Media Reform Headlines for March 13, 2008 Resent-Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:37:18 -0500 (CDT) Media Reform Daily http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=kGth4NABzxVPQ6G8aaUGCg.. Headlines for media activists, scholars and producers, March 13, 2008. A service of Free Press, online at http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=oF-tk_c3q9cZyXogfByYiQ.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SAVE THE INTERNET OK Go To Congress: OK Act Internet phenom OK Go swept through Washington, urging their fans and Congress to support Net Neutrality -- the longstanding principle that protects our ability to go where we want, watch what we like and connect to whomever we choose on the Internet. Timothy Karr, SavetheInternet.com http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Gh_6s8hhXwfi7Z_wGirOWA.. MPAA Boss: Net Neutrality Would Cramp Our P2P Snooping Plans The MPAA says Net Neutrality is nothing more than a code word for "government regulation," which is of course a bad thing unless the government is regulating your copyright terms upward. Nate Anderson, ars technica http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=lOS1QS3ZH2I3zFJ3NsE-8w.. Video Road Hogs Stir Fear of Internet Traffic Jam There's been a rising chorus of alarm about the surging growth in the amount of data flying across the Internet. But the traffic surge represents more a looming challenge than an impending catastrophe. Steve Lohr, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=6wYq1T1S7k780BmRWWGWbg.. Open Networks, Open Platforms Seen as Mobile Industry's Future As the FCC's auction of valuable spectrum in the 700 MHz range winds down, the mobile and wireless industry is entering a new era of open networks and open software platforms -- regardless of the outcome of the bidding in the auction. Richard Martin, Information Week http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=363H84cMtJMcsWcnkv2LDQ.. ACT NOW! Tell the FCC to Stop Comcast Visit http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=CTGLlZ6tLW2Nw2_fTtUVcA.. POLICY: AT THE FCC House Committee Seeks Documents from FCC A congressional investigation of alleged mismanagement at the FCC intensified with a request for documents dating back three years. Cecilia Kang, Washington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=SrVLkDRp-_1BkRiPfrykWQ.. Documents Sought in FCC Probe A congressional committee asked for a trove of documents from the FCC as part of an ongoing investigation of the agency. Requests have been made for e-mails, memoranda, handwritten notes, meeting schedules and other records dating back to January 2005. John Dunbar, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=8CbTFthBMas-wcBa65ZBJQ.. Report Faults FCC on Complaint Tracking The FCC processes 95 percent of the citizen complaints it receives but does a poor job of tracking how it resolves them, the Government Accountability Office reported. John Dunbar, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=feLOt9fClB1lzLmBJ7tQDw.. Comcast Appeals FCC's 30 Percent Cable Cap Comcast took the FCC to court over the agency's decision to prevent any cable company from serving more than 30 percent of pay-TV subscribers nationally. Ted Hearn, Multichannel News http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=t1Ka-4H8lIgMuYy0ZFUEFA.. FCC to Hold Open Commission Meeting on March 19, 2008 The FCC will hold an open meeting on March 19. Agenda items include exclusive contracts to multiple tenant buildings, advanced telecommunications capability, collection of broadband data, and spectrum sharing. Federal Communications Commission http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=KZHsy92AqvgO1s9xZRsH6w.. JOURNALISM AND BEYOND The Case for Protecting Journalists The question isn't whether reporters will protect their sources, it's whether they will devote time better spent on reporting the news closeted with grand juries or sitting in jail. Or in bankruptcy court. Los Angeles Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=mMF-sdxUlgF9IYtuzJc8kg.. Online Protest Rallies Free Speech Supporters Around the Globe Reporters Without Borders held the first Online Free Expression Day -- a 24-hour online protest in nine virtual countries that have been labeled Internet enemies by the international press organization. Josh Wolf, CNet http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=RfypJctzyNjUOAjuka2uMg.. Media Body Accuses UNESCO of Bowing to Censors Reporters Without Borders, a leading media watchdog, accused a United Nations agency of "groveling" to authoritarian governments by dropping sponsorship of a free speech day. Brian Rohan, Reuters http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=kY-MEwjenmlYVntrZVCvVw.. 