JOURNALISM
Wall St. Journal Editors Held News of Murdoch Bid
Stamping Out Diverse Voices
Media power in the campaign
CNN Puts No Restrictions On Debate Footage
NAA Study: Newspaper Web Users Above Average in Many Ways
A Museum for Artifacts of the News Media=92s Hunters and Gatherers
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Fox Interactive Nears Deal to Buy Photobucket
News Corp. Sells Stake in Rival Fairfax
Clear Channel Postpones Vote, Giving Suitors=92 Bid More Time
Thomson outlines =A38.8bn offer for Reuters
INTERNET/BROADBAND
We're stuck in the slow lane of the information highway
Local Officials Call for Broadband Partnerships
CABLE
FCC's Martin Pledges to Keep Voice/Video Playing Field Even
McSlarrow Open To Market-Driven A La Carte
Time Warner sees more cable TV consolidation
ABC, Cox Bar Ad Skipping in Video on Demand
TELECOM
AT&T Says Costs Rise For TV System's Launch
CHILDREN & MEDIA
Despite warnings, most U.S. babies watch TV
Senate Prepares To Weigh In On Violence
FCC Says CW'S Xiaolin Episode Was Program-Length Ad
Universal Pitches Kid-Friendly Remote
QUICKLY -- HDTV Messes Up Service for Deaf;=20
Survey shatters technology assumptions; The Iraq=20
War, with Many Subplots, Dominates the News; Working Without Wires
JOURNALISM
WALL ST JOURNAL EDITORS HELD NEWS OF MURDOCH BID
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Ross Sorkin]
One of the trickiest things for a news=20
organization to do is cover itself. That was the=20
situation some editors at The Wall Street Journal=20
found themselves in last month when they learned=20
that Rupert Murdoch=92s News Corporation was making=20
a $5 billion bid for The Journal=92s parent, Dow=20
Jones, at least a week before the news broke=20
elsewhere. It was one of the biggest business=20
news events of the year, the kind that The=20
Journal would typically pursue aggressively. But=20
Paul E. Steiger, the paper=92s top editor who knew=20
of Mr. Murdoch=92s offer, decided not to publish=20
any news of it, according to people inside of Dow=20
Jones who were briefed on the situation. As a=20
result, The Journal was beaten on its own story=20
when the bid was first reported last Tuesday on=20
the financial news channel CNBC; The Journal=20
posted its version soon after. That day, Dow=20
Jones=92s stock rose to $58.47, a gain of more than=20
50 percent. It is not unusual for senior editors=20
at news organizations to balance their corporate=20
and editorial roles when faced with these kind of=20
decisions. But one unusual aspect of this story=20
was that some investors may also have learned=20
about the deal before the news broke, and traded=20
on that information. As a result, the questions=20
of who knew what and when they knew it inside The=20
Journal could become an issue in inquiries by the=20
Securities and Exchange Commission and the New=20
York state attorney general into an unusual spike=20
in trading in options to buy Dow Jones stock=20
ahead of a formal announcement of the offer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/business/media/08journal.html
(requires registration)
See also --
* America Needs to Give Rupert Murdoch More Media Power
[SOURCE: The Huffington Post, AUTHOR: Norman Horwitz]
[Commentary] Horwitz looks back at an op-ed he=20
wrote 5 years ago: Looking back on our nation's=20
history, it seemed reasonable to have regulations=20
that prevented a concentration of media=20
ownership. It made sense that if you owned a=20
newspaper in a market, you should have been=20
precluded from owning a radio or television=20
station in that same market. Certainly the=20
passage of time and the miracles of technology=20
have given many voices the opportunity to be=20
heard in each market. Sadly, some of the voices=20
are considerably louder than others. Governmental=20
decisions regarding the media should be governed=20
by the public interest, not corporate interest.=20
One solution would be for the FCC to at least=20
maintain current media regulations until, say,=20
2020, to allow the competitive conditions to=20
level out. This might not suit the interests of=20
Michael Eisner, Rupert Murdoch, Bob Wright, Steve=20
Case or Sumner Redstone. But it might just suit=20
the best interests of the citizens of the U.S. of A.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-horowitz/america-needs-to-give-rup_...
