Subject: Benton's Communications-related Headlines for 3/22/05

From: Kevin Taglang <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 06:57:42 -0600

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for MARCH 22, 2005
For upcoming media policy events, see http://www.benton.org/calendar.htm

OWNERSHIP
         Media Consolidation Over? Or Just Getting Started?
         Tribune Ordered to Divest in TV Station
         News Corp. Acquires All of Fox
         Diller to Add Ask Jeeves To Network of Web Sites

VIDEO NEWS RELEASES
         Broadcasters Alerted About VNRs and Possible Penalties
         Activists Urge FCC to Investigate VNRs
         State is Committed to VNR ID's

TELEVISION/BROADCASTING
         For Congress, Decency’s a Basic Part of the Package
         DBS Firms Rebut NCTA on FCC Fees
         Emergencies and People with Disabilities
         Closed-Captions Translate News Into Spanish

TELECOM
         Verizon: DSL-Phone Bundle OK with FCC
         I Ain't Got Your Stinkin' Phone Service

NEW RESEARCH
         Reinventing Media Activism
         Protecting Teens Online
         College Searching Online
         More Wired Seniors Than Ever
         2005 MediaWorks Funder Survey

QUICKLY -- Kevin Martin's FCC; On the Media; Radio Grandma; Cheaper Phone 
Bills?; Utah Governor Signs Net-porn Bill; E-mail authentication

OWNERSHIP

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION OVER? OR JUST GETTING STARTED?
You can almost here the dueling banjos -- Slate's Jack Shafer picks up on 
the possible split up of Viacom to suggest that media ownership may be 
"deconsolidating." (Apologies to my high school English teacher, Mrs V.) 
While Reuters' Kenneth Li begins his article, "Rumors of the global media 
conglomerate's demise may have been greatly exaggerated." I'll let you be 
the judge. [And if I've got that song stuck in your head, check out this -- 
http://www.laserp.com/dueling_banjos.htm (yeah, I don't get the penguin 
either)].
[SOURCE: Slate/Reuters]
http://slate.msn.com/id/2115066/
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7952689
* Media Firms Piece Together New Strategies
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55379-2005Mar21.html

TRIBUNE ORDERED TO DIVEST IN TV STATION
The US Appeals Court (Connecticut) has ordered the Tribune Company to 
divest WTXX, a WB affiliate in Waterbury (CT), to comply with FCC 
cross-ownership rules. Tribune has sought and received multiple waivers 
from the FCC to hold on to WTXX, which Tribune claims had financial 
troubles. Tribune also owns WTIC, a Fox affiliate in Hartford.  “Tribune’s 
numerous applications for extensions of time in which to come into 
compliance with that rule implicitly recognize that it was failing to 
comply with that rule,” the court said. Tribune plans to appeal, said 
Tribune VP Shaun Sheehan.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Tania Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)
LATimes: 
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-rup22.6mar22,1,4429113.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business

NEWS CORP ACQUIRES ALL OF FOX
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. persuaded Fox Entertainment Group Inc. minority 
holders to accept $6.6 billion for their stock, giving him full control of 
assets including Fox News Channel and the 20th Century Fox film studio. 
Purchasing the stock gives News Corp. all of Fox's $12.2 billion in annual 
sales. Getting Fox businesses including TV stations and the Fox sports 
cable channels also gives Murdoch assets to trade with Liberty Media Corp. 
Chairman John Malone to reduce Liberty's 18% voting stake in News Corp.
[SOURCE:  Bloomberg News]
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-fox22mar22,1,5031621.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business
(requires registration)

DILLER TO ADD ASK JEEVES TO NETWORK OF WEB SITES
Barry Diller's IAC/InterActive Corp. will pay $1.85 billion in stock to 
acquire Ask Jeeves Inc. Ask Jeeves, the country's fifth-most-popular search 
site, has differentiated itself from competitors by allowing users to pose 
queries as if they were asking a friend or relative. For the nearly 10 
years it has existed, the company's dapper cartoon butler has stood ready, 
his hands on his lapels, to provide answers. Ask Jeeves has long been 
considered to have strong technology but has lacked the capital of a 
Google, Yahoo or MSN. With the backing of Diller, who also owns travel site 
Expedia, online matchmaker Match.com, event sales company Ticketmaster, 
local guide Citysearch and many other prominent Web properties, some think 
the company is ready to become a more powerful player in the industry.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Ariana Eunjung Cha]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55577-2005Mar21.html
(requires registration)
USAToday: 
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050322/2b_askjeeves22.art.htm
NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/22/technology/22search.html
LATimes: 
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-jeeves22mar22,1,7227721.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business
Also see --
* Net stocks rebounding all over the place
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050322/1b_brink22.art.htm

