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Universal Service
TelecomAM: Rockefeller Urges End of ISP Exemption, IDT Allows Free Protest

Television
NYT: Networks Turn to Affiliates To Defray Program Costs
B&C: CBS, NBC affils team for news

Cable
WSJ: Microsoft Co-Founder Puts Huge Bet on Cable-TV
NYT: Microsoft Billionaire Buys Dallas Cable-TV Operator

Long Distance
NYT: Bell Atlantic Wins Backing for New Plan
WSJ: Bell Atlantic Gets a Boost in Plan To Sell
Long Distance in New York

Microsoft
NYT: Proposals Made to Shrink Power of Microsoft
WSJ: Microsoft Tries To Broaden Reach Of Windows CE
WSJ: Microsoft, Others Invest in Accel's Fund for Start-Ups

InfoTech
NYT: A Single PC Chip That Almost Does It All

Electronic Commerce
NYT: To Solve Distribution Dilemma, E-Commerce Goes Postal

Arts
NYT: Six Simultaneous Premiers for One Piece of Music

** Universal Service **

Title: Rockefeller Urges End of ISP Exemption, IDT Allows Free Protest
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Internet Regulation/Universal Service
Description: April 10 is the deadline for the Federal Communications
Commission to deliver a report on universal service to Congress. Some
reports say that FCC may recommend that Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
should contribute to the universal service fund when they facilitate voice
"phone" calls. Wall Street analysts have told Congress that the telecom
industry will "game the system" and move calls to the packet-switching
network to avoid universal service payments. Support of the local phone
network would be left to those "not smart enough to take advantage of new
definitions." Bear Stearns analyst James Henry predicts that voice calls
will move to the Internet because it is more efficient than the traditional
phone network. He also predicts that the FCC will make a change because it
is impossible to keep "two services that offer the same
functionality...under different regulatory cost structures."

** Television **

Title: Networks Turn to Affiliates To Defray Program Costs
Source: New York Times (D4)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/tv-networks.html
Author: Bill Carter
Issue: Television Economics
Description: Since the earliest days of radio broadcasting, networks have
paid affiliated stations to carry their programs. Now, executives at several
television networks are working to redefine that relationship in what would
be a "fundamental" restructuring of the economics of TV broadcasting. Top
executives for ABC and NBC have argued in interviews over the past week that
the current system is "anachronistic and increasingly unrealistic" since
program costs continue to escalate and network profits are falling. In
addition to asking stations to help defray the costs in specific programs
like the NFL games, executives are proposing selling prime-time commercial
slots that are currently owned by the networks and ending exclusivity
arrangements with affiliated stations so networks can sell more programs to
smaller buyers, like cable channels. Any actions along these lines will most
likely result in conflict between the networks and their affiliates, whose
executives have resisted any change to the current system of paying fees,
called compensation, for carrying network programs.

Title: CBS, NBC affils team for news
Source: Broadcasting&Cable (p.92)
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/
Author: Dan Trigoboff
Issue: Journalism
Description: A CBS affiliate and a NBC affiliate in Scranton, PA will share
a news director and facilities. Under the "shared services agreement" WYOU's
news staff will be employed by rival station WBRE. "I think we're setting up
a new business model," said WBRE Vice President and General Manager Arthur
Daube. A similar arrangement exists in Fort Myers, Florida between stations
WBBH and WZVN, NBC and ABC affiliates.

** Cable **

Title: Microsoft Co-Founder Puts Huge Bet on Cable-TV
Source: Wall Street Journal (B6)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Kara Swisher & Leslie Cauley
Issue: Cable
Description: Paul Allen, Microsoft's co-founder, invested $2.78 billion to
acquire control of Marcus Cable. The billionaire signaled his conviction
that the cable infrastructure will most quickly deliver interactive services
to consumers, including educational materials, Internet access,
entertainment and sports content. Mr. Allen said, "Right now, cable is the
leading vehicle, that's not to say there will not be others, but right now
cable is in the lead position." The deal for Marcus cable also calls for the
assumption of about $1.2 billion in debt. The purchase marks the second
billion-dollar bet on the industry by a computer-industry player, following
Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast Corp.

Title: Microsoft Billionaire Buys Dallas Cable-TV Operator
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/biztech/articles/07cable.html
Author: Seth Schiesel
Issue: Merger
Description: Paul Allen, co-founder of the Microsoft Corp., announced
yesterday that he had agreed to purchase Marcus Cable Co., the nation's 10th
largest cable TV operator, for an estimated $1.3 billion. Allen has
"parlayed" his wealth into an entertainment and high-technology business
since retiring from Microsoft in 1983. This acquisition will provide Allen
with a major link directly into people's homes. "For years I've been talking
about his idea of the wired world," said Allen. "Now I have an investment in
some actual wires. Cable will be a key method for distributing digital data."

** Long Distance **

Title: Bell Atlantic Wins Backing for New Plan
Source: New York Times (A25)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/national/ny-bell-atlantic-local.html
Author: Seth Schiesel
Issue: Long-Distance
Description: The Justice Department's antitrust chief and New York State's
top utility regulator gave conditional support yesterday to the Bell
Atlantic Corporation's bid to sell long-distance telephone service. Monday's
announcements appear to give the company the "inside track" toward becoming
the first Bell local telephone company to sell long-distance since 1984 when
the companies were "pried away" from the AT&T Corporation. "This agreement
means that New York consumers will receive the benefit of the opportunity to
choose their provider of local telecommunications services," said John F.
O'Mara, chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission, in an
interview. "As a result of the competition in the market, we will see lower
local prices and as a result of Bell Atlantic getting into the long-distance
market, we will see lower long-distance prices."

Title: Bell Atlantic Gets a Boost in Plan To Sell Long Distance in New York
Source: Wall Street Journal (B7)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Stephanie N. Mehta
Issue: Long Distance
Description: State and federal regulators signaled conditional approval of a
Bell Atlantic plan to offer long-distance services in New York state. John
O'Mara, chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission, agreed to
endorse Bell Atlantic's application to enter the long-distance business if
the company takes additional steps to open its local-phone market to
competitors. The Justice Dept. followed O'Mara's action with a letter from
antitrust chief Joel Klein, who indicated that if those conditions, if met,
would probably meet the department's open-competition requirements. This
support from O'Mara and the Justice Dept. is an important win for Bell
Atlantic, who will be the first Baby Bell to sell long distance in the region.