7854.html
STAMPING OUT DIVERSE VOICES
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Postal rate increases are an=20
unwelcome fact of life for every magazine=20
publisher. But it seems the steep new increases=20
for periodicals, scheduled to begin on July 15,=20
will inflict undue hardship on small independent=20
magazines that do much to inform the national=20
discourse on politics and culture. They will be=20
required to pay a much higher percentage increase=20
than some of the largest magazines. Of course,=20
the Postal Service needs revenue, and popular=20
magazines published by Time Warner and others may=20
deserve some discount for mailing efficiencies.=20
But rates must be structured to avoid impeding=20
the easy dissemination of information, which the=20
founding fathers sought to protect by creating a national postal system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/opinion/08tue4.html
(requires registration)
MEDIA POWER IN THE CAMPAIGN
[SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor, AUTHOR: Dante Chinni]
[Commentary] Who needs the old media anymore?=20
Candidates can talk directly to voters and=20
mobilize supporters. Sens. Barack Obama and=20
Hillary Clinton even announced their candidacies=20
with online videos. Has the old-time media=20
monopoly on the year leading into the campaign=20
been broken? Not completely. Weighing against the=20
old media's power is an open field with a few=20
presumed front-runners but no dominant candidate.=20
The news media are trying to find one. When all=20
is said and done, however, we may go into 2008=20
with baskets full of stories that have done=20
little to winnow the field but left voters=20
fatigued before a single vote is cast. At the=20
same time, another factor is in play that may=20
have actually increased the press's power for=20
2008: an extremely compressed primary schedule.=20
Some states, tired of seeing the power that Iowa=20
and New Hampshire wield each presidential season,=20
have moved up the dates of their votes. Because=20
of those changes, and others proposed, by March=20
4, 2008, 40 states will have held their primaries=20
=96 including the 10 most populous. What would that=20
mean? The long-shot candidates would be in a very=20
difficult situation. That compact schedule would=20
rob them of the two things they need: the time to=20
catch fire with voters and the money that comes=20
with a sudden rise in public consciousness.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0508/p09s02-codc.html
* Netroots on shaky ground
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-oe-goldberg8may08,1...
62139.column?coll=3Dla-news-a_section
(requires registration)
CNN PUTS NO RESTRICTIONS ON DEBATE FOOTAGE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
CNN's Wolf Blitzer told viewers on-air Monday=20
that the network's presidential debate coverage=20
would be available without restriction for other=20
news outlets to excerpt, stream or otherwise use=20
on-air and online. The network had made the=20
decision over the weekend after political=20
activist groups, followed by candidates Barack=20
Obama and John Edwards, asked that the footage be=20
made available. CNN is teaming with=20
Hearst-Argyle's WMUR-TV Manchester (NH) on two=20
debates, with Democrats squaring off June 3 and Republicans June 5.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439906.html
NAA STUDY: NEWSPAPERS WEB USERS ABOVE AVERAGE IN MANY WAYS
[SOURCE: Editor&Publisher, AUTHOR: Jennifer Saba]
Thirty-seven percent of all active Internet users=20
visited newspaper web sites in the first quarter=20
of 2007, according to a study by the Newspaper=20
Association of America. The study found that=20
nearly 88% newspaper Web site visitors have made=20
a purchase online in the last six months,=20
compared with 79% of the overall Internet=20
audience. About 73% of newspaper Web site=20
visitors go online every day, compared with 57.8%=20
of the entire Internet population. The study also=20
found that online newspaper readers are more=20
likely to read blogs -- 28.4%, versus 16.7% of=20
the total online population. More than one in=20
five newspaper Web site visitors have read about=20
politics, compared with 10.8% of the overall=20
Internet population. Forty-two percent of those=20
who have visited newspapers online have viewed=20
streaming video on their computers in the last 30=20
days, compared with 27.4% of the overall Internet=20
population. Nearly 29% of newspaper Web site=20
visitors have sought out or posted a product=20
review, compared with 16% of the overall Web population.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...
