RADIO
F.C.C. Moves Forward on Issuing Low-Power FM Licenses (NYT)
EDTECH
Internet Gets an 'A' for Schoolwork (USA)
BROADBAND
MCI WorldCom Plans Wireless Test (WP)
MCI Worldcom Unit, Cable & Wireless to Set an Internet Milestone
(WSJ)
Broadband Deployment in Rural Areas (Senate)
INTERNET
Weavers Go Dot-Com, And Elders Move In (NYT)
SEC's Plan to Snoop for Crime on Web Sparks Debate Over Privacy
(WSJ)
Art galleries ho-hum? Museums a snore? Try I-art, Internet art
offers alternative to popular but musty blockbuster shows (USA)
ANTITRUST
Judge Delays Ruling as Microsoft Makes Offer (USA)
MERGERS
Public Forum on MCI WorldCom and Sprint Merger (FCC)
RADIO
F.C.C. MOVES FORWARD ON ISSUING LOW-POWER FM LICENSES
Issue: Radio
The Federal Communications Commission pressed ahead today with plans to
issue low-power FM community radio licenses despite efforts by
commercial broadcasters to block the plan. In January, the commission
voted to approve a new class of low-power FM stations, operating at 100
watts or less, with a maximum radius of around 3.5 miles, that would be
used for noncommercial programming. Applicants from Alaska, California,
the District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Mariana
Islands, Maryland, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Utah will be the first
areas allowed to apply, in late May. Four more groups of localities
will get their turn in the next 14 months. Broadcasters have long
argued that these low-power radio stations would cause
unacceptable distortion. Chairman Kennard, however, insists that the
plan will not effect the integrity of the radio spectrum. "We will do
nothing to cause harmful interference over the airwaves," he pledged.
"We would not preside over creation of a service that will cause
harmful interference for the American public."
[SOURCE: New York Times (Online), AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/fcc-licenses.html)
EDTECH
INTERNET GETS AN 'A' FOR SCHOOLWORK
Issue: EdTech
Schoolwork is one of kids top uses of the Internet, according to a
survey of 1,735 parents and 601 kids by the National School Boards
Foundation and Children's Television Workshop, out today. The survey
also suggests that the Internet has a positive effect on kids'
attitudes about school. Among 9- to 17-year-olds, 43% say the Internet
has improved their outlook about school. Parents also say that
increased Internet use isn't significantly affecting their children's
other activities. The study did indicate one change: 37% say TV viewing
decreased once kids began using the Internet.
[SOURCE: USAToday (8D), AUTHOR: Karen Thomas]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000328/2078665s.htm)
BROADBAND
MCI WORLDCOM PLANS WIRELESS TEST
Issue:Broadband/Mergers
Tired of hearing that DSL won't reach your ranch? MCI Worldcom thinks it
has a solution for you. The company announced plans to test a wireless
technology that it hopes will become one of the standards for high-
speed Internet access. The technology, known as MMDS--multichannel
multipoint distribution service-will use low wavelengths that, like
television signals, will be able to reach over longer distances, making
it perfect to help bring broadband to underserved rural communities. It
is this ability to reach far-flung communities that MCI Worldcom is
banking on, not just to open new markets, but to help its merger with
Sprint (which also has been working on MMDS). In testimony in November
in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bernie Ebbers, MCI Wordcom's
chief executive, noted that his company and Sprint "have both invested
heavily" in MMDS, a technology that he said "will allow us to get to
customers who are beyond the reach of DSL"-digital subscriber line, a
technology used by local telephone companies--"usually in predominantly
rural areas."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post (E1), AUTHOR: Peter S. Goodman]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25784-2000Mar27.html)
MCI WORLDCOM UNIT, CABLE & WIRELESS TO SET AN INTERNET MILESTONE
Issue: Broadband
Marking a milestone in the development of the Internet, UUNet and Cable
& Wireless will turn on circuits carrying 10 billion bits of
information per second, about four times as much information as the
Internet's previous busiest circuits. The new circuits will be capable
of transmitting the contents of the Library of Congress in seven
seconds. The new links will run between New York and Washington DC for
both networks, and UUNet said it will expand the service to Chicago,
Atlanta, Los Angeles and Sacramento by the Fall. Juniper Networks is
the equipment provider, because it was able to offer the new equipment
several months before Cisco Systems.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B9), AUTHOR: Staff Reporter]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB954206952942256294.htm)
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT IN RURAL AREAS
Issue: Broadband/Universal Service
Communications Subcommittee hearing scheduled for Today, March 28, at
9:30 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. Members
will examine the current state of deployment of hi-speed Internet
technologies, especially in rural areas. Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT),
Chairman of the Subcommittee, will preside.
[SOURCE: US Senate]
(http://www.senate.gov/~commerce/press/106-144.html)
INTERNET
SEC's PLAN TO SNOOP FOR CRIME ON WEB SPARKS DEBATE OVER PRIVACY
Issue: Privacy
Don't use the phrase "get rich quick" on a public message board or chat
room because the Securities and Exchange Commission might come after
you. The SEC is searching for vendors to help them create an automated
surveillance system that would scour public Web sites, message boards
and chat groups for anything "suspicious," which would then be copied
into a database, analyzed, and indexed for use by SEC investigators
in bringing civil proceedings against people suspected of wrongdoing. As
part of the system, the SEC wants to grab e-mail addresses and other
identifying information that would help unmask message writers who try
to remain anonymous. But companies have expressed concerns.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers advised the SEC that it wouldn't participate
because innocent people might end up in the database. "[The SEC],
appears to be creating an investigative database in advance of any
reasonable suspicions about individuals whose information is being
collected," said Beth Trent from PriceWaterhouseCoopers. AOL, whose
message boards are cited as a SEC surveillance target, routinely
forbids anyone from harvesting information from its chat rooms and
message boards in order to protect the privacy of its users.
