OWNERSHIP
DirecTV Fulfills Murdoch's 20-Year Dream
FCC's Powell Defends Index Idea on Media Ownership
BROADBAND
Internet Via the Power Grid: New Interest in Obvious Idea
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ICTs in Africa Require Effective Use of Old, New Media
OWNERSHIP
DIRECTV FULFILLS MURDOCH'S 20-YEAR DREAM
News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch realized a decades-long wish yesterday when he
announced a deal to buy a controlling stake in DirecTV parent Hughes
Electronics for $6.6 billion. Since the early 1980s, Murdoch has sought to
bring a US-based satellite company under his control, and DirecTV is the
nation's largest with over 11 million subscribers. Critics fear that the
deal will raise consumer prices for both satellite and cable services, spawn
copycat mergers and allow New Corp. to discriminate against certain
broadcasters.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: David Lieberman]
(http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2003-04-09-murdoch_x.htm)
FCC'S POWELL DEFENDS INDEX IDEA ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC Chairman Michael Powell said yesterday that he supports adopting an
empirical method for assessing diversity in individual media markets.
Speaking to the National Association of Broadcasters at their national
convention, Powell reported that a mathematical formula seemed more
desirable than having to individually assess each market whenever a company
proposes to buy another property. Fellow Commissioner Kevin Martin expressed
concern over incorporating complex mathematics versus using "simple rules"
to measure voices. Separately, FCC Media Bureau chief Kenneth Ferree
indicated that there would "be no delay" on the Commission's stated June 2
deadline for rulemaking on media ownership.
[Sources: Forbes, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky, Reuters]
(http://www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/04/08/rtr933514.html)
BROADBAND
INTERNET VIA THE POWER GRID: NEW INTEREST IN OBVIOUS IDEA
"I was struck by how it has matured," said FCC Chairman Michael Powell,
referring to technology that makes broadband Internet available over power
lines. While touring a test facility in Potomac, Maryland, Powell indicated
that the FCC would undertake a regulatory proceeding to spur commercial
deployment. The idea of using the power grid is not new, but utilities
companies have been thus far reluctant to adopt the technology. Despite some
skepticism on the part of technologists, several methods of delivery are
currently being tested.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHORS: John Markoff and Matt Richtel]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/technology/10POWE.html)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ICTS IN AFRICA REQUIRE EFFECTIVE USE OF OLD, NEW MEDIA
The Economics Commission for Africa's Broadcasting Development Workshop this
week focused on placing homegrown broadcasting at the center of development.
Recognizing that new technologies present exciting opportunities for growth,
ECA executive director K. Y. Amoako said that knowledge providers must
ensure that all manner of technology, both old and new, are used to reach
all African people. Taiwo Allimi of Voice of Nigeria also noted the
importance of broadcast, stating that Western stations are not concerned
with African issues and therefore a grassroots effort should be made to
create "broadcast system oriented to true African needs and aspirations."
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Helena Megersa, The Daily Monitor (Addis
Ababa)]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200304080150.html)
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