t_id=3D1003581460
A MUSEUM FOR ARTIFACTS OF THE NEWS MEDIA'S HUNTERS AND GATHERS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Katharine Seelye]
More than six years in the making and costing=20
$435 million, Newseum may be one of the world=92s=20
most expensive museums now under construction. It=20
is certainly among the most prominent, perched on=20
the last buildable site on the presidential=20
inaugural parade route between the Capitol and=20
the White House. The Newseum will have 600=20
artifacts on display, one-tenth of its=20
collection. The Newseum=92s goal is to present the=20
=93first rough draft of history=94 in all its glory=20
and some of its shame, impressing upon visitors=20
the importance of the First Amendment=92s=20
protections of a free press. Newseum's big=20
challenges will be to attract visitors at a time=20
when surveys show that public respect for the news media has been ebbing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/arts/design/08muse.html
(requires registration)
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FOX INTERACTIVE NEARS DEAL TO BUY PHOTOBUCKET
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Brad Stone]
Photobucket, a four-year-old, rapidly growing Web=20
company, is in advanced talks to be acquired by=20
Fox Interactive Media, a division of the News=20
Corporation. Photobucket allows its users to=20
store photos and videos and then easily drop them=20
into their pages on prominent sites like=20
Facebook, eBay and particularly MySpace, which is=20
also owned by the News Corporation. The deal is=20
not yet complete, but the parties have ironed out=20
major issues and are focusing on finer points.=20
The price could be as high as $300 million. Last=20
month, MySpace blocked slide shows and videos=20
stored on Photobucket, saying the company was=20
violating its terms of service by embedding its=20
own advertisements in the media files. After a=20
week of discussions, the two companies resolved=20
their differences and MySpace removed the block.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/technology/08photo.html
(requires registration)
NEWS CORP SELLS STAKE IN RIVAL FAIRFAX
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has sold its entire=20
7.5 percent stake in rival Australian company=20
Fairfax Media for about 380 million Australian=20
dollars ($312 million), both companies said=20
Monday. News Corp. purchased the stake in Fairfax=20
-- which publishes The Sydney Morning Herald, The=20
Age and The Australian Financial Review -- in=20
October last year, describing it as a strategic=20
and friendly investment. Analysts speculated=20
Australian-born Murdoch wanted a seat at the=20
table in any split-up of Fairfax following=20
changes to Australia's media ownership laws last=20
month. Analysts said he may have had his eye on=20
the Australian Financial Review to add to his=20
existing newspaper titles in Australia, which=20
include Melbourne's Herald Sun and the national Australian newspaper.
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?Feed=3DAP...
