MERGERS
F.C.C. Approves Radio Deals (NYT)
INTERNET
Industry Groups Launch Attack On Internet-Privacy Legislation (WSJ)
Internet Tax Hearing (Senate)
NEWSPAPERS
Newspapers Struggle As Ad Sales Have 'Fallen Off A Cliff' (USA)
EDTECH
Cyberschool Pioneers Learn First-Year Lessons (USA)
MERGERS
F.C.C. APPROVES RADIO DEALS
Issue: Mergers
The Federal Communications Commission has cleared 32 radio mergers that had been flagged by the commission for closer competitive analysis. In 1998, the FCC began putting aside certain radio deals to look at them more carefully because of worries over widespread consolidation stemming from a 1996 telecommunications law that ended restrictions on how many radio stations a company could own nationwide and eased caps on how many stations a company could own in a local market. "I do not believe the public interest is served by inaction," said newly appointed FCC Chairman Michael Powell. "Further delay is neither warranted nor just."
[SOURCE: New York Times (C2), AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/13/business/13FCC.html)
(requires registration)
INTERNET
INDUSTRY GROUPS LAUNCH ATTACK ON INTERNET-PRIVACY LEGISLATION
Issue: Privacy
The Online Privacy Alliance, a loosely formed coalition of companies and industry organizations aiming to halt Internet privacy legislation, went public with four industry-funded studies asserting that privacy legislation would cost consumers billions of dollars annually. Members of alliance, which includes Microsoft, AOL Time Warner, IBM, AT&T, BellSouth Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc, are increasingly concerned about the patchwork of state privacy laws passed amid broad public support for online-privacy protections. And while none of the privacy bills pending in Congress have made significant headway, there are fears that any major privacy breach on the Internet could jump-start legislation.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B6), AUTHOR: Ted Bridis]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB984446508732053549.htm)
(requires subscription)
INTERNET TAX HEARING
Issue: Internet
Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today announced the witness list for the hearing on Internet Tax.. The Full Committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.
[SOURCE: US Senate]
(http://www.senate.gov/~commerce/press/107-21.html)
NEWSPAPERS
NEWSPAPERS STRUGGLE AS AD SALES HAVE 'FALLEN OFF A CLIFF'
Issue: Newspapers
Nearly all of the major newspaper chains have been surprised by how steeply some ad sales have fallen. "We're at the cusp" of the decline, says Bear Stearns' Kevin Gruneich. "And the valley is a lot deeper than media executives thought a few months ago." Meanwhile, publishers have been grappling with increases in the cost of newsprint. To meet the revenue challenge, several major dailies are curtailing news coverage or raising subscription prices.
[SOURCE: USAToday (6B), AUTHOR: David Lieberman]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010313/3132539s.htm)
EDTECH
CYBERSCHOOL PIONEERS LEARN FIRST-YEAR LESSONS
Issue: EdTech
USA TODAY has been chronicling the progress of 34 ninth-graders enrolled on a Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City, Fla. Students at Jenkins do all their online coursework in a lab setting at school, working with teachers who are elsewhere. While a handful of students opted out of online learning early and were transferred to a nearby traditional high school, the others are nearly done with their studies and will be able to start their summer break weeks earlier than their public school peers. Among the major lessons learned this school year
Were that the classes were too big, too, and that students might need to take more in-school classes. "Based on what we've learned, we're going to limit students to three online courses'' rather than the five or six allowed now, says principal Sue Braiman.
[SOURCE: USAToday (6D), AUTHOR: Karen Thomas]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010313/3132578s.htm)
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