Guidomedia Benton archive April-February
April 7
OWNERSHIP
SENATE PANEL TO REVIEW MEDIA OWNERSHIP AGAIN
According to committee staff, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation will hold a hearing on media ownership prior to the FCC's proposed
June 2nd rule issuance. Lawmakers want to give the public ample opportunity
to comment on this issue, though opponents of the hearing argue that the rules
should be made quickly so as to let media companies plan their immediate futures.
Such a hearing could further frustrate FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who last
week referred to those attempting to slow the rulemaking process as mere "noisemakers."
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20030406/media_nm/congress_media_fcc_dc)
WIRELESS
SILICON VALLEY HIKES WIRELESS FRONTIER
As cellular telephone technology advances to a level comparable with personal
computing, product engineers and software developers are migrating from the
PC industry into several cell phone software start-ups. To industry veterans,
the trend is similar to the early PC and Internet eras. "It's starting
to happen, it's getting exciting again," says Esther Dyson, host of Arizona's
annual PC Forum. And, as in those prior eras, the winners and losers are not
quite clear, since the competition has yet to begin in earnest, standards have
yet to be agreed upon and the regulatory context is very much up in the air.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Steve Lohr]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/07/technology/07CELL.html)
PRIVACY
US OR EU MODEL FOR SA PRIVACY LAWS?
[Commentary] Despite having several privacy laws on the books as well as a constitutional
and common law basis, the South African government has yet to really define
the concept of privacy via legislation. In fact, previous acts have been intentionally
vague since clarifying legislation was pending. The government must now decide
which model of privacy protection it should adopt, and the European Union and
United States models offer differing views. Unlike the US system, which places
the burden on consumers and makes obtaining and using private information easy
for businesses, the EU model relies on government regulation to offer more individual
protection, making it a more adoptable framework for South Africa.
[SOURCE: All Africa.com, AUTHOR: Paul Vecchiatto, ITWeb]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200304070125.html)
YOUTH & MEDIA
CONNECTING WITH THE WIRED GENERATION
The focus of this week's New Media Conference in Berkeley was on the relationship
between young people and digital technology and how their habits are reshaping
the media industry. Archived video of all the panels and presentations from
the conference, organized by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and
the USC Annenberg School for Communication, are online in QuickTime format.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Jon Swartz]
(http://journalism.berkeley.edu/events/conference2003/webcast.html)
OWNERSHIP
FCC'S NEW RULES AND THE COMMON GOOD
[Commentary] The Federal Communications Commission's potential elimination of
media ownership limits should be an issue of great concern to the public, according
to the editors of this Catholic magazine. They claim that media consolidation
has resulted in a decrease in availability of religious programming. They call
for a "public outcry against this democracy-bustingmove."
[SOURCE: St. Anthony Messenger Press]
(http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Apr2003/Editorial.asp)
INTERNET
WAR COVERAGE BOOSTS DEMAND FOR BROADBAND ON INTERNET
Web-based news offerings aimed at high-speed Internet users have had the desired
effect of increasing demand for the service in the home. While content providers
such as news outlets and Yahoo have increased the quality and quantity of streaming
video, consumer acceptance of the price of broadband access has also been a
key factor. As a result, RealNetworks reports that demand for its video streams
doubled last month, and MSNBC saw seven times the number of requests for video
in March compared to February.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Jon Swartz]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/iraq/2003-04-01-broadband_x.htm)
JAPAN: I.T. DEVELOPS INFORMED CONSUMERS
Information technology is having a measurable effect on consumer behavior in
Japan. Traditionally, marketers categorized Japanese consumers in three ways:
trend-followers, trendsetters and those who are most likely to buy products
whose advertisements target them. However, research shows that the availability
of online product information and increased user experience on the Web has shifted
these categories, creating a group of tech-savvy individuals who set trends
based on sound decisions. Companies now see the marketplace as divided into
four groups: tech-knowledgeable trend-setters, trend-followers, brand-followers
and price-conscious buyers. Marketers now
see the trend-setters as prime recipients of targeted advertising, but people
in that group are more likely to rely on their own research when making purchasing
decisions.
[SOURCE: The Daily Yomiuri, AUTHOR: Kenichi Sonoo]
(http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20030328wo12.htm)
OWNERSHIP
SCHOOL-OWNED AIRWAVE RIGHTS STUDIED BY FCC
The Federal Communications Commission is considering a proposal that would allow
schools and universities to sell airwaves that are now licensed for educational
television to high-tech businesses for high-speed Internet and wireless uses.
While some commission officials see this move as an important step to freeing
up much sought after airwaves, Commissioner Michael J. Coppsbelieves it is a
bad idea. "Such an outcome would threaten this important educational tool,"
he said. "If [these parts of the airwaves] become just another commercial
service, we will have lost the last place on the spectrum reserved specifically
for education."
[SOURCE: Education Week, AUTHOR: Rhea Borja]
(http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=28fcc.h22)
TIME IS NOW TO FIGHT FOR FUTURE OF TV
[Commentary] TV's shift toward digital broadcasting should, in theory, provide
non-mainstream content providers an opportunity to offer channels and services
directly to American households. However, a fundamental shift in the structure
of the media system must be affected in order for this to be realized in practice,
says Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy. Chester fears that the
dominance of cable and satellite providers in the emerging digital market will
crowd out alternative voices, using targeted advertising and "smart"
boxes to further limit the types of images viewers see. Furthermore, the FCC's
policies prohibiting alternative ISPs from using existing broadband networks
create a high-speed service monopoly. Chester advocates a legislative strategy
that reduces the "stranglehold" cable and satellite have on channel
capacity at both the federal and local levels while working to develop real
programming alternatives.
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Jeff Chester]
(http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15538)
JOURNALISM
WEB SURFERS FLOCK TO AL-JAZEERA
Even after being temporarily knocked offline by hackers, the website of Arab
satellite news network Al-Jazeera was among the most sought-after on the
Internet last week. Al-Jazeera, which has a reputation for being an unusually
independent voice in the Arab world, drew interest from Web surfers after it
broadcast pictures of dead and captive US soldiers in Iraq. US Internet users
are visiting foreign sites in huge numbers for news on the war, according to
a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project released Tuesday.
[SOURCE: WIRED, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,58313,00.html)
WORKFORCE
EVENT: 2003 NATIONAL IT WORKFORCE CONVOCATION
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) will host the sixth
annual National IT Workforce Convocation on Monday, May 5 in Arlington, VA.
The convocation will bring together leaders from industry, education, and government
to discuss collaborative ways to expand and develop America's IT workforce.
Registration information is available at the address below. [SOURCE: Information
Technology Association Of America]
(http://www.itaa.org/workforce/events/event.cfm?EventID=563)
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC GETS AN EARFUL FROM COLORADO
Colorado residents are among the thousands of citizens who have emailed the
FCC to comment on current proposals to deregulate US media ownership rules.
