Education Technology
USAToday: School Computers, Tools or Toys?
USAToday: Kids Need Modern Tools
Television
NTIA: Advisory Committee on Public Interest
Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters
NYT: NBC and some powerful politicians square off
over the new ratings system
WSJ: Wal-Mart Uses TV-Set Displays For Ad Network
Cable
NYT: In Some Towns, Folks Just Say No To Cable Companies
Payphone
WSJ: Pay-Phone Operators Ring In Deregulated Era Today
WP: Pay Phone Companies Allowed to Raise Prices
Internet
WSJ: Electric Outlets Could Be Link To the Internet
WSJ: GTE Says Baby Bells, Netscape, Yahoo! Formed Internet
Yellow Pages Cartel
NYT: GTE Sues Netscape and Yahoo Over Internet Yellow Pages Access
WP: A Pressing Matter of Addressing: Who'll Decide Domains?
WP: The New Economy: Microsoft
Privacy
WP: Our Data, Our Rights
NYT: Clinton's Top Internet Advisor Says Encryption Policy Is Unformed
Ownership
WP: Straight Angle
Arts
WP: Positive Power of Writing
InfoTech
WP: How Much Technology is too much?
Anne Wells Branscomb
** Education Technology **
Title: School Computers, Tools or Toys?
Source: USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/news/comment/nceditf.htm
Author: USA Today Editorial Staff
Issue: Education Technology
Description: Many view computers as a quick fix to our school systems
ailments. But unfortunately, not enough research is being done on how to
best use this new technology to improve learning. In order for school
systems to effectively harness communication and computer technology, the
teachers need to be trained in how to turn computers into more effective
classroom tools and curricula needs to be developed that compliments new
technological advancements. "Until more money is hot-wired for training,
the massive investment in school computers will continue to provide
disappointing returns."
Title: Kids Need Modern Tools
Source: USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/news/comment/ncoppf.htm
Author: FCC Chairman Reed Hundt
Issue: Education Technology
Description: As we move into the 21st century, one of the great needs of our
business world is a workforce who has communication and computer technology
skills. Yet in our nations school systems, almost 90 percent of our
children have no practical access to computer communication networks. In
order for children to succeed in the 21st century economy they need to get
their hands on the tools of today. "My view is that our national commitment
to connect every classroom in every school in the country to the Internet
will be our single greatest advance in quality and equality of education in
this century."
** Television **
Title: Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital
Television Broadcasters
Source: NTIA
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/froct7.htm
Issue: Digital TV
Description: The Federal Register notice of the first meeting of the
Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television
Broadcasters has been released. The meeting will take place October 22-23 in
Washington, DC. The President established the Advisory Committee to advise
the Vice President on the public interest obligations of digital
broadcasters. The Committee will study and recommend which public interest
obligations should accompany broadcasters' receipt of digital television
licenses. The President designated the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to provide secretariat services for the
Committee. [See the Committee's homepage at
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm and additional information
on the future of television at http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/]
Title: NBC and some powerful politicians square off
over the new ratings system
Source: New York Times
Author: Lawrie Mifflin
Issue: V-Chip
Description: NBC and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) are at odds over the new
television ratings system. While most tv networks began to use the
additional letters in their rating system last week, NBC has refused to do
so. Their refusal is based on their question of whether there will be "a
noticeable difference" between the new system and the one they currently
use. At this time NBC uses the "age group icons, supplemented by
full-sentence advisories (visual and audio) at the start of some shows."
Robert C. Wright, NBC's president, says "At this juncture, we feel strongly
that the additional labels merely add to parents' confusion." In response,
McCain states that "there are many families who want to know about the
content of shows, and want to use the V-chip to monitor what they watch."
Regardless of whether or not NBC's ratings system is less confusing, "they
would not be able to set off the V-chip, or electronic blocking device, which
is the reason for creating a ratings system in the first place." [For more
information on the V-Chip see http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/#vchip and
http://www.fcc.gov/vchip/]
Title: Wal-Mart Uses TV-Set Displays For Ad Network
Source: Wall Street Journal
http://wsj.com/ (B1)
Author: Yumiko Ono
Issue: Advertising
Description: Wal-Mart has come up with a use for all those televisions in
their 1,950 stores nationwide: the Wal-Mart Television Network. The retail
giant estimates that 30 million people per week wander through their
electronic section -- so they're guessing they'll draw 20 million attentive
viewers a month to the network (hey, that's better than ABC is doing with
the yellow ad campaign, isn't it?). Programming will point shoppers to all
the wonderful stuff on sale in the store. The move mirrors other efforts to
bombard people with advertising -- in doctors' offices, health clubs,
video-rental and auto-parts stores, airports, and even some 7-11's.
** Cable **
Title: In Some Towns, Folks Just Say No To Cable Companies
Source: New York Times, CyberTimes
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/100497cable.html
Author: Barnaby J. Feder
Issue: Cable Industry
Description: In a growing number of communities across the United States,
residents are encouraging their municipal utilities to
engage in competition with the private sector. Residents are encouraging
utility officials to start with the cable industry due to the industry's
rising rates, lack of control over local programming and slow pace at
upgrading networks. Members of smaller communities also are concerned about
their ability to obtain easy access to the Internet and other technological
advances. In addition to offering community members better cable and
communications services, municipalities are hoping to spur local economic
growth. In reaction to this new competition, cable companies have started
to cut rates and improve local service.