** Microsoft **

Title: Proposals Made to Shrink Power of Microsoft
Source: New York Times (D1,D3)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/biztech/articles/07microsoft.html
Author: John Markoff
Issue: Antitrust
Description: Computer-industry executives concerned about Microsoft have
approached the Justice Department with a set of 10 proposed wide-ranging
remedies for what they believe would help reign in the monopoly power of the
Microsoft Corp. The proposals include "forcing Microsoft to divest its
applications business from its operating-system business and establishing a
monitoring system to track Microsoft's business practices." Microsoft
officials dismissed the proposed remedies saying that they had previously
responded to many of the points. "This is a wish list from Microsoft
competitors with no basis in the facts of this industry or the laws of this
country," said Mark Murray, a Microsoft spokesman. With the Justice
Department recently turning up the heat in its investigation, the issue of
Microsoft's dominance in the industry also has "sharpened."

Title: Microsoft Tries To Broaden Reach Of Windows CE
Source: Wall Street Journal (B12)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Don Clark
Issue: Microsoft
Description: Microsoft said it will upgrade its Windows CE operating systems
next year for a range of markets -- factories, retail outlets, cars, and
office equipment -- outside the computer industry, adding capabilities that
help machines control and schedule sequences of tasks. This announcement
puts it in more direct competition with several companies that supply what
are called "real-time" operating systems, including Wind River Systems,
Integrated Systems, and Microware Systems.

Title: Microsoft, Others Invest in Accel's Fund for Start-Ups
Source: Wall Street Journal (B5)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Don Clark
Issue: Investment
Description: Accel Partners, Microsoft, Lucent Tech., and Northern Telecom
are collectively putting a total of $35 million into Accel's $310 million
fund, which is aimed at nurturing new Internet-related businesses. Though
the investments are relatively small, the arrangement illustrates how big
companies are experimenting with ways to nurture start-ups. Accel expects to
establish informal relationships between start-ups and the four companies,
which will be an attraction for entrepreneurs eager to draw on the larger
firms for advice.

** InfoTech **

Title: A Single PC Chip That Almost Does It All
Source: New York Times (D2)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/biztech/articles/07chip.html
Author: Matt Richtel
Issue: InfoTechnology
Description: The National Semiconductor Corp. announced yesterday that it
would offer the industry's first microprocessor that contains most PC
functions on a single chip. National Semiconductor plans to start production
of the chip by the end of the year. The chip is meant for widespread use of
low-cost microprocessors in household appliances and to help pave the way
for high-performance PCs, priced below $1,000. The chip will help to reduce
the cost for personal computers by eliminating the need for PC makers to
include separate audio, graphics, video and communications hardware. The
only main PC function that the chip lacks is memory. "You're going to start
to see personal computers in all sorts of things where you wouldn't have
thought of them before," said Nathan Brookwood, a chip analyst for
Dataquest, a San Jose-based market research firm.

** Electronic Commerce **

Title: To Solve Distribution Dilemma, E-Commerce Goes Postal
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/eurobytes/07euro.html
Author: Bruno Guissani
Issue: Electronic Commerce/International
Description: Le Shop, based in Nyon, Switzerland, is the first nationwide
online store of its kind to open in Europe. Primarily aimed at the Swiss
market, it mainly sells packages food and personal and home-care products.
But what makes Le Shop a "phenomenon" for businesses and online-marketers in
Europe to watch is that if an order is placed before 4:30 PM, the company
guarantees overnight home delivery -- "which virtually no one else does."
Another interesting aspect is the fact that Le Shop does not own a warehouse
or manage its stock. "The logistics for the entire distribution have been
handed over to the Swiss Post Office, which is a partner in the venture."
Once a customer has completed an order and it has been validated against
that customer's purchasing record, the order is transmitted electronically
to a center in Lausanne where postal employees pack the requested products
into one of Le Shop's yellow boxes and then put it directly into the
traditional postal circuit, only a floor away. "Logistics are crucial for an
online shop to be successful, yet they are often overlooked," said Christian
Wanner, Le Shop's head of marketing. "Instead of trying to compete on prices
as many others are doing, we've implemented a new model based on speed and
reliability."

** Arts **

Title: Six Simultaneous Premiers for One Piece of Music
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/articles/07horn.html
Author: Matthew Mirapaul
Issue: Arts
Description: A new concerto by the composer David Maslanka will premier
tonight in six different locations, played simultaneously, but
independently, by six different ensembles. Five of the performances will be
available over the Internet. The concerto, titled "Sea Dreams," is a
32-minute, three-movement piece, for two horns and wind orchestra. It was
jointly commissioned by 10 schools at the prompting of the hornist Thomas
Bacon, a professor of music at Arizona State Univ. in Tempe. Streaming audio
-- and video, from at least one site -- will be transmitted live from all
performances except Florida State's. Online observers will be able to switch
back and forth between the broadcasts. The cybercasts also will be archived
on the Web for the next month so listeners can compare the interpretations.
You can access the performances at: http://concerto.inre.asu.edu/
*********

FCC
Telecom AM: Kennard Defends FCC's 'Streamlining and Deregulation' Actions
FCC: Electronic Filing of Documents

Internet
WSJ: FCC To Propose Levies on Firms That Provide Phone Services Via
Internet
WP: FCC Rule Could Hike Internet Call Costs
NYT: Library's 'Internet User's Agreement' Violates Rights, Group Says
NYT: Vigilantes to Let Spam Flow to Prove a Point
WSJ: Web's Vastness Foils Even Best Search Engines

Telephony
Telecom AM: Tristani Says FCC Won't Break 'Deal' With Rural Phone Companies
Telecom AM: Sprint Executive Sees 'Misinformation' On Long Distance Bills

Disabilities
FCC: Access to Telecommunications Services and Equipment to
Americans with Disabilities
Telecom AM: FCC Proposes Rules to Ensure Disabled Access to Phones

Digital TV
WSJ: TV Plans to Use New Digital Capacity To Improve Picture, Not Add
Channels

Computer Industry
NYT: Committee Clears Bill to Allow More Immigrant High-Tech Workers
NYT: Digital Diaper Set Is Next Gleam in Software Industry's Eye

** FCC **

Title: Kennard Defends FCC's 'Streamlining and Deregulation' Actions
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: FCC
Description: Chairman Kennard defended the actions that he and other
commissioners have taken in their terms to streamline and deregulate the
FCC, countering Congressional criticism. Kennard said three of the four
items approved involve streamlining and deregulation, showing the "strong
commitment that I and my fellow commissioners have made to reduce regulatory
burdens and streamline the FCC." An FCC official, anonymously, said the
statement was intended to respond to Congressional critics who believe the
agency has been slow to update it regulations for competitive markets.