Even though the official public comment period ended in February, emails continue
to pour into the FCC, many of them critical of both the proposed deregulation
and the limited number of public forums to address the issue. FCC Chairman Michael
Powell said in a recent interview that while it's interesting to receive public
opinion through email, the emails don't count as evidence. "The comments
are nice to know people's sentiments," Powell said. "But they tend
to be at a very generalized level." Consumer advocates are critical of
Powell. "I think it's outrageous that the chairman of the FCC in our democracy
does not believe that the viewpoints and concerns of the American people are
relevant," said Cheryl Leanza, deputy director of the Media Access Project.
"Aren't the airwaves meant to serve the public?" wrote Dariel Blackburn
of Colorado Springs. "Why is the public not given access to these hearings,
and how can you make such an important decision regarding future ownership of
our media without asking for public input?"
[SOURCE: Denver Post, AUTHOR: Anne C. Mulkern]
(http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E33%257E1261284%257E,00.html)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
INDIA'S TELEPHONE MAN: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Ashok Jhunjhunwala of the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras is passionate
about telephones and the Internet. Both an educator and entrepreneur, Jhunjhunwala
is currently working to bring low-cost wireless telephone service to Egypt.
The project is part of Jhunjhunwala's vision of bringing affordable telephony
and Internet service to the world's poor. He cites India's own flourishing telephone
kiosk market; since 1987, the kiosks, known locally as STDs, have grown to nearly
a million in number, serving hundreds of millions of Indians who lack telephones
at home. Jhunjhunwala hopes to expand India's telephony and rural Internet markets,
connecting 600,000 villages and deploying two million telephones. "Internet
is power. It enables people," he says. "It is changing the way we
live.
Those without Internet will have a tremendous disadvantage as we go on. We would
like to see that all villages get reasonable speed Internet connection at the
earliest."
[SOURCE: Hindustan Times, AUTHOR: Frederick Noronha]
(http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_220171,0003.htm)
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES TAKE HOPE IN CHARITY
Hewlett-Packard is among the many high tech companies that have adopted philanthropic
activities that simultaneously attempt to bridge the digital divide and develop
new consumer markets around the world. In the case of HP, they are supporting
the expansion of micro-loan initiatives in Bangladesh.
HP describes such philanthropy as "enlightened self-interest," but
some question the motivations of these companies. "It's too early to tell
if companies are simply pushing technologies on naïve populations or if
the products they sell will ultimately increase productivity," says Craig
Warren Smith, author of Digital Corporate Citizenship: The Business Response
to the Digital Divide. Other companies like IBM are less open about the relationship
between their philanthropy and their business objectives. "I think it's
the struggle between what they think they should be doing, what their public
image should be and what they're actually doing," says Dwight F. Burlingame
of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Susan E. Reed]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/business/23PHIL.html)
INTERNET
WEBLOGGERS SIGNING ON AS WAR CORRESPONDENTS
Reports of how new technologies available to the media have altered war coverage
have been widespread, but the Internet has made this conflict even more personal.
Using Web logs, or blogs, sites mainly comprised of periodic text entries, individuals
closest to the battles are keeping the world informed. US soldiers, a British
lawmaker, an Iraqi exile, and a resident of Baghdad have so far authored such
sites, each injecting the kind of personal perspective absent in the media and
heretofore impossible in real time. Though the posts are often biased towards
the author's point of view, readers can anticipate such bias and recognize the
value of these unique perspectives. "The value we add is in unpacking the
spin in the media coverage," says University of Tennessee law professor
Glenn Reynolds, a fellow blogger.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12179-2003Mar22.html)
JUNK FAX RULING MAY HELP ANTI-SPAM EFFORT
A ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Friday upheld legislation
banning unsolicited fax advertisements -- a decision some hope will add fuel
to a push for federal anti-spam laws. The three-judge panel ruled that the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act did not violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Anti-spam supporters note that the cost-shifting model on which Congress based
the TCPA is similar to the argument against junk mail -- individuals and corporations
must purchase filtering software, larger servers and disk space and broader
Internet connections in order to handle the increased email traffic.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1028-993749.html?tag=fd_top)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
MAKING STRIDES IN DIGITAL DIVIDE
According to a recent study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research, 74 percent
of blacks and 65 percent of Hispanics have access to the Internet from at least
one location. The report hails the efforts of public schools and libraries for
helping to bridge this gap. However, the study also notes that the gap between
those who have access in the home versus having access in other locations is
still far wider for blacks and Hispanics than it is for their white counterparts.
[SOURCE: eMarketer]
(http://www.emarketer.com/news/article.php?1002101)
TECHNOLOGY ERODING THE WALL BETWEEN DISABLED, NON-DISABLED
As the aged population grows, tech companies face dual incentives to create
assistive technologies. Though much of the impetus is regulatory, profit is
also a motive -- 42 percent of people 65 and older have a disability, and that
population will grow from 35 million to 59 million over the next 20 years. Technologies
such as video relay to facilitate telephone use for the deaf are becoming more
prevalent as a result.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2003-03-12-tech-help_x.htm)
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FAMILY VALUES LOCAL OWNERSHIP
The Tanger family in Massachusetts has radio in its blood. Todd Tanger, the
third generation of radio owners in his family, recently acquired a classical
station from his father. Since radio ownership deregulation began in earnest
in 1997, the Tangers have become a dying breed. "It's very tough for the
small owners to compete with the large companies that have programming that
they can throw out to all their stations," says Tanger, who added that
there are fewer owners who are involved in both the station and the community.
[SOURCE: The Boston Globe, AUTHOR: Clea Simon]
(http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/072/living/Family_values_local_ownership+.shtml)
INTERNET & SOCIETY
ANTIWAR SONG, WITH WHIMSY
The Beastie Boys have taken to the Web to release a new song critical of the
potential US war with Iraq. The band, which has been working on a new studio
album, chose to release the song on their website well ahead of the completed
album. "We were working on our record, and we realized that by the time
we finished a record that it might be a bit late to get out some of the things
we wanted to comment on," said Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. "So we figured
we'd finish the song and post it [on the Web]." Radio stations received
no advance notice of the single, which also serves as the Beasties' message
to the rest of the world that "the messages [Bush is] sending out aren't
necessarily the view of all Americans," the group said.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Neil Strauss]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/12/arts/music/12POPL.html)
CIVIC HACKING: A NEW AGENDA FOR E-DEMOCRACY
[Commentary] The focus of e-governance in the UK has been on attracting disaffected
youth into participation. However, as James Crabtree points out, ease of access
alone will not entice those who do not see the value taking part in politics.
There is still use for e-government, however, helping people to help themselves,
their communities and other like-minded individuals. Crabtree promotes a concept
of "civic hacking" that would allow for collaboration amongst citizens
to solve problems rather than fostering a reliance on the state and the bureaucratic
process.
[SOURCE: openDemocracy, AUTHOR: James Crabtree]
(http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-8-85-1025.jsp)
WIRELESS
WANT FRIES OR WIRELESS WITH THAT?