VIDEO NEWS RELEASES

BROADCASTERS ALERTED ABOUT VNRs AND POSSIBLE PENALTIES
With Members of Congress and thousands of citizens contacting the FCC 
asking for an investigation into the use of video news releases (VNRs), the 
National Association of Broadcasters is warning members to proceed with 
caution -- at least until the FCC rules on use of VNRs. “Informal 
conversations with FCC staff indicate that failure to properly disclose 
that the VNR has been government furnished may result in a sponsorship 
identification violation,” the NAB said Monday. FCC rules say that with 
political broadcast matter or matter related to a controversial issue of 
public importance furnished either directly or indirectly for broadcast, 
stations must reveal the source at the broadcast’s beginning and conclusion.
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Tania Panczyk-Collins]
(Not available online)
See also http://www.onthemedia.org/

ACTIVISTS URGE FCC TO INVESTIGATE VNRs
Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy (publisher of PR Watch) 
filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission Monday asking 
the agency to investigate broadcasters that air government-produced news 
reports without identifying their source.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA512110?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* Concerned citizens flood FCC with demands to stop fake news
http://www.freepress.net/news/release.php?id=56

STATE COMMITTED TO VNR ID'S
In a speech Monday night, Robert Tappan, principal deputy assistant 
secretary of state, says the State Department identifies all its video news 
releases. He said their use must be guided by ethical rules, with 
credibility the key to getting State's message across and transparency and 
attribution the keys to that credibility.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA512127?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

TELEVISION/BROADCASTING

FOR CONGRESS, DECENCY'S A BASIC PART OF THE PACKAGE
For years, cable operators have been selling Cable News Network, Discovery 
Channel and MTV: Music Television in a large, one-size-fits-all package, 
elevating efficiency over consumer choice and flexibility. But if two 
powerful members of Congress get their way, cable’s business model, which 
calls on customers to buy it all and block the bad stuff, could wind up in 
the Smithsonian next to shards of the Berlin Wall. Senate Commerce 
Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and House Commerce Committee 
Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) say it is unacceptable that children can 
access objectionable cable programming on a random basis and they believe 
cable’s channel-blocking efforts are insufficient. Aides to Sen Stevens 
called cable companies and were dissatisfied with the experience. They 
found blocking technology complicated and access codes frustrating to use. 
One cable company contacted wanted to charge a monthly fee to provide 
blocking technology. Lawmakers are looking at tiering, ratings and channel 
rebates as possible ways to give consumers more control over the content 
that comes into their homes.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA511866.html&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

DBS FIRMS REBUT NCTA ON FCC FEES
The Federal Communications Commission in 2005 is requiring cable operators 
to pay $48 million to fund the agency’s operations, while the commission 
intends to collect just $1.9 million combined from EchoStar Communications 
and DirecTV. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association has told 
the FCC that changes in the regulatory landscape compel direct-broadcast 
satellite operators to pay more. But EchoStar and DirecTV are the 
challenging cable-industry claims that DBS providers are paying less than 
their fair share in regulatory fees to the FCC.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA511981.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

EMERGENCIES AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
In light of recent enforcement actions by the FCC for apparent violations 
of the Commission's access to emergency information rule, the Commission 
issued a Public Notice to again remind video programming distributors -- 
including broadcasters, cable operators, and satellite television services 
-- of their obligation to make emergency information accessible to persons 
with hearing and vision disabilities. The Consumer & Governmental Affairs 
Bureau will continue to closely monitor complaints alleging violations of 
the access to emergency information rule, and will promptly forward 
appropriate complaints to the Enforcement Bureau for possible enforcement 
action. If you have a complaint, you can first contact the video 
programming distributor, although you are not required to do so. You can 
also complain directly to the FCC.  Your complaint should include: 1) The 
name of the video programming distributor (e.g. broadcast station, cable 
company, or DBS provider) against whom the complaint is alleged; 2) The 
date and time of the omission of emergency information; and 3) The type of 
emergency. Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Contact: Traci Randolph, 
(202) 418-0569 (voice); (202) 418-0537 (TTY); e-mail [email-masked]
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-688A1.doc