Title: Electronic Filing of Documents
Source: FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/OGC/News_Releases/1998/nrgc8002.html
Issue: FCC
Description: "The FCC has amended its rules to allow the public to file
comments and other pleadings electronically via the Internet in many
rulemaking proceedings. Electronic filing will be permitted in most notice
and comment rulemaking proceedings, most proceedings involving petitions for
rulemaking, Notice of Inquiry proceedings, and petitions for reconsideration
in these proceedings."

** Internet **

Title:
Source: Wall Street Journal (A1)
http://wsj.com/
Author: John Simons
Issue: Internet Regulation/Universal Service
Description: The FCC has a proposal that would require ISPs to pay access
charges to local phone companies for services they provide their customers
on-line. The FCC would also require those companies to pay into the
government's "universal service fund," which subsidizes inexpensive phone
service in rural and inner-city areas. If the commission approves of the
proposal it would be a major break from Clinton administration's hands-off
regulatory policy toward the Internet.

Title: FCC Rule Could Hike Internet Call Costs
Source: Washington Post (D1,D5)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/03/152l-040398-idx.html
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Internet Use/Long-Distance
Description: Federal regulators are considering a proposal that would
require companies that carry long-distance telephone calls over the Internet
to pay the same fees that traditional long-distance companies pay to support
the nation's phone system. The proposal, that could raise the rates on
Internet long-distance services, is still in the discussion stage at the
Federal Communications Commission. "If the service they're providing is the
same that a classic long-distance company provides, that's an awful lot like
a telephone company," said one FCC staffer. "And that comes with obligations."

Title: Library's 'Internet User's Agreement' Violates Rights, Group Says
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/cyberlaw/03law.html
Author: Carl J. Kaplan
Issue: Internet Regulation/Privacy
Description: Many libraries are now using one of two methods to prevent
patrons from "ogling" smut online: 1) installing a software blocking program
on a computer terminal or 2) having users sign a form that basically says,
"Thou shalt not peek" at cyber porn. The first method "triggered" a First
Amendment lawsuit this past December that is now underway in Federal
District Court in Alexandria, VA. Now the second method is also under attack
in Los Angeles. Last month, 11 adult residents of Ventura County, Calif. and
the local branch of the Libertarian Party, filed a complaint in federal
court challenging the library system's requirement that patrons who want to
use library computers must sign an agreement that they will "refrain from
'displaying sexually explicit' material online." Generally, these library
attempts are efforts to keep children from accessing "inappropriate"
material or to keep adults from displaying sexually explicit sites that may
be offensive to others in the library. Opponents claim these measures are a
violation to the First Amendment, while others defend these moves as a
library's right to decide which materials to accumulate and display as part
of its collection. "Libraries are in a real quandary," said Karen G.
Schneider, a public librarian at Garfield Library in Brunswick NY and the
author of "A Practical Guide to Internet Fillers." "When computer terminals
are in an open area, as they usually are in libraries, there is a conflict
between a patron's right to view material online and the right of other
patrons not to see it...We've always had sexually explicit information in
libraries, but traditionally that information was tucked into books. As a
librarian, it's not my business what you are reading at a table. But if you
lift up a [sex] magazine and hold it up for everyone to see, then you are
starting to intrude on other people's rights of privacy."

Title: Vigilantes to Let Spam Flow to Prove a Point
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/articles/03usenet.html
Author: Matt Richtel
Issue: Internet Regulation
Description: A "behind-the-scenes" vigilante group that regulates and
cancels spam messages from Internet discussion groups planned Friday to
"temporarily cease its policing activities. The action may be felt far and
wide: The vigilantes predict discussion groups will fill with advertisements
-- largely sex-related -- and that specialized servers that carry discussion
groups may crash the world over. The group says it hopes to force Internet
service companies to start policing themselves, to begin using anti-spam
software filters on their own news servers, and to demonstrate to them 'in
inarguable terms what Usenet is facing.'" "A lot of servers that aren't well
cared for are just going to melt down," said Rick Buchanan, a member of the
group that is like and online version of the Guardian Angels. "Hard drives
will crash and burn."

Title: Web's Vastness Foils Even Best Search Engines
Source: Wall Street Journal (B1)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Thomas E. Weber
Issue: Search Engines
Description: Even the most thorough search engine manages to find only about
a third of the pages on the Web, according to a study published in the
journal of Science. C. Lee Giles, co-author of the study and a scientist at
NEC, said, "I don't think people realize how little coverage of the Web the
search engines provide...I was quite surprised." Search engines are best
known for turning up too much info. Now the study raises the sobering
prospect that the one page you need might not be among those thousands and
there may be no way to find it. And, as millions of pages are added to the
Web each year, it could call into question the business of search engines
and the continued prominence of the Web itself. Hot emerged as the most
comprehensive search engine among the six in the study. The worst of the six
was Lycos. Rajive Mathur, senior product manager at Lycos, said, "Quite
frankly, I don't give these kinds of reports a lot of credence. Our focus is
not on quantity, it's on quality."

** Telephony **

Title: Tristani Says FCC Won't Break 'Deal' With Rural Phone Companies
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Telephony
Description: FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani told rural phone companies
that she doesn't want the FCC to adopt policies that "strike the right
balance for large LECs [local exchange carriers] but overlook the unique
nature of rural LECs." Tristani said that the rural companies and the FCC
entered into a "deal" whereby rural companies agreed to serve all customers,
even though they would "lose money every month," and the FCC would allow
them to subsidize those high-cost customers. "That was the deal," she said,
and "while competition is the reason we are revising that deal, it must not
be an excuse for breaking the deal."

Title: Sprint Executive Sees 'Misinformation' On Long Distance Bills
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Long Distance
Description: A Sprint exec said there's been "confusion and misinformation"
about new charges on long distance bills. VP of Gov't Affairs James Lewin
said in a letter to House Committee Chairman Thomas Bliley (R-VA) that bills
now include surcharges for the new schools and libraries program and
subscriber line charges to reflect changes in the way local companies bill
Sprint for access.

** Disabilities **

Title: Access to Telecommunications Services and Equipment to
Americans with Disabilities
Source: FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/News_Releases/1998/nrwl8012.html
Issue: Disabilities
Description: The FCC "adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPRM") to
implement Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 ("the Act").
Section 255 represents the most significant governmental action for people
with disabilities since the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act
of 1990 ("ADA"). It is one of the key provisions of the Act promoting the
goal of universal access and seeks to increase the accessibility of
telecommunications services and equipment to the 54 million Americans with
disabilities."