McDonald's will offer wireless Internet access in some of its restaurants beginning
today. Patrons will receive an hour of free Wi-Fi access with the purchase of
a combination meal in three Manhattan-area locations, and the company plans
to offer the service in 300 restaurants in New York, Chicago and an undetermined
California city by year's end. The move coincides with the release of Intel's
Centrino processor, a chip that contains a built-in Wi-Fi transceiver capable
of speeds up to 11 Mbps.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,58000,00.html)
E-COMMERCE
N.Y. SENATE PASSES BILL AUTHORIZING TAX ON INTERNET SALE
The New York state Senate unanimously passed a measure Tuesday allowing for
the collection of sales tax on goods and services purchased over the Internet.
The bill would allow New York to participate in the multi-state effort toward
adopting a uniform Internet sales tax while also providing a much-needed revenue
boost to help plug an $11.5 billion budget hole. Governor George Pataki has
opposed Internet taxation but will review the senate action.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Alicia Chang]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11766-2003Mar11.html)
ANTITRUST
SUPREME COURT TAKES ANTITRUST APPEAL FROM BABY BELLS
The Supreme Court said it would consider blocking lawsuits alleging that the
Baby Bells engage in anti-competitive business practices. A claim filed in federal
court alleges that Verizon intentionally provides poor service on the lines
it leases to AT&T in New York in order to drive the company out of business,
thus violating federal antitrust law. Solicitor General Theodore Olson contends
that such cases would pose "substantial disruption of the telecommunications
industry."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Gina Holland]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5256-2003Mar10.html)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
BUILDING DIGITAL BRIDGES
French telecom giant Alcatel hopes to help bridge the digital divide by providing
data services over traditional GSM networks. Its latest venture seeks to capitalize
on the burgeoning African market, selling services to Senegalese fisherman seeking
to negotiate prices remotely or obtain weather information for safer sailing.
Jean-Marie Blanchard, Alcatel business development director, says that the company's
aim is to meet local content needs, not just provide points of access. "We
will not simply duplicate existing Internet services in countries where it is
obvious something else is needed for it to take off. We investigate, as a matter
of course, how the Internet can support economic development."
[SOURCE: itWeb, AUTHOR: Carel Alberts]
(http://196.30.226.221/sections/telecoms/2003/0303111300.asp?O=FPT)
OWNERSHIP
MEDIA OWNERSHIP: HOW MUCH DOES THE PUBLIC KNOW?
The majority of Americans, 72%, have heard "nothing at all" about
the sweeping changes the Federal Communications Commission has proposed to the
rules governing how many media outlets corporations can own. According to survey
results released recently by the Project For Excellence in Journalism in collaboration
with the Pew Research Center for the People and The Press, only 4% of Americans
say they have heard "a lot." Critics have argued that the public is
largely unaware of the proposed changes because the FCC has only held one formal
public hearing on the matter and news organizations have failed to sufficiently
cover the debate. [SOURCE: Journalism.org]
(http://www.journalism.org/resources/research/reports/fccsurvey/)
INTERNET
HOW THE NET WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THIS WAR
[Commentary] The potential US-led conflict in Iraq will challenge journalists
and media outlets to provide the most comprehensive news coverage possible.
While TV newscasters are charged with delivering eyewitness accounts not just
from the scene but from other relevant international markets, we learned from
the Gulf War that they might not always be able to provide the full picture.
This is where alternative grassroots Internet journalists can help. Independent
journalists have a proven track record of late when it comes to delivering powerful
images and stories to larger news outlets well before they can break the stories
themselves. [SOURCE: MediaGuardian, AUTHOR: Chris Cramer, CNN International]
(http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,910785,00.html)
March 6
DIGITAL DIVIDE
MONTI BACKS MOVES TO EASE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Europe's Competition Commissioner Mario Monti recently given member states the
go-ahead to invest millions of euros in high-speed Internet and mobile networks
in poor and rural regions. Around EUR10 billion has been set aside by the commission
for investment in projects that would reduce the digital divide, including the
upgrading of infrastructure to support broadband. The commission is set to issue
guidelines shortly on the use of these funds.
[SOURCE: Electricnews.net, AUTHOR: Andrew McLindon]
(http://www.electricnews.net/news.html?code=9351529)
COMMERCE LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP TO SPUR TECHGROWTH IN DEVELOPING NATIONS
Yesterday, US Commerce Secretary Bill Evans helped launch the Digital Freedom
Initiative (DFI), which aims to promote economic growth in the developing world
through information and communication technology. Key elements of the initiative
include promoting pro-growth regulatory structures and deploying volunteers
to share business knowledge and technology expertise. The DFI will be piloted
in Senegal; if successful, it could be rolled out to 20 countries in the next
five years.
[SOURCE: US Department of Commerce]
(http://www.commerce.gov/opa/press/2003_Releases/March/04_Digital_Freedom_release.htm)
TELEHEALTH
CYBERSPACE SURGERY TRANSFORMS MEDICINE
Tomorrow, a pioneering Canadian surgeon will remove a piece of cancerous bowel
from a patient hundreds of kilometers away in a hospital-to-hospital telerobotics-assisted
surgery. The procedure will involve the use of
three-armed robot named Zeus to directly translate Dr. Mehran Anvari's natural
hand, wrist and finger movements to instruments inside the patient. Experts
say Anvari's landmark laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, surgeries will transform
medicine the way the Industrial Revolution changed the 19th century. The goal
is to help train physicians to conduct such surgeries in remote areas. With
the ongoing difficulties of attracting specialized surgeons to Canada's north,
health-care experts see this technology as a way to bring necessary services
to those communities.
[SOURCE: Torstar News Service, AUTHOR: Paul Morse]
(http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1035778639381&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154)
(long URL may need to be pasted together if broken)
INTERNET
WHO'S MINDING THE E-STORE?
Recently, the US Justice Department has added Internet domain names to the types
of property seized in crime busts. In the past, websites simply vanished once
the computer servers were seized, but in the recent weeks, the sites remained
active, greeting visitors with stern warnings from government agencies. Some
civil liberties advocates fear the government could use the new method to spy
on Web surfers who visit confiscated sites. Among issues that remain unresolved
in the courts is whether a domain name constitutes property.
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57910,00.html)
CONTENT
CASE TESTS CONGRESS' ABILITY TO MAKE LIBRARIES BLOCK PORN
This week the Supreme Court will hear the government's appeal as it tries to
revive a law that forces public libraries receiving federal funds to block access
to online pornography and obscenity. The Children's Internet Protection Act
of 2001 has never taken effect because a lower court ruled that its filtering
requirement forces public libraries to violate the First Amendment rights of
users. Paul Smith, a lawyer representing the American Library Association, the
American Civil Liberties Union and other challengers, says the Children's Internet
Protection Act is censorship. "A library, after all, is an institution
that exists to enable private citizens to access whatever information they may
seek," he says. Users should be able to decide for themselves "where
to go in cyberspace and why," he says.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Joan Biskupic]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-03-03-library-porn-usat_x.htm)
COMMUNITY MEDIA
ON THE ROAD
Jon Alpert, Co-founder of Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV) in New
York City, one of the nation's most honored nonprofit media centers, has figured
out a way to bring to bring his media empowerment show on the road. With the
help of numerous grants and in-kind donations, including a National Endowment
for the Arts' prestigious Leadership Projects for the Millennium Challenge Grant,
DCTV turned a touring bus into a mobile television studio. As part of its first
project, the Cybercar visited 26 cities in 25 days to create a one-hour show
entitled Speak Up New York! for PBS. In each town, the Cybercar hosted a series
of youth civic engagement seminars in, which led up to a live televised youth
Q&A with the state's gubernatorial
candidates on the week before Election Day. Eleven PBS stations broadcast the
dialogue, which had been recorded at the Cybercar. In 2004, Alpert hopes to
take the Cybercar to all 50 states in a Speak Up campaign geared around the
presidential elections.
