MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Commentary: New Rules, Old Rhetoric
UMass Radio Station Could Lose Public Affairs Programming to
Newspaper Cross-Ownership
E-GOVERNMENT
For Spending-Slashing States, Less Paper and More Internet
Voting Machine Study Divides Officials, Experts
21ST CENTURY SKILLS
Experts Urge Strong Education Rather Than Big Tariffs
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Bow Wow Supports Computers For Youth Drive
TELEPHONY
Telcos Scowl at 'Bill of Rights'
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
NEW RULES, OLD RHETORIC
[Commentary] Amidst the growing public debate over the FCC's media ownership
vote, FCC Chairman Michael Powell defends the new rules while seeking to
bridge the "distressing lack of consensus and ... basic misunderstandings"
about what exactly is at stake. If diversity is of concern, Powell writes
that the US has "the most diverse media marketplace in the world," whereas
those worried about concentration should consider that the top five
broadcast companies only own 25 percent of the 300+ available channels,
regardless of the fact that their popular programming brings in 80 percent
of the viewership. Still others claim that "ownership limits are necessary
because TV has too much sex or too much violence, is too bland or too
provocative," claims that Powell sees as contradictory. The chairman figures
the real source of the opposition is a desire to affect content, not
ownership itself, "having government promote or suppress particular
viewpoints." Returning the broadcast ownership cap to 35 percent will do
little to influence either problem, according to Powell. In fact, local
affiliate groups have been able to live well beneath the cap while
controlling more stations than the networks and do so remotely. The cap
"does not prevent a company with headquarters in Atlanta from owning
stations in Muncie, Indiana, no matter what numerical limit is drawn."
Lastly, the public discourse has ignored the crucial but "disturbing" trend
of high-quality programming ending up on cable stations, a phenomenon the
FCC hoped to remedy by increasing the broadcast cap. Powell closed by
inviting an open public debate on the issue, so long as that debate is well
informed and in focus.
SOURCE: The New York Times; AUTHOR: Michael Powell
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/28/opinion/28POWE.html
UMASS RADIO STATION COULD LOSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING
TO NEWSPAPER CROSS-OWNERSHIP
The University of Massachusetts/Lowell signed a contract with the Lowell Sun
newspaper that gave the paper "exclusive broadcast rights" to 25 hours of
prime radio time on WJUL, from 5am-10am weekdays. The deal was made without
the knowledge or the input of students or the community at large and will
displace two hours of Cambodian programming, one hour of Spanish Language
programming and two hours of public affairs programming. WJUL is a
non-commercial station that has been an important voice to Lowell's
immigrant and minority communities, offering 29 hours of ethnic programming
each week to the area's Cambodian, Armenian, Indian, Portuguese and Latin
American residents. Commercial radio largely ignores the needs of these
communities, according to area activists. A public meeting will be held this
Wednesday, July 30 at 6pm in the UMass Lowell Media Center in the basement
of the north campus Lydon Library to discuss the issue. For more
information, contact Ms. Vacarr at dvacarr( at )onelowell.net.
SOURCE: ONE Lowell; AUTHOR: Danielle Simone Vacarr
E-GOVERNMENT
FOR SPENDING-SLASHING STATES, LESS PAPER AND MORE INTERNET
The Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging is down to its last 20 copies of
"Missouri Guide for Seniors," a catalog of available financial aid and
health services. Because of state budget cuts, Missouri will no longer
produce paper versions of this annual catalog. Instead, senior citizens will
have to access the Internet -- despite the fact that they are one of the
least wired populations in the US. "I'll have to hold onto that book," said
Guila Wells, 84, who keeps a copy at home. Otherwise, "it's less available
to me, because I'm not into computers -- I don't have one." Many states are
choosing to save money by publishing documents only via the Internet. But
this decision is coming at a cost to the millions of Americans on the wrong
side of the digital divide. "More and more government information is being
put online, and yet there is still a sizable portion of the US population
that lacks access to the Internet or the skills to use it," says Andy Carvin
of the Benton Foundation. "Government's supposed to be for everybody, not
only those people who have computers," adds Mike MacLaren of the Michigan
Press Association. "People's access to government is supposed to be as
unfettered as possible."
SOURCE: Miami Herald; AUTHOR: David A. Lieb, Associated Press
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/6397854.htm
VOTING MACHINE STUDY DIVIDES OFFICIALS, EXPERTS
Last week's report from Johns Hopkins University about the potential
security shortfalls of Maryland's new electronic voting terminals has set up
a showdown between the Maryland State House and the terminals' skeptics.
"The study should be setting off alarm bells," said Delegate William A.
Bronrott of Montgomery County. "We need to be 100 percent sure that there is
no chance that our machines can be tampered with." Hopkins' Information
Security Institute released their analysis of a Diebold Election Systems
Inc. software code on Thursday, concluding that the system could allow
multiple voting, that "Smart Cards" could easily be copied and that an
insider could reprogram the machine to register votes incorrectly. Diebold
representatives claim that Hopkins researchers were only able to produce
such results by manipulating the code via PC and that such activities would
not be possible using a voting terminal. The state appears likely to stick
with its target date of March 2004 for outfitting all voting precincts with
the terminals, despite the stir created by the report. "I don't think you're
going to see the governor's office request additional studies," spokesman
Henry Fawell said. "We believe that this system has gone through a very
tough certification process and was very successful in the most recent
election."
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Brigid Schulte
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48092-2003Jul25.html
21ST CENTURY SKILLS
EXPERTS URGE STRONG EDUCATION RATHER THAN BIG TARIFFS
Some economic analysts say that protection of American products and jobs
from imports and outsourcing would facilitate a stronger economic recovery.
But to some economists, imports and job loss are a necessary part of
economic restructuring, which in the long-term will allow the United States
to exploit its "comparative advantage" in high-tech and high-value goods and
services. Professor of Economics Robert Feenstra said the nation should work
to improve the quality of the unemployed labor force. Government-sponsored
retraining programs such as trade adjustment assistance have been criticized
for being ineffective. J. David Richardson, professor of economics and
international relations, explained that most successful training takes place
on the job, so giving workers an incentive to find a job is essential. A
pilot program under the Trade Act of 2002, for example, offers to pay half
the wage differential for eligible workers who lose their job and take a
lower-paying job. Richardson noted that the biggest differences in job
mobility are between high school dropouts and workers with high school
diplomas and some college education. "There's a clear message there, which
is we've really got to help our workers in all kinds of adjustment by just
strengthening basic high school education," he said.
SOURCE: New York Times; AUTHOR: Daniel Altman
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/28/technology/28NECO.html
DIGITAL DIVIDE
BOW WOW SUPPORTS COMPUTERS FOR YOUTH DRIVE
Multi-platinum hip-hop recording artist Bow Wow performed a free concert in
New York City to raise awareness for Computers For Youth (CFY). CFY is a
nonprofit that provides computers to all of the students and teachers of
selected public middle schools in New York City. The program also provides
training, Internet access, email accounts, ongoing technical support and
tailored Web content. To date, CFY has deployed more than 3,000 home
computers to disadvantaged children and their teachers, and trained more
than 6,000 students, parents and teachers. An evaluation of the program
found that 76 percent of CFY students said they put more effort into their
education, and 74 percent said that having a home computer helps them do
better in school. "Every young person deserves to have a computer in his or
her home," said Bow Wow, a teenager and self-proclaimed "computer addict."
SOURCE: Teen Music.com
http://www.teenmusic.com/d.asp?r=42589&pg=2
http://www.cfy.org
TELEPHONY
TELCOS SCOWL AT 'BILL OF RIGHTS'
California's Public Utilities Commissioner Carl Wood said his team has
drafted the final version of the Telecommunications Consumer Bill of Rights,
which could become state law as early as September. The proposed law would
apply to all phone companies, including wireless, local and long distance.
Provisions include upfront disclosure about key rates, contract terms and
conditions; allowing customers 45 days to cancel their contracts without
penalty; and providing the utmost in customer care, including 24-hour,
seven-days-a-week access to live operators. Companies would not be allowed
to charge late fees on bills in dispute and would be required to offer basic
phone service even if the customer does not pay their bills in full. The
commission drafted the bill in response to volumes of complaints, many
related to billing disputes. Tom Wheeler, president of an industry trade
group, suggested that the commission wait for an industry-led initiative to
protect consumers. "No matter how many times you propose state regulations,
it always comes at a cost to consumers," he said. But Wood responds that the
industry has had at least three years to introduce and test a consumer code.
SOURCE: Wired News; AUTHOR: Elisa Batista
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,59789,00.html
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