te=3D20070507&ID=3D6851523
CLEAR CHANNEL POSTPONES VOTE, GIVING SUITORS' BID MORE TIME
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Michael de la Merced]
Clear Channel, owner of the largest network of=20
radio stations in the nation, yesterday postponed=20
a shareholder vote on a revised buyout offer by=20
two private equity firms. The delay gives the=20
offer, which was rejected by Clear Channel=92s=20
board last Thursday, a new lease on life. Several=20
major shareholders, led by Highfields Capital=20
Management, had pushed for more time to consider=20
the new offer, which was to have been voted on=20
today. The shareholder vote, which has now been=20
postponed three times, was rescheduled for May 22.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/business/media/08clear.html
(requires registration)
THOMPSON OUTLINES =A38.8 BILLION FOR REUTERS
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Maggie Urry]
Outline details of a merger between the Thomson=20
Corporation and Reuters Group were disclosed on=20
Tuesday. Under the plans Tom Glocer, Reuters=92=20
chief executive, would become chief executive of=20
the combined company, which would be called=20
Thomson-Reuters. Richard Harrington, Thomson=20
president and chief executive, would retire. The=20
two companies said they expected annual savings=20
from the merger of $500m within three years. The=20
Thomson Financial unit would be combined with=20
Reuters financial and media businesses and would be called Reuters.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2d832d64-fd2e-11db-8d62-000b5df10621.html
(requires subscription)
INTERNET/BROADBAND
WE'RE STUCK IN THE SLOW LANE OF THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] When it comes to reasonably priced,=20
high-speed Internet service, the United States is=20
an embarrassment. Despite years of promises from=20
politicians and technology titans, the U.S.=20
continues to lag far behind our global=20
competitors. Worse, much of U.S. "broadband"=20
service is only a smidgen faster than a dial-up=20
modem. Both government and the telecommunications=20
industry are to blame. The technology to deliver=20
truly high-speed Internet access is there,=20
especially for cable subscribers. Customers need=20
to demand better service from providers. The=20
government needs to step in, too. The U.S. needs=20
a national strategy to get affordable broadband=20
to every man, woman and child by the end of the=20
decade. The federal government's lack of=20
leadership in this area is a disgrace. Despite a=20
2004 promise by President Bush to deliver=20
"universal, affordable access to broadband=20
technology by the year 2007," his administration=20
has done nothing to advance that goal.
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_5836382?nclick_check=3D1
* A world laggard, the U.S. needs a real policy=20
to bring affordable, high-speed Internet service to everyone
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Vindu Goel]
http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/vindu/2007/05/06/a-world-laggard-the-us-n...
s-a-real-policy-to-bring-affordable-high-speed-internet-service-to-everyone/
CONVENTION SPEAKERS CALL FOR BROADBAND PARTNERSHIPS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
At the National Cable & Telecommunications=20
Association convention, local government=20
officials argued that their proximity to end=20
users, and knowledge of specific local issues,=20
are the key to strategies to drive broadband to=20
the most rural of users. At a panel of state and=20
local regulators, speakers stated that=20
public/private partnerships are the key to=20
eliminating the digital divide, even to the most=20
rural homes. They decried bills, which several=20
speakers said fail to mandate that new carriers=20
extend new technology to unserved areas, let=20
alone duplicate the service areas of incumbent video providers.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6439929.html
CABLE
FCC'S MARTIN PLEDGES TO KEEP VOICE/VIDEO FIELD EVEN
[SOURCE: MediaWeek, AUTHOR: Anthony Crupi]
Monday afternoon's opening session of the 2007=20
National Cable & Telecommunications Association's=20
annual Cable Show confab in Las Vegas kicked off=20
with a brief address from Federal Communications=20
Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who is less=20
than revered in cable circles, given his=20
perceived hostility toward the industry. And=20
while he wasn't greeted with an overwhelming=20
applause, Martin didn't draw any caws from the=20
boo birds, either. Chairman Martin, who has been=20
aggressive in his regulation of digital cable=20
services, is widely seen as a powerful antagonist=20
to cable's ambitions to maintain its relative=20
stranglehold over the broadband space. He=92s also=20
a supporter of the wildly unpopular a la carte=20
pricing plan =AD=AD all of which makes him something=20
of a pariah in the estimation of the cable crowd.=20
Starting his address with a quick read of some of=20
the trade press=92 more strident coverage from the=20
past few weeks, Chairman Martin said that he=20
wanted =93to set the record straight,=94 counting off=20
a litany of instances in which he as FCC chairman had actually supported ca=
ble.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=3D100...
