MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Commentary: Comcast Holds Sports Fans Captive
Extra! Extra! MediaGlom Inc. Claims Local Paper!
E-GOVERNMENT
Agri Minister Pledges E-Gov for Northern Ireland's Farmers
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Report: Community Technology Centers as Catalysts for Community
Change
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
UNITeS, UN Volunteers Launch WSIS Website
INTERNET
'Wider-Fi' Widens
EVENTS
Everett Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture and Awards
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
COMCAST HOLDS SPORTS FANS CAPTIVE
[Commentary] Despite claims coming from the Michael Powell-led FCC,
competition in the pay TV industry isn't as robust as one might think.
Rather, it can best be described as "a cruel joke," according to consumer
affairs writer Jeff Gelles. Gelles continues to deny himself satellite TV
solely to watch his favorite Philadelphia sports teams on Comcast SportsNet.
Incidentally, Comcast "owns rights to a majority of Phillies games, and just
plain owns the Sixers and Flyers," he writes. "Unless the games are
broadcast by a local station or showcased on a national network, they're not
watchable on DirecTV or its competitor, Dish Network." The reason, Gelles
cites, is a loophole in the 1992 re-regulation of the cable industry that
allows cable companies to deny their competitors access to programming in
which they have an ownership stake if that programming is not delivered via
satellite (Comcast delivers its signal over landlines). Comcast isn't alone
in this practice, as New York's Cablevision has prevented competitor RCN
from offering local sports for several years. While the industry has
attempted to circumvent program-access rules for the past few years, they
may soon become irrelevant -- a movement to use fiber-optic technology to
ensure that all cable companies can broadcast their content without the use
of satellite delivery. The FCC can prevent the loophole from becoming a
national problem, Gelles says, but in the meantime, he remains "a prisoner
of Comcast."
SOURCE: The Philadelphia Inquirer; AUTHOR: Jeff Gelles
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/personal_finance/6548640.htm
EXTRA! EXTRA! MEDIAGLOM INC. CLAIMS LOCAL PAPER!
[Humor] Matt Janz's daily comic "Out of the Gene Pool" offers the first in
what appears be a long satirical assault on media ownership deregulation.
The comic illustrates a paperboy alerting potential customers on the street
that a large media conglomerate, Mediaglom Inc., has taken over the paper
he's selling, the Middletown Crier.
SOURCE: Comics.com; AUTHOR: Matt Janz
http://www.comics.com/wash/genepool/archive/genepool-20030811.html
E-GOVERNMENT
AGRI MINISTER PLEDGES E-GOV FOR NORTHERN IRELAND' FARMERS
Ian Pearson, the UK minister responsible for agriculture and rural
development, has pledged to help "ease the regulatory burden on farmers" by
improving agricultural e-government services. "Farming is not a nine to five
job and so it is important that the Government provides services when and
where farmers need them -- and the use of online services provides such
flexibility," Pearson said during a visit to Greenmount College of
Agriculture and Horticulture in Northern Ireland. Last year, the British
government launched APHIS Online, a livestock transactional service, now
used by 2,000 farmers across Northern Ireland. The ministry's other portal,
www.ruralni.gov.uk, helps farmers comply with government regulations,
research grant opportunities and track livestock.
Source: Farming Life
http://www.farminglife.com/flnews/content_objectid=13297132_method=full_...
id=51658_headline=-e%2DGovernment%2DPledge%2Dfrom%2DMinister-name_page.html
(Re-paste URL if broken)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
REPORT: COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AS CATALYSTS FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE
A new report commissioned by the Ford Foundation examines how community
technology centers (CTCs) could function more effectively as public spaces
and as forces for positive social change at the community level. The report
summarizes the relevant literature on public spaces and community change and
documents historical and current issues facing CTCs. It then examines these
trends and identifies areas for further research and action, with specific
emphasis on recommendations and a funding program for CTCs that would
broaden both their mission and traditional sources of funds. The report is
published by BCT Partners, Project for Public Spaces Inc. and New School
University's Community Development Research Center.
SOURCE: BCT Partners
http://www.bctpartners.com/resources/CTCs_as_Catalysts.pdf
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
UNITeS, UN VOLUNTEERS LAUNCH WSIS WEBSITE
UN Volunteers and the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS)
have launched a website dedicated to the role of these volunteer
organizations in the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society. The
summit, to be held this December in Geneva, will bring together leaders in
government, civil society and the private sector to discuss strategies for
bridging the digital divide. The UNV/UNITeS website will cover news and
resources regarding volunteerism, information technology and global
development, as well as the role of volunteer organizations in the summit.
SOURCE: United Nations Information Technology Service
http://www.unites.org/wsis/
INTERNET
'WIDER-FI' WIDENS
High-speed Internet users in the rural Midwest are finding a faster and less
expensive connection to the Web than some of their more urban neighbors.
Wireless carriers are able to offer services at speeds faster than a T-1
line at a fraction of the cost of DSL or cable modems. This service isn't
just plain-old Wi-Fi, however: "Wider-Fi" technology enables users to
connect to a wide area network from as far away as 10 miles or more. While
Wider-Fi has become the connection of choice in many rural areas, the
movement is heading for cities. Minnesota's Vicom has commenced building
such a network in the Twin Cities area, installing a set of broadband
transmitters atop a water tower. The company plans to serve the outlying
areas first and doesn't see itself as a competitor to its landline
counterparts. The idea of using wireless technology to serve rural areas has
been popular for over a decade, but the technology itself wasn't up to par.
Only recently has the line-of-sight obstacle been overcome, but many smaller
providers have yet to make the investment in such equipment. Additionally,
these smaller firms seek to keep flying under the radar of incumbent
wire-line providers to avoid being undercut by promotions and other pricing
schemes. Several other hurdles remain as Wider-Fi moves forward, including
the use of licensed versus unlicensed spectrum and the broadband industry's
unfamiliarity with radio technology.
SOURCE: Pioneer Press; AUTHOR: Leslie Brooks Suzukamo
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/6543741.htm
EVENTS
EVERETT PARKER ETHICS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS LECTURE AND AWARDS
The Telecommunications Research & Action Center (TRAC) and the United Church
of Christ will host the 21st Annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in
Telecommunications Lecture at 12pm on Tuesday, September 16. The event will
honor former FCC chairman Newton Minow and children's television activist
Peggy Charren. This year's distinguished Parker Lecturer will be Jay Harris
of the USC Center for the Study of Journalism and Democracy. The lecture
series and awards honor the Rev. Dr. Everett C. Parker, founder and director
emeritus of the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, for
his pioneering work in broadcast reform. The event will take place at the
the National City Christian Church, Five Thomas Circle NW, Washington DC. To
attend, please contact Kate Dean at 202-263-2950.
SOURCE: TRAC, Alliance for Public Technology
http://trac.org/parker/index.vtml
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