Cyveillance is currently the leading contender to create SEC's automated
surveillance system.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B1), AUTHOR: Michael Moss]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB954197317969930664.htm)
WEAVERS GO DOT-COM, AND ELDERS MOVE IN
ISSUE: E-Commerce
Lethem, Guyana, a village community of 2000 people from the Wapishana
and Macushi tribes, is home to the Rupununi Weavers Society. Lethem is
an extremely isolated village that didn't have phone capacity until
Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) installed an innovative
satellite system. Months later, the chief executive of GTT, Bill
Humphries, donated two telephone lines, $12,000 worth of computer
equipment and free internet access to the Weavers Society. Soon the
Weavers Society began selling their hand woven hammocks from their own
Web page, developed and operated by a younger member of the Society.
The Rupununi Weavers Society has been successfully selling their work
online since mid-1998. However, the success of their online venture has
come with a price: Lethem's traditional power system is being
challenged by technological opportunities that have previously been
unknown.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Simon Romero]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/03/biztech/articles/28weavers.h
tml)
ART GALLERIES HO-HUM? MUSEUMS A SNORE? TRY I-ART, INTERNET ART OFFERS
ALTERNATIVE TO POPULAR BUT MUSTY BLOCKBUSTER SHOWS
Issue: Inernet/Art
As more and more museum resources are devoted to creating huge
"blockbuster" shows, contemporary artists are increasingly turning to
the Web as an outlet for their work. While most
major museums are slow to acknowledge the validity of the new forms
(focusing instead on the golden oldies that bring people in record
numbers), I-artists are finding some acceptance. Larry Rinder,
incoming curator of contemporary art at the Whitney Museum of American
Art at the Witney Museum of American Art, was slow to become a
believer, but now speaks with the zeal of the converted. "I believe
that Net art is indeed the new frontier of art making," he said. Even
as the curators of blockbuster shows say that the shows are good
because they expose more and more people to art, I-artists like Lew
Baldwin say that I-art does the same thing, only more so, because the
art reflects contemporary society. "Art is a closed-off society for
many people," he says. "Your friends see your work, maybe a gallery
owner or two, but with the Web the whole world can see it. They can be
moved or disturbed. It's what's interesting about the medium."
[SOURCE: USA Today (17A), AUTHOR: Gary Andrew Poole]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000328/2079087s.htm)
ANTITRUST
JUDGE DELAYS RULING AS MICROSOFT MAKES OFFER SOFTWARE GIANT PROPOSES
REMOVING WINDOWS BROWSER
Issue: Antitrust
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who was expected to rule today that
Microsoft violated antitrust laws, is expect to delay his decision
until late this week. Many believe that Microsoft's recent settlement
offer was last-ditch attempt to head off a negative ruling that could
hurt it in the numerous class-action lawsuits it faces. But officials
now say any settlement would likely be reached after Judge Jackson's
decision. Prosecutors, some of whom skeptical that a settlement can be
reached, are currently asking Microsoft to more clearly spell out its
proposed concessions. It is likely that the two sides will meet in
Chicago, possibly later this week, in a final bid to iron out their
differences.
[SOURCE: USAToday (1B), AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000328/2078809s.html)
MERGER
PUBLIC FORUM ON MCI WORLDCOM AND SPRINT MERGER
Issue: Mergers
From News Release: The FCC's Common Carrier Bureau will hold a Public
Forum on Wednesday, April 5, 2000 to discuss issues pertinent to the
pending transfer of control applications filed by MCI Worldcom, Inc.
(MCI Worldcom) and Sprint Corporation (Sprint). On November 17, 1999,
MCI Worldcom and Sprint filed joint applications requesting Commission
approval of the transfer of control to MCI Worldcom of licenses and
authorizations controlled by Sprint.1 This Public Forum will be held at
the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington,
DC, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room.
The purpose of the Public Forum is to assist the Common Carrier Bureau
in its review of the applications and to provide an opportunity for
further discussion of issues raised in the proceeding. The Bureau will
focus on how the proposed merger would affect the Commission's ability
to satisfy the goals of the Telecommunications Act to increase
competition (particularly in mass consumer markets) while minimizing
regulation. This forum will be open to the public, and seating will be
available on a first come, first served basis. A transcript of the
Public Forum will be available 10 days after the event on the FCC's
Internet site. The URL address of the FCC's Internet Home
Page is http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/mergers.html.
Transcripts may be obtained from the FCC's duplicating contractor,
International Transcription Service (ITS) at (202)857-3800 or fax
(202)857-3805 of TTY (202) 293- 8810. ITS may be reached by mail:
its_inc( at )ix.netcom.com. ITS's Internet address is
http://www.itsdocs.com.
Audio and video tapes of the Public Forum may be purchased from
Infocus, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170, by calling Infocus at
(703) 834- 0100 or faxing Infocus at (703) 834-0111. Also, Internet
users may listen to the real-time audio feed of the forum via the FCC
Internet Audio Broadcast Home Page (http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/).
For additional information contact: Claudia Fox or Susan Pi