EDTECH
More Planning Needed for School Technology (CyberTimes)
Senate Passes Web School Proposals (SJM)
MERGERS
Justice Dept. Acts To Block Merger of Phone Giants (NYT)
Media Metrix Plans to Merge with Jupiter Communications (NYT)
AOL, Time Warner Tell the FCC A Merger Would Enhance Service (WSJ)
TELEPHONY
AT&T Expands Local Phone-Over-Cable Service (SJM)
INTERNATIONAL
Brazil Weighs Foreign Investment in Media Companies (NYT)
'Big Browser' Would Let U.K. Eavesdrop on Net (USA)
New Index Ranks Countries On Their High-Tech Strength (WSJ)
OECD Report Says Internet Economy Is Too Green to Gauge Growth
Effect (WSJ)
BROADBAND
Letter to FCC on Open Access to Advanced Telecommunications Services
(CFA)
ANTITRUST
Microsoft: Foolish Breakup Carries Hidden Costs (USA)
INTERNET
AOL Takes Step to Allow Users To Download Music for a Fee (WSJ)
EDTECH
MORE PLANNING NEEDED FOR SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
Issue: EdTech
The CEO Forum has released a report that warns that the new computer
hardware flooding into schools may go to waste unless educators take time to
develop clear plans for how the technology will be put to work for students.
"You have to set the educational goals first," said Anne Bryant, co-chair of
the CEO Forum and executive director of the National School Boards
Association. "I'm looking at the overall goals and objectives. It is a
combination of content, training and connectivity." Internet-enabled
computers should not be the goal, the report warns, educators should focus
the
use of technology on clear outcomes -- such as training students in the
skills they need to compete in an information-based economy. "Technology is
not a panacea and can only improve and increase learning when applied to
meet specific educational goals and objectives," the report says. "Schools
need to examine their educational goals and determine which ones will be
supported by digital content." [Find the report, The Power of Digital
Learning: Integrating Digital Content, at (http://www.ceoforum.org/)]
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Rebecca Weiner (rweiner( at )nytimes.com)]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/06/cyber/education/28education.html)
SENATE PASSES WEB SCHOOL PROPOSALS
Issue: EdTech
The Senate passed two competing proposals for placing safeguards on Internet
in schools. A joint panel will develop a compromise. One proposal, by Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz), would require schools and libraries who receive e-rate
subsidies to install some form of blocking or filtering technology to
restrict children's access to pornography and other obscene material.
According to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), the McCain amendment would invite
the Federal Communications Commission "to be the de facto national censor.
Sen. Leahy said: "This broad self-censoring imposed by the McCain amendment
on schools and libraries will lead to a chilling of free speech to the
detriment of our nation's children and library patrons." The other proposal,
from Rick Santorum, (R-Pa), would give schools the option of installing the
blocking technology or developing an Internet use policy. The two plans,
which were attached to a massive spending bill for the departments of labor
and health and human services, will now have to be worked out before a
conference committee of Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Janelle Carter (Associated Press)]
(http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/ap/docs/141816l.htm)
TELEPHONY
AT&T EXPANDS LOCAL PHONE-OVER-CABLE SERVICE
Issue: Telephony
AT&T has plans to offer local phone service over cable television lines in
homes in the San Francisco area. Experts say that local phone service is an
important part of AT&T's long-term strategy to bundle all of its services --
local and long distance calling, Internet connection, cable television and
wireless -- into one package. Telecommunications companies are eager to
bundle their offerings because they believe that consumers will ultimately
want to buy all of their services from one place and pay for all those
services with one bill.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Cecilia Kang]
(http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/front/docs/phone062800.htm)
MERGERS
JUSTICE DEPT. ACTS TO BLOCK MERGER OF PHONE GIANTS
Issue: Mergers
The Justice Department has sued to block the proposed merger of WorldCom and
Sprint citing concerns that the combined company would stifle competition on
the
Internet and in the long-distance telephone industry. The two companies have
also withdrawn the deal from consideration by European regulators who have
indicated they are unlikely to support the merger. Although the two
companies could fight the Justice Department in court, but executives had
said previously that they are unlikely to do so.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Schiesel & Leonhardt]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/financial/062800worldcom-sprint.html)
See Also:
CONSUMERS UNION SUPPORTS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SUIT TO BLOCK WORLDCOM-SPRINT
MERGER
[SOURCE: Consumers Union]
(http://www.consumersunion.org/telecom/worlddc600.htm)
MEDIA METRIX PLANS TO MERGE WITH JUPITER COMMUNICATIONS
Issue: Mergers
Web traffic measurement company Media Metrix plans to merge with Jupiter
Communications, a leading analyst of Internet trends. Combining the two
companies will create "the definitive source for Internet measurement and
analysis," said Tod Johnson, chairman and chief executive of Media Metrix.