1821
* Text of Chairman Martin's remarks:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-272897A1.doc
* FCC's Martin Supports a la Carte
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=3D12012
(requires free registration)
* Martin Defends Record at Vegas Cable Confab
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6439937.html
MCSLARROW OPEN TO MARKET-DRIVEN A LA CARTE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
National Cable & Telecommunications President=20
Kyle McSlarrow says he is not opposed to a la=20
carte if the marketplace drives that model, as he=20
says it might, but that it is not the=20
government's place to impose it on the industry.=20
Pointing out that FCC Chairman Martin has pushed=20
for both voluntary and mandatory a la carte at=20
different times, McSlarrow said that it is=20
virtually impossible to anticipate what the TV=20
marketplace will look like in five or 10 years,=20
but said that "there does seem to be a greater=20
drive in the marketplace to on-demand viewing,=20
whatever the platform." McSlarrow said that, as a=20
result, "in this age of on-demand and DVRs and=20
day-and-date windows, a different marketplace=20
model emerges. And if so, then that is the right answer."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439778.html
See interview at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439377.html
TIME WARNER SEES MORE CABLE TV CONSOLIDATION
[SOURCE: Reuters]
Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons said on Monday he=20
expects two to three big cable system operators=20
to remain over the next five years as the=20
industry girds against competition from phone=20
companies. Higher spending to upgrade older cable=20
television systems to offer high-speed Internet=20
and digital phone services could crimp smaller=20
operators. This article does NOT mention a=20
possible rule change at the FCC limiting one=20
provider's reach to 30% of U.S. pay-TV subscribers.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=3DindustryNews&storyID=
=3D2007-05-07T225957Z_01_N07220035_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-TIMEWARNER-CEO-DC.XML
* More on FCC cable caps
http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=3Dnode/5388
ABC, COX BAR AD SKIPPING IN VIDEO ON DEMAND
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Brooks Barnes brooks.barnes( at )wsj.com ]
Walt Disney's two big TV networks, ABC and ESPN,=20
have struck a deal with cable operator Cox=20
Communications Inc. to offer hit shows and=20
football games on demand -- but with the unusual=20
condition that Cox disables the fast-forward=20
feature that allows viewers to skip ads. The=20
agreement only applies to programs available on=20
Cox's video-on-demand menu, so it doesn't affect=20
viewers using digital video recorders to fast=20
forward through ads. Nevertheless, it sets a=20
valuable precedent for broadcasters. TV networks=20
have been struggling as audiences erode and ad=20
sales drop because new technology -- including=20
rapidly growing video-on-demand services --=20
allows viewers to avoid commercials altogether.=20
The deal, expected to be announced today at the=20
National Cable Television Association's annual=20
convention in Las Vegas, could make it easier for=20
the major networks to make their most popular=20
shows available on demand free. Because networks=20
have found it difficult to sell advertising for=20
on-demand broadcasts, most offered only a few=20
shows -- and viewers usually have had to pay a=20
fee of 99 cents per episode to watch those.=20
Broadcasters have been eager to include=20
advertising, however, because they see it as more=20
lucrative than charging for each episode. ABC and=20
other networks are also loath to allow viewers=20
access to shows without any advertising component=20
because they worry it will train them to expect=20
that type of viewing experience all the time.=20
("Bad. Bad viewer. Watch your commercials.")
