Subject: [Benton's Communications-related Headlines] June 1, 2007 (FCC mtg recap)

From: Kevin Taglang <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:09:02 -0500

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for FRIDAY JUNE 1, 2007

Two events of note next week: 1) NTIA hosts a 
public meeting on the Public Safety Interoperable 
Communications Grant Program and 2) Rainbow/PUSH 
hosts a panel Securing a Broadband Future for 
People of Color. For these and other upcoming 
media policy events, see http://www.benton.org

FCC MEETING SUMMARY
	FCC to Implement Katrina Panel Recommendations
	FCC Takes Action to Further Strengthen Nation's Emergency Alert System
	Enhanced 911 Requirements for Wireless and VoIP Carriers
	Disability Access Requirements Extended to VOIP Services
	FCC Chairman Reiterates That XM-Sirius Merger Faces 'High Hurdle'
	FCC Revives Sheetrock Rule
	Commissioner Adelstein Announces Staff Change

IN THE STATES
	TV bill passes Illinois state House
	West Virginia Getting Up to Speed

INTERNET/BROADBAND
	Oversight of US Broadband Efforts
	Broadband Fact Book
	An Odd-Bedfellow Coalition
	NPR Joins Appeal of Online Music Royalties
	Google Photos Stir a Debate Over Privacy

OWNERSHIP
	Dow Jones Says It Will Consider Options for Sale

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
	Chávez Looks at His Critics in the Media and Sees the Enemy

MEDIA & ELECTIONS
	2 More Democratic Candidates Decline to Join in Fox News Debate
	John Edwards and... spectrum?

QUICKLY -- ChoicePoint Settles With 43 States, 
D.C.; Soap Opera; YouTube signs broad licensing 
pact with EMI; Unions, Advertisers Pick Booz 
Allen For Pay Study; Tribune Wraps Up Tender 
Offer; Five Telecoms to Vie for Government Pact

FCC MEETING SUMMARY

FCC TO IMPLEMENT KATRINA PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission implemented 
various recommendations of the FCC's Independent 
Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina 
on Communications Networks.  The programs and 
policies stemming from the Panel's work are aimed 
at improving emergency response capabilities and 
assist first responders, the communications 
industry and all levels of government to 
communicate effectively with one another during 
emergencies, disasters and public health threats. 
The Order extends, by one year, exemptions on 
large telephone companies allowing them to 
share  information to facilitate disaster 
planning.  The order also instructs the FCC's 
Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau to: 1) 
Develop and implement an awareness program to 
educate public safety agencies about alternative 
communications technologies; 2) Continue to work 
to enhance a voluntary, streamlined approach for 
collection of outage and situational awareness 
information during emergencies; 3) Continue to 
reach out to the emergency medical community to 
facilitate the resiliency and effectiveness of 
their emergency communications systems; 4) 
Continue to work with the Department of Homeland 
Security on developing credentialing standards 
and ensuring that all communications service 
providers are treated as "essential personnel"; 
5) Continue to work with the Department of 
Homeland Security to promote the Priority 
Communications Service Programs (i.e., Government 
Emergency Telecommunications Service, 
Telecommunications Service Priority and Wireless 
Service Priority) -- particularly among first 
responders, health care facilities and 911 
emergency call centers nationwide; 6) Take 
various steps, in conjunction with the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration 
and the Department of Homeland Security, to 
facilitate first responder interoperability; 7) 
Promote the implementation of various best 
practices to ensure a more robust E911 service; 
8) Take steps to revitalize and publicize the 
current Emergency Alert System; and 9) Work with 
industry, state and local governments and 
organizations representing people with 
disabilities and non-English speaking persons to 
ensure that they receive emergency information.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273455A1.doc

