EDTECH
Bandwidth Constraints Begin to Worry Schools (NYT)
A Universal Library (NYT)
BROADCASTING
On TV; Not One Big, Happy Family Anymore (LA)
FCC to Announces Filing Windows for Low Power FM (FCC)
EDTECH
BANDWIDTH CONSTRAINTS BEGIN TO WORRY SCHOOLS
Issue: EdTech
Although schools have made significant progress in the past few years by
getting connected to the Internet, they are certainly among those who would
like to upgrade to faster access. This is a concern for Jeff Ogden,
associate director at Merit Network Inc., a nonprofit corporation that
provides networking services for many of the K-12 schools in Michigan. "The
vast majority of schools that have Internet access have relatively small
levels of bandwidth," he said. Once challenge to increasing bandwidth is the
fact that schools must negotiate so many different goals competing for
limited technology budgets -- such as more computers, teacher training and
technical assistance. As a result, upgrading a school's network
infrastructure may take a back seat to other demands. "For some school
districts, higher speed access is a priority," Mr. Ogden said, "But not the
majority. I think we have a ways to go in terms of showing teachers how it
can be used effectively."
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Susan Stellin]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/11/technology/11EDUCATION.html)
(requires registration)
A UNIVERSAL LIBRARY
Issue: Spectrum
[Op-Ed} Lawrence Grossman, former president of NBC News and PBS, and Newton
Minow, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and PBS,
propose that Congress direct funds raised by the auction of spectrum to
create a public trust administered on the model of the National Science
Foundation. They argue that the frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum
are among our nations most valuable and yet little known public assets. The
Congressional Budget Office estimates the auctions of these public assets to
raise $28 billion over the next 10 years. Grossman and Minow propose using
$18 billion from this windfall to make a digital gift to the nation: a
"Digital Opportunity Investment Trust" to fund public, educational uses of
the Internet and other digital communications technologies.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Lawrence K. Grossman (former president of
NBC News and PBS) and Newton N. Minow (former chairman of the Federal
Communications Commission and PBS)]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/10/opinion/10MINO.html)
(requires registration)
BROADCASTING
ON TV; NOT ONE BIG, HAPPY FAMILY ANYMORE
Issue: Television
In March, 600 television stations filed a complaint with the Federal
Communications Commission, contending the networks are abusing their
relationship with affiliates--in violation, the stations argued, of existing
communications law. Local affiliates feel threatened by the increasing
amount of power held by networks they acquire more O&Os-that is, stations
that they "own and operate." Many broadcasters fear that the government will
further relax rules limiting how many TV stations a company can amass,
allowing the networks to further consolidate their power. "It's clear the
networks have gone dramatically over the line," said Alan Frank, president
of the Post-Newsweek TV station group. "And if you lift the ownership cap,
the abuses will be worse."
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Brian Lowry]
(http://www.calendarlive.com/top/1,1419,L-LATimes-TV-X!ArticleDetail-28734,0
0.html)
FCC TO ANNOUNCES FILING WINDOWS FOR LOW POWER FM
Issue: Low Power Radio
FCC has announced it the final filing windows low power FM applications. The
Commission is consolidating the filing window for states in Groups 4 and 5
to speed the filing process for applicants in these remaining states.
Applications will be accepted for the following stations from June 11
through June 15, 2001: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Guam, Iowa,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin
Islands, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Public_Notices/FM_Windows/2001/da0109
04.html)
--------------------------------------------------------------