Title: FCC Proposes Rules to Ensure Disabled Access to Phones
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Disabilities
Description: The FCC proposed rules that make it easier for the disabled to
get access to phones and pagers that they can use. The commissioners
proposed requiring phone companies to design and manufacture equipment that
can be more easily used by the disabled, such as phones that have enlarged
keypads or are voice-activated. Sec. 255 of the Telecom Act requires the FCC
to set rules to endure that the 54 million disabled Americans can use
telecom equipment. Under the proposed rules, when the FCC is contacted with
a complaint, it will give the company five days to provide the equipment if
it is available or find a substitute. Companies that don't respond can be
penalized or fined.

** Digital TV **

Title: TV Plans to Use New Digital Capacity To Improve Picture, Not Add
Channels
Source: Wall Street Journal (A3)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Kyle Pope
Issue: Digital TV
Description: Network execs said that they still believe an expansion of
channels, or "multicasting," is the real promise of digital TV. But they
have also acknowledged that it has become politically impossible. Critics in
Congress have objected to using the free digital spectrum to make money, and
have even threatened the networks with new public-service requirements if
they don't broadcast full-scale, "high-definition" TV. CBS and ABC both
pledged a small portion of their primetime schedule in HDTV, starting this
fall. Preston Padden, president of ABC, said, "The government made it quite
clear to us that they wanted us to get about the business of HDTV, and
that's what we're doing."

** Computer Industry **

Title: Committee Clears Bill to Allow More Immigrant High-Tech Workers
Source: New York Times (Cybertimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/articles/03visa.html
Author: Jeri Clausing
Issue: Jobs
Description: The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill yesterday that
will allow computer and software companies to bring in thousands more
foreign workers. The panel approved a bill by Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI)
that would increase the number of visas available this year under the
so-called H1-B visa program from 65,000 to 95,000. That limit will increase
to 115,000 for the years 1999 through 2002. Sen. Abraham added a provision
to the bill at the request of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), that "the National
Science Foundation conduct a study of high-tech labor needs for the next
decade." The study will be due to Congress in two years.

Title: Digital Diaper Set Is Next Gleam in Software Industry's Eye
Source: New York Times (C1,C3)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/biztech/articles/03tots.html
Author: Steve Lohr
Issue: Computer Literacy
Description: Over the past year, sales of software for children ages 5 and
younger has more than doubled to $41 million, according to PC Data Inc., a
research company that tracks the industry. However, introducing children at
such a young age is a heated topic of debate among educators and
child-development experts. "Computers are transforming our society in both
good ways and silly ways," said Judah Schwartz, co-director of the
Educational Technology Center at Harvard Univ. "And this seems to be one of
the sillier ways." Yet child-development specialists think there is nothing
silly about it and insist personal computers will soon be as natural a
fixture in the nursery or playroom as Dr. Seuss. "Just as books are adapted
in both form and content to meet the needs of babies and toddlers, computers
and software can be adapted to delight and educate even the very young,"
said Corinne Rupert, a child psychologist. If the software is properly made
and easy to use, she declared, "There is no minimum age level to computer
introduction."
*********
And we are outta here ... Have a great weekend and don't forget to "spring
forward" on Sunday!

Television
WSJ: Networks to Unveil Digital-TV Plans Next Week at Show
WP: Stations to Offer Candidates a Campaign Forum

Education
WSJ: Should a Newspaper Be Teaching Kids to Read?
WSJ: Better Education( at )Email.com
NYT: Nothing But Net? Not for Duke's Library Fans

Internet & Online Service
NYT: Another Round on Domain System
WSJ: AT&T an Microsoft Internet-Access Plans Rethink 'Unlimited'

Federal Communications Commission
TelecomAM: Dingell Continues To Blast Kennard On FCC Authority
FCC: FCC to Broadcast Audio and Closed Captioned Text of
Open Commission Meeting
FCC: Toll Free Vanity Numbers

Telephony
TelecomAM: MCI Says PacBell Is Delaying Competition In California
WP: The Long-Distance Line

InfoTech
WSJ: Sun, IBM, in Rare Cooperation, To Create Java Operating System

Arts
NYT: Hearing Case on Art Grants, Court Reflects on 'Decency'
WP: Court Hears Arguments On NEA 'Decency' Rules
WP: United They Stanza

Campaign Finance Reform
NYT: The Backlash in the House
WP: Petition Drive May Be Last Hope for Campaign Reform

Lifestyles
NYT: Post Office Unveils First Electronic Stamps

** Television **

Title: Networks to Unveil Digital-TV Plans Next Week at Show
Source: Wall Street Journal (B6)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Kyle Pope
Issue: Digital TV
Description: At the Nat'l Association of Broadcasters trade show in Las
Vegas next week, the networks are expected to formally unveil digital TV
plans. TV companies have been working for months to come up with ways to use
their digital spectrum, given to them by the federal gov't. last year in
hopes of nudging the TV industry into the digital age. But while the
networks will announce plans for some form of digital TV, they don't agree
on the basic technical standards. CBS and GE's NBC, for instance, said
they'll show super-clear HDTV in primetime, but the rest of the broadcasts
will show a slightly lower-resolution digital format, and could break up
their current channel into 3 or even 4 separate digital channels. In
contrast, Fox and ABC favor a technology embraced by the computer industry,
called progressive scanning. Due to this "technical spat," equipment makers
don't know which type of TV format they should build for. The confusion of
the use of the digital spectrum has raised concern in Washington this week.
Members of Congress say that any plans to skirt HDTV -- or to split the
digital channel into several pay services -- will be met with resistance.

Title: Stations to Offer Candidates a Campaign Forum
Source: Washington Post (D5)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/01/069l-040198-idx.html
Author: John Carmody
Issue: Free Airtime For Candidates
Description: Six Post-Newsweek stations -- NBC affiliates WDIV in Detroit
and KPRC in Houston, ABC's WPLG in Miami and KSAT in San Antonio, and CBS
affiliates WJXT in Jacksonville and WKMG in Orlando -- will offer free air time
to qualified gubernatorial and congressional candidates for the November
election, according to president and CEO Bill Ryan. The format will consist
of 5-minute segments assembled into a long-form, commercial-free programs.

