NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MEDIA REFORM SPECIAL
MORE NEWS FROM MEMPHIS
New House Subcommittee To Investigate Media Ownership
Why Fixing the Media System Should Be on the Feminist Agenda=20=20=20=
=20
BROADCASTING
Not Great News for Late News
Beware the FCC=92s New Kids-Web Rules=20=20=20=20
Industry Experts: Analog Off by '09, With Complications=20=20=20=20
POLICYMAKERS
Wired
MORE NEWS FROM MEMPHIS
NEW HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE MEDIA OWNERSHIP
[SOURCE: Center for Public Integrity, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
A new House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) will turn i=
ts oversight to a range of government agencies, particularly the Federal Co=
mmunications Commission, Rep Kucinich announced on Friday night. Rep Kucini=
ch, a 2004 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination who stated =
his intention to run again in 2008, said that his committee will hold holdi=
ngs criticizing the FCC on the issue of media ownership. In a speech before=
the National Conference for Media Reform here, unexpected visitor Kucinich=
announced his chairmanship of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Hous=
e Government Reform Committee. The new subcommittee, Rep Kucinich said in t=
he speech, would be a platform to hold "hearings to push media reform right=
at the center of Washington." "You are the message," he said to the cheeri=
ng crowd. Kucinich's assignment has had scheduled to be unveiled next week =
in Washington. But Rep Kucinich let the news out in a short but rousing spe=
ech previewed
by actor Danny Glover.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/telecom/telecomwatch.aspx?eid=3D2398
WHY FIXING THE MEDIA SYSTEM SHOULD BE ON THE FEMINIST AGENDA
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Jennifer Pozner, Women in Media & News]
[Commentary] Ask a feminist to identify what the most important issues are =
facing women, and she might mention reproductive freedom, violence against =
women and children, the disproportionate burdens women bear in light of the=
growing gap between rich and poor in America or the many ways in which war=
specifically impacts women. Chances are she wouldn't immediately point to =
the media. But she should.Without accurate, non-biased, diverse news covera=
ge and challenging, creative cultural expression it is virtually impossible=
to significantly impact public opinion of women's and human rights issues =
or to create lasting social change. Indeed, corporate media are key to why =
our fast-moving culture is so slow to change, stereotypes are so stubborn a=
nd the power structure is so entrenched. Pop culture images help us determi=
ne what to buy, what to wear, whom to date, how we feel about our bodies, h=
ow we see ourselves and how we relate to racial, sexual, socio-economic and=
religious
"others." The fight for media and gender justice needs you. The right has =
prioritized media messaging, production, policy and ownership since the 197=
0s, which is in large part why the American political and media landscapes =
have become as problematic as they are today. If we truly care about women'=
s rights and social justice, we cannot afford to be overwhelmed by the scop=
e of the problems in our media system -- we must simply roll up our sleeves=
and begin to tackle them.=20
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/46546/
See also
* Geena Davis at NCFMR
http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/blake/archives/2007/01/cerbin_geena_da...
ml
BROADCASTING
NOT GREAT NEWS FOR LATE NEWS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Paige Albiniak]
With late newscasts falling as much as 10%-20% in major markets from Novemb=
er 2005 to November 2006, stations are rethinking how they offer news. News=
consultants say people are up earlier, home later, and to bed later=97whic=
h bodes poorly for the 11 p.m. news, for decades a crucial chunk of a stati=
on's revenue. As a result, stations such as Chicago's WMAQ are starting the=
ir news earlier in the morning, while increasingly focusing on their digita=
l offerings. In that one-year period, the late news in the top 10 markets d=
ropped 10% in households, from an average 6.7 rating/13 share in November 2=
005 to an average 6.0/12, according to data compiled by Nielsen Media Resea=
rch. That trend tends to hold true among each of the Big Three network sta=
tions. In New York, WABC's 11 p.m. news has dropped 12% in households in th=
e past year, from a 7.5/14 in November 2005 to a 6.6/12 in November 2006. W=
NBC has fallen similarly, while WCBS inched up 1/10 of a ratings point.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6407459.html?display=3DNews
=20
BEWARE THE FCC'S NEW KIDS-WEB RULES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Tarah Grant, attorney]
[Commentary] The FCC=92s new Website-display rules, including a two-click p=
olicy, became effective Jan. 2, and Website developers need to understand t=
hem. This will be a challenge, given the FCC=92s inadequate guidance. Under=