[SOURCE: Video System, AUTHOR: Cody Holt]
(http://videosystems.com/ar/video_road/index.htm)
INTERNET
CAMBODIA GOES ONLINE
A project underway in Cambodia is on its way to opening community information
centers in 22 provincial capitals around the country. With the help of $1.2
million in aid money from the United States, the centers will use wireless technology
to enable many Cambodians to go online for the first time. Project organizers
hope that the effort will give Cambodian voters better access to information
ahead of the general election in July. However, organizers will have to confront
considerable technological challenges and the low standard of voter education.
[SOURCE: BBC Online, AUTHOR: Simon Montlake]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2814387.stm)
EUROPEANS LIVE LIFE ONLINE
The Internet is transforming the social habits of Europeans, according to a
recent study by AOL examining the online habits of surfers in the UK, France
and Germany. The study found that Internet is having an especially profound
impact in the area of personal relationships. One in two people online in Europe
has asked someone out on a date via e-mail and nearly half say they have sent
or received an e-mail only invite to a party or social event. Philip Rowley,
President of AOL Europe, says the Internet is "transforming how they come
together, organize their social lives and even share personal news. There is
no mistaking the profound impact it is having on our social norms."
[SOURCE: BBC Online, AUTHOR: Cody Holt]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2815007.stm)
March 4
INTERNET
CIVIL SOCIETY WINS A PLACE AT WSIS TABLE
Nonprofit organizations celebrated an important victory after delegates to the
preparatory committee meeting of the World Summit on the Information Society
decided that non-governmental organizations will participate, for the first
time, on equal footing with governments and business at this year's summit.
Alongside government and private sector representatives, civil society and international
inter-governmental organizations will be the main actors involved in preparing
for and participation in the December summit, where the mandate is to establish
policies to bridge the global digital divide. Committee chairman Adama Samassékou
of Mali went so far as to say that the creation of the Civil Society Bureau
was the most important achievement of the sessions.
[SOURCE: Inter Press Service News Agency, AUTHOR: Gustavo Capdevila]
(http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=16394)
LAWMAKERS' WEB SITES IMPROVING, REPORT FINDS
Members of Congress have increased the utility of their respective Web sites,
offering more constituent services and less member "advertising,"
according to a Congress Online Project report to be released today. The report
notes a marked increase in "A" and "B" grades from last
year's study, up to roughly half of the sites surveyed from only 10 percent
a year ago. Members now offer services ranging from links to district news to
a how-to page for finding federal educational assistance. The report also states
that the number of substandard sites has only decreased nominally, still hovering
around 25 percent.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Brian D. Faler]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30578-2003Mar2.html)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
PONDERING VALUE OF COPYRIGHT VS. INNOVATION
Two conferences in California last weekend pitted copyright owners and academics
against technologists and legislators over the issue of public use of original
works and public ownership of spectrum. At the first conference, at the University
of California/Berkeley, attendees discussed the future of digital rights management
(DRM) software, which is used to protect copyrighted materials against reverse
engineering as per the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Critics argue
that DRM software is headed down a dangerous path, discouraging innovation by
companies who learn to create the next generation of technologies based on deconstructing
current inventions. The second conference, held at Stanford University, featured
a discussion of the public nature of spectrum and whether the license system
ought to be scrapped in favor of outright sales, which proponents say could
result in lower prices and the prevention of bandwidth interference. Critics
contend that emerging technologies such as software-enabled radios will reduce
or eliminate the interference problem without altering the public-commons notion
of spectrum ownership.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Amy Harmon]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/03/technology/03COPY.html)
March 3
INTERNET
KIDS.US DOMAIN AGREEMENT REACHED
The Department of Commerce and Neustar, Inc. reached an agreement on February
14, 2003 regarding the implementation and operation of the second level domain,
.kids.us, in the .us domain pursuant to the "Dot Kids Implementation and
Efficiency Act of 2002." The agreement sets forth the guidelines under
which Neustar will administer the domain and set criteria for an entity's registration
under kids.us, including child safety restrictions and content provisions.
[SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration]
View Agreement At:
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/usca/kidsus_02142003.pdf)
TIGHTENING THE NOOSE ON SPAM
Unsolicited e-mail messages, known as spam, have been the target of various
unsuccessful regulatory efforts. While federal legislative efforts have been
blocked, states have taken innovative steps to empower their citizens and increase
their jurisdictional reach over spammers. Meanwhile, tech companies have offered
support in the form of legal action as well as technological enhancements to
help consumers block spam and protect their addresses. To this point, however,
these efforts have not produced tangible results, and spammers have taken their
own steps to stay ahead of the prevention curve. Attorney Eric Sinrod of Duane
Morris in San Francisco provides a breakdown of these efforts and a look to
the future.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Eric Sinrod]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/ericjsinrod/2003-02-27-sinrod_x.htm)
OWNERSHIP
FCC TESTS RECEPTION FOR LIFTING OWNER LIMITS
Yesterday's Federal Communications Commission hearing in Richmond, VA provided
an opportunity for both sides of the media ownership debate to air their opinions
before the Commission. A DJ for a small independent radio station in Philadelphia
claimed that "[l]isteners are turning off the radio in huge numbers and
the media companies don't care." Clear Channel Communications President
Mark Mays argued to the contrary, stating that the company's extensive research
yields formatting that listeners to its 1,200+ stations want to hear. Mays and
Richmond locals presented divergent views on the effect of CCC's presence in
that city, where the company owns 6 stations. Testimony revealed that CCC has
also hosted "local" talk shows from thousands of miles away, with
DJs using the Web to keep up on events in that town. Although much of the focus
centered on radio, the effects of consolidation on television content was also
discussed at length.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Mark Fisher]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14162-2003Feb27.html)
February 28
INTERNET
'VIRTUAL MARCH' FLOODS SENATE WITH CALLS AGAINST AN IRAQ WAR
In another display of how technology plays a role in activism, anti-war protestors
participated in a "Virtual March" on Washington yesterday, inundating
Senate phone lines with calls and emails. Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-Mass.) office
fielded an estimated 1,800 calls and 4,000 e-mails, and the Washington Post
estimates that some 100,000 people were able to register their opinions with
Senate staffers. Tom Andrews, whose Win Without War organization coordinated
the effort, said that march "exceeded our expectations." Some lawmakers,
however, reported that the calls failed to change their views on the situation.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Juliet Eilperin]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8107-2003Feb26.html)
FCC
FCC MEMBER DEFENDS STANCE ON STATE POWERS
FCC Chairman Michael Powell and Commissioner Kevin Martin faced harsh criticism
as they testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications
and the Internet yesterday. House Republicans are disappointed with last week's
local telephone ruling that gives state officials broad powers to regulate local
telephone competition. Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) called it "a devastating
blow to an already sick telecom sector." Martin defended his position,
explaining that "The barriers competitors face in deploying equipment and
trying to compete for residential customers in Manhattan, Kansas, are different
from the barriers faced to compete for business customers in Manhattan, New
York." He said the rules would pass muster in federal court.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8020-2003Feb26.html)
UNREALITY TV AND YELLOW JOURNALISM
[Commentary] Today's FCC hearing in Richmond, VA will not give the public a
clear view of the issues regarding media ownership deregulation. Instead, media
conglomerates will provide the same scripted arguments aimed at misleading the
public, according to the Center for Digital Democracy. Media company claims
that current regulations stifle competition and are unnecessary due to existing
anti-trust rules and the rise of the Internet are bogus, says the Center. Furthermore,
the FCC's timid contention that federal courts and the Telecommunications Act
of 1996 require the removal of the rules is nothing more than Michael Powell's
attempt to "distort the legal record to suit his own ideological beliefs."
