PUBLIC MUST FIGHT TO MAINTAIN NET NEUTRALITY Resent-Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:54:58 -0500 (CDT) Media Reform Daily News of the movement for April 17, 2008 --SAVE THE INTERNET-- FUTURE OF THE INTERNET DEBATED AT STANFORD At a public hearing today at Stanford University, legal scholars, technology experts, entrepreneurs and industry representatives will go before the Federal Communications Commission to discuss the future of the Internet. Free Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=kEMZObSTNryn52S4nmtPGA.. PUBLIC MUST FIGHT TO MAINTAIN NET NEUTRALITY Better broadband policies require political leadership -- and public pressure to ensure that politicians aren't distracted by the telecom industry's cash and clout. Lawrence Lessig and Ben Scott, San Francisco Chronicle http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Xq9DIgf1YTyE40AWOkA-vQ.. LAWRENCE LESSIG ON NET NEUTRALITY, THE RISE OF GOOGLE AND HIS 'CHANGE CONGRESS' PROJECT Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig discusses the upcoming FCC hearing on Net Neutrality, Creative Commons, the rise of Google and Change Congress, his most recent project to take on corruption in Washington. Democracy Now! http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=rAlxVNN3NabhwOiqeHn2_Q.. OPENNESS FOR THE INTERNET There are reasonable needs relative to managing a broadband network. But such intercession into a user's access to the Internet should not result in the outright blocking of content or applications that do not harm the network. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=278DkVoJrZNi-fRMRxcHyQ.. CAN THE FCC FIX THE INTERNET? The logic of blocking and of pay-to-play schemes proposed by broadband providers is highly flawed. Tiered access -- what the industry euphemistically calls "quality of service" -- doesn't serve citizens or consumers. Seeta Pena Gangadharan and Shinjoung Yeo, Stanford Daily http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=LQ0hnmPjxo7e8n4xB-0jrg.. FCC CONTINUES PRESS FOR CLARITY IN WEB PROVIDERS' DELIVERY PRACTICES FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is bringing his campaign for unfettered Internet access to Silicon Valley, putting Comcast on the spot, despite the cable giant's efforts to back away from a policy of blocking Internet access. Amy Schatz, Wall Street Journal http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=FVN1r5Un3zjR9xA7NeNL4A.. FCC ANNOUNCES AGENDA AND WITNESSES FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON NET NEUTRALITY The FCC announced further details of its previously announced public hearing at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Federal Communications Commission http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=F5tun5V-JG95161m-h67rA.. COMCAST TO SKIP LATEST FCC NETWORK MANAGEMENT HEARING When Comcast Internet subscriber Robb Topolski was prevented from sharing digital files of music with other barbershop quartet enthusiasts, he launched a personal investigation. Now he'll testify before the FCC. Paul Elias, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=MWOwpHM3Bc10fS6PfwUwzw.. COMCAST SENDS ITS REGRETS Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, has opted to sit out tomorrow's FCC hearing on broadband network management practices at Stanford. Sam Gustin, Portfolio http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=K2eOLhLwzV8hh6el6F87UQ.. COMCAST TOUTS NEW P2P INITIATIVE Comcast's announcement of a deal with its latest new best friend, Pando, has left critics unimpressed. Roy Mark, eWeek http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=o-0Cov7sbyyHrtGQ40JR5A.. ADVOCACY GROUPS SKEPTICAL OF P2P BILL OF RIGHTS IDEA Two consumer-focused advocacy groups have objected to a P2P bill of rights proposed by Comcast and Pando Networks, saying the companies don't have the authority to speak for Internet users. Grant Gross, IDG News Service http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=8CxOhahNuneq8stvLe_LCA.. YOUR GUIDE TO NET NEUTRALITY Net Neutrality means that your broadband service provider couldn't block you from seeing a particular site or using a high-bandwidth service arbitrarily. Mark Glaser, PBS http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=hVyuDtKiqdFjWGxI_kT4Xg.. COMCAST: WORST. COMPANY. EVER. Comcast has always been known for its lousy customer service. But the company's plans to turn the Internet into something that looks like cable TV should get you hopping mad. Craig Aaron, In These Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Wmjxvk0bqvP3cwUrHasEZQ.. ACT NOW Support the Internet Freedom Preservation Act http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=oQkswcDUvU6u0IsHQtZamg.. --JOURNALISM & BEYOND-- IN PENNSYLVANIA DEBATE, THE CLEAR LOSER IS ABC Last night's televised presidential debate was another step downward for network news -- in particular ABC News, whose usually dependable anchors, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, turned in