FCC TAKES ACTION TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN NATION'S EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a 
Second Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking that strengthens the nation's 
Emergency Alert System (EAS). The Commission's 
Order promotes the development of fully digital 
Next Generation technologies and delivery systems 
that will better serve the American public.  The 
Order requires EAS participants to accept 
messages using Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), 
the groundwork for Next Generation EAS delivery 
systems, no later than 180 days after FEMA 
announces its adoption of standards in each 
case.  The use of CAP will help to ensure the 
efficient and rapid transmission of EAS alerts to 
the American public in a variety of formats 
(including text, audio and video) and via 
different means (broadcast, cable, satellite, and 
other networks) and to promote the development of 
Next Generation EAS. One result of these 
developments will be enhanced access to EAS 
alerts and warnings for persons with disabilities 
and for non-English speakers. The Further Notice 
seeks comment on how best to deliver EAS alerts 
as well as broader emergency and public safety 
information to these groups, and commits to 
adoption of a final order within six months.  The 
Commission directs the Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau to convene a meeting -- or series 
of meetings -- as soon as possible on providing 
emergency information to non-English 
speakers.  The stakeholders should submit into 
the record a progress report on these discussions 
within 30 days of the Order's release. The Order 
also requires terrestrial EAS participants to 
transmit state and locally targeted EAS alerts 
that are originated by governors or their 
designees. The Further Notice seeks comment on 
whether Participants should be required to 
deliver EAS alerts originated by local, county, 
tribal, or other state governmental entities.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273458A1.doc

ENHANCED 911 REQUIREMENTS FOR WIRELESS AND VOIP CARRIERS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking 
comment on tentative conclusions and issues 
related to Enhanced 911 (E911) location accuracy 
and reliability requirements for wireless 
carriers and providers of interconnected voice 
over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The NPRM 
seeks to ensure that E911 service meets the needs 
of public safety and the American people.  The 
NPRM also takes into consideration the evolution 
in the use of wireless devices and the further 
development of location technologies.  The 
primary objective is to advance policies, rules 
and initiatives that support the efficient and 
reliable transmission of meaningful automatic 
location information for wireless cell phone 
users and users of interconnected VoIP service to 
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to better 
ensure rapid emergency response and save lives.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273457A1.doc
* FCC moves to improve cell 911 technology
Despite strong industry opposition, the Federal 
Communications Commission voted to move forward 
on a rule that would require cell phone companies 
to employ a much stricter geographic standard 
when testing the location accuracy of their handsets.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/politics/17305643.htm

DISABILITY ACCESS REQUIREMENTS EXTENDED TO VOIP SERVICES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Commission has extended the disability access 
requirements of Sections 225 and 255 of the 
Communications Act, which currently apply to 
traditional phone services, to providers of 
interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol 
(VoIP) services and to manufacturers of specially 
designed equipment used to provide those 
services. Section 255 of the Communications Act 
requires manufacturers of "telecommunications 
equipment or customer premises equipment" and 
providers of "telecommunications service" to 
ensure that such equipment or service is 
accessible to and usable by individuals with 
disabilities, if readily achievable.  In adopting 
Section 255, Congress sought to ensure that all 
Americans, including people with disabilities, 
could benefit from advances in telecommunications services and equipment.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273452A1.doc

FCC CHAIRMAN REITERATES THAT XM-SIRIUS MERGER FACES 'HIGH HURDLE'
[SOURCE: The Center for Public Integrity, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin 
Martin on Thursday reiterated his position that 
the proposed merger between XM Satellite Radio 
and Sirius Satellite Radio faces a high 
regulatory hurdle. Speaking to reporters after 
the FCC's May meeting, Martin was asked why the 
commission has taken so long to begin the merger 
review process. Although the merger was announced 
in mid-February, the FCC has not yet issued a 
public notice seeking formal comment. "It's an 
unusual merger, and I've said there is a high 
hurdle that the parties would have to meet 
because the commission has a previous order that 
would prohibit the two parties [the satellite 
radio companies] from being owned by one party," he said.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/telecom/telecomwatch.aspx?eid=2963&entry=feed