CLOSED-CAPTIONS TRANSLATE NEWS INTO SPANISH
Fourteen stations are broadcasting local news with Spanish translations 
over the closed-captioning system. The service is provided by Translate TV, 
a two-year old Ohio company that uses customized technology to translate a 
station's newscast in real time and pump out translations. Most televisions 
have such capabilities; stations provide English captioning on one of two 
closed-captioning channels. Translate TV taps into the second, referred to 
as CC2. Stations see captioning as more than a public service; it can also 
be a revenue driver. Local broadcasters are selling sponsorships to fund 
the effort. In return, the sponsor usually receives promotions announcing 
its involvement.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Allison Romano [email-masked]]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA511879?display=News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

TELECOM

VERIZON: DSL-PHONE BUNDLE OK WITH FCC
Verizon Communications’ policy of terminating digital-subscriber-line 
service at the same time a customer cancels local-phone service is 
consistent with federal regulations, the Baby Bell told the Federal 
Communications Commission last week. Verizon, the nation’s largest local 
phone company, said it had explained its bundling policy to the FCC before 
in a long-distance entry application and “the [FCC] reviewed it and 
approved it.”
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA511975.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

I AIN'T GOT YOUR STINKIN' PHONE SERVICE
[Commentary] Bunnie Riedel wants to stay naked, darn it. The FCC, we 
learned yesterday, is planning on suspending public utility commission 
regulations in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana that 
require phone companies to offer DSL separate from phone service (this is 
called "Naked DSL"). Riedel write, "The implications of this FCC decision 
go beyond BellSouth’s insatiable desire to keep itself out of bankruptcy. 
Is the FCC going to follow suit with the cable ops? You can't get cable 
modem unless you buy cable? There are actual living, breathing human beings 
in our great nation who do not want cable television, they are perfectly 
satisfied with four channels and rabbit ears. I talked to one mother this 
weekend who told me that they do get modem but not the cable because she 
doesn't want her kids watching t.v. all day. Makes sense, I did the same 
thing with my kids. Even if you don't have kids some people find paying for 
90 channels with nothing on a waste of money."
[SOURCE: Riedel Communications]
<http://www.riedelcommunications.blogspot.com/>www.riedelcommunications.blogspot.com 

NEW RESEARCH

REINVENTING MEDIA ACTIVISM
A key concept informing this report, which shares the results of research 
conducted by Syracuse University's Convergence Center project and supported 
by the Ford Foundation's Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom Program, is that 
of citizen collective action: "In a free and democratic society, citizens 
influence the political process not just by passively voting....They also 
organize to continuously shape policy and legal outcomes, and to express 
their opinions to public officials so that the officials will make 
decisions that reflect their own needs, problems and interests. Most of 
this lobbying is driven by economic interests....But there are also 
citizens who organize to promote some concept of the public interest. These 
groups promote ideas, ideologies, values, policies, laws or regulations 
that they believe will benefit society as a whole." In short, these groups 
seek to support and sustain the common good.
AUTHORS: Milton Mueller, Brenden Kuerbis & Christiane Pagé
http://www.comminit.com/strategicthinking/st2005/thinking-969.html

PROTECTING TEENS ONLINE
More than half of American families with teenagers use filters to limit 
access to potentially harmful content online. But both teens and parents 
believe that teens do things on the Internet that their parents would not 
approve of.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project, AUTHOR: Amanda Lenhart]
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/152/report_display.asp

COLLEGE SEARCHING ONLINE
Fully 45% of American adult Internet users and 57% of online teenagers have 
used the Internet when they search for colleges or other schools to attend. 
It's quicker -- but not as fun -- as those Spring Break college campus tours.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project]
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/p/1064/pipcomments.asp