Feder writes: Both Media Metrix and Jupiter are seen as industry leaders in
providing valuable insights into trends however questionable the actual
figures on which they are based. "Media Metrix's monthly reports definitely
move stocks," said Henry Blodgett, who tracks a broad portfolio of Internet
companies for Merrill Lynch. "It's the closest thing there is to a
standard." Media Metrix's largest competitor is Nielsen/NetRatings; Jupiter
competes with Forrester Research.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C2), AUTHOR: Barnaby Feder]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/06/biztech/articles/28net.html)
See Also:
WEB INFORMATION FIRMS MERGE
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E3), AUTHOR: Robert O'Harrow Jr.]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8424-2000Jun27.html)
AOL, TIME WARNER TELL THE FCC A MERGER WOULD ENHANCE SERVICE
Issue: Merger
In a 50-page response to the FCC's request for information, America Online
Inc. and Time Warner Inc defended AOL's efforts to keep its Instant
Messenger system closed to users of competing services and argued that their
proposed merger would accelerate deployment of new communications services.
AOL reiterated its stance that it backs an open world-wide instant-messaging
system, but only if it protects users' security and privacy. Instant
messaging allows users to send notes that instantly pop up on the receiver's
screen. The companies stated that people can avoid barriers between
different instant-messaging services by subscribing to more than one
service. But they also said that any system requiring users to manage
multiple passwords and IDs is "seriously flawed." The FCC's request was part
of its review of the companies' proposed $109.33 billion merger.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B8), AUTHOR: Jill Carroll And Julia Angwin]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB962158102495579030.htm)
INTERNATIONAL
'BIG BROWSER' WOULD LET U.K. EAVESDROP ON NET
Issue: Privacy
The British government is considering adopting a controversial initiative
that would give the government the power to eavesdrop on Internet traffic.
The initiative, which is being referred to as "Big Browser," has many
critics contending that it would undermine the country's ambition to become
a global e-commerce leader. David Banisar of the Electronic Privacy
Information Center, based in Washington, says "It sets a dangerous
international precedent . . . to create a global standard of (Internet)
wiretapping." Banisar believes that the British initiative would effect
Internet privacy debates elsewhere in Europe and in America. If adopted, the
"Big Browser" initiative would allow the government to require people to
surrender the text of electronic messages or face up to two years in jail.
The initiative, "Regulation of Investigatory Powers" (RIP) bill, is an
attempt to update 15-year old wiretap legislation to reflect the rise of
e-mail, mobile phones and the Internet.
[SOURCE: USAToday (12A), AUTHOR: David J. Lynch]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000628/2407215s.htm)
BRAZIL WEIGHS FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN MEDIA COMPANIES
Issue: International
The Brazilian Congress is considering a constitutional amendment that would
end a 66-year prohibition on foreign investment in the nation's media
companies. [Great, we can export Rupert Murdoch] The move could help raise
the funds needed by the Brazilian companies to keep up with technological
advancements in print and broadcast. "These are investments that will make
the growth and development of the whole industry possible," said Paulo
Machado de Carvalho Neto, vice president of the Brazilian Association of
Radio and Television Broadcasters. The amendment would allow foreigners to
own up to 30 percent of the capital of radio and television stations,
newspaper and magazine publishers. Opposition groups, including unions and
leftist parties that are normally against foreign investment in important
Brazilian industries, have been largely mollified by the relatively low
investment that will be permitted and a clause that prevents foreigners from
assuming any control over editorial content.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C4), AUTHOR: Jennifer Rich]
(http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/brazil-media.html)
NEW INDEX RANKS COUNTRIES ON THEIR HIGH-TECH STRENGTH
Issue: International
A new index aims to create a scorecard for evaluating high-tech
competitiveness of countries, providing a new tool for companies looking to
more effectively target their online offerings. The Global New E-Economy
Index, created by Howard Rubin, who heads the computer-science department at
Hunter College of the City University of New York, ranks countries in five
categories. These categories include the number of high-tech professionals
and how fast the country is developing and deploying new technologies. Among
the findings, the U.S. ranks first overall, but falls closer to the middle
of the pack in some categories. The Philippines, for instance, ranks first
in the "knowledge jobs" category; Japan ranks highest in technological