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/Richmond.html)
February 26, 2003
FIRING LEAFLETS AND ELECTRONS,
U.S. WAGES INFORMATION WAR
US military officials are hoping that any war in Iraq is primarily a war of
information, as the Pentagon has implemented a coordinated information salvo
with the goal of convincing Iraqi soldiers to surrender. "The goal of information
warfare is to win without ever firing a shot," said James R. Wilkinson,
a spokesman for US Central Command in Tampa, Florida. "If action does begin,
information warfare is used to make the conflict as short as possible."
Communication technology has been part of the assault. Cyber-warfare experts
used email and direct cell phone contact to persuade Iraqi leaders to abandon
the Hussein regime. Meanwhile, radio transmissions from Air Force Special Ops
planes are aimed at impressionable young soldiers, spreading the message, "Any
war is not against the Iraqi people, but is to disarm Mr. Hussein and end his
government."
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Thom Shanker And Eric Schmitt]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/24/international/middleeast/24MILI.html)
February 25, 2003
OWNERSHIP/DIVERSITY
FORMER GANNETT CEO NEUHARTH CRUSADES FOR MEDIA DIVERSITY
Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today and former CEO of Gannett Co., Inc., called
for newspapers to make a renewed commitment to a diverse staff and to find ways
to attract young readers. In a speech at Rochester Institute of Technology,
Neuharth noted that newspapers are failing to attract "our increasingly
diverse potential audience," adding that "[too] many middle-aged white
men still make the decisions. And too many of them still don't get it."
[SOURCE: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, AUTHOR: Matthew Daneman]
(http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/0221story19_news.shtml)
FCC TURMOIL LEAVES SOME GUESSING ON MEDIA RULES
FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin's departure from his Republican colleagues on
last week's vote on broadband regulations has raised questions about his stance
on other issues, including changes in the rules governing media ownership. Martin
maintains that no future behavior should be inferred by last week's decision,
and he has publicly agreed with Chairman Michael Powell that the rule preventing
a company from owning a television station and newspaper in the same market
may be unnecessary. However, Martin's public silence on other issues, such more
flexible market share caps on cable and television operators, has left the door
open to speculation from lobbyists and observers.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky, Reuters/Variety]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20030224/media_nm/fcc)
INTERNET
DSL CUSTOMERS BRACE FOR HIGHER PRICES
Small broadband Internet service providers around the US already fear the potential
fallout from the Federal Communication Commission's decision on Thursday to
deregulate part of the broadband industry. Groups such as the 18-member Ruby
Ranch Internet Co-op in Colorado may see their monthly lease rates for lines
provided by Qwest Communications increase six fold over the next three years.
The measure enacted by the FCC was intended to increase competition and lower
prices while stimulating investment in broadband infrastructure development
in underserved areas, a proposition that the Bells see as unlikely. "This
decision will result in less choice and increased prices for consumers and small
businesses," Covad Chief Executive Charles Hoffman said in a statement
Thursday.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Ben Charny]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1033-985601.html?tag=fd_top)
TECH FOR ELDERS MUST HAVE PURPOSE
Assistive technology could be a boon to senior citizens, as long as it is both
easy to use and comes in familiar packages, researchers say. Developers are
experimenting with technologies that will help seniors' motor skills and cognitive
abilities. Some applications include a personal GPS system to ensure that the
user takes the proper path on public transportation, and a robot that can interact
with patients while walking them through a nursing home, reminding them of appointments
and responding to questions.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Mark Baard]
(http://www.wired.com/news/gizmos/0,1452,57429,00.html)
February 7, 2003
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
POWELL DOWNGRADES MEDIA HEARINGS
Republican FCC Chairman Michael Powell abruptly downgraded a pair of FCC hearings
on media ownership regulations scheduled by fellow commissioner Michael Copps
-- a Democrat -- changing them from official FCC hearings to unofficial "field"
hearings. Powell, who is pushing for a quick decision regarding the deregulation
of media ownership rules, ordered the FCC to issue a press release in response
to Copps' announcement that he would hold two FCC hearings to give the public
a greater chance to debate the impact of the proposed deregulation. In recent
days, Powell has been seen as frustrated by recent outcries against both the
deregulation proposals and the review process itself. Copps, meanwhile, is pushing
forward, participating last week in a media ownership forum at Columbia University.
Another public forum is scheduled at the University of Southern California;
all the FCC commissioners except Powell are planning to participate.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Pamela McClintock, Reuters/Variety]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=599&ncid=738&e=8&u=/nm/20030207/media_nm/fcc)
INTERNET
MAJOR DOT-COM RETAILERS BEGIN LEVYING SALES TAX
Some of the nation's largest online retailers have agreed voluntarily to levy
sales taxes on their sales in certain states. The move comes as a result of
an agreement between the firms and 38 states plus the District of Columbia.
The states agreed in return not to pursue back taxes from the firms; they also
have not released the companies' identities to the public for fear that not-participating
states will seek unpaid taxes. Despite the secrecy, some firms have gone public
with their intent to collect taxes.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokeswoman Cynthia Lin said that the move was the right
thing to do. "Many states are struggling with tax revenue shortages that
affect funding for everything from schools to fire and rescue," she said.
"This is our effort to help customers and the states they live in."
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Brian Krebs]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31210-2003Feb5.html)
UK INTERNET ACCESS HITS THE WALL
According to UK telecom watchdog Oftel, half of the country's population remains
offline, and Internet adoption rates are beginning to flatten. The British government
intends to launch a publicity campaign in May that will attempt to encourage
citizens, especially senior citizens, women and ethnic minorities, to take advantage
of the country's 6,000 UK Online telecentres.