MORE WIRED SENIORS THAN EVER
There has been a steady increase over the past year in the percentage of 
older Americans who go online. In Pew's January 2005 phone survey, 26% of 
Americans age 65+ report Internet access, compared to the 22% of older 
Americans described in Pew's March 2004 report.
[SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project, AUTHOR: Susannah Fox]
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/p/1062/pipcomments.asp

2005 MEDIAWORKS FUNDER SURVEY
To help inform media grantmaking strategies, MediaWorks offers this 
snapshot of media funding after surveying foundations, private donors, 
investors, and government agencies in January 2005.
http://www.mediawks.org

QUICKLY

KEVIN MARTIN'S CHALLENGE/MARTIN TAKES CHARGE AT FCC
A look at Kevin Martin and the challenges he faces as he takes over the FCC 
from publications that target people in the radio and TV business.
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable and Multichannel News]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA511792?display=News&referral=SUPP
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA511868.html?display=Top+Stories&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

FCC SILENT AS MARTIN HITS THE BOOKS
New FCC chairman Kevin Martin issued an email last Friday to FCC senior 
staff, ordering them not to release any major staff-level decisions or 
public notices until Chairman Martin's office gets a chance to review them. 
Staff also have been asked not to give speeches on behalf of the Commission 
or make other public statements purportedly reflecting the commission's 
views "until further notice."
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA512088?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

ON THE MEDIA
WNYC's On the Media has a number of stories available on its website this 
week on video news releases and the broadcasters that air them, our new FCC 
Chairman, and the latest report from the Project for Excellence in 
Journalism. Find links to audio files at the URL below.
[SOURCE: On the Media]
http://www.onthemedia.org/

RADIO GRANDMA
WVLP-FM, a low-power community radio station in Valparaiso (IN) has aired 
"Stories with Old Nana" since September 2004. The show features Nancy 
Pekarek reading pictures books to children.
[SOURCE: Connect for Kids, AUTHOR: Susan Phillips]
http://www.connectforkids.org/articles/radio_grandma

CHEAPER PHONE BILLS ON THE HORIZON?
[Commentary] I can't suggest you read this, but McCullagh plays fast and 
loose with facts here to suggest elimination of the E-rate program for a 
$10/year savings on your phone bill.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
http://news.com.com/Cheaper+phone+bills+on+the+horizon/2010-1071_3-5626169.html?tag=nefd.ac

UTAH GOVERNOR SIGNS NET-PORN BILL
Utah Governor Jon Huntsman signed a bill on Monday that would require 
Internet providers to block Web sites deemed pornographic and could also 
target e-mail providers and search engines. The controversial legislation 
will create an official list of Web sites with publicly available material 
deemed "harmful to minors." Internet providers in Utah must provide their 
customers with a way to disable access to sites on the list or face felony 
charges.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
http://news.com.com/Utah+governor+signs+Net-porn+bill/2100-1028_3-5629067.html?tag=nefd.top

E-MAIL AUTHENTICATION. THEN WHAT?
[Commentary] A look at how email authentication could be a solution to spam 
and e-mail fraud.
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Sendmail CEO Dave Anderson]
http://news.com.com/E-mail+authentication.+Then+what/2010-1071_3-5629318.html?tag=nefd.ac
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service 
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday through 
Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, 
policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are 
factually accurate, their often informal tone does not always represent the 
tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang 
([email-masked]) -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------
(c)Benton Foundation 2005. Redistribution of this email publication -- both 
internally and externally -- is encouraged if it includes this message. For 
subscribe/unsubscribe info email: [email-masked]
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The Benton Foundation (www.benton.org) works to realize the social benefits 
made possible by the public interest use of communications. Bridging the 
worlds of philanthropy, public policy, and community action, Benton seeks 
to shape the emerging communications environment and to demonstrate the 
value of communications for solving social problems.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Free Press also collects media and media policy related headlines that 
complement well the work we are doing. Media Headlines is a free, daily 
news service by Free Press. It includes links to articles found on the Free 
Press News Center.  For more information or to sign up, visit 
http://www.freepress.net

Kevin Taglang
Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Foundation
Communications in the Public Interest
1625 K Street, NW 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
[email-masked]