5 Years Ago: When Media 'Zombies' Helped Bush Go to War As the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq looms large, it's vital to refresh our memories on how the American media helped grease the path to war. Greg Mitchell, Huffington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=70NsgkV_4f6M7qUsvjkhSQ.. Pro-Clinton? SNL Says You're Joking Lorne Michaels has an answer to the political columns, cartoons and comments that have accused his show, Saturday Night Live, of favoring Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton during her primary showdown with Senator Barack Obama: Nope. Bill Carter, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=O6a3rdQSp9VyLyliX_auag.. FEATURE BOX Registration for the 2008 National Conference for Media Reform is now open. If you care about the state of the media, this is the one event you can't miss. Sign up now. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=jC3GBhU8L38lGY51O46Dkg.. OTHER NEWS FROM TODAY Democrats: Classified Documents Show Telecoms Don't Deserve Immunity Classified documents and testimony about the NSA's illegal spying program show that it's not necessary to grant retroactive immunity to telcos accused of unlawfully opening their networks to government spies, key congressional Democrats said. Anne Broache, CNet http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=G2B8fGHhoL03kp0dpaZlug.. AOL Buys Social Network Bebo for $850 Million In an unexpected move, AOL has acquired social-networking site Bebo. The price tag: $850 million in cash. AOL has made it clear that buying Bebo is a move geared toward international growth. Caroline McCarthy, CNet http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=bNO515PnGwZBSXtiDBLslA.. NABJ President to Ask Congressional Leaders to Reverse FCC Media Ownership Change The head of the National Association of Black Journalists plans to meet this week with congressional leaders seeking to reverse a recent FCC rule change allowing greater media consolidation in local markets. Broadcast Engineering http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=OFpqI5HRAEhqBv-II-QOBQ.. Panel: Web Companies Due for Consolidation Wave A panel of private equity investors predicted that the online industry is due for a wave of consolidation, and that Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo is just the beginning. Mike Farrell, Multichannel News http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=FWHbsZGBonzREmCsloBSrg.. FCC Chairman Says U.S. Homeland Security Requirements Are Important for Other Countries FCC Chairman Kevin Martin was in Thailand for the Global Symposium of Regulators. He was interviewed by Australasian publication CommsDay about his ideas on regulatory issues. CommsDay http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Z62K4q1R4SLELXggQgdhPg.. NAB Wants Digital Converters Sold in Grocery Stores Nervous federal agencies and lobbyists have upped their efforts to get digital converters into analog TV homes. Now the National Association of Broadcasters recommends those boxes be sold in grocery stores. Wayne Friedman, Media Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=2Gln9El6RmvqAd7CMVmnfw.. Public Ownership of Broadband Access Is Best Broadband networks have become essential infrastructure. Depending on a private network may be the easier course of action, but gives away too much power. Network owners don't have to beg for faster speeds, lower prices or better customer service. Christopher Mitchell, Eureka Reporter http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=hrlbnOkjCf0hrhJactaWAw.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Many of these articles are copyrighted material. We make such material available to advance understanding of public issues, which we believe constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this email is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Free Press is a national organization working to increase informed public participation in crucial media policy debates. The ultimate aim of Free Press is to generate a range of policies that will produce a more competitive and public-interest-oriented media system with a strong nonprofit and noncommercial sector. --------------------- WWW.FREEPRESS.NET --------------------- Many of these articles are copyrighted material. We make such material available to advance understanding of public issues, which we believe constitutes a "fair use" of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this email is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=4I_QnOgrUvjWbIaRh8M7xw.. Free Press is a national organization working to increase informed public participation in crucial media policy debates. The ultimate aim of Free Press is to generate a range of policies that will produce a more competitive and public-interest-oriented media system with a strong nonprofit and noncommercial sector. Please send comments or other feedback to newswire@freepress.net. Donate Now www.freepress.net http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=05wXdFKSYiam8KzpJsmOdw.. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Xch2eqWhMIY_j83UiLR6Eg.. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=lshH9rpiR6vQLv8x5yPLsQ..