the new rules, broadcasters and cable operators may not display a Website =
address during programming directed to children age 12 and under unless the=
Website complies with FCC standards. The new rules seem to mandate that We=
bsite e-commerce areas are not directly accessible from the Web page whose =
address is displayed in the programming (that is, such commercial content m=
ust be =93two clicks=94 away).But the FCC is vague. The FCC should follow t=
he FTC=92s lead. A =93How To Design a Children=92s Television Act-Compliant=
Website=94 guide, which would provide practical diagrams and hypotheticals=
, would be a helpful tool to broadcasters, cable operators and program prod=
ucers, who could direct their Website developers to the FCC publication. Th=
ey=92re going
to need it.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6407357.html?display=3DOpinion
=20
INDUSTRY EXPERTS: ANALOG OFF BY '09, WITH COMPLICATIONS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Television-industry leaders last week predicted the cutoff of analog over-t=
he-air TV in February 2009 would occur as planned. But, aware the issue is =
as politically sensitive as a lost Social Security check, they suggested th=
at just about anything could easily cloud their forecast. the termination o=
f analog TV is more complicated than the flip of a switch on Feb. 17, 2009.=
Postponing the deadline would delay the return of 84 MHz of TV spectrum t=
o the federal government, including 24 MHz earmarked for police, fire and e=
mergency crews for mobile broadband interoperability. The other 60 MHz of s=
pectrum has been designated for auction to commercial wireless broadband pr=
oviders. Proceeds from the sale, which by law must start next January, are=
expected to top $10 billion. If Congress is going to change the 2009 cutof=
f, it has to act sooner rather than later, presumably because auction bidde=
rs need to know whether they will take control of their Federal Communicati=
ons
Commission licenses immediately after the DTV transition.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6407432.html?display=3DPolicy
POLICYMAKERS
WIRED
[SOURCE: Capital Eye, AUTHOR: Lindsay Renick Mayer]
According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, more than 100 =
former FCC employees have also worked in the private sector. At least 50 pe=
rcent of them have lobbied on issues related to telecom, communications and=
broadcast at some point in their careers. Although the FCC is considered a=
=93mid-size=94 government agency with nearly 1,850 employees (compared to =
the Department of Defense=92s 675,000 employees), the Center=92s new Revolv=
ing Door Database lists the FCC as the agency with the third-highest number=
of employees who have shuffled between the public and private interests fo=
cused on the federal government.
Only the White House and the House of Representatives have more =93revolvin=
g door=94 employees in the 6,400-person database, suggesting a high demand =
from law and lobbying firms for media and telecom expertise, said Mark Obbi=
e, a journalism professor at Syracuse University who specializes in media l=
aw. =93This is a hot practice area because policy is very much in flux. So =
the firms can dangle increasingly attractive offers in front of agency lawy=
ers, because their clients are spending lots of money right now on this exp=
ertise,=94 Obbie said. Today, there should be greater separation between th=
e private and public sectors , Stamm said. =93You=92d have a much better FC=
C if there was a revolving door between civically minded think tanks and th=
e FCC, as opposed to private-sector, pro-corporate lobbyists and the FCC,=
=94 he said. =93This is the stuff of the American culture and democracy. Lo=
ok at the industry [the FCC] is regulating. Not steel. Not widgets. It=92s =
regulating
culture and the flow of information.=94
http://capitaleye.org/inside.asp?ID=3D242
See also --
* Uncommon Candor
[SOURCE: MediaGeek ]
[Commentary]=20
I have to reflect that the temptation to sell out as a FCC commissioner mus=
t be strong. Former chair Michael Powell had a soft landing with a lucrativ=
e and cushy position with a private equity fund specializing in media prope=
rties after he left the FCC in 2005. Sucking up to the desires of the indus=
tries you regulate certainly has its privileges. Without Copps=92 and Adels=
tein=92s dogged opposition to the Republican give-away campaign at the Comm=
ission we=92d all be much worse off. Most tangibly, without them the AT&T-B=
ellSouth merger would have been rubber-stamped without a single condition i=
n support of the public interest, let alone network neutrality.=20
http://www.mediageek.net/?p=3D1493
See also --
* The Two Digital Divides
http://www.uspirg.org/html/consumer/archives/2007/01/ncmr2007_the_di.html
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enjoy the holiday.
...and we are outta here.
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ided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through Frida=
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