Dr. Jyoti Choudrie, a researcher at Brunel University, says the UK must learn
from South Korea's successful broadband Internet deployment and find ways to
apply those lessons to encouraging broadband adoption in the UK. "We need
to understand how to harness broadband to successfully cater for end users'
changing needs and preferences," she said.
[SOURCE: BBC News]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2734035.stm)
WI-FI AS SAVIOR? FRANCE'S FARM DWELLERS HOPE SO
On Ginette Sybille's farm in western France, her high-volume livestock sales
must be reported to the government online. While her dial-up connection is passable,
both she and French government hope that things will change dramatically when
her area becomes a testing ground for rural broadband Internet deployment. Noting
the lack of willing private infrastructure
providers to invest in their area, the people of Sillé-le-Guillaume and
a neighboring community agreed to set up a wireless network linked to a satellite
receiver. As one local man put it, "[W]e are the people who need broadband
the most. Without it, our businesses are ruined."
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Kristen Hinman]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/06/technology/circuits/06fran.html)
COPPER LINES REGAINING LUSTER
Not long ago, fiber optic cable was the darling of the telecom world, offering
potentially limitless broadband applications. But high roll-out costs and regulations
on infrastructure companies slowed the process to nearly a standstill. Since
then, advances in technology have made old copper wire a more viable -- and
powerful -- alternative. "I'm amazed and encouraged with what we can do
with our copper network," says BellSouth CTO William L. Smith. However,
copper technologies have not been discussed in
policy debates at the FCC and in Congress.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38106-2003Feb6.html)
STATES STILL TRYING TO STOP SPAM
The US states of Colorado and Missouri have devised what may prove to be a novel
approach to fighting spam: the creation of a "do no email" list similar
to the "do not call" lists that have been successful against telemarketers.
Both states have laws on the books dictating how solicitors would access the
list as well as the penalties for violating the law. Critics suggest that the
law is toothless, arguing that the burden of opting out should not be placed
on private citizens who did not wish to be placed
on bulk mailing lists in the first place, adding that it is difficult to bring
a claim against spammers in court.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Julia Scheeres]
(http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,57585,00.html)
COPYRIGHT
COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION UNLIKELY, BOTH SIDES SAY
The entertainment industry and digital device manufacturers have finally found
common ground in their battle over copyright protection: no meaningful legislation
is likely to be introduced this year. Observers believe that fear over a war
in Iraq as well as the nation's slowing economy have contributed to a less-than-ripe
policy environment. At an investor conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Assistant
Commerce Secretary Bruce Mehlman said that there was only a 10 percent chance
that a major bill would
pass, but noted that a possible exception could be a measure promoting broadcast
flag technology, which would prevent retransmission of content over the Web.
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Edmund Sanders]
(http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-copy5feb05,0,6925505.story)
WEB SITE CHANGES NAME AFTER NEWSPAPER COMPANY COMPLAINS
Yesterday, one of the most popular online sources for journalism industry news
announced that it was changing its name. Jim Romenesko's MediaNews (http://www.poynter.org/romenesko)
will now simply be known as Romenesko,
due to complaints by newspaper conglomerate MediaNews Group, Inc, which owns
50 news outlets around the country. Romenesko's Web log, produced daily at 6am
by its namesake, is enormously popular among media elites, who rely on
its thorough coverage of industry news and debate. MediaNews Group alleged that
the site "constitutes trademark infringement and unfair competition,"
forcing Romenesko and his employers, the Poynter Institute, to rename the site.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&ncid=1212&e=3&u=/nm/20030206/wr_nm/media_medianews_dc&sid=95573503)
EDTECH
CSU HAYWARD STUDENTS TO VOTE ON TECHNOLOGY FEE
Administrators at California State University/Hayward have scheduled a campus-wide
referendum in which students will have to make a difficult choice: either pay
a quarterly "technology fee" to use the university's IT
resources or watch those resources get scaled back. The university, facing significant
budgetary woes, says the fee is necessary if it is going to maintain computer
labs and Internet access on campus. If passed, the fee
would be the first of its kind in the Cal State system. The fee, which would
reach $45 per quarter after three years, may not seem like an enormous cost
to many, but given the fact that the university is also expected to raise
tuition by 25 percent this fall, some students are concerned about the extra
financial burden. "We shouldn't have to pay for it," says student
Ilde Gomez, who was recently laid off from her job. Other students, though,
sympathize with the plight of university administrators. "I like the idea
of it being up to the students," says Kevin Finn. "I suppose I'm going
to vote for it out of necessity."
(SOURCE: BayArea.com, AUTHOR: Carrie Sturrock, Contra Costa Times]
(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/living/education/5128000.htm)
February 6, 2003
MEDIA OWNERSHIP
DEREGULATION OPPONENTS SILENCED BY FEAR, SAYS FCC'S COPPS
Media professionals who oppose deregulation of media ownership have been silent
out of fear of retribution, said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps in a speech
at Fordham University yesterday. "There are media professionals with strong
feelings about the downsides of consolidation for the American people who are
afraid to speak for fear of retribution," he said. "We need to find
a way for them to be heard." Copps intends to hold additional public
hearings in Durham, North Carolina and Seattle, Washington in order to provide
voices for those without lobby representation in Washington. He also said FCC
legal advisors are looking for ways in which media professionals in
fear of industry blackballing can make their opinions know for the record.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Craig Linder, States New Service]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/bpihw/20030206/en_bpihw/copps__silenced_by_fear)
PRIVACY
BUSH DATA MINING PLAN IN HOT SEAT
The Pentagon's proposed Total Information Awareness System, which faced a setback
in the Senate last month, has drawn a new challenge from public interest groups.
A broad coalition of organizations and academics, including ACLU and the conservative
Eagle Forum, have united to lobby for legislation that would require strict
oversight for the system, which would be designed to search the Web as well
as public and private databases for patterns indicative of terrorist activities.
Critics argue that the privacy of law-abiding Americans would be compromised
by such a system, while proponents claim that TIA is necessary to prevent future
attacks. Senator
Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced an amendment that withheld funding from the project
until the administration provided evidence that it would satisfy privacy concerns.
The measure passed unanimously.
[SOURCE: Wired.com, AUTHOR: Julia Scheeres]
(http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,57568,00.html)
EDTECH
DAVID WARLICK: BRING THE WORLD INTO THE CLASSROOM
Newsobserver.com profiles online educator David Warlick, developer of the pioneering
edtech Web site Landmarks for Schools (www.landmark-project.com).
Warlick, a former schoolteacher, district technology director and staffer at
the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, is one of the leading
online voices advocating effective uses of the Internet in schools. "We're
doing a very good job of making our students teachable," Warlick explains.
"What we need to be doing is making them self-taught. And new technology
is really core to that. The computer, the Internet, multimedia devices -- these
tools are ready-made to make people self-learners." Warlick worries, though,
that the digital divide between students who have a computer at home and students
who do not is worsening, and will exacerbate educational inequities in this
country. "I would say that if, five years from now, we do not see every
child walking into the classroom with their computer under their arm, then we
will have failed at this challenge that I think is fundamental to a democratic
society in this day and age," he says.
