OWNERSHIP
Powell Sets Hearing On Ownership Regs
Coalition Says Children Are Ignored in Media Deregulation
BROADBAND
High-Speed Wireless Internet Network Is Planned
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Online Forum in Preparation of World Summit on the Information
Society
OWNERSHIP
POWELL SETS HEARING ON OWNERSHIP REGS
In response to growing pressure, FCC chairman Michael Powell has agreed to
hold at least one public hearing as the agency considers relaxing several
key media ownership rules. Powell, who announced this week that a hearing
would be convened in Richmond, VA in February, has been criticized for
refusing to hold public hearings on the possible elimination of an
unprecedented number of ownership regulations. Until now, Powell had
responded to critics by pointing out that anyone could file written comments
that would be considered a part of the record. Late last month, Democratic
FCC commissioner Michael Copps said he would take part in public hearings
being organized by consumer advocates and several Hollywood guilds.
[SOURCE: Yahoo.com, AUTHOR: Pamela McClintock (Variety)]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=599&u=/nm/20021205/media_n
m/fcc_3&printer=1)
COALITION SAYS CHILDREN ARE IGNORED IN MEDIA DEREGULATION
Deregulation of media companies may result in fewer programming choices for
children, say several prominent public health, media research and consumer
organizations. Groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American
Psychological Association, Center for Media Education and the National PTA
sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling for the
agency to address the impact of proposed deregulation on children's
television before proceeding with plans to modify or eliminate several
existing media ownership rules. "The history of children's television
demonstrates that kids lose out when the marketplace alone determines
programming," said Patti Miller, director of Children Now's Children & the
Media program, which is leading the coalition of groups.
[SOURCE: Childrennow]
(http://www.childrennow.org/newsroom/news-02/pr-12-4-02.htm)
BROADBAND
HIGH-SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET NETWORK IS PLANNED
Cometa Networks, a new company poised to position more than 20,000
high-speed wireless "hot spots" in the fifty largest metropolitan
neighborhoods, will use a technology known as WiFi, which allows users of
personal and hand-held computers to connect to the Internet at high speed
without cables. Established with assistance from technology companies AT&T,
I.B.M, Intel, the company is aiming to offering its service through cellular
and wired telephone companies, D.S.L. and cable Internet service providers
and other Internet retailers some time in 2003. Cometa executives predict
that the national availability of the wireless network, along with Intel's
planned inclusion of wireless Internet capability in all its mobile
microprocessors next year, could revolutionize way Americans use the
Internet.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: John Markoff]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/06/technology/06WIRE.html)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ONLINE FORUM IN PREPARATION OF WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
A forum to discuss an array of issues including education, training and
information technology among others, will be held on the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization web site
wsisforum.unesco.org http://wsisforum.unesco.org beginning December 9th
and running until January 15, 2003. Ko