** Payphones **
Title: Pay-Phone Operators Ring In Deregulated Era Today
Source: Wall Street Journal
http://wsj.com/ (B4)
Author: Barbara Martinez
Issue: Telephone Regulation
Description: Pay-phone operators have been looking forward to this day as
the Federal Communications Commission has decided to "deregulate and
detariff" the service. In states that have already experimented with this, a
local phone call has risen from $0.25 to $0.35. Waiting in the wings are
decisions from the FCC on how much pay phone operators should be compensated
for calls to 800 numbers and dial-around services.
Title: Pay Phone Companies Allowed to Raise Prices
Source: Washington Post (D3)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-10/07/0881-100797-idx.html
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Telephone Regulation
Description: Starting today, a new law will allow pay phone companies to
charge whatever they please for coin-operated local calls. It also allows
them to charge by the minute for local calls, something that was previously
banned. Pay phone companies argue that the $4 billion industry has
become competitive, with pay phones being operated by 2,000 independent
companies. Owners of facilities in which phones are installed can also
influence rates. Bell Atlantic Corp., which operates most of D.C.'s pay
phones has "no announcement to make as of tomorrow when the regulations
change," said spokesman Jim Smith. "We're in the process of analyzing the
very complex markets we serve."
** Internet **
Title: Electric Outlets Could Be Link To the Internet
Source: Wall Street Journal
http://wsj.com/ (B6)
Author: Guatam Naik
Issue: Infrastructure
Description: Engineers claim they have developed technology that would allow
people to make phone calls and access the Internet at high sppeds through
the electrical outlets in walls. (How fast? Like the speed of light, man).
If the technology developed by United Utilities PLC and Northern Telecom Ltd
is successful, it would transform the world's power lines into major
conduits on the information superhighway and give electrical companies easy
entree into the phone and Internet access business. The companies believe
the technology is "ready for mass market" and will announce plans at a press
conference tomorrow. "At long last, the local monopoly of the incumbent
telecom operators is about to be demolished," said a spokesman.
Title: GTE Says Baby Bells, Netscape, Yahoo! Formed Internet Yellow Pages
Cartel
Source: Wall Street Journal
http://wsj.com/ (B6)
Author: Jared Sandberg
Issue: Internet
Description: GTE is claiming that the Baby Bells (Bell Atlantic, BellSouth,
Ameritech, US West, and SBC), Netscape and Yahoo! are in "a conspiracy to
capture, control, and dominate the Internet Yellow Pages market." In a suit
filed against the companies in US District Court in Washington, DC, GTE
claims that the five Bells agreed not to compete against each other with
national Internet Yellow Pages -- opting instead to divide the nation into
their specific regions. GTE runs its own service called Superpages.
Title: GTE Sues Netscape and Yahoo Over Internet Yellow Pages Access
Source: New York Times, D10
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/gte-internet-suit.html
Author: Steve Lohr
Issue: Internet
Description: The GTE Corporation filed an anti-trust suit against five
regional Bell telephone companies, Netscape Communications and Yahoo Inc.
yesterday accusing them of conspiring to limit competition in the market of
on-line yellow pages. GTE contends that the Bell companies pulled together
their resources for an exclusive contract with Netscape, whose reference
section is prepared by Yahoo. Before the contract, GTE, along with other
companies, had been included in the choices offered in Nets cape's reference
section. But as of July 18, the access to GTE's online yellow pages was
cut-off, "denying the Corporation access to one of the most heavily
trafficked locations on the Internet." Geoff Potter, a spokesman for one of
the Bell companies responded that the case was "without merit", "The notion
that any 1, 2 or 10 companies could monopolize the Internet is absurd on its
face." While this dispute raises questions about the "legal ground rules
covering the sale of 'real estate' on the web, analysts and anti-trusts
experts say GTE may have a difficult time proving its case."
Title: A Pressing Matter of Addressing: Who'll Decide Domains?
Source: Washington Post (D1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-10/07/0771-100797-idx.html
Author: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Issue: Internet Regulation
Description: The Internet Society of Reston, VA thinks that the process
of doling out addresses on the 'Net should be opened to competition. This
process is now largely controlled by Network Solutions, Inc. of Herndon, VA.
The society's chief exec, Donald Heath, has been advocating a global
approach to the global computer network. He has proposed adding new
suffixes like ".store" for retailers, and ".arts" for cultural groups. Under
the committee's new plan, the new and existing addresses would be handed out
by several competing firms. The process would be administered by an
internat'l committee incorporated in Switzerland. Opposition to the Internet
Society's plan say it was conceived without enough public input and places
too much power in the hands of the Internet Society, a nonprofit group of
Internet
technologists and enthusiasts.