FCC REVIVES SHEETROCK RULE
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
The Federal Communications Commission voted 
unanimously Thursday to revive a court-rejected 
rule intended to aid new video providers that 
want to serve consumers located in apartment 
buildings and other multiple dwelling units 
(MDUs). The FCC said it was promoting video 
choice and competition by declaring that existing 
cable wiring located behind sheetrock was 
“physically inaccessible.” As a result, new video 
providers can tap into the existing cable plant 
at a junction box many feet from the customer’s 
entrance instead of cutting into drywall closer to the front door.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6448232.html?rssid=196
* FCC: Cable Competitors Won't Have to Cut the Sheet Rock
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6448161.html?rssid=193
* FCC press release:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273439A1.doc

COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
In a truly inspired choice, FCC Commissioner 
Jonathan S. Adelstein announced that Katie Yocum 
has joined his staff.  She serves as Confidential 
Assistant and Director of Outreach. As 
Commissioner Adelstein's Confidential Assistant, 
Yocum will be responsible for coordinating all 
aspects of the Commissioner's schedule.  In her 
role as Director of Outreach, she will manage the 
office's interaction with a wide and diverse 
group of organizations, governments, individuals, 
and companies that are interested in the role of 
the Commission and its impact on the 
telecommunications and media marketplace.  She 
will also serve as the office's primary contact 
for general media and press inquiries. Prior to 
joining the Commission, Yocum worked as the 
Campaign Coordinator for the Media and Democracy 
Coalition, a national coalition of nonprofit 
organizations committed to amplifying the voices 
of the public in shaping media and 
telecommunications policy.  She graduated from 
the University of Illinois Institute for 
Communications Research with a B.A. in Media Studies.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273431A1.doc

IN THE STATES

TV BILL PASSES ILLINOIS STATE HOUSE
[SOURCE: Crain's Chicago Business, AUTHOR: Paul Merrion]
It's amazing what can happen in one day in a 
legislature. Legislation to bring TV over phones 
lines to Illinois, ending cable TV’s 
near-monopoly, is on the move in Springfield. 
Ending lengthy negotiations, AT&T agreed early 
Thursday morning to a number of consumer 
protection provisions crafted for the legislation 
by Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D). Consumer 
groups and municipalities had fought an earlier 
version of the bill that would have allowed the 
phone company to win a statewide television 
franchise with few restrictions. Comcast Corp. 
and other cable television operators are still 
opposed, so passage is not certain. The bill 
contains “nothing the cable industry asked for 
and a bone or two for public-access people,” says 
a spokesman for the Cable TV and Communications 
Association. The measure was passed Thursday 
morning by the House Telecommunications 
Committee. By Thursday evening, the bill passed 
the Illinois House by a vote of 113-0.
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=25191

WEST VIRGINIA GETTING UP TO SPEED
[SOURCE: Charleston Daily Mail, AUTHOR: George Hohmann]
The effort to extend broadband access to all of 
West Virginia has received lots of attention but 
the state government's drive to harness 
technology is much bigger than that, West 
Virginia's chief technology officer said. 
"Broadband is a component of the bigger 
initiative," said Kyle Schafer. "Another 
component of our three-year strategic plan is 
getting technology into the home. West Virginia 
ranks 45th in the nation in personal computers in 
the home." The state Public Service Commission 
reported last month that only 59 percent of West 
Virginia households have a computer, compared to 
69 percent of households nationwide. Also, "We 
rank 47th in ‘e-government,'" Shafer said. "Our 
citizens are going to the Division of Motor 
Vehicles and standing in line or standing in line 
to get a nursing license. We're looking to put 
those transactions online and make more and more 
available online. One of Gov Joe Manchin's goals 
is to make broadband available to all West 
Virginians by 2010. According to the state Public 
Service Commission report about advanced 
services, 77 percent of West Virginia households 
have access to high-speed Internet service 
although only 34.6 percent subscribe to 
broadband. In comparison, 86 percent of 
households in the country have access to 
broadband and 49.6 percent subscribe. Many 
observers were surprised in March when Gov 
Manchin vetoed a bill aimed at increasing 
broadband availability. The governor said the 
veto would preserve a new strategic alliance with 
Cisco Systems, the computer-networking giant 
headed by Charleston native John Chambers. Gov 
Manchin also said the state is working with 
Verizon to develop a map that shows exactly where 
broadband is deployed in the state today.
http://www.dailymail.com/story/Business/2007053117/W-Va-getting-up-to-speed/

