INTERNET
E-Mail Gets The Cold Shoulder In Congress (NYT)
Independence Day For Indie Bands (WIRED)
Asian-Americans Put Lots Of Time Into Web (USA)
ANTITRUST
Microsoft, Hill Weigh In On Settlement (WP)
DIVERSITY
FCC Proposes New EEO Rules For Broadcast And Cable (FCC)
INTERNET
E-MAIL GETS THE COLD SHOULDER IN CONGRESS
Issue: Internet
Although many members of Congress asked constituents to switch to e-mail
after mail delivery to their offices was halted in October, the trend on
Capitol Hill seems to be a backlash against the medium. Ill equipped to cope
with the deluge of correspondence, many Congressional offices no longer
disclose e-mail addresses to the public. And both staff members and
lobbyists say that e-mail is far less successful than faxes, phone calls or
letters in reaching and influencing legislators. In March, a study by the
Congress Online Project found that e-mail, instead of promoting democracy,
may be having the opposite effect. In fact, because of the daunting task of
keeping up with e-mail, nearly one-third of the 100 Senate offices no longer
accept e- mail through public addresses, whereas 83 had public e-mail
addresses in 1996.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Rebecca Fairley Raney]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/13/technology/circuits/13CONG.html)
(requires registration)
INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR INDIE BANDS
Issue: Internet
More and more unsigned musicians are beginning to tap the potential of the
Internet. Many bands have found that the Internet is a viable way to sell
music and promote themselves. The new promotional models independent
musicians and bands are using are unlikely to threaten the larger
subscription services being offered by the major music labels. But that's
not the point for many of these bands, who are eager to seize this new
opportunity to get their music out without giving up control has been a long
time in the making.
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Brad King]
(http://www.wired.com/news/mp3/0,1285,49103,00.html)
ASIAN-AMERICANS PUT LOTS OF TIME INTO WEB
Issue: Internet
Not just are there higher percentages of English-speaking Asian-Americans
online than whites, blacks or English-speaking Hispanics, they also spend
more time online than any of those groups. That's according to a report by
the Pew Internet & American Life Project, out today. There may be cultural
reasons for Asians' prominence on the Net, such as the high value placed on
education and technology, but the main reason is probably wealth and
education level, according to report author Tom Spooner. Asian-Americans
also tend to be a younger population than the other ethnic groups studied;
most studies agree that younger people who come from wealthier,
well-educated backgrounds tend to be online more, Spooner says.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Janet Kornblum]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011213/3696771s.htm)
ANTITRUST
MICROSOFT, HILL WEIGH IN ON SETTLEMENT
Issue: Antitrust
As Microsoft urged a federal judge yesterday to accept its antitrust
settlement with federal prosecutors, on Capitol Hill members of the Senate
Judiciary Committee raised questions about weather the agreement would
restore competition to the software market. "I find many of the terms of the
settlement to be either confusingly vague, subject to manipulation or both,"
said the committee chairman, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.). "I want an end
to this thing, but an end to it where we know what the rules are going to
be." Nine states and the District of Columbia rejected the agreement that
the company struck last month with the Justice Department and several other
states, deeming it inadequate and filled with loopholes. Congress has no
influence over whether the agreement is accepted by the court; the judge
must determine whether it is in the public interest.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34482-2001Dec12.html)
DIVERSITY
FCC PROPOSES NEW EEO RULES FOR BROADCAST AND CABLE
Issue:
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Second Notice of
Proposed Rule Making seeking comments on new equal employment opportunity
(EEO) rules for broadcast and cable, including multichannel video program
distributors. The Commission reaffirmed the Commission's long-standing anti-
discrimination rule and proposed to require broad outreach to all qualified
job candidates for positions at radio, television and cable companies.
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/2001/nrmm0117.html)
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