Title: Prime Cable Seeks Bidders to Buy Las Vegas System
Source: Wall Street Journal (B8)
http://wsj.com/
Issue: Cable
Description: Prime Cable has been accepting bids for its Las Vegas cable-TV
system which could fetch more than $1 billion. The Las Vegas system, which
has about 300,000 subscribers, is expected to command record prices because
of its unique character: the system has a robust hotel business, upgraded
lines capable of carrying two-way interactive services and a budding telecom
business. Prime invited four cable-TV companies -- Tele-Communications Inc.,
Cox Comm., Comcast, and Charter Comm. -- to submit bids for the Las Vegas
system.

** Education **

Title: Should a Newspaper Be Teaching Kids to Read?
Source: Wall Street Journal (B1)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Lisa Bannon
Issue: Education/Newspapers
Description: The Baltimore Sun's unusual five-year initiative to improve
literacy in Baltimore schools, known as "Reading by 9," has attracted
criticism because it stretches the traditional function of a newspaper from
observer to participant. The Sun dedicates four pages to the reading issue
every week as well as having recruited anchor advertisers and signed up 130
of its employees to tutor children weekly. The series won the 1997 Public
Service in Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
But some of the Sun's education writers, worried about a conflict of
interest, have declined to volunteer as tutors. Ron Peiffer, Asst. State
Superintendent for School and Community Outreach, said, "When someone is a
journalist and working as a volunteer, when does the job stop and the
volunteering begin?" The project is an outgrowth of a philosophy espoused by
Times Mirror Chairman Mark Willes who has drawn nat'l attention for
advocating that newspapers play a more activist role in their local
communities. He said, "If a paper exposes an issue and there is a reaction
to the story, the paper is a participant in that issue."

Title: Better Education( at )Email.com
Source: Wall Street Journal (3/31-Op-eds, A22)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Reed Hundt
Issue: Education/E-Mail
Description: More than 40,000 schools have applied for money from the FCC's
new universal fund, which will send $625 million their way this year. Where
can this money make the biggest difference? Improvements in how our children
are educated can be made with nothing more complicated or expensive then
e-mail. Teachers and parents should have a great deal to say to one another.
But working parents may not be available to talk on the phone or in person
unless there is a true emergency. E-mail is the perfect solution, for it
will let parents and teachers have a conversation when it's convenient for
both parties. E-mail between parents and teachers will change the dynamic of
parent-teacher-student relations, and bring systemic changes in the
educational system. This would be a giant step away from mass education to
mass individualization, in which the educational system could recognize a
and address the needs of particular students.

Title: Nothing But Net? Not for Duke's Library Fans
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/education/01education.html
Author: Pamela Mendels
Issue: Education
Description: A recent survey conducted by John Lubans Jr., a deputy
university librarian at Duke Univ., found that freshman frequently used the
Internet for their studies but they also continued to turn to the library
for everything from print and special online resources to the simple
pleasure of working amid the stacks. Luban conducted his study be greeting
users of the Lilly library's computers with an online questionnaire. Of the
schools 1,200 freshman, about 234 completed the surveys. "About 85 percent
said they used the World Wide Web at least several times a week for
'academic learning purposes,' with about 20 percent reporting that they used
it several times a day. When asked to describe the 'mix' of Web and
traditional library-based materials they relied on for class assignments,
more than 90 percent said Web materials represented at least 20 percent of
the resources they used. About 75 percent said they needed the supplemental
resources Lilly offered, from books to special online databases." In
addition, 36 percent said that they simply enjoyed working in the library.
"Somehow," Lubans said, "the library is playing the role of being the center
of intellectual life on campus rather than the student union. Being near
books, computers and other students studying is a way of realizing why you
are going to college." Lubans was quick to note that his survey was far from
scientific. But many affiliates have found the study to be enlightening.
"Some people have implied that once dorm rooms are wired no one will come
to the library. I'm not sure that's true," said Barbara J. Ford, president
of the American Library Association and executive director of univ. library
services at Virginia Commonwealth Univ. Results from Luben's survey can be
accessed at http://www.lib.duke.edu/staff/orgnztn/lubans/firstyear.html.
Also see Buildings, Books and Bytes at
http://www.benton.org/Library/Kellogg/buildings.html

** Internet & Online Service **

Title: Another Round on Domain System
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/cyber/articles/01domain.html
Author: Jeri Clausing
Issue: Internet Regulation
Description: A presidential advisor announced yesterday that the Clinton
Administration will hold a round of public meetings on its controversial
proposal for moving Internet governance to the private sector and hopes to
have a final plan drafted within a month to six weeks "give or take."
Ira Magaziner, President Clinton's Internet czar, said at a subcommittee
meeting on the issue: "It's a volatile issue and I think it will remain
volatile but I do feel encouraged and I do think that if you sort of focus
on the substance as opposed to emotion there's a lot more agreement than
there is disagreement and I think the areas of disagreement should be
resolvable." "I think there are some misunderstanding about what we're
proposing. We need to clarify that. And then there are legitimate
disagreements. We just need to talk through them," said Magaziner. Since the
announcement of its proposal, the administration has received more than 650
opinions from around the world on the topic.

Title: AT&T an Microsoft Internet-Access Plans Rethink 'Unlimited'
Source: Wall Street Journal (B14))
http://wsj.com/
Issue: Internet sales and Services
Description: AT&T said it will charge users 99 cents per hour if they exceed
150 hours of monthly usage. Microsoft's WebTV Networks unit said it would
raise the price of its WebTV Plus unlimited-access service on June 1 to
$24.95 from $19.95 for new customers. Some industry observers predicted that
the flat-rate $19.95-a-month plans would be unprofitable because of heavy
users that would raise costs by preventing others from getting online. "You
have a limited resource you're selling in an unlimited fashion," said J.
William Gurley, a partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners in San
Francisco. Mr. Gurley predicted services will become cheaper for lighter
users and more expensive for heavy users.

** Federal Communications Commission **

Title: Dingell Continues To Blast Kennard On FCC Authority
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Universal Service
Description: Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) continued to take the FCC
Commissioners -- and especially Chairman Kennard -- to task over their
schools and libraries wiring program. The Commerce Committee's ranking
member challenged Chairman Kennard to find statutory language authorizing
the agency
to act as it has on its schools and libraries wiring programs. Rep Dingell asked
Chairman Kennard to show one thing the Commission has done to promote long
distance
competition and accused the agency of wasting time and money in its
"excessive enthusiasm" for close examination of Bell company long distance
applications.