INTERNET/BROADBAND

OVERSIGHT OF US BROADBAND EFFORTS
[SOURCE: House Committee on Oversight & 
Government Reform 5/22, AUTHOR: Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis]
The House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform has sent a letter to the Government 
Accountability Office asking it to conduct a 
survey of all actions undertaken by the federal 
government to encourage broadband 
deployment.  Specifically they ask the study to 
address: 1) Actions taken by the federal 
government to encourage broadband deployment, 2) 
A comparison of US broadband deployment to that 
in other countries, 3) The extent the government 
is using existing authority to encourage 
broadband, 4) The unique characteristics of the 
US that affect broadband deployment and 5) 
Coordination of various governmental efforts to encourage broadband deployment.
http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070525103116.pdf

BROADBAND FACT BOOK
[SOURCE: Internet Innovation Alliance]
Working on the premise that informed policy 
makers make the right decisions when they have 
the most accurate and current information at 
their fingertips, the Internet Innovation 
Alliance has attempted to gather the relevant 
data on high speed Internet access in one single 
location. The report cover Internet basics and 
access speeds, demographics of Internet users, 
broadband deployment in the US and abroad, the 
consumer and economic benefits of broadband, and 
the growth in Internet traffic. All in less than 30 pages -- what a bargain.
http://www.internetinnovation.org/iia/downloads/IIA_Fact_Book.pdf

AN ODD-BEDFELLOW COALITION
[SOURCE: National Review Online, AUTHOR: Kristina Rasmussen]
[Commentary] What's this? Democrats and 
Republicans agreeing? What's next? Dogs hanging 
out with cats? Key congressional players from 
both parties have realized the potential gains of 
making permanent a soon-to-expire federal 
moratorium on Internet-access taxes. This would 
mean no discriminatory taxes on Internet services 
-- a policy more and more Democrats are coming 
around to support. Why? 1) A low-tax Internet is 
affordable for Americans of all income levels. 
Telecom taxes can add 20 percent or more to a 
wireless phone bill. Because this burden tends to 
fall hardest on lower-income households, many 
Democrats don't want to be responsible for 
putting Internet access out of reach for the very 
Americans they profess to care the most about. 2) 
The ban has helped create a dynamic Internet 
environment that is opening up new employment and 
commerce opportunities. This is especially good 
news for the blue states where manufacturing jobs 
are departing for warmer climates. 3) Democrats 
can tune their rhetoric on the moratorium so that 
it’s in sync with the familiar (but shrill) song 
about “protecting” the Internet with 
(economically destructive) “net neutrality” 
rules. It’s hard to imagine the net-neutrality 
scheme having any upside, but that’s a fight for 
another day. In the here and now, Democrats gain 
an undeniable political benefit by relating these two issues.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MmQ3NWNkZTgxMDNiNGE0MGIxMGVhZmYzNDY5NTlhNmQ=

NPR JOINS APPEAL OF ONLINE MUSIC ROYALTIES
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Seth Sutel]
National Public Radio is teaming up with online 
radio broadcasters to appeal new music royalty 
fees that they say would put smaller operators 
out of business and force others to sharply scale 
back their online music offerings. NPR filed a 
notice with the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 
District on Wednesday signaling that it would 
challenge the ruling by a panel of copyright 
judges that will sharply raise the amount of 
royalties that NPR stations and others have to 
pay record companies for streaming music over the 
Internet. NPR also said it, along with other 
webcasters, was filing a request with the same 
court yesterday for an emergency stay blocking 
the adoption of the new rates, which are set to take effect July 15.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053102186.html
(requires registration)