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117859428581995482.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
TELECOM
AT&T SAYS COSTS RISE FOR TV SYSTEM'S LAUNCH
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Dionne=20
Searcey dionne.searcey( at )wsj.com and Peter Grant peter.grant( at )wsj.com]
AT&T says it will spend as much as $1.4 billion=20
more than anticipated on rolling out its new TV=20
system, called U-verse. The San Antonio phone and=20
Internet company plans to spend as much as $6.5=20
billion by 2008 on the Internet-based TV service=20
that will help it compete with cable companies,=20
which are rolling out phone service. Overall,=20
AT&T's capital-spending budget won't change, the=20
company said. A spokesman declined to specify how=20
the new figures would affect other parts of the=20
capital budget. The company lowered by one=20
million the number of homes to which it will=20
offer U-verse by the end of 2008 to 18 million in=20
the 13 states that make up the former SBC=20
Communications operating region. It plans to=20
eventually exceed that number by adding customers=20
in the Southeast region that makes up the old BellSouth Corp. territory.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117856112849694724.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)
* AT&T raises spending plan for U-verse
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN0841259520070508
CHILDREN & MEDIA
DESPITE WARNINGS, MOST BABIES WATCH TV
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Julie Steenhuysen]
About 90 percent of U.S. children under age 2 and=20
as many as 40 percent of infants under three=20
months are regular watchers of television, DVDs=20
and videos, researchers said on Monday. This=20
despite the many e-mails, fliers and warning=20
labels sent to these kids by childrens'=20
advocates. About half of the shows watched were=20
in the educational category, with the remainder=20
split evenly among noneducational children's=20
content, baby DVDs/videos and adult TV. A second=20
study suggested excessive TV viewing can lead to=20
attention and learning problems down the road.=20
The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that=20
children in the United States watch about four=20
hours of television every day. They recommend=20
that children under age 2 should not watch any=20
and older children should watch no more than 2=20
hours a day of quality programming. But 29=20
percent of parents surveyed believe baby-oriented=20
TV and DVD programs offer educational benefits.=20
How could they get that idea? Could it have=20
anything to do with advertising? "Parents are=20
getting the message loud and clear from marketers=20
of TV and videos that this is good for their=20
kids. That it will help their brain development=20
... None of this stuff has ever been proven,"=20
said Frederick Zimmerman of the University of=20
Washington, whose research appears in the=20
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0734098220070507
* More toddlers have own TVs, study finds
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0705060400may07,1,532...
2.story?coll=3Dchi-news-hed
SENATE PREPARES TO WEIGH IN ON VIOLENCE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a=20
hearing on media violence for May 17. With the=20
backing of Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye=20
(D-Hawaii), committee member and media violence=20
critic Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) plans to=20
introduce a bill that would give the FCC the=20
ability to regulate TV violence as it does=20
indecency, which it channels to a time when=20
children are least likely to be in the audience (10 p.m.-6 a.m.).
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439903.html
* Senate Commerce Committee press release
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=3DPressReleases.D...
il&PressRelease_id=3D248806&Month=3D5&Year=3D2007
-- Links to some recent commentary on the issue --
* Studies prove TV's effect on child development
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070507/OPINION0...
05070378/1007/OPINION
* Threat of regulation may compel changes
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070507/OPINION0...
05070354/-1/RSS
* Government cannot be the parent
http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070507/OPINION01/7...
70356/1007/MTCN0305
* FCC proposal to regulate TV violence is a real turn-off
http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070507/COLUMN0703/70...
0334/1064
* Give TV viewers information, not regulation
http://www.heraldextra.com//content/view/221016/
* Paws off the cable box, FCC
http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070506/OPINION0...
05060332/1014/OPINION
* Curb TV violence? Think it through
http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20070507/LIFE/705070...
/1005
FCC SAYS CW'S XIAOLIN EPISODE WAS PROGRAM-LENGTH AD
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC has concluded that the Dec. 23, 2006,=20
airing of kids show Xiaolin Showdown was a=20
program-length commercial that could draw a fine.=20
That's because a network ad for Cocoa Pebbles --=20
ironically a cereal inspired by a TV show --=20
included a brief glimpse of Xiaolin characters in=20
the navigation bar for the postopia.com Web site.=20
That was just one of several shows the FCC cited=20
in proposing fining five TV staions a total of=20
$39,000 for violating its kids TV rules. Four of=20
the five were cited for exceeding the kids ad=20
limits--10.5 minutes per hour on weekends, 12=20
minutes on weekdays--with fines ranging from $3,000 to $12,000.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439867.html
UNIVERSAL PITCHES KID-FRIENDLY REMOTE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Universal Electronics is at the National Cable &=20
Telecommunications Association convention selling=20
a remote control that will only surf to=20
kid-friendly channels. Called The Cricket, the=20
remote is programmed with a limited number of=20
preset channels -- it has only 14 buttons,=20
including large branded channel buttons (Disney,=20
Nickelodeon, noggin, PBS, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network).
