A Service of the Benton Foundation (http://www.benton.org)
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MEDIA OWNERSHIP
NAB Switcheroo: Backs Off Call for Return to 35 Percent
CABLE
FCC: Cable TV Costs Still Surpassing Rate of Inflation
E-GOVERNMENT
Tech Giants Look to Europe E-Govt for Growth
INTERNET
Second Annual Report on Cyberspace: "The Internet Under
Surveillance"
DIGITAL DIVIDE
New Report Finds Schools and Libraries Rely on E-Rate Support
PRIVACY
Privacy Issue in Surveillance
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
NAB SWITCHEROO: BACKS OFF CALL FOR RETURN TO 35 percent
The National Association of Broadcasters today is expected to reverse their
long-time stance in support of small TV stations by reneging on their call
to roll back the FCC's broadcast ownership cap to 35 percent. The move has a
few justifications, according to analysts. Primarily, NAB has supported the
FCC's other rule changes, particularly the easing of the TV-newspaper
cross-ownership restriction, which reflects "the predominant interest of its
remaining members." However, the real reason for its reversal may be to
protect its own existence -- since it first showed support for maintaining
the 35 percent cap, the networks have pulled out of NAB one by one -- taking
network owned-and-operated stations with them -- and threatening to form
their own group. Supporting the networks could stave off the formation of a
competitive interest group that would surely diminish NAB's influence on
Capitol Hill.
SOURCE: Media Life Magazine
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2003/jul03/jul07/4_thurs/news2thursday.
html
CABLE
FCC: CABLE TV COSTS STILL SURPASSING RATE OF INFLATION
A report released this week by the FCC has renewed the debate over the
increasing prices of cable TV service in recent years. The report pegged
rate hikes for 2002 at an average of 8.2 percent, sharply outpacing
inflation for the fifth consecutive year and prompting some consumer experts
to suggest that the industry has been monopolized. "Congress needs to step
in and take some action to keep cable rates down," said Consumers Union
analyst Adam Goldberg. Cable industry executives have testified before
Congress that price hikes have been necessary due to the rising cost of
programming. Still, the industry has its critics on Capitol Hill. "The cable
industry has risen to new heights in their apparent willingness and ability
to gouge the American consumer," said Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of
the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
SOURCE: Austin America-Statesman; AUTHOR: Jaclyn Glovis
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/bus...
s_f3b0eb56a4c2703300d0.html
Read the report:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-136A1.pdf
E-GOVERNMENT
TECH GIANTS LOOK TO EUROPE E-GOVT FOR GROWTH
With private sector sales stagnating, tech companies are looking to the
public sector as the next big business opportunity. Top executives from
companies such as HP, IBM, Cisco and Microsoft were at the European Union's
2003 e-government conference to offer their services. By 2010, the EU wants
to become the most efficient government entity in the world by putting its
public services online. Member countries will be required to have a
significant portion of their services linked to the Internet by 2005.
Examples of current initiatives include e-education in Sardinia, e-voting in
Switzerland, and online tax returns in Ireland. Romania has gone so far as
to make it a crime not to buy supplies for state services online. A growing
market is Eastern Europe, where many countries due to enter the EU next year
need to get wired quickly. Another potential high-growth area is
pan-European security systems such as border control.
SOURCE: Yahoo News; AUTHOR: Rachel Sanderson
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030709/tc_nm/tech_eu...
vernment_dc
INTERNET
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT ON CYBERSPACE: "THE INTERNET UNDER SURVEILLANCE"
Reporters Without Borders announced the release of its second annual report
on cyberspace, entitled "The Internet Under Surveillance: Obstacles to the
Free Flow of Information." The report profiles 60 countries, detailing state
attitudes, policies and attempts to control the Internet. The Internet is
strictly controlled in countries such as Cuba, Tunisia, and China, but even
in democracies such as the United States, Britain and France, new
anti-terrorism laws threaten to undermine Internet freedoms. The report
begins with a preface by Vinton G. Cerf, often called the "father" of the
Internet, and ends with a commentary about the role of the United Nations in
the struggle for freedom of expression.
SOURCE: Digital Opportunity Channel; AUTHOR: Reports Without Borders
The report can be downloaded in English or French:
http://www.digitalopportunity.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?root=2822&url=http:/...
.rsf.org
DIGITAL DIVIDE
NEW REPORT FINDS SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES RELY ON E-RATE SUPPORT
With schools and public libraries facing their toughest budget crises in
years, Internet subsidies from the federal E-Rate program is essential,
according to a study released Tuesday by the Education and Library Networks
Coalition (EdLiNC). Entitled "E-Rate: A Vision of Opportunity and
Innovation," the report contains testimonials and case studies from
libraries, schools and communities around the nation, demonstrating how
E-Rate funds are "transform[ing] America's schools and libraries into 21st
century institutions." EdLiNC's report offers five key findings: the E-Rate
is an important economic development tool; it brings new learning
opportunities to special education students; it's transforming education in
rural America; E-Rate-supported IT infrastructure is vital for meeting No
Child Left Behind Act goals; and institutions are expending valuable
resources in completing E-Rate applications.
SOURCE: EdLiNC
Read the full report:
http://www.edlinc.org/pdf/ErateReport070803.pdf
PRIVACY
PRIVACY ISSUE IN SURVEILLANCE
"Combat Zones That See" (CTS) is a new Pentagon project that would use
computers and thousands of cameras to track, record and analyze the movement
of every vehicle in a foreign city. The Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) oversees the project, which is designed to protect US
military overseas. However, there could be a market for domestic use of the
unclassified technology, such as surveillance of crime-ridden areas and
crowded events. Scientists and privacy experts are concerned about the
commercial applications of DARPA projects such as CTS. "Government would
have a reasonably good idea of where everyone is most of the time," said
GlobalSecurity.org defense analyst John Pike. John Onek of the Open Society
Institute adds that current law permitting the use of cameras in public
areas may require revision to address the privacy implications of these new
technologies. But DARPA spokeswoman Jan Walker says that CTS technology
isn't intended for homeland security or law enforcement and couldn't be used
for "other applications without extensive modifications."
SOURCE: South Bend Tribune; AUTHOR: Michael Sniffen
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2003/07/07/business.20030707-sbt...
H-B6-Privacy_issue_in.sto
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