innovation, Finland took the top spot in "economic dynamism and
competition," and Indonesia ranked last overall of the 47 countries
examined. Such an index is important, says Mr. Rubin, because Industrial-age
measures like gross domestic product don't give a complete picture of a
country's economic health -- and potential -- in the New Economy. "People
need to understand where new markets are, where to locate facilities and
where the new sources of labor will be," he said.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Jason Anders]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB962134152818596674.htm)
OECD REPORT SAYS INTERNET ECONOMY IS TOO GREEN TO GAUGE GROWTH EFFECT
Issue: New and Old Economy
A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
says that, although the new economy is for real, it remains a vague term for
much of the world. Participants at an OECD conference in Paris said that
while higher productivity through the greater use of technology -- the most
common definition of the "New Economy" -- is measurable in the U.S., it
isn't yet apparent elsewhere. They also said it might simply be too early
to try to measure the New Economy's effects on global economies. What's
more, even if technology achieves increased productivity, there is nothing
particularly new about that, participants said. Acknowledging that
technological breakthroughs "have all transformed the way we live," and that
economic history is a succession of technological changes. Ignazio Visco,
chief economist of the OECD said the most important question is, did any of
these "earlier new economies produce a permanent rise in long-term growth?"
According to Visco, evidence does suggest that the initial effect of the
introduction of new technology actually might be to slow productivity and
economic growth. This is so because of the adjustments that companies and
individuals need to make to incorporate the new technology.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Christopher Rhoads]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB962136223346637041.htm)
BROADBAND
LETTER TO FCC ON OPEN ACCESS TO ADVANCED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
Issue: Open Access
On June 27, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) submitted an ex parte
letter to the FCC today with respect to SBC's petition to provide long
distance service in the state of Texas. In the letter, CFA urged the FCC to
establish "broad principles for open access that apply to all advanced
service providers," including providers of xDSL and cable broadband
services.
For more information: Mark Cooper, CFA Director of Research, 301/384-2204.
[SOURCE: Consumer Federation of America]
(http://www.consumerfed.org)
ANTITRUST
MICROSOFT: FOOLISH BREAKUP CARRIES HIDDEN COSTS
Issue: Antitrust
The breakup of Microsoft, according to Lester Thurow, will only result in a
weakened computer-communications industry in the long run. Thurow suggests
that Microsoft case illustrates the narrow vision of American antitrust
policies. "If America is going to maintain leadership of the global
computer-communications industry, it will need firms in the future that are
just as aggressive as Microsoft is accused of being in the past," writes
Thurow. "If this case sets the precedent that driving other companies out of
business is a violation of antitrust laws, it will undercut the very nature
of the capitalistic system." He believes that the only way American
industry will remain strong, is if firms are allowed to aggressively compete
and seek to drive other companies-- American and foreign -- out of business.
[SOURCE: USAToday (17A), AUTHOR: Lester C. Thurow, former dean of
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000628/2407210s.htm)
INTERNET
AOL TAKES STEP TO ALLOW USERS TO DOWNLOAD MUSIC FOR A FEE
Issue: Internet
America Online Inc. plans to permit its users to download digital music for
a fee, marking its first public step toward selling music online. AOL has
licensed a technology from InterTrust Technologies Corp, and will include it
in its Winamp online music player later this year as part of a routine
software upgrade. Using the add-on, AOL customers will be able to download
music from participating record labels or retailers for a fee that hasn't
yet been disclosed. But the technology won't let users illegally copy music.
InterTrust's software prevents music Web sites from running into the same
legal headaches as Napster, the popular music-sharing program that is facing
stiff legal challenges from record companies. InterTrust, of Santa Clara,
Calif., is one of many companies that are trying to come up with a
practical way to stop piracy of music online. "This is the beginning of
trying to figure out how to commercialize digital downloading," said Wendy
Goldberg, an AOL spokeswoman. Ms. Goldberg noted that AOL has previously
taken steps toward selling music online, but wouldn't discuss details.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B8), AUTHOR: Julia Angwin]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB962146051947677128.htm)
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