GOOGLE PHOTOS STIR A DEBATE OVER PRIVACY
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Miguel Helft]
The Web has been buzzing about the privacy 
implications of Street View -- with varying 
degrees of seriousness. Several sites have been 
asking users to submit interesting images 
captured by the Google service, which offers 
panoramic views of miles of streets around San 
Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Denver. 
Google said in a statement that it takes privacy 
seriously and considered the privacy implications 
of its service before it was introduced on 
Tuesday. “Street View only features imagery taken 
on public property,” the company said. “This 
imagery is no different from what any person can 
readily capture or see walking down the street.” 
“The issue that I have ultimately is about where 
you draw the line between taking public photos 
and zooming in on people’s lives,” said one 
woman. “The next step might be seeing books on my 
shelf. If the government was doing this, people would be outraged.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/technology/01private.html?ref=business
(requires registration)

OWNERSHIP

DOW JONES SAYS IT WILL CONSIDER OPTIONS SALE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Ross Sorking & Richard Perez-Pena]
The family that controls Dow Jones & Company, 
publisher of The Wall Street Journal, announced 
yesterday that it would consider selling the 
company, ending more than a century of family 
ownership. The announcement came after the 
family, the Bancrofts, said that it was willing 
to meet with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, 
just weeks after the family rejected a $5 billion 
takeover offer from Mr. Murdoch. Mr. Murdoch 
requested a personal meeting with the Bancrofts 
weeks ago, saying that he wanted his family and 
theirs to become acquainted. Until yesterday, 
there had been no reply to that overture. The 
decision represents a remarkable about-face for 
both the company and Mr. Murdoch’s bid. A 
successful deal would mean a huge victory for Mr. 
Murdoch, the Australian media mogul, and new 
ownership for The Wall Street Journal, the 
second-largest newspaper in the country by 
circulation and one of the great names in American journalism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/business/media/01dow.html?ref=todayspaper
(requires registration)
* Wall St. Journal Owners to Consider Sale
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053102626.html
* Murdoch's $5 billion bid for Dow Jones gets new life
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20070601/1b_dowjones01.art.htm
* Murdoch's Dow Jones pitch to get a listen
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-dowjones1jun01,1,6856360.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

CHÁVEZ LOOKS AT HIS CRITICS IN THE MEDIA AND SEES THE ENEMY
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Simon Romero]
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is talking tough 
about both protestors and any media organizations 
that oppose him. Analysts say such statements 
reflect a savvy reading of Venezuela’s polarized 
politics that has enabled him to withstand acute 
challenges to his government. On Sunday, the 
government closed the dissident station, Radio 
Caracas Televisión, or RCTV, describing the 
action as a regulatory decision based on the 
network’s support for a brief coup in 2002. 
Opponents say the decision is evidence that Mr. 
Chávez’s definition of the enemy has been 
enlarged to include news media outlets that are 
critical of his government. Otherwise, say 
detractors like Teodoro Petkoff, the editor of 
the small opposition newspaper Tal Cual, Mr. 
Chávez would have also decided not to renew the 
licenses of Venevisión and Televen, networks 
whose coverage similarly supported the 48-hour 
coup in 2002. Those networks have become far less 
critical of Mr. Chávez, while RCTV has maintained 
its criticism. Indeed, watching television here 
this week has become a lesson in how Mr. Chávez 
is extending his control beyond political 
institutions to include the broadcast media. It 
is a marked shift from the early years of his 
presidency, when he faced vitriolic criticism 
from most news organizations, which were owned by 
the country’s moneyed elite. With Chávez 
loyalists controlling the National Assembly, the 
Supreme Court and the federal bureaucracy, and 
with RCTV off the air, coverage of the protests 
by every television broadcaster except a small 
cable news network, Globovisión, fell into 
ideological step with the coverage by Mr. 
Chávez’s expanding state-controlled broadcasting interests.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/world/americas/01venez.html
(requires registration)