Title: The New Economy: Microsoft
Source: Washington Post (A17)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-10/07/0171-100797-idx.html
Author: James K. Glassman
Issue: Internet: Economics
Description: What can be called the "New Economy" can be partly
attributed to what gov't dictates have done such as spreading free trade and
deregulating the transportation and communications industries. This has been
especially good for Microsoft, whose profits are now $3.4 billion on $11.4
billion in sales. The company has no debt and is sitting on $9 billion in
cash. The evidence of this "New Economy" can also be seen at Microsoft Corp.
itself. The culture emphasizes brainpower, flexibility, youth, hard work,
and a closeness to the customer (that's why they like to keep you on the
phone so long for support). The Microsoft Corp. culture is one that can
easily adapt to all of the rapid changes in technology. "We have directions
we're going in," says Mike Murray, the head of Microsoft's HR dept. "but
beyond that, things are constantly changing, you're always making course
corrections." Flexibility being the advantage of this company, Microsoft is
continually exploring new applications: satellites, cable TV, intranets,
voice-recognition technology, 3-D graphics, etc. They'll be spending $2
billion on research and development this year, most of it on basic research
with unknown applications.
** Privacy **
Title: Our Data, Our Rights
Source: Washington Post (A17)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-10/07/0151-100797-idx.html
Author: James B. Rule
Issue: Privacy
Description: We now live in a world where personal information on
"private" citizens has become a commodity for daily use in insurance sales,
aggressive marketing, credit allocation, and civil litigation. The worst
part is that personal data are subject to control by everyone but the person
depicted. For example, prescription data disclosed to pharmacists may be
"stripped" in the course of transmission to third-party payers, and thus
captured for marketing purposes. This is a classic situation where law has
failed to catch up social and technological reality. A basic legal
innovation could solve this problem: new legislation should require that no
sale or trade of personal data for any commercial purpose would be legal
without the expressed permission from the person concerned. Authorization
could also be revocable, and without it there should be the strictest of
confidentiality.
Title: Clinton's Top Internet Advisor Says Encryption Policy Is Unformed
Source: New York Times, CyberTimes
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/100797encrypt.html
Author: Martin Nisenholtz
Issue: Encryption
Description: Ira Magaziner, President Clinton's top internet advisor,
acknowledged yesterday that the administration lacked a firm position on the
issue of encryption when he told attendants at the High Tech Forum that "We
don't have a position." In response to Clinton's recent support of a bill
"that would allow U.S. law enforcement agencies access to coded messages"
Magaziner expressed hope that "we will resolve this in a way that will allow
encryption to go forward." During his speech, he "outlined the principles
of the Administration's strategy and the issues it raised."
** Ownership **
Title: Straight Angle
Source: Washington Post (D1) (10/6/97)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: Howard Kurtz
Issue: Newspapers/Media Ownership
Description: When the Washington Blade announced that they would launch a
gay newspaper in N.Y. in a joint venture with the Manhattan-based News
Communications, there were doubts that straight corporate owners could do
justice to gay journalism. Troy Masters, publisher of a gay biweekly called
LGNY in New York, said, "There is a concern any time a corporation comes in
with big money and says its going to the terms of debate in a community.
This is about selling ads and corporatizing gay culture." But Don Michaels,
publisher of the Washington Blade and the New York Blade News, dismissed the
carping. He insists that the New York paper wouldn't be an advocacy
publication. "The gay community has moved beyond the point of disdaining
alliances with the mainstream community."
** Arts **
Title: Positive Power of Writing
Source: Washington Post (D5) (10/6/97)
http://washingtonpost.com/
Author: Diane Naughton
Issue: Arts/Health
Description: Programs like New Horizons, the Write Away project, and
Positive Plus, believe in the therapeutic effects of writing on cancer
patients, or any patient with a serious disease or trauma. James Pennebaker,
a prof. of psychology at the Univ. of Texas, says that by translating
experiences into language, people start to organize otherwise overwhelming
events, making them smaller and easier to deal with. He said, "Particularly
important, writing moves us to resolution."
** InfoTech **
Title: How Much Technology is too much?
Source: Washington Post (WashTech, pg. 19) (10/6/97)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: William Casey
Issue: Technology Advancement
Description: New advancements at Intel and IBM have raised concerns over
a "gap of delivery", or the fact that there is technology being produced
faster than we can adapt to it. It's simpler to announce great leaps in
technology than for users to realize the actual benefit. The "gap of
delivery" is discernable on 3 levels: hardware evolves faster than the
system software needed for its operation, application software like word
processing are slow to reflect the best features the operating environments
have to offer, and the disparity between computer power available in the box
and computer power actually used. Fundamental issues of productivity
shouldn't hinge on faster processors or more memory, instead it should
involve creative and efficient use of computers.
CRH is saddened to report that Anne Wells Branscomb has passed away. Mrs.
Branscomb was a communications and computer lawyer and author of Who Owns
Information? (Basic Books, 1994). In 1975 she became one of the first policy
analysts to use the term "information infrastructure," writing a paper for
the Aspen Institute, "Beyond Deregulation: Designing an Information
Infrastructure." Additional information on her life and accomplishments is
available at http://www.ngi.org/AWB/.
*********
Due to intense intra-organizational pressure, we're forced to congratulate
the Cleveland Indians this morning.