Communications-Related Headlines for January 13, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
The Silence of the Lambs: Who Speaks for Journalists Before the FCC?
Radio One, Comcast in Cable Deal

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Asian Meeting for Information Society Summit Opens in Tokyo

INTERNET
File-swapping Lawsuit Gets the OK

PRIVACY
RFID Tags: Big Brother in Small Packages

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS:
WHO SPEAKS FOR JOURNALISTS BEFORE THE FCC?
(Commentary) The Columbia Journalism Review criticizes the FCC for its
process of reviewing US media ownership rules --- and criticizes the
journalistic community for not taking a stand on the issue. The rules, if
rolled back, would increase the power of media outlets while potentially
stifling the diversity of journalistic voices. "Citizens could suddenly find
that their local newspaper and TV stations, along with their dominant local
Web sites, all have the same owner," write CJR's editorial staff. "What
might appear to be multiple sources of information could all flow through
the same corporate culture, subject to its limits in terms of journalistic
vision and citizenship." CJR points out that media companies clearly have
much to gain from the rollback of the rules, but the journalists who work
for these companies have much to lose. "Where are the journalistic
organizations and leaders who could illuminate these issues?" they ask. "In
a discussion that will affect everything journalists care about, where is
the voice of the journalists? "
[SOURCE: Columbia Journalism Review, AUTHOR: CJR editorial staff]
(http://www.cjr.org/year/03/1/comment.asp)

RADIO ONE, COMCAST IN CABLE DEAL
In an announcement expected today, the nation's largest cable company and
the largest African American-owned media company will launch a a new cable
channel to rival BET in the television market. The as-yet-unnamed channel
merges Comcast's presence in the cable industry with Radio One's desire to
provide culturally relevant program to the underserved black TV audience.
BET has come under sharp criticism since founder Robert L. Johnson sold the
network to Viacom in 2000, after which the channel cancelled its news
programming in favor of syndicated reruns and music videos. Radio One CEO
Alfred C. Liggins III, who is poised to chair the new channel, says that he
understands "how important a television network can be to the black
community and empower through disseminating information."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Krissah Williams]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47868-2003Jan12.html)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

ASIAN MEETING FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY SUMMIT OPENS IN TOKYO
Bridging the digital divide and bringing a greater diversity of world voices
to the Internet are two of the many topics that will be addressed at this
week's Asia regional meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS). The WSIS, which will be held in Geneva in December with a follow-up
in Tunis two years later, will bring together world leaders, civil society
activists and corporations to discuss ways for all the world's people to
benefit from information and communications technologies. The Tokyo meeting
is one of several regional preparatory meetings being held around the world.
Attendees are expected to agree on a statement to encourage affordable,
equitable Internet access for all Asians. However, the meeting is not
without challenges. The delegation from China, a nation well known for
severely restricting online freedoms, argued against the inclusion of NGOs
on the committee that is drafting the final statement of principles from the
meeting.
[SOURCE: The China Post, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.chinapost.com.tw/detail.asp?onNews=1&GRP=A&id=17565)

INTERNET

FILE-SWAPPING LAWSUIT GETS THE OK
A US District Court has ruled that American movie and record companies can
sue the Australia-based parent company of KaZaa, the online file-swapping
service. In a ruling issued Friday, the court found that Sharman Networks,
which is incorporated in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, conducts
substantial business in the state of California and that its actions "are
alleged to contribute to commercial piracy in the United States." The
decision comes just weeks after the Australian Supreme Court ruled that a US
company could be sued in that country for defamation, marking another
milestone in the legal battle to determine the reach of companies' dealings
over the Web.
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-13-file-swapping_x.htm)

PRIVACY

RFID TAGS: BIG BROTHER IN SMALL PACKAGES
Does radio frequency identification (RFID) technology represent a
breakthrough in retail commerce aimed at reducing prices and checkout time?
Or is the micro-technology a potential tracking device to be exploited by
criminals and law enforcement agents? CNET News' Declan McCullagh explores
the balancing act inherent in any new technology that may have more harmful
and broader uses than originally intended. In this case, RFID involves
microscopic chips, some as small as a flake of pepper, that respond to a
radio signal with their own unique ID code. While the technology could be
used by retailers to streamline inventories and prevent losses from theft,
McCullagh notes the ease with which the tiny chips could erode any remaining
sense of anonymity. "[This] raises the disquieting possibility of being
tracked though our personal possessions," he writes. "Imagine... Grocery
stores flash ads on wall-sized screens based on your spending patterns....
Police gain a trendy method of constant, cradle-to-grave surveillance."
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
(http://news.com.com/2010-1069-980325.html?tag=fd_nc_1)

----------------------------------------------------------------------