2005 FEDERAL BUDGET
FY 05 Budget Proposal
BROADCASTING
The Public Is Interested
Why More Choices May Mean Fewer
Over the Line? Only If Over the Air
TELEPHONY
Stevens: Make Payments "Universal"
Cable Offers Regulatory Framework for VoIP
QUICK HITS
Center for Public Integrity Expands Media Ownership Search
Media For Democracy 2004 Launched
National Education Technology Plan Seeks Input
Call for Papers for the 32nd Annual Telecommunications Policy and=
=20
Research Conf
MacArthur Foundation Award to the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service=20
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through=20
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments,=20
policy issues, and other related news events. Headlines are compiled by=20
Kevin Taglang (ktaglang( at )etpost.net) -- we welcome your comments.
2005 FEDERAL BUDGET
FY 05 BUDGET PROPOSAL
I Washington, DC, the conversation has turned to the fiscal year 2005=20
budget which the White House proposed on Monday. Here are some=20
communications-related highlights: 1) The FCC would receive an increase of=
=20
about $20 million in the new budget to ~$293 million. 2) The Administration=
=20
again proposed an analog spectrum fee for all broadcasters who have not=20
vacated that spectrum by 2007 [this is proposed every year now, it seems=20
and is always shot down with lobbying from the National Association of=20
Broadcasters]. 3) The National Telecommunications and Information=20
Administration (NTIA) would receive $22 million, a $7 million increase. The=
=20
new monies would be devoted to spectrum management and research projects.=20
4) The Administration proposed ending both NTIA's Technology Opportunities=
=20
Program and the Public Telecommunications Facilities, Planning and=20
Construction fund. 5) The Department of Commerce's Technology=20
Administration would see a boost in funding. 6) FY 05 funds for the=20
Corporation for Public Broadcasting were set in 2003; the new budget=20
proposes to end the forward-funding strategy for CPB. 7) Broadband=20
deployment in rural areas would be supported by the Department of=20
Agriculture with $495 million in direct loans.
For more on the FY 05 budget see (http://www.commerce.gov/),=20
(http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-243444A1.pdf) and=20
(http://www.usda.gov/).
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Terry Lane]
(Not available online)
BROADCASTING
THE PUBLIC IS INTERESTED
Thanks to the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, the FCC's localism hearing=
=20
in San Antonio last week had the feel of a protest march. Five hundred=20
people crammed city hall there for a five and a half hour hearing on how=20
local stations serve the community. But the media reform activists in=20
attendance and commercial broadcasters could not be further apart.=20
Broadcasters say intense competition for local news ratings and the FCC's=20
licence renewal process are incentive enough to serve community,=20
broadcasters say. Activists think the FCC has no choice than to better=20
define what it means for stations to serve community. Critics are looking=20
for rules that will encourage debate on public issues, minimums for local=20
news and public affairs programming and a return of ascertainment of local=
=20
programming needs.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
(http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA378531?display=3DTop+of+the+W...
)
(requires subscription)
WHY MORE CHOICES MAY MEAN FEWER
The Chicago Tribune's TV critic gives a good overview of how the economics=
=20
of broadcast TV is changing, how audiences are growing smaller and smaller=
=20
and what this means to the advertiser-supported model of paying for=20
programming. He offers three possible outcomes for the current trend: the=20
end, or shrinking, of over-the-air free TV to be replaced by much more=20
pay-per-view; more stealth ads sneaked into the content of a show itself,=20
like today's product placement only more so; and, in all likelihood,=20
probably more repeats and a greater ratio of reality schlock to carefully=20
produced scripted fare, because the latter is so expensive to make.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, AUTHOR: Steve Johnson]
(http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-0402010530feb01,1,675702.story)
(requires registration)
OVER THE LINE? ONLY IF OVER THE AIR
The lack of coverage on Janet Jackson is gaining lots of coverage in the=20
press (if you'll allow me to step over all the possible jokes). The FCC is=
=20
investigating and considering possible fines (see www.fcc.gov). The show=20
was produced by CBS corporate partner MTV, a cable channel not subject to=20
the same regulation CBS station are. Now that the prime-time cable audience=
=20
is larger than the audience that watches broadcast networks, some federal=20
regulators, advocacy groups and a bipartisan group of lawmakers worry that=
=20
broadcast networks will increasingly be tempted to spice up their shows to=
=20
win over viewers. A potential result: A race to the bottom, say a number of=
=20
lawmakers and regulators. "The concerns I hear from parents aren't limited=
=20
to broadcast, but also include channels on cable," said FCC Commissioner=20
Kevin J. Martin. "I think there's an obligation and an opportunity to talk=
=20
about how we should be trying to deal with this issue and for parents to be=
=20
able to try to protect children from some of the content they might be=20
concerned about."
See much more at the URL below.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR:Frank Ahrens]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7073-2004Feb2.html)
TELEPHONY
STEVENS: MAKE PAYMENTS "UNIVERSAL
Alaska's senior senator, Ted Stevens (R), is likely the next chairman of=20
the Commerce Committee. As such, he's already letting it be known that he's=
=20
interested in rewriting the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Coming from a=20
rural state, he's concerned that universal service funds will dry up as=20
phone services move from the traditional, circuit-switched networks to the=
=20
Internet. So Sen Stevens would like to see broadband Internet providers pay=
=20
into the Universal Service Fund. Such a change would be a contrast to the=20
FCC's approach to Internet services which have remained unregulated. Sen=20
Stevens delivered his proposal to large telephone companies in a speech in=
=20
Washington, DC last week. Those companies are likely to embrace the idea=20
while cable companies will likely oppose it.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
(http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA378347?display=3DPolicy&pubdate=3D...