MEDIA & ELECTIONS

2 MORE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES DECLINE TO JOIN IN FOX NEWS DEBATE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jacques Steinberg and Raymond Hernandez]
The congressman overseeing plans to stage a 
debate among Democratic presidential hopefuls on 
the Fox News Channel said yesterday that the 
forum would go on as planned, despite the 
defection of two more candidates, Senator 
Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut and Gov. Bill 
Richardson of New Mexico. The congressman, 
Representative Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, 
said in an interview that he was disappointed in 
Senator Dodd and Governor Richardson for 
following the lead of three other candidates who 
had previously announced they were skipping the 
debate: Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New 
York and Barack Obama of Illinois, and John 
Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina. 
The debate is being co-sponsored by the 
Congressional Black Caucus. Three candidates 
seeking the Democratic nomination in 2008 — 
Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, former 
Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska and Representative 
Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio — have committed to 
attend the forum, which is scheduled for Sept. 23 in Detroit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01debate.html
(requires registration)

JOHN EDWARDS AND... SPECTRUM?
[SOURCE: TPM Cafe, AUTHOR: Art Brodsky, Public Knowledge]
[Commentary] For those of us who labor in the 
arcane world of telecommunications policy, this 
had been a red-letter week. One presidential 
candidate, and one person who should be a 
presidential candidate are helping to put the 
issues of who owns the Internet front and center. 
Who knew? Democratic candidate John Edwards came 
out with a public letter to the Federal 
Communications Commission on one of the most 
arcane issues of them all -- spectrum policy. In 
his new book, "The Assault on Reason," Al Gore 
talks about the breakdown of public debate over a 
whole range of issues. One of the remedies, he 
said, is that: "We must ensure that the Internet 
remains open and accessible to all citizens 
without any limitation on the ability of 
individuals to choose the content they wish 
regardless of the Internet service provider they 
use to connect to the World Wide Web."
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/may/31/john_edwards_and_spectrum

QUICKLY

CHOICEPOINT SETTLES WITH 43 STATES, DC
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
ChoicePoint Inc. has agreed to implement more 
safeguards as part of a settlement with 43 states 
and the District of Columbia over allegations it 
failed to adequately secure consumers' personal 
information related to a breach of its database 
it disclosed in 2005. The consumer data provider 
has agreed to adopt significantly stronger 
security measures. Among them are written 
certification for access to consumer reports and, 
in some cases, onsite visits by ChoicePoint to 
ensure the legitimacy of companies before they 
are allowed access to personally identifiable information.
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?Feed=AP&Date=20070531&ID=6977511
* Rep Markey (D-MA): ChoicePoint Settlement Sends 
Important Signal to Data Industry
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2871&Itemid=125

SOAP OPERA
[SOURCE: Slate, AUTHOR: Seth Stevenson]
[Commentary] You may have no interest in the plot 
line of a six-month (um, hour) USA network 
miniseries, by the attendant marketing blitzkrieg 
deserves some attention. The show has a sole 
sponsor which will run a ton of ads and a 
contest. Branded entertainment has been around 
forever and goes back to the days of the radio 
soap opera. What's remarkable about this show is 
how intertwined the marketing effort is with the 
creative effort. The sponsor's involvement goes 
beyond mere sponsorships, ads, and contests. It 
identified the project as a good match early on 
in its development stage and became an 
underwriter. In exchange for financing, the 
sponsor was allowed to put its marketing agents 
in the room with the show's writers during the scripting process.
http://www.slate.com/id/2167188?nav=tap3

