MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Stevens Wants Limit Kept on Media Ownership
BROADBAND
Broadband Growth In Doubt, Study Hints
WI-FI
Start-Up Aims to Improve Wi-Fi Calls
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Annan Calls for Bridging Digital Divide in World's Poorest Countries
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
STEVENS WANTS LIMIT KEPT ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP
As the date certain for an FCC ruling on media ownership nears, legislators
have begun to employ countermeasures to safeguard the rules they believe to
be necessary in the public interest. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) introduced
legislation aimed at maintaining the current national TV ownership cap,
which prevents a single company from reaching 35% of the national audience.
While Stevens does support modifying the TV-newspaper cross-ownership rule,
he says that the 35% cap "maintains a healthy balance" between local and
national control of content. The bill is similar to one introduced in the
House of Representatives last week by Rep. Richard Burr (R-NC).
[SOURCE: Anchorage Daily News; AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/3141092p-3165367c.html
BROADBAND
BROADBAND GROWTH IN DOUBT, STUDY HINTS
Although broadband subscriptions increased by 50% between March 2002 and
April 2003, figures suggest that the demand for high-speed Internet may be
waning. A new study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project reports
that 57% of dial-up users are uninterested in switching to faster DSL or
cable service, even if such service is available in their area. Many
respondents fail to see the value of a faster connection, particularly at
current price points. However, 61% of survey respondents in areas where
broadband is not available say that they would most likely subscribe.
According to Pew researcher John B. Horrigan, "[t]he biggest barrier is
still availability," though price is also significant, prompting Verizon to
announce a lower price for its DSL service last week.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Yuki Noguchi]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4587-2003May17.html
WI-FI
START-UP AIMS TO IMPROVE WI-FI CALLS
Washington-based TeleSym is perfecting a technology that will allow users to
make phone calls over a Wi-Fi network, eliminating the monthly fees
associated with cellular and other mobile services. While the ability to
make calls over computer networks is by no means new, the movement is
gaining momentum among clients seeking to circumvent phone carrier charges
and cut costs. The technology "minimizes the effect of lost packets" over
the Web, preventing dropped calls and poor sound quality. While US operators
are still in the sapling stage of development, overseas efforts are well
under way, particularly in China. The technology has garnered the interest
of large industrial campuses, which typically provide cellular phones or
pagers to employees and pay monthly fees, and universities interested in
providing students with a common mode of communication.
[SOURCE: CNET News; AUTHOR: Michael Kanellos]
http://news.com.com/2100-1037_3-1006547.html?tag=fd_lede2_hed
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ANNAN CALLS FOR BRIDGING DIGITAL DIVIDE IN WORLD'S POOREST COUNTRIES
While making comments to mark World Telecommunications Day, UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on all nations to help bridge the global
digital divide between developed and developing nations. "The terms
'information society,' 'digital era,' or the 'information age' have all been
used to describe" our era, said Annan. "Whatever term we use, the society we
build must be open and pluralistic - one in which all people, in all
countries, have access to information and knowledge." He added that this is
the primary aim of the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva
this December and is supported as one of the Millennium Development Goals
agreed upon at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000.
[SOURCE: United Nations]
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=7104&Cr=digital&Cr1=divide
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