POLITICAL DISCOURSE
Bush Campaign Balks at Committing to 3 Prime-Time Debates on
Major TV Networks (NYT)
HEALTH ONLINE
Telemedicine Alters Health-Care Delivery For
Distant Patients (SJM)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Chief of MP3.com Testifies in Music Copyright Hearing (NYT)
PUBLISHING
Competing Alliances Set In Electronic Book Field (NYT)
WIRELESS
Three Mobile-Phone Makers Agree To Develop Radiation
Risk Standard (WSJ)
Public Meeting to Develop GPS/Ultrawideband
Operational Scenarios (NTIA)
JOBS
Director of the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (NTIA)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
BUSH CAMPAIGN BALKS AT COMMITTING TO 3 PRIME-TIME DEBATES ON MAJOR TV NETWORKS
Issue: Political Discourse
The Commission on Presidential Debates wants to hold three debates between
Vice President Gore and Gov Bush -- each 90 minutes long and with a
moderator instead of a panel of reporters (one debate might be a town hall
format allowing everyday people to ask questions). But Gov Bush's aides are
balking at the proposed format and the candidate is hoping to hold out for a
more relaxed and conversational set up with a moderator who is not too
adversarial. The Bush campaign also seems to object to having the three
debates shown in prime time. Janet Brown, the commission's executive
director, said her organization was not about to make significant
compromises. "Our proposal is the result of two and a half years' worth of
deliberations and planning on dates, formats and venues," Ms. Brown said.
"And I don't believe it's possible for the campaigns to improve upon it."
[SOURCE: New York Times (A18), AUTHOR: Richard Berke]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/082900wh-debate.html)
(requires registration)
HEALTH ONLINE
TELEMEDICINE ALTERS HEALTH-CARE DELIVERY FOR DISTANT PATIENTS
Issue: Health
For many patients, a visit to the doctors office involves telephone cables,
Internet connections, elaborate videoconferencing systems and high-tech
monitoring devices. As telemedicine changes the face of medicine, some
patients can now meet with specialists hours away without having to leave
their own community. "It's fabulous," says Jayne McVey, a diabetic, whose
small hometown doesn't have the specialist she needs to see. "People who
otherwise wouldn't have been able to get specialized care can get it now
with this technology." With more and more clinics combining
telecommunications and health care, the number of telemedicine consultations
has skyrocketed. In 1995, there were just 6,138 such consultations carried
out nationwide, but by 1999 there were more than 75,000, according to the
Association of Telehealth Service Providers. "We've seen it so far as a tool
to improve access to health care. I think in the next five years, we'll see
it equally to improve quality of care," says Dr. Dena Puskin, director of
the federal Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. But there are barriers
to the wide spread use of telemedicine. In some of the most remote regions,
high-speed Internet lines are non-existent, making it difficult to establish
a program so dependent on advanced technology.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Julie Sevrens]
(http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/front/docs/health082900.htm)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
CHIEF OF MP3.COM TESTIFIES IN MUSIC COPYRIGHT HEARING
Issue: Intellectual Property
Although a judge has already ruled that the company infringed upon
copyrights, a trial began yesterday to determine whether MP3.com willfully
violated Universal's copyrights. MP3.com created a service, My.MP3.com, that
allowed users online access to songs they purchased on CD. MP3 settled with
four of the major music companies, Universal has pushed the case to trial.
Richtel believes the case came to trial for one or both of two reasons:
because as the biggest record company it wants a larger settlement; or
because it has intentions to start a competing service with My.MP3.com and
does not want to license its content to MP3.com, a provision that has been a
component of the settlements with the other record companies.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C6), AUTHOR: Matt Richtel]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/08/biztech/articles/29music.html)
(requires registration)
PUBLISHING
COMPETING ALLIANCES SET IN ELECTRONIC BOOK FIELD
Issue: Online Publishing
Microsoft and Adobe have announced rival alliances as they compete to define
the standard format for electronic publishing. Microsoft's will be the
"preferred" format as Amazon.com starts selling electronic books although
other formats will be available, too. Microsoft already has a similar deal
with Barnesandnoble.com. Adobe announced it will buy Glassbook, another
maker of reading software that is easier to use than Adobe. Glassbook
technology will be included in Adobe upgrades. The last competing format is
Gemstar which is used on portable appliances.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C8), AUTHOR: David Kirkpatrick]
(http://www.nytimes.com/)
(requires registration)
WIRELESS
THREE MOBILE-PHONE MAKERS AGREE TO DEVELOP RADIATION RISK STANDARD
Issue: Wireless
Major wireless companies Nokia, Motorola, and Ericsson, have
begun working with governmental bodies around the world in an attempt to
devise a global standard for measuring cell-phone radiation levels. In
particular, they are focused on developing a consistent way
to measure standard absorption rates, known as SAR, which is the amount of
radio-frequency energy that is absorbed by human tissue. Creating a global
standard will be difficult because there are multiple ways to determine how
to measure SAR and the testing process varies greatly in different parts of
the world. Additionally, countries use different safety guidelines so what
is considered safe in one part of the world is might not pass muster in
another.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B4), AUTHOR: Nicole Harris and Scott Hensley]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB96749232181636211.htm)
(requires subscription)
PUBLIC MEETING TO DEVELOP GPS/ULTRAWIDEBAND OPERATIONAL SCENARIOS
Issue: Spectrum
NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management will host a series of public meetings
to develop the operational scenarios to be considered in the assessment of
potential interference to Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers from
ultrawideband (UWB) transmission systems. Interested parties are invited to
make presentations describing GPS/UWB operational scenarios they expect to
be considered in the NTIA analysis. The first meeting will be held from 9:00
a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thursday September 7.
[SOURCE: NTIA]
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/uwbtestplan/gpsmeetfr.htm)
JOBS
DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES
Issue: Jobs
Job Announcement: The application period for the position of Director of the
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (Associate Administrator for
Telecommunication Sciences) in Boulder, CO has been extended to September 12.
[SOURCE: NTIA]
(http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/BS3134.HTM)
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