[SOURCE: NewsObserver.com, AUTHOR: Christina Dyrness]
http://newsobserver.com/business/story/2171037p-2057671c.html
21ST CENTURY SKILLS
COMPUTER GIANTS MAKE BEELINE FOR KERALA VILLAGES
The sleepy south Indian district of Malappuram will soon experience a high tech
shopping spree as computer vendors from all over India converge there on February
7, hoping to be chosen to fill the purchase orders for over
6,000 computers. Malappuram, in the Indian state of Kerala, is hosting the event
as part of the state-wide Akshaya initiative, which will set up 600 multi-purpose
telecentres in the coming months. Launched in November, the
Akshaya initiative strives to make Kerala the first state in India to provide
21st century skills to all of its citizens. The director of the program hopes
that the telecentres will be so pervasive that at least one member of each family
in Kerala will be computer literate within the first 100 days of telecentre
operations.
[SOURCE: The Indian Express]
(http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=17919)
UAE WOMEN SURGE AHEAD TO ESTABLISH THEIR REPUTATION
IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The nation of the United Arab Emirates is breaking new ground as women increasingly
gain opportunities to develop information technology skills. The UAE, which
already boasts one of the highest female literacy rates in
the Middle East, has actively encouraged women to pursue higher education, especially
in IT-related fields: 72 percent of students enrolling into UAE's universities
are now women. Internet access in the UAE is much more
prevalent than it is in most of the Arab world, with a nationwide penetration
rate of more than 25 percent. The UAE is also believed to be the first nation
in the region to open cybercafes open to both men and women. These new opportunities
are opening new doors for women to develop new skills and even become successful
entrepreneurs. "Businesswoman may be a relatively a new term here, but
judging by recent trends we shall certainly see more of businesswomen in the
UAE in the near future," said Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Manager of External
Affairs for Shell Companies in Dubai and Northern Emirates.
[SOURCE: DIT.net]
(http://www.dit.net/news/news.php?id=EpuuVkZuVAoLrsUoFD)
February 5 2003
BROADCASTING/OWNERSHIP
CDD, CU, CFA AND MAP FILE REPLY COMMENTS IN MEDIA OWNERSHIP PROCEEDING
The Center for Digital Democracy, Consumers Union, the Consumer Federation of
America and the Media Access Project filed a reply today with the FCC in response
to comments submitted by major media companies regarding media ownership deregulation.
The coalition argued that the industry comments
"share a legal and analytical approach that we believe is fundamentally
flawed and cannot support the repeal or relaxation of the current rules on media
ownership." The filing examines empirical evidence presented by the industry
and discusses how media companies have attempted to obscure the
current level of market concentration.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
Link to the Filing (requires Adobe Acrobat):
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/resources/filings/CFACUmediareplies020303.pdf)
BUSH PLAN CUTS PUBCAST
FUNDING
The president's budget proposal includes a $10 million cut for the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting, a move that could cripple its ability to provide services.
CPB President Robert Coonrod stated that CPB can ill
afford budget reductions if public stations are to convert to digital while
continuing to provide content as required by law. Bush's proposal would require
any broadcaster using the analog spectrum after Congress' 2006 deadline for
digital conversion to pay the FCC $500 million for use of the spectrum.
[SOURCE: Yahoo! News, AUTHOR: Craig Linder, States New Service]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/bpihw/20030204/en_bpihw/bush_plan_cuts_pubcast_funding)
See Also:
CORPORATE FUNDING SQUEEZING PUBLIC TELEVISION
[SOURCE: The Ledger Online, AUTHOR: Elizabeth Jensen, Los Angeles Times]
(www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003302050310&Profile=102
PRIME-TIME SHOWS ARE GETTING
SEXIER
According to a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation study, one in seven shows features
either latent or implied sexual intercourse, doubling the figures from a similar
study four years ago. Two-thirds of all shows from 7 a.m. to
11 p.m. have some sexual content, ranging from talk to actual depictions; this
figure is also nearly twice the mark observed four years ago. As parents' groups
and health professionals call for change, the FCC's media
ownership review takes on a new twist. "Is there a relationship between
the rising tide of indecency on the airwaves and the rising tide of industry
consolidation?" asks FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps, suggesting that
localism gives stations more control of the content they design and carry.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Alessandra Stanley]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/05/arts/television/05WATC.html)
BROADBAND
HIGH-SPEED NET FINDS WAY TO SMALL-TOWN USA
Despite being left out of the tech investment boom of the late 1990s, there
is some hope for rural US residents yearning for high-speed Internet. The Department
of Agriculture's plan to pump $1.5 billion into loans for
high-speed infrastructure start-ups, as well as Senator John McCain's prioritization
of rural broadband access, both signal the federal government's interest in
bridging the gap. Additionally, venture capitalists have shown interest in supporting
rural start-ups, who boast less expensive technology and a focus on lower margins
to sell the service where the larger companies would not go.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Jim Hopkins]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-02-04-ruralnet_x.htm)
February 4, 2003
DIGITAL DIVIDE
VIETNAM WRESTLES WITH INTERNET GROWTH
The explosion of Internet use in Vietnam has prompted a mixed reaction in Hanoi.
On one hand, the government plans to quadruple the current number of Internet
users to four million by 2005 and inject $100 million into the
country's IT sector over the next two years. Yet Vietnam's pro-Internet development
policies are tempered by its tight control over use and content. Web sites with
pornography, violence, and especially political dissidence
are all deemed "poisonous and harmful." The government blocks access
to several of these sites, and violators have faced imprisonment.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-02-03-vietnam_x.htm)
THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL
ENVIRONMENT OF ICT PROJECTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
[Abstract] "While most of today's ICT projects involve several organizations,
each can have different views on how to attain the project's goals. When designing
an ICT-enabled development project, analysis of its cultural and political dimensions
allows us to understand how the project team functions and to anticipate problems
well ahead."
[SOURCE: iConnect Online, AUTHOR: Rutger Rosendaal]
(http://www.iconnect-online.org/base/ic_show_news?sc=107&id=2009)
OWNERSHIP
FCC AND RIGHT-WING RADIO HELPING U.S. PRESS FREEDOM SLIP AWAY
[Commentary] America has already seen the detrimental effects of media deregulation
and consolidation, according to columnist Molly Ivins. The elimination of the
Fairness Doctrine in 1987 has had "a stunning effect on
political debate," and the 1996 deregulation of radio has created giant
companies such as Clear Channel Communication, who own several radio stations
in the same market. "What is so perfectly loony about the FCC's
proposal," says Ivins, "...is that it is being done in the name of
`the free market.'" She concludes by noting that the US now ranks 17th,
behind Costa Rica and Slovenia, in an index of press freedom established by
Reporters
Without Borders.