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6439750.html
QUICKLY
HDTV MESSES UP SERVICE FOR DEAF
[SOURCE: RedOrbit]
As high-definition TV gains momentum in the=20
United States, broadcasters, set-top box=20
manufacturers and cable and satellite companies=20
are struggling to provide closed captioning.=20
While most older analog sets provide captions=20
with the touch of a remote control button or via=20
a simple on-screen menu, it's more complicated to=20
get closed captioning on the newest digital TVs=20
that get their signal through cable and satellite=20
boxes rather than antennas. That's because the=20
signal is processed by the box and the caption=20
settings must be matched to the resolution of the=20
TV display. For the deaf community, captioning is a serious issue.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/926168/hdtv_messes_up_service_fo...
eaf/index.html
SURVEY SHATTERS TECHNOLOGY ASSUMPTIONS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
A broad survey about the technology people have,=20
how they use it, and what they think about it=20
shatters assumptions and reveals where companies=20
might be able to expand their audiences. The Pew=20
Internet and American Life Project found that=20
adult Americans are broadly divided into three=20
groups: 31 percent are elite technology users, 20=20
percent are moderate users and the remainder have=20
little or no usage of the Internet or cell=20
phones. But Americans are divided within each=20
group, according to a Pew analysis of 2006 data=20
released Sunday. The high-tech elites, for=20
instance, are almost evenly split into:=20
"Omnivores," who fully embrace technology and=20
express themselves creatively through blogs and=20
personal Web pages. "Connectors," who see the=20
Internet and cell phones as communications tools.=20
"Productivity enhancers," who consider technology=20
as largely ways to better keep up with their jobs=20
and daily lives. "Lackluster veterans," those who=20
use technology frequently but aren't thrilled by it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070506/ap_on_hi_te/internet_study;_ylt=3DA0...
U65pj5GJAgBYBxu24cA
* A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/213/report_display.asp
THE IRAQ WAR, WITH MANY SUBPLOTS, DOMINATE THE NEWS
[SOURCE: Project for Excellence in Journalism, AUTHOR: Mark Jurkowitz]
The controversy generated by former CIA Director=20
George Tenet=92s new book was the fourth biggest=20
story last week, filling 5% of the overall=20
newshole, according to PEJ=92s News Coverage Index=20
from April 29 through May 4. But the Tenet=20
tempest was really part of a bigger subject --=20
the conflict in Iraq -- that continues to=20
dominate the media landscape like no other issue,=20
and which last week spawned many different story=20
lines. The internal U.S. debate over Iraq policy=20
was the week=92s second biggest story, at 12% while=20
the situation inside Iraq was the third leading=20
story at 7%. Secretary of State Condoleezza=20
Rice=92s delicate diplomatic tango with Syria (she=20
talked to its foreign minister) and Iran (she=20
didn=92t meet with its foreign minister) at last=20
week=92s conference on Iraq=92s future was the sixth=20
biggest story (4%). The impact of the Iraq war on=20
the American homefront, while failing to make the=20
top story list, attracted 1% of the overall=20
coverage. All combined, those five Iraq-related=20
stories accounted for 29% of the news coverage=20
last week, clearly making the war the dominant broad theme.
http://www.journalism.org/node/5463
WORKING WITHOUT WIRES
[SOURCE: Governing.com, AUTHOR: Christopher Swope]
Looking at Corpus Christi (TX) as an example --=20
municipal Wi-Fi is coming. Government employees,=20
not citizens, may be the biggest users.
http://www.governing.com/articles/5wifi.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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