Title: FCC to Broadcast Audio and Closed Captioned Text of Open Commission
Meeting
Source: FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/
Issue: FCC
Description: FCC to Broadcast Audio and Closed Captioned Text of the April 2
Open Commission Meeting, Live Via the Internet. The meeting's agenda
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Miscellaneous/Public_Notices/Agenda/1998/agenda.
html includes 1) Access to Telecommunications Services, Telecommunications
Equipment, and Customer Premises Equipment by Persons with Disabilities; 2)
Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings; 3) Performance
Measurements and Reporting Requirements for Operations Support Systems,
Interconnection, and Operator Services and Directory Assistance; and 4) 1998
Biennial Regulatory Review -- Streamlining of Mass Media Applications,
Rules, and Processes.

Title: Toll Free Vanity Numbers
Source: FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/1998/nrcc8024.html
Issue: Telephone Regulation
Description: "The Commission issued an Order stating that vanity numbers in
the new 877 toll free code and future toll free codes shall be assigned on a
first-come, first-served basis as each code is deployed. Subscribers of
certain vanity numbers in the 800 toll free code, however, are granted the
right of first refusal for a limited amount of corresponding vanity numbers
in the 888 code that were set aside pending the Commission's decision. The
Commission said today's Order will further its goals of promoting the
efficient, fair, and orderly allocation of toll free numbers." [Hot off the
wire...toll free vanity numbers, who wants their toll free vanity numbers?]

** Telephony **

Title: MCI Says PacBell Is Delaying Competition In California
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Competition
Description: MCI launched a preemptive strike against PacBell's impending
bid to get Calif.'s long distance market by telling state regulators than
the Bell company is deliberately blocking local competition. MCI detailed
several "anti-competitive practices" that PacBell uses to "needlessly delay"
competition. MCI said PacBell fails to: 1) Offer automated Operations
Support Systems for ordering, billing and maintenance. 2) Properly load
customers' numbers into its statewide switches which may cause dialing
problems. 3) Provide competitors with the necessary tools to connect their
networks with PacBell's.

Title: The Long-Distance Line
Source: Washington Post (D6)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/01/059l-040198-idx.html
Author: Don Oldenburg
Issue: Competition/Long Distance
Description: Up and running now at the Telecommunications Research & Action
Center Web site is a free public service that can take some of the guesswork
out of choosing between AT&T, Sprint, and MCI. The automated WebPricer
(http://www.trac.org) compares interstate charges for various billing plans
offered by seven carriers. It's very easy to use: Besides access to the
'Net, all you need is a recent long-distance bill that's typical of the
calls you make, the area code and first three digits of phone numbers you
call frequently, and the times you make those calls. "We felt there needs to
be some kind of disclosure so consumers have a mechanism for verifying
rates," says TRAC research associate Geoff Mordock.

** InfoTech **

Title: Sun, IBM, in Rare Cooperation, To Create Java Operating System
Source: Wall Street Journal (B8)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Lee Gomes
Issue: InfoTech
Description: Sun and IBM said they will work together to develop a new
operating system based on Sun's Java programming language. It'll be aimed at
a huge market: millions of terminals connected to central computers and
serving up data to reservation clerks, computer help desks, and data-entry
workers. Sun has argued that Java is the perfect technology to use in
replacing these machines, many of which are decades old. Sun and IBM have
already sold low-cost "network computers" as replacements. The Sun-IBM
announcement marks the first time that these two computer industry rivals
have worked together developing a product.

** Arts **

Title: Hearing Case on Art Grants, Court Reflects on 'Decency'
Source: New York Times (A18)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/washpol/scotus-nea-decency.html
Author: Linda Greenhouse
Issue: Arts/Politics
Description: The Supreme Court is reviewing a case over whether Congress can
limit federal arts grants to works that reflect "general standards of
decency." With the justices spending as much time pondering the meaning of
the 1990 restriction as debating its constitutionality, the prospect has
been raised that rather than ruling on the permissible limits of
government-sponsored speech, the court might decide that the entire issue is
too abstract and that the lawsuit that "barred enforcement of the decency
provision since 1991 should not have been brought in the first place. The
case before the court is an appeal by the Clinton administration of a 1996
federal appeals court ruling that the decency provision violated the First
Amendment." The measure requires that when awarding grants, the NEA must
take into consideration "general standards of decency and respect for the
diverse beliefs and values of the American public." In 1996, the 9th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said in a ruling that the
measure's language was too vague, posed a danger of "arbitrary and
discriminatory application' and invited the government to refue grants on
the basis of controversial political or social messages.

Title: Court Hears Arguments On NEA 'Decency' Rules
Source: Washington Post (A16)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/01/126l-040198-idx.html
Author: Joan Biskupic
Issue: Arts/Politics
Description: The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday on whether the
federal government may require "decency" standards when choosing which
artists receive federal grants. The case raises the "provocative" issue of
whether when the government pays for a piece of art or cultural program it
can "favor certain points of view." A lower federal court ruled that such an
approach violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech. But during
arguments, several justices suggested by their questions that they may never
get to the point of deciding the constitutionality of this case. Some
justices pointed out the procedural difficulties in the case brought by
Karen Finley and three other performance artists that may prevent a majority
ruling on "the merits of the dispute." Chief Justice William Rehnquist asked
whether the artists could broadly say that under no circumstances is the
decency standard constitutional and their rights had been violated when some
of the challengers had received NEA grants over the past several years.
While other justices asked whether the NEA's interpretation of the law was
as broad as the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals found when it struck down
the statute in 1996. Karen Finley, a performance artist and the other
artists who have challenged the decency standard, say the statute
discriminates against nontraditional artworks and "chills" free expression.
David Cole, the artists' lawyer, told the court that the decency criteria
unconstitutionally suppresses certain points of view. He said the standard
favors projects "respectful of American beliefs" and disfavors those
challenging public sensibilities."

Title: United They Stanza
Source: Washington Post (D3)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: Annie Groer and Ann Gerhart
Issue: Arts
Description: Today at noon, Reps. Darlene Hooley (D-OR) and Doc Hastings
(R-WA) and Sens. Slade Gorton (R-WA) and James Jeffords (R-VT) plan to hand
out copies of "101 Great American Poems" to their colleagues as they enter
the House and Senate chambers. This "free verse spree" is a part of a
month-long, cross-country poetry giveaway by the American Poetry and
Literacy Project, headed by Andrew Carroll. Carroll is heading west from New
York city in a donated Ryder truck. Among his planned stops are "a 24-hour
wedding chapel in Las Vegas, where he'll hand out love poems, and a maximum
security prison in Louisiana noted for its literacy program. (Talk about
your prose and cons.)" The "Johnney Appleseed-style" trip is sponsored by
the Washington State Apple Growers, natch. Carroll's "odyssey" is tracked
and documented on the Academy of American Poets Web site http://www.poets.org.