2F02%2F2004)
(requires subscription)
CABLE OFFERS REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR VoIP
NCTA has sent "Balancing Responsibilities and Rights: A Regulatory Model=20
for Facilities-Based VoIP Competition" to the FCC, outlining the industry's=
=20
thoughts on how state and federal regulators should regulate the new=20
service. The industry group writes that even the most vital public policy=20
objectives should be secured through the "lightest possible regulation" of=
=20
VoIP services. The NCTA white paper proposes a four-prong baseline test to=
=20
determine whether a particular IP-based voice service should be subject to=
=20
the regulatory framework proposal. If a service meets the qualifications,=20
NCTA writes, then providers should be given responsibilities including=20
assistance to law enforcement and public health, offering of 911/E911=20
services, and access for the disabled; contributions as appropriate to the=
=20
Universal Service Fund (USF); participation in intercarrier compensation;=20
and general consumer protections.
[SOURCE: National Cable & Telecommunications Association Press Release]
(http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=3D435&showArticles=3Dok)
In a related story, Alliance for Public Technology, Alliance for Technology=
=20
Access, American Association of Law Libraries, American Association of=20
People with Disabilities, Communications Workers of America, Community=20
Action Partnership, Department of Professional Employees, Independent=20
Living Network, MAAC Project, National Consumers League, National Hispanic=
=20
Council on Aging, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Telecom Research &=20
Action Center have signed a letter to House Telecom Subcommittee Chairman=20
Upton (R-MI) asking that VoIP providers be subject to rules concerning=20
universal service, accessibility, public safety and consumer protections.=20
Rep Upton will oversee a hearing on VoIP tomorrow. See=20
(http://energycommerce.house.gov/schedule.html)
[SOURCE: Communications Daily]
QUICK HITS
* The Center for Public Integrity Expands Media Ownership Search. Visitors=
=20
to (www.openairwaves.org) can simply plug in a zip code or city name and=20
find the owner of every radio station, television station and cable=20
television system in the area. While the Center's ownership Web site is=20
useful, it is far from perfect. Much of the information relies on FCC data=
=20
that is out of date or inaccurate. Ownership information regarding the=20
largest broadcasters, however, has been verified by Center researchers, who=
=20
continue to update and improve the site.
* Media For Democracy 2004 is a non-partisan citizens' initiative to=20
monitor mainstream news coverage of the 2004 elections and advocate fair,=20
democratic and issue-oriented standards of reporting. The project links=20
voters with more than 100 independent media reform groups in a targeted=20
campaign to prevent the types of media mistakes -- such as early and=20
erroneous projections -- that plagued the 2000 election.
(http://www.mediafordemocracy.us/mfd/homepage.html)
* The National Education Technology Plan (NETP) for the U.S. Department of=
=20
Education is being developed as part of a long-range national strategy and=
=20
guide for using technology effectively to improve student academic=20
achievement=ADeither directly or through integration with other approaches=
to=20
systemic reform. The NETP is inviting the public to share ideas on specific=
=20
ways technology can support school improvement. The comment section is open=
=20
now through March 12, 2004.
[SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology]
(http://www.nationaledtechplan.org/)
* Call for Papers for the 32nd Annual Telecommunications Policy and=20
Research Conference
The TPRC hosts this annual forum for dialogue among scholars and=20
decision-makers from the public and private sectors who are engaged in=20
communication and information policy. The purpose of the conference is to=
=20
acquaint policymakers with the best of recent research and to familiarize=20
researchers with the knowledge needs of policymakers and industry. TPRC is=
=20
now soliciting abstracts of papers for presentation at its 2004=20
conference. Proposals should be based on current theoretical and/or=20
empirical research relevant to communication and information policy, and=20
may be from any disciplinary perspective. TPRC welcomes national,=20
international, comparative, and multi- or inter- disciplinary studies.
For more information see (http://www.tprc.org/TPRC04/call04.htm). The=20
conference will be held at George Mason University School of Law in=20
Arlington, October 1-3, 2004. Paper submissions must be received before=20
March 31, 2004.
* The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $600,000=
=20
grant to the Electronic Frontier Foundation to represent the public=20
interest at meetings of the Digital Video Broadcasting Project in Europe=20
where global standards on digital television and other digital data=20
services will be set. The Digital Video Broadcasting Project is a=20
consortium of broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, software=20
developers, regulatory bodies, and others from more than 35 European=20
countries that work together to set standards for their industry including=
=20
copy-management standards for digital television. At these industry=20
meetings, policy is often set that has far-reaching implications for the=20
future use of technology on digital rights management and intellectual=20
property. Because these meetings have traditionally been closed to the=20
media and the cost of attendance has limited the participation of public=20
interest advocates, the Foundation is providing support to ensure there is=
=20
input that balances the commercial interests normally represented at these=
=20
meetings with those of the public. The Electronic Frontier Foundation will=
=20
use MacArthur funding to prepare for and attend industry meetings, and to=20
educate the European public and European consumer groups about issues=20
related to digital rights management and intellectual property.
[SOURCE: Electronic Frontier Foundation Press Release]
(http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/20040128_eff_pr.php)
--------------------------------------------------------------