YOUTUBE SIGNS BROAD LICENSING PACT WITH EMI
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Yinka Adegoke and Eric Auchard]
EMI has joined the other three major music 
companies in letting YouTube users play with its 
music videos, allowing people to get clips by the 
likes of David Bowie, Norah Jones and Coldplay 
from the Google-owned site and edit them into 
their own videos. EMI and YouTube said they are 
still working on developing business models to 
generate revenue, particularly with regards to 
new areas such as allowing users to create 
'mash-up' videos that include their own content 
alongside EMI music and clips. EMI will use the 
YouTube content management system to help the 
music company track its content and pay its 
artists, the companies said. No financial terms were disclosed.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN3132886120070531
* YouTube, EMI sign breakthrough licensing pact
http://news.com.com/YouTube%2C+EMI+sign+breakthrough+licensing+pact/2100-1030_3-6187759.html?tag=html.alert.hed

UNIONS, ADVERTISERS PICK BOOZ ALLEN FOR PAY STUDY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Unions and advertising industry representatives 
have picked consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton 
to investigate possible new models for 
compensating commercial actors in the digital 
age. Both sides agreed to hire an outside 
consultant and take the firm's findings into 
account during contract negotiations that begin 
next year. The unions involved are the Screen 
Actors Guild (SAG), the American Federation of 
Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). In the 
other corner is an Association of National 
Advertisers/American Association of Ad Agencies joint committee.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6448126.html?rssid=193

TRIBUNE WRAPS UP TENDER OFFER
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Michael Malone]
Tribune Company took a step towards becoming a 
private company, as it accepted for payment 126 
million of the 218 million-plus shares tendered 
in the tender offer, at $34 a share. Tribune will 
start payments for the shares no later than June 5, 2007.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6447979.html?rssid=193
* Tribune Buying Back 52% Of Outstanding Shares From 'Oversubscribed' Tender
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003592292

FIVE TELECOMS TO VIE FOR GOVERNMENT PACT
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Corey Boles [email-masked]]
Major telecommunications companies AT&T Inc., 
Verizon Communications Inc., Qwest Communications 
International Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. won 
the right to compete for a large 
federal-government telecommunications contract, 
the General Services Administration said. A fifth 
company, broadband fiber-network operator Level 3 
Communications Inc., was also on the list for the 
contract, which covers part of an overhaul of the 
government's telecommunications infrastructure. 
The contract is the second announcement in two 
months by the GSA. Combined, the two programs 
have a budget of $20 billion, although that could 
go as high as $68 billion. The GSA couldn't say 
how much will fall into the first program, called 
Networx Universal, and how much will be spent in 
the contract announced Thursday, called Networx 
Enterprise. The programs' main focus will be 
moving the federal government to an 
Internet-protocol-based technology for its 
telecommunications system. It includes replacing 
and upgrading the range of services including 
wired, wireless, broadband and satellite 
telecommunications. Thursday's announcement, like 
that for the earlier contract at the end of 
March, effectively creates short lists of 
companies that can now compete for government 
business. They can now offer their services to 
individual government departments which will be 
able to choose from among the various companies. 
No departments are obliged to participate in the 
Networx program, although the GSA said 135 
government departments and agencies, including 
the largest such as the Department of Defense and 
the U.S. Treasury, are likely to participate. The 
budgeted $20 billion is to be spent over the next decade.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118062928129020210.html?mod=djemTECH
(requires subscription)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading this far. have a great weekend... and we are outta here.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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 2007. Redistribution of this 
email publication -- both internally and 
externally -- is encouraged if it includes this 
message. For subscribe/unsubscribe info email: [email-masked]
--------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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
headlines AT benton DOT org 

____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     [email-masked]

You are subscribed as: [% user.email %]

Please direct questions or comments about Headlines or your subscription to Kevin Taglang at
[email-masked]

To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     [email-masked]

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.benton.org/lists/info/headlines