shoddy, despicable performances. Tom Shales, Washington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=P_aElaXgNNIS-OTsvjDIGg.. A GOTCHA DEBATE The two anchors of last night's debate seem interested mainly in "manufactured issues"-- Jeremiah Wright, dodging bullets in Tuzla and flag lapel pins -- a major reason so many decent and generous Americans tune out this media. Katrina Vanden Heuvel, The Nation http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=E-p92Hb_0DnziPwqZ-nmpQ.. ABC DECIDES TOP ISSUES FACING AMERICANS ARE GAFFES, FLAG PINS AND '60S RADICALS In perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years, ABC News hosts Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous focused mainly on trivial issues. Greg Mitchell, Editor & Publisher http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=DOgP4aEp9mMIT-SdGlQ0iQ.. REUTERS CAMERAMAN KILLED BY ISRAELI TANK Medical examination of the body of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana confirms that he was killed by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza. Mark Sweney, Guardian http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=bY-rH07x0OL8ukA9urI3Yw.. JOURNALIST FREED AFTER TWO YEARS IN U.S. CUSTODY Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein was reunited with family and colleagues, ending more than two years in U.S. military custody after Iraqi judges dropped all legal proceedings against him. Robert H. Reid, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=O7YJKYA97Zo3xCyKoTHaEw.. A NAME TO HERALD ITS MERGER: THOMSON REUTERS Thomson Corporation, a leading provider of electronic financial, medical and legal data, will officially complete its takeover of Reuters, the venerable British financial information provider and news agency with a name change. Ian Austen, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=uOIubVb83r0Jk-_GaftMjw.. --FEATURE-- SPECIAL EVENT If you can't get to the FCC hearing on Net Neutrality at Stanford today, you can listen to the audio or watch a webcast, and check out Free Press Action Network's live blog. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=JWF4gOxI3K6N9Lpv_qfBqw.. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=fhroqyYKrv0jSMFhwygM6g.. http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=PBPGYyzJAs7bAe-33j0fiQ.. FREE PRESS ACTION NETWORK http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=G2d42pTt4muVxQM91JwTqg.. IN OTHER NEWS... DINGELL TO EXAMINE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PSST, CYREN CALL House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) wants to take a closer look at the financial arrangement between the Public Safety Spectrum Trust and outside contractor Cyren Call. John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=p3PlfYwF0KHlcszI0uCfGQ.. LEGISLATORS TAKE AIM AT FCC LOCALISM PROPOSALS The National Association of Broadcasters got support from some members of Congress in its fight against proposed new localism obligations. John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=t0KtziGyIp4tKVsPh-sR0Q.. MUNI WIRELESS IS DEAD. HERE COMES A NEW WAY TO CONNECT U.S. cities that once trumpeted their free public Wi-Fi plans are muting their fanfare, as project after project stumbles. Now nonprofits have a plan to succeed where city governments have failed. Michael Fitzgerald, Wired http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=dzl5YoGAyic3oGoOvSfupQ.. LEGAL DISPUTE COULD INCREASE COST OF DIGITAL TV A small Pennsylvania company's patent lawsuits could hamstring the government's $1.5 billion effort to make the transition to digital television easier on consumers' wallets. Christopher S. Rugaber, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=nB_4geWPBK04uov8RPRzkQ.. REPORT RIPS ADULT CONTENT IN RAP VIDEOS Three music video shows that air during daytime or early evening hours are heavily laced with sexual imagery, explicit language, violence and drug use, a television watchdog organization says. Cheryl Wetzstein, Washington Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=WAlES0GitX8sdeuQTJ9fng.. RECORD-KEEPING BILL IS CRITICIZED AS 'ANEMIC' BY WATCHDOG GROUP Citing "significant deficiencies" in the preservation of e-mail by the White House and federal agencies, House Democrats introduced legislation to strengthen and modernize electronic record-keeping requirements. But a private watchdog group called the bill inadequate. William Branigin, Washington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=fNnUZ9c2qHrvmzDaRXwPEA.. WARNING ON STORAGE OF HEALTH RECORDS Two leading researchers warn that the entry of big companies like Microsoft and Google into the field of personal health records could drastically alter the practice of clinical research and raise new challenges to the privacy of patient records. Steve Lohr, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=wW7UONIGgtNNiD-2Cysgew.. 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=wn2N5x9X2K4apg0oRnRLTA.. 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