** Campaign Finance Reform **

Title: The Backlash in the House
Source: New York Times (A28)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/editorial/01wed2.html
Author: NYTimes Editorial Staff
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: "By arrogantly preventing a vote on campaign finance reform
this week, Newt Gingrich so angered fair-minded lawmakers that they are now
rallying to the cause of cleaner elections. Supporters of an overhaul of
fund-raising laws were gathering more signatures yesterday for a drive to
bring remedial legislation to the House floor in defiance of the Republican
leadership. They have 190 names, 28 short of the number needed. Many more
House members favor revising the law in principle. Now is the time for them
to sign up."

Title: Petition Drive May Be Last Hope for Campaign Reform
Source: Washington Post (A1,A5)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/01/085l-040198-idx.html
Author: Helen Dewar
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: Organizers of a petition drive to force a vote on the House
campaign finance reform bill were able to add two more names to their list
yesterday but still lacked more than two dozen votes for the required 218.
The petition drive is probably the last hope this year for producing a
reform bill, and supporters concede "it will be a tough fight unless members
feel more pressure from home during an upcoming three-week recess that they
have felt so far." It seems that many members of Congress remain reluctant
to change a system that continues to elect them and Republican leaders were
"loath' to give up any source of funding that helps give them a financial
advantage over Democrats. "There's not enough grass-roots anger about the
issue," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). "In many ways, the silence bespeaks
some very troubling cynicism about the whole process. People have given up
on the idea it can be reformed. They've given up on us," Collins added.

Title: Hypocrisy on Campaign Funds
Source: Washington Post (A18)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-04/01/000l-040198-idx.html
Author: WPost Editorial Staff
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: The goal of the House Republican leaders was to kill campaign
finance reform while avoiding related blame -- they may have failed at both.
A discharge petition is now being circulated in the House to "take control
from the leadership and force a series of votes on real reform, including a
ban on soft money." As of last night, the petition had 191 of the required
218 signatures. "The 20-plus holdouts and the 80-plus Republicans who are
cosponsors of reform bills ought to sign. In the Senate, the Democratic
leadership ought to start offering the deflected reform bill as an amendment
to other legislation. The fund-raising system is corrupt. In the end, the
very members who look to be its beneficiaries are the ones it taints.
Banning soft money would not solve all the problems, but it would solve
some. They ought to do it; other than raising still more money, they're not
sure not doing anything else of consequence."

** Lifestyles **

Title: Post Office Unveils First Electronic Stamps
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/04/biztech/articles/01stamp.html
Author: The Associated Press
Issue: Lifestyles
Description: The first electronic stamps, called "e-stamps," were unveiled
yesterday and approved for testing. If all goes well, businesses and
individuals will be able to print their own postage stamps using the
Internet and personal computers. "The [postage] we unveil today represents
the most significant new form of postage payment in three-quarters of a
century," Postmaster General Marvin Runyon said. "This is the future," said
Runyon. "Postage directly from a personal computer." This move comes 78
years after the approval of postage meters and 151 years after the U.S.
issued its first postage stamps. People and companies that have a computer,
printer and Internet connection already have what they need to print their
own postage. The e-stamp system
provides a piece of hardware that fits into a computer port and serves as an
electronic vault for stored postage. The customer has an account with the
company and can download postage into this vault via the Internet and can
then print it on envelopes as needed. (I wonder what happens if you put your
envelope in backwards or upside down?)
*********
As noted in the previous message, not everything is a joke. I am leaving the
Benton Foundation's Washington office on Wednesday, April 22 to return to my
adopted home, Chicago, Illinois. Thanks for your readership and help in
making Headlines what it is (and isn't). Kevin

Campaign Finance Reform
NYT: Main Election Bill Dies in the House
WP: House Rejects GOP Campaign Finance Bill

Infrastructure
WSJ: Bell Atlantic Plans Outlay For Upgrade
NTIA: Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Assistance Program

Internet
NYT: International Alphabet Soups Seek to Regulate Internet
and E-Commerce
NYT: Powerful New Encryption Standard Delayed by a Weakness

Television
WSJ: Emmis Broadcasting To Pay $397 Million For Six TV Stations
WP: Black-Led Group Wins License for S. Africa's 1st 'Free' TV Station

Art/Philanthropy
WP A Masterful Bequest

** Campaign Finance Reform **

Title: Main Election Bill Dies in the House
Source: New York Times (A1,A18)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/033198campaign-reform.html
Author: Alison Mitchell
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: Last night the campaign finance debate was held in the House
but only two minor changes in the law were approved. The main bipartisan
bill, a measure that apparently had majority support, was never allowed onto
the floor for a vote. Republican leaders brought "four bills up for
consideration on a special calendar under
which legislation cannot be amended, debate is limited and a two-thirds vote
is required for passage. These strict rules are usually used only for
noncontentious bills that the House is trying to speed through with little
fuss." This parliamentary maneuver allowed Speaker Newt Gingrich to claim he
made good on his promise to allow an election-year vote on revising the
campaign finance law, without risking the passing of the actual bill.
"Today's debate on campaign finance reform is a sham," said Rep. Martin T.
Meehan (D-MA) who sponsored the blocked measure with Rep. Christopher Shays
(R-CT). Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-CT) called the House's voting process
"horrific" and added, "Joseph Stalin would have been proud of it." The two
approved changes were: 1) "a strengthening of the prohibition against
campaign contributions by foreigners," and 2) "faster, more stringent
contribution disclosure requirements."

Title: House Rejects GOP Campaign Finance Bill
Source: Washington Post (A4)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-03/31/028r-033198-idx.html
Author: Helen Dewar and Juliet Eilperin
Issue: Campaign Finance Reform
Description: The tactics used by GOP leaders aimed at "fulfilling promises
to address the issue [of campaign finance reform] without risking passage of
legislation they do not want" have triggered an extreme response by both
Democratic and Republican sponsors. "Suddenly it's surfaced as a hot-button
issue," said Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-NY). Quoting Woody Allen in the
movie "Bananas," Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-MA) described the whole process as
"a travesty of a mockery of a sham." Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT),
co-sponsor of the House bill with Rep. Meehan, added that the process was
"an unbelievable outrage." "I'm very depressed and disappointed about what
is happening today," said Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-AK). "I'm very doubtful
that it's going to go anywhere from here, but we're going to try."