[SOURCE: The Salt Lake Tribune, AUTHOR: Molly Ivins]
(http://www.sltrib.com/2003/feb/02032003/commenta/25802.asp)
November 26, 2002
OWNERSHIP
FCC MEMBER TO HOLD HEARINGS ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES
Democratic FCC Commissioner Michael Copps has announced that, despite a lack
of support from FCC's Republican chairman, he will hold hearings on the impact
of relaxing media ownership rules. The FCC is trying to rewrite the rules governing
media ownership in cable, broadcasting and cross-ownership of broadcast stations
and newspapers to pass muster at the U.S. Court of Appeals. The rules were intended
to limit the reach of any one company both nationwide and in individual markets
in order to ensure that no one media "voice" would dominate. But the
courts have demanded that FCC justify its limits with empirical evidence. Copps
says that hearings will elicit comments from the groups that may not otherwise
be heard at the agency, which is besieged daily by industry lobbyists.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Mark Wigfield]
(http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,BT_CO_20021121_004850,00.html)
(requires subscription)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
THE PAYOFF FOR INVESTING IN POOR COUNTRIES
"Multinationals can do plenty to help the world's poor," according
to C.K. Prahalad and Allen Hammond, "and in the process help themselves."
The authors claim that investment and entrepreneurial activity in developing
countries would let corporations to benefit from the large aggregate buying
power of poor communities, while also stimulating an era of intense innovation
and competition. They say that information technology and communications infrastructures-especially
wireless-could be an inexpensive
way to establish marketing and distribution channels in these communities.
And despite the perception that people in developing markets cannot use such
advanced technologies, the authors argue, "poor communities are ready to
adopt new technologies that improve their economic opportunities or their quality
of life." In fact, they urge multinationals to "deploy advanced technologies
at the bottom of the pyramid while, or even before, deploying them in advanced
countries."
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: C.K. Prahalad and Allen Hammond]
(http://hbsworkingknowledge.hbs.edu/pubitem.jhtml?id=3180&sid=0&pid=0&t=nonp
rofit)
ARGENTINA BETS ON CYBERSPACE
Despite the ongoing economic crisis, Argentina is continuing to see in an increase
in the number of users getting online and there is optimism about the many entrepreneurial
opportunities available. The country has seen an increase of more than 14 percent
of citizens online compared to last year.
"We have the opportunity to show that we have a lot of people with bright
ideas and entrepreneurial spirit," according to Dot.com entrepreneur Roberto
Cibrian. Argentines are using the Internet to bank online and some Argentines
living abroad visit local supermarket websites to buy food for their impoverished
relatives in Argentina. While more people are going online, there is a continual
effort to bridge the digital divide - only 5 percent of citizens outside the
country's capital of Buenos Aires have
access to the Internet
[SOURCE: BBC News, AUTHOR: David Jamieson]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2502669.stm)
INTERNET
INTERNET FORCES SCHOOLS TO GRAPPLE WITH SPEECH, COPYRIGHT ISSUES
As universities' computer network capacity become overrun by file-sharing students,
so too have schools' president's offices been deluged by complaints from the
recording industry. With an estimated 2.6 billion music and video files shared
illegally each month on college campuses, four entertainment industry groups
sent a joint letter to over 2,000 university presidents last month urging them
to crack down on copyright infringement.
The challenge for the schools lies in the fact that they hope to avoid a monitoring
role in the students' Internet use, especially at large state institutions with
tens of thousands of students. But as monitoring software becomes more efficient
and readily available, schools may be hard-pressed to stay out of the copyright
policing fray much longer.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002-11-25-schools-internet_x.htm)
NET ACTIVISM OFFERS LESSONS
FOR MINISTERS
As political activists in the United Kingdom increasingly flock to the Internet
to organize protests and maintain contact with each other, the British government
is looking to this grassroots model for help in getting citizens more engaged
in the political process online. At a summit of ministers, business leaders
and net experts in London this week, officials acknowledged that use of the
Internet by political activists could provide valuable lessons for the UK Government.
"I am very interested in using the advantage of the Internet for richer
political engagement," Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt told
the conference.
[SOURCE: BBC News, AUTHOR: Jane Wakefield]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2496363.stm)
INTERNET
HALF OF U.S. INTERNET USERS HAVE A TELEVISION
AND PC IN THE SAME ROOM
A report released on Tuesday by comScore Media Metrix details the increasing
number of people who have access to a PC and television in the same room. Of
the 45.1 million adult Internet users who have both TVs and PCs, 48 percent
frequently use the Internet while watching television. Peter Daboll of
comScore says the study is a "wake-up call for media companies," as
it reveals "a startling connection between television and the Internet."
The report also documents the top activities of simultaneous usage, including
NBC and FOX as the most watched television networks by Internet users.
[SOURCE: Internet Wire]
(http://www.mediaconference.com/p/9c/9090c6ac5074.html?id=efccf8)
WHITE HOUSE PLAN TO PROTECT COMPUTER SYSTEMS UNVEILED
In an effort to protect computer systems from future cyber attacks, the White
House announced a plan that will rely highly on recommendations and cooperation
from the technology industry. The plan, which will be debated for 60 days, calls
for increased spending to protect computer systems, recruitment for more US-born
security experts and a national early-warning system to monitor suspicious Internet
activity. An estimated $12 billion was lost last year due to cyber attacks;
since September 11, there have been
attacks on the Pentagon, as well as labs run by the Energy Department and banks
in New York.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHORS: Jon Swartz and Tom Squitieri]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2002-09-17-cyberterror_x
.htm)
EDTECH
NU SHORTCUTS IN SCHOOL R 2 MUCH 4 TEACHERS
As more and more teenagers turn towards digital communication, teachers increasingly
are seeing an abbreviated form of Internet English jump from email into schoolwork.
High school and middle school teachers say that papers are being written with
shortened words, improper capitalization and
punctuation, and characters like &, $ and @. With email, cell phone text
messaging, Weblogs and instant messaging becoming popular means for teens to
talk to one another, abbreviations are a natural outgrowth of this rapid style
of communication. While some teachers see the abbreviations as part of
a continuing assault of technology on formal written English, others encourage
students to use the shorthand to spark their creativity. "If this lingo
gets their thoughts and ideas onto paper quicker, the more power to them,"
says Trisha Fogarty, a sixth-grade teacher from Houlton, Maine.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jennifer 8. Lee]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/19/technology/circuits/19MESS.html)
(requires registration)
JOURNALISM
NEWS STAFF TAKE ON TECH SKILLS
As a result of developments in technology and the high cost of covering international
news, media outlets have become dependant on a new breed of tech-savvy journalist,
according to CNN International President Chris Cramer. At the International
Broadcast Convention in Amsterdam, Europe's biggest media trade fair, Cramer
explained that reporters and technicians have become more skilled across the
board and can work in the various forms of media to deliver stories, pictures
and technical know-how. He told the
conference that there is also a downside to technology and the race to be first
in the 24-hour news cycle, including the loss of accuracy and a rise in speculation.
There is also less time to make editorial judgments when pictures are aired
live. One particular development he noted was the democratization of news brought
to the world by Web sites that push and pull news from the street at a grassroots
level.
[SOURCE: BBC, AUTHOR: Chris McWhinnie]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2260955.stm)