Time Warner Is Said to Agree to Carry Murdoch's Fox News
Broadcast Lobby Triumphs
Sea Change: How Beijing Officials Out Negotiated AT&T On Marine Cable Plans
US West Calls For Changes to Universal Service Order
FCC Calls for Creation of Temporary Universal Service Fund Administrator
FCC CHAIRMAN HUNDT ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF W. DON CORNWELL AS CHAIRMAN OF THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND
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Title: Time Warner Is Said to Agree to Carry Murdoch's Fox News
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(A21)
Author: Thomas Lueck
Issue: Ownership
Description: Possibly ending a near-year long battle between Time Warner and
News Corp, the City of New York will turn over one of five educational cable
channels it controls on the Time Warner system so that the City will have
access to the Fox news channel. The deal also includes Fox getting a channel
slot on 65% of the Time Warner cable systems nationwide. In return, Time
Warner will get access to a "vast network of international satellite
television systems" controlled by Rupert Murdoch in Latin America, China,
and other parts of the world. Time Warner is planning a 12 channel expansion
of its New York City system and the City will get one of those channels.
Title: Broadcast Lobby Triumphs
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/(A25)
Author: William Safire
Issue: Spectrum/Digital TV
Description: Safire's editorial begins, "The use of government power to
remain in power is an abuse of power." The broadcast media are using their
power to snuff out competition and enrich themselves at the public's
expense. The broadcasters trade association and its 10 major players hired
174 lobbyists -- from Ann Richards to Haley Barbour -- and contributed $7.6
million to candidates over the past two years to win the "most blatant
example of corporate welfare: the multibillion-dollar giveaway of our
digital airwaves." Only Sen John McCain (R-AZ) has stood against this
giveaway by Rep Billy Tauzin (R-LA), "the wholly owned subsidiary" of the
broadcast lobby, and "broadcaster-friendly" Sen Trent Lott (R-MS). The most
troubling part of the tale, Sen McCain and FCC Chairman Reed Hundt say, is
the lack of television coverage of this issue. Safire ends, "Media power
pressured and paid government officials to protect and extend media
monopolies. Journalists must ask ourselves: Where were we during this abuse
of power?"
Title: Sea Change: How Beijing Officials Out Negotiated AT&T On Marine
Cable Plans
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(A1)
Author: Steve Glain
Issue: International/Competition
Description: For most of the past century, under sea cable systems were the
near-exclusive work of AT&T and a small fraternity of telecommunications
giants. With the negotiation of a billion dollar project to cable China,
AT&T and these giants experienced some competition -- mostly from Baby Bell
SBC -- and some heady bargaining by Chinese officials who realized the
leverage gained by rocketing economic growth there and the strength of 1
billion potential customers.
Title: US West Calls For Changes to Universal Service Order
Source: Telecom AM http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Universal Service
Description: In a reconsideration petition filed at the Federal
Communications Commission, US West has asked the Commission clarify rules
and require a carrier to offer either toll blocking or toll control to
Lifeline customers -- but not both.
Title: FCC Calls for Creation of Temporary Universal Service Fund Administrator
Source: Telecom AM http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The FCC has directed the National Exchange Carriers Association
(NECA) to create an independent, not-for-profit subsidiary to act as
temporary administrator of the Universal Service Fund. NECA will also set up
two unaffiliated, nonprofit corporations to oversee applications from
schools, libraries and rural health care providers. The Universal Service
Administrative Company will represent the interests of industry, service
providers, schools, libraries, and state regulators.
At the FCC http://www.fcc.gov
CHAIRMAN HUNDT ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF W. DON CORNWELL AS CHAIRMAN OF THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND [for more information on the fund see
http://www.benton.org/Policy/96act/#telecom-fund]
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