Battle of the Broadband Resent-Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 01:15:11 -0500 (CDT) Media Reform Daily http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=hGRIMe-9xkIGbdYzpEN6yw.. News of the movement for May 8, 2008 --SAVE OUR SPECTRUM-- VERIZON PROMISES TO HONOR THE C BLOCK OPEN ACCESS RULES Google has won another back-door victory in the FCC's 700 MHz auction. It has extracted a pledge from Verizon that the wireless giant will adhere to the 700 MHz auction C Block's "open platform" provision. Matthew Lasar, Ars technica http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=NCu2qM4h70R8S0z7no6GTA.. CLEARWIRE, SPRINT NEXTEL SET COURSE FOR WIMAX If the $12 billion venture formed by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire works out, your cell phone may turn into a far more powerful, versatile and perhaps costlier mobile device. Cecilia Kang and Kim Hart, Washington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=VkxRywtTtfhNe4U9WXHJZA.. BATTLE OF THE BROADBAND Typical broadband speeds in the United States are barely in the top 15 globally. But prospects brightened for a new national broadband service that would increase competition, drive innovation and improve service. Los Angeles Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=zypoc9c-8hDVjs9MW188Mg.. ADELSTEIN COMMENTS ON SPRINT-CLEARWIRE VENTURE FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein called the Sprint-Clearwire venture "exciting news for consumers." Federal Communications Commission http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=wfrvEgm6HasCirNJ5nJD6A.. RESERVING JUDGMENT ON SPRINT/CLEARWIRE/GOOGLE/INTEL/FORCESOFDARKNESS DEAL The Sprint-Clearwire-Google deal has huge potential to be a giant transformative step forward -- assuming it happens and works as advertised. But that's a big assumption. Wet Machine http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=A8DAQvIvJahYIleG7V7K7A.. IS THE NEW SPRINT-CLEARWIRE VENTURE DOOMED TO FAILURE? The deal to merge Sprint Nextel's WiMax business unit with Clearwire to build a nationwide 4G network is finally complete, but the newly formed company could be doomed before it even gets out of the gate. Marguerite Reardon, CNet http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Z-7TvoiX0sDz2AE_uU_LTw.. FCC TO HOLD OPEN COMMISSION MEETING MAY 14 The FCC will hold an open meeting on the D block and other spectrum issues on Wed., May 14, in Washington, D.C.D.C. Federal Communications Commission http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=jdPgVKUHXtXPuAnYDZ5iSQ.. --SAVE THE INTERNET-- COMCAST MULLING NET USAGE TO DISCOURAGE 'EXCESSIVE' USE Comcast is considering setting an official limit on the amount of data that subscribers can download per month and charging a fee for those who go over. Deborah Yao, Associated Press http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=GaysYlMoe6Io77kvLTqfwg.. COMCAST MULLS OVERAGE FEES FOR BANDWIDTH LOVERS Comcast is considering monthly download caps for all those people on its cable-based Internet service. Cade Metz, The Register http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=lQbJcFPQKmWXePTXoJocmw.. TEST YOUR ISP FOR BITTORRENT SHENANIGANS A growing number of ISPs are deploying a variety of monitoring and traffic shaping hardware but aren't willing to talk about it. As a result, a growing number of companies are offering ways for consumers to test their connections. Broadband Reports http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Yx078-tRqTklK-R2LIdvGQ.. ACT NOW! Support the Internet Freedom Preservation Act http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=BPBd0ivswJa19JKJ0O_Dbg.. --NO FAKE NEWS-- FCC URGED TO LOOK INTO PENTAGON ANALYSTS The FCC is the latest federal agency being asked by members of Congress to investigate the Pentagon's use of network and cable military analysts. Ira Teinowitz, TVWeek http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=_cIpW9c47hf736x6SxeREA.. TOP DEMS DEMAND FCC REVIEW OF PENTAGON FAKE NEWS Two key figures on Capitol Hill want the FCC to investigate whether TV networks violated agency rules when they gave air time to retired military brass posing as supposedly impartial experts on the war in Iraq. Matthew Lasar, Ars technica http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=tMMjaD0bk_x8gMiwrslkxQ.. --STOP BIG MEDIA-- MURDOCH CONFIDENT HE'LL LAND NEWSDAY Although his company is reported to be holding tight to its $580 million offer for Newsday despite apparently being outbid, Rupert Murdoch believes he ultimately will wind up with Tribune Co.'s Long Island newspaper. Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=6yZucntlJdRRMWOBV-QcWQ.. AS NEWS CORP. POSTS WIDE GAINS, MURDOCH KEEPS HIS SIGHTS ON NEWSDAY Rupert Murdoch voiced skepticism that Cablevision can succeed in its bid for Newsday, which is now at the center of a tussle among three New York moguls. Tim Arango, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=jcstsPhhITpr1V2xUdismA.. NEWS CORP. PROFIT UP SHARPLY News Corp. posted a strong profit increase for its fiscal third quarter as a big gain on an asset swap and higher results from its television unit offset a decline in the company's film segment. Shira Ovide, Wall Street Journal http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=KHsNQlUIFpmzRxOehbnvyg.. CROSS-OWNERSHIP SUPPORT: NAB BACKS FCC RULE CHANGE Kevin Martin, the embattled chairman of the FCC, got a rare statement of support when the National Association of Broadcasters backed his media ownership plan in a letter to the agency. Erik Sass, Media Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=mmfNXMtEXu8zVQZtoSZmfw.. ACT NOW! Tell Congress to Stop the FCC http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=jcFXYHoiktWBy-Svn7nIzA.. --FEATURE-- NCMR 2008 Room discounts for the 2008 National Conference for Media Reform end this Friday. Book your lodging now! June 6-8 - Minneapolis http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=6KFVOXMamwvdulL_JaxMxA.. FP ACTION NETWORK http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=B4Pkdjgfl5Q8RzNaIUnDAA.. --IN OTHER NEWS-- INTERNET ARCHIVE CHALLENGES FBI'S SECRET RECORDS DEMANDS TheFBI has withdrawn a secret demand that the Internet Archive, an online library, provide the agency with a user's personal information after the Web site challenged the records request in court. Grant Gross, IDG News Service http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=lnDqcadzsA0ksyMxfrZs4Q.. CONGRESSIONAL ACTION HEATS UP ON FISA Telecom companies have presented congressional Democrats with a set of proposals on how to provide immunity to the businesses that participated in a controversial government electronic surveillance program. Daniel W. Reilly, Politico http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=yOwClCOVvRKpsod48nJedA.. MORE STATIC FOR SIRIUS-XM DEAL Sirius Satellite Radio Chief Executive Mel Karmazin is willing to play ball with the government on possible conditions placed on his planned merger with XM Satellite Radio. Olga Kharif, BusinessWeek http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=H7XyzrEK0GOHoJd6cAEE8A.. GOOGLE STILL UNCHALLENGED Whatever Yahