OWNERSHIP
FCC Moving Cautiously, On Ownership (B&C)
CABLE & BROADCAST
FCC To Levy Fees For Digital Service (B&C)
Cable Anxious About FCC Study (B&C)
INTERNET
Internet Governance Board Confronts a Hostile Public (NYT)
Get Ready for E-Billing (NYT)
Open Government on the Web (WP)
They Have Their Eyes on You (WP)
A Different Course (WSJ)
Compaq Readies Gear for Speedier Online Linkages (WSJ)
Trial Will Test China's Grip on the Internet (NYT)
TECHNOLOGY
Technology: Thinking About Tomorrow (WSJ)
MAGAZINES
Time Magazine's One-Advertiser Issues Become an Issue for Debate (NYT)
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OWNERSHIP
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FCC MOVING CAUTIOUSLY, ON OWNERSHIP
Issue: Ownership
In the next few weeks, a significant change is expected in the 23- year old
rules that restrict broadcasting/newspaper cross ownership. The Federal
Communications Commission will soon allow media companies to own both radio
- but not television --stations and newspapers in the same cities. FCC
commissioners are also expected to relax the ban against owning more than
one TV station in a market and the one-to-a-market rule on TV and radio
stations. While many media owners feel that the rollbacks do not go far
enough, FCC Chairman William Kennard is worried that consolidation has
already had an adverse effect on diversity in broadcasting. "We must make
sure whatever we do does not compromise our country's long-standing
principles of diversity and competition in the broadcast industry."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting and Cable (p27), AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/
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CABLE & BROADCAST
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FCC TO LEVY FEES FOR DIGITAL SERVICE
Issue: DTV
The FCC will likely require broadcasters to pay the government between 4%
and 6% of any revenue from subscription services they offer with their
digital spectrum. The 1996 Telecommunications Act mandates the FCC to
collect fees on any digital services from which broadcasters earn profits
other than commercial advertising. Because broadcasters will receive their
digital spectrum for free, lawmakers argued that they would have an unfair
advantage over competiting media if they could offer ancillary services
without having to pay anything for the spectrum. Possible subscription uses
include data transmission, software distribution, and stockmarket updates.
Public broadcasters have requested that they remain exempt from any fees.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting and Cable (p24), AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/
INTERNET GOVERNANCE BOARD CONFRONTS A HOSTILE PUBLIC
Issue: Internet Regulation
The audience of online constituents sent a strong message of "We don't trust
you" to eight people who will be governing them in the future. The Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers was holding its first public
meeting since being created. It is charged with creating the new structure
for avoiding chaos on the Internet, in part by creating the business
structure for registering names in several of the most popular Web domains.
The Cambridge, MA meeting was designed, according to the panel's chairwoman,
Esther Dyson, to listen and get input and "to get your trust." Trust came
gradually. Critics claimed the nonprofit corporation was created secretly.
Many critics distrust any kind of imposed regulation on the Internet.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: Jeri Clausing]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/16internet-admin
.html
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INTERNET
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OPEN GOVERNMENT ON THE WEB
Issue: Internet
[Editorial] "Putting more government information on public view via the
Internet sounds terrific in theory