** Infrastructure **

Title: Bell Atlantic Plans Outlay For Upgrade
Source: Wall Street Journal (B5)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Stephanie N. Mehta
Issue: Infrastructure
Description: Bell Atlantic said it plans to spend $1.5 billion over 5 years
on upgrading and expanding its existing systems due to growing
data-transmission demands as services such as the Internet and telecommuting
become commonplace. Lawrence T. Babbio, president and executive officer of
the Bell's Network Group, said, "I would characterize this as an aggressive
extension of the Bell Atlantic network." The Baby Bell said it awarded
equipment, software and hardware contracts to 5 vendors. The company said it
awarded Lucent Technologies a $500 million, 5-year contract to provide
network-management software, and high-speed optical-networking technology.
Ciena Corp. said it will provide multiplexing equipment. Bell Atlantic also
awarded a
$500 million, 5-year contract to Fujitsu Network Communications; the company
will
provide transmission equipment. Tellabs Inc. and DSC Comm. won contracts to
provide so-called cross-connect systems that help route voice and data
traffic through different types of network equipment.

Title: Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program
Source: NTIA
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/033098tiiap.htm
Issue: Infrastructure
Description: "The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) announced it received 757 applications for
its Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program
(TIIAP) for fiscal year 1998. Applications were received from all 50 states,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The
applicants requested $323 million in federal funds to be matched by $502
million in non-Federal funds. NTIA expects to fund an estimated 50 projects
with approximately $17 million in funding for 1998. All proposals will be
reviewed by panels of outside experts. NTIA intends to announce the
recipients of the 1998 grant cycle in September."

** Internet **

Title: International Alphabet Soups Seek to Regulate Internet and E-Commerce
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/03/cyber/eurobytes/31euro.html
Author: Bruno Giussani
Issue: Internet Regulation/International
Description: Over the past year, international bodies usually in charge of
economic, legal or technical issues have been working to become involved in
the discussions on the future of the Internet. These bodies include
organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Bank of International
Settlements (BIS), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL). The ITU has played a major part in the controversial plan
regarding the domain name system that currently governs Internet addressing.
The WIPO proposed itself as "the manager of an arbitration and settlement
system for disputes on trademarks" within the ITU's domain name system plan
and has also "championed new treaties on copyright protection for electronic
transactions." The BSI has been investigating issues raised by electronic
money and the new means of payment online, suggesting that "only existing
credit institutions be allowed to issue electronic money." The OECD has
published a number of privacy guidelines and studies on cryptography, data
privacy, electronic commerce, and taxation. The UNCITRAL has been working to
develop a framework to "strengthen the predictability of the legal
environment for international electronic commerce." "Given the global and
borderless nature of the Internet and the perceived need for international
cooperation among governments and industry to find workable solutions to a
long series of unanswered issues such as data privacy or tax schemes, these
and other such monograms are likely to become the places where Internet
policy will be shaped.

Title: Powerful New Encryption Standard Delayed by a Weakness
Source: New York Times (D9)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/03/biztech/articles/31encrypt.html
Author: John Markoff
Issue: Encryption
Description: "Government standards group has delayed the adoption of a new
data scrambling standard for protecting the world's most sensitive financial
transactions, including most banks' electronic funds transfers, after the
discovery by two computer scientists of a weakness that could allow the code
to be cracked." The flaw was discovered by Lars Knudsen, at the Univ. of
Bergen in Norway, and Eli Biham, a cryptographer at the Technion research
institution in Israel. The two will present a paper detailing their
discovery at a technical conference in May.

** Television **

Title: Emmis Broadcasting To Pay $397 Million For Six TV Stations
Source: Wall Street Journal (B8)
http://wsj.com/
Issue: Merger/Television
Description: Emmis Broadcasting is going to buy 4 Fox TV affiliates for $257
million in cash and $50 million in either cash or Emmis common stock. There
is also a privately held deal with Wabash Valley Broadcasting to buy a CBS
affiliate in Indiana and a Fox affiliate in Florida. Those cash deals are
said to be worth $90 million, people close to the matter say. Emmis said it
has hired Greg Nathanson, president of syndicated programming and
development at News Corp.'s Twentieth Television to run its new TV
operations. People close to the agreements say the TV stations being
purchased generate about $70 million in revenue.

Title: Black-Led Group Wins License for S. Africa's 1st 'Free' TV Station
Source: Washington Post (E3)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-03/31/055r-033198-idx.html
Author: Lynne Duke
Issue: Television/International
Description: In a move that "shakes up" South Africa's stagnant television
industry, the license for the nation's first "free-to-air" TV station was
awarded today to a black-led consortium, Midi Television, which includes
Time Warner Inc. Midi Television will broadcast over the first free
commercial TV station ever to operate in South Africa starting on October 1.
The station, to be called e.tv, will also be the nation's first fully
digital station. "We're talking about staying at the cutting edge," said
Jonathan Proctor, e.tv's managing director. "It's not going to be like
anything you've ever seen before" in South Africa. "The new license, for
which competition was fierce, throws the broadcast industry wide open for a
free-market TV war after decades of a state broadcast monopoly that was
created during the era of white minority rule called apartheid. Since 1994,
when democracy and free-market economic policies were adopted here, the
publicly run South-African Broadcasting Corporation has faced only minor
competition from a cable operator."

** Art/Philanthropy **

Title: A Masterful Bequest
Source: Washington Post (A1,A11)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-03/31/058r-033198-idx.html
Author: Jacqueline Trescott
Issue: Art/Philanthropy
Description: Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney, who died last Wednesday at
the age of 89, bequeathed 15 major works of art to the National Gallery of
Art in Washington D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The gifts,
estimated to be worth about $300 million, include works by van Gogh,
Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Braque, Dufy and Picasso. "The gift contains
several masterpieces of almost unique stature," said Earl A. Powell III,
director of the National Gallery. "We have great Toulouse-Lautrecs, but
nothing like this. We have Matisses, wonderful Matisses, but this sort of
rounds it out." Glenn D. Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art, said:
"Each one of these adds immeasurably to the collection." Over the years,
Betsey and Jock Whitney amassed one of the nation's great private art
collections, considered to be one of the most important for 19th- and
20th-century art. Both museums were notified of the gifts yesterday.
*********