up the airwaves, federal regulators'=20
zero-tolerance policy against indecent=20
programming is resulting in a backlash, with=20
broadcasters showing a new willingness to take=20
the fight to the courthouse. That could be=20
problematic for the Federal Communications=20
Commission, which has interpreted the law=20
inconsistently over the years. In a signal that=20
the networks are ready for a fight, they have=20
retained some big legal guns, including Seth P.=20
Waxman, a former solicitor general, and Carter G.=20
Phillips, who has argued more than 50 cases=20
before the Supreme Court. Lawmakers and FCC=20
officials say they need to crack down on the=20
airing of indecent programming because the public=20
is complaining more. Last year, the FCC received=20
233,531 complaints about indecent broadcasts,=20
compared with 346 in 2001. Broadcasters say the=20
numbers are inflated because a majority of=20
complaints received by the FCC appear to be email=20
campaigns organized by Christian or pro-family=20
interest groups, like the Parents Television=20
Council. PTC complaints were behind the record=20
$3.6 million fine proposed in March against CBS=20
affiliates for an episode of "Without a Trace,"=20
which featured a brief scene of a teen sex orgy.=20
Of about 6,500 complaints filed against stations=20
that received fines, all but three appeared to=20
originate as computer-generated form letters.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114800498637957462.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
OWNERSHIP
UNIVISION, TELEVISA DISAGREE ON INTERNET RIGHTS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Michele Gershberg]
Univision Communications Inc. and its Mexican=20
programming partner Televisa, already embroiled=20
in a legal dispute over television royalties,=20
also disagree on the rights to air shows on the=20
Internet in the United States, a Univision=20
executive said on Wednesday. "There's a=20
difference of opinion as to those rights,"=20
Univision President Ray Rodriguez told reporters=20
after the top U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster=20
unveiled its 2006-2007 broadcast lineup to=20
advertisers. "We are going to work with Televisa=20
to figure out how to make it work," he said.=20
"It's not a front burner issue." Televisa is=20
Univision's primary supplier of programming with=20
a U.S. broadcast deal through 2017. The two=20
companies appear to differ on whether the=20
original agreement for television broadcasting=20
applies to other media delivery outlets, but it=20
was not immediately clear whether the dispute=20
applies to venues beyond the Internet. Televisa,=20
which also owns nearly 11.4 percent of Univision,=20
said last week it joined private equity firms=20
Bain Capital, Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group,=20
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Microsoft founder=20
Bill Gates' Cascade Investment for a potential bid to buy Univision outrigh=
t.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DinternetNews&storyID=
=3D2006-05-18T144749Z_01_N17281088_RTRUKOC_0_US-UNIVISION.xml&archived=3DFa=
lse
GRANITE SUING OVER TWO WB AFFILS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Allison Romano]
After seeing sales for two of its WB stations=20
fall through in the wake of The WB and UPN=20
shutdowns, Granite Broadcasting is suing The WB=20
and CBS Corp, co-owners of The CW, for breach of=20
contract and unspecified damages. The suit,=20
filed in the Court of the Chancery in Delaware,=20
alleges that WB breached the affiliation=20
agreements for Granite's WDWB Detroit and KBWB=20
and negotiated in bad faith when Granite signed=20
affiliation renewals last September. Those=20
extensions, Granite says, were key to its $180=20
million deal to sell the two stations. That deal,=20
to AM Media, fell through after WB and CBS=20
announced in January that WB and UPN would shut=20
down in September and merge into The CW. Granite=20
recently found a new buyer for the stations, but=20
at a reduced price of $150 million. In the=20
lawsuit, Granite contends that the WB closure=20
lessened the value of its stations and caused=20
losses in revenue and other business=20
opportunities. The company says it also made a=20
$22.5 million payment to The WB to extend its KBWB's affiliation.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6335857?display=3DBreaking+News
QUICKLY
ONE BILLION PEOPLE ONLINE
[SOURCE: eMarketer press release]
According to Worldwide Online Access: 2004-2010,=20
the world reached a milestone late in 2005 as=20
Internet access became available to one billion=20
people worldwide, with approximately 845 million=20
using it regularly. "The US is the single country=20
with the largest Internet population with 175.4=20
million Internet users at the end of 2005,=20
followed by China at 111 million," says Ben=20
Macklin, eMarketer Senior Analyst and author of=20
the report. "Despite China's continuing strong=20
Internet growth, eMarketer expects the US to=20
maintain its lead over China, at least until the=20
end of the decade." Broadband access also=20
continues to grow and to account for an=20
ever=ADlarger percentage of total Internet=20
access "At the end of 2005 there were 195=20
million broadband households worldwide, up from=20
142 million in 2004, an increase of 37%," says=20
Mr. Macklin. "Despite a maturing broadband sector=20
in Western Europe, North America and some parts=20
of Asia, the large populations of China, India,=20
Russia, Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico, all of which=20
saw strong broadband growth in 2005, will ensure=20
that global broadband subscriber growth remains=20
in double digits for many years to come."=20
eMarketer estimates that there were 108.1 million=20
broadband users in the US at the end of 2005.=20
There were 48 million broadband subscriber lines=20
and 43.7 million households with broadband access.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6335924.html?display=3DBreaking+News
WHY HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS CAN'T KICK THE JUNK-FOOD HABIT
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: T.L. Stanley and Stephanie Thompson]
Business-page obituaries of the deal between Walt=20
Disney Co. and McDonald's have maintained that=20
the studio found the children's obesity debate=20
surrounding the fast-feeder too hot to handle.=20
But the truth is fast-food marketers are still on=20
the Hollywood A-list. Promotional pacts reap=20
hundreds of millions of dollars for studios=20
annually -- a marketer like Pepsi can pony up $30=20
million for a single tentpole movie -- so any=20
thoughts that studios are about to altruistically=20
kick the sugar and fat habit are little more than=20
wishful thinking from the nation's food nannies.=20
In a few cases, nutritional and advertising=20
guidelines have affected marketing approaches.=20
But those standards have been set by food=20
marketers, not studios. General Mills recently=20
announced it would no longer advertise to=20
children under age 6 (a tack taken already by=20
PepsiCo, Kraft and Unilever), and has severed=20
ties to Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. altogether.
http://adage.com/article?article_id=3D109177
PBS BEEFS UP FREE-VOD SLATE
[SOURCE: Multichannel News]
PBS added seven programs to its roster of=20
primetime titles available for viewing via local=20
free video-on-demand. Cable operators now have 10=20
shows to choose from to make available to=20
subscribers via free VOD up to seven days after=20
their broadcast premieres. Joining Antiques=20
Roadshow, Frontline and The NewsHour with Jim=20
Lehrer will be: Nature, Nightly Business Report,=20
Now, P.O.V., Tavis Smiley, Washington Week with=20
Gwen Ifill & National Journal and Wide Angle.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6335935.html?display=3DBreaking+News
--------------------------------------------------------------
...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend and=20
we're looking for more fun with Congress next week!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online=20
news summary service provided by the Benton=20
Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday=20
through Friday, this service provides updates on=20
important industry developments, policy issues,=20
and other related news events. While the=20
summaries are factually accurate, their often=20
informal tone does not always represent the tone=20
of the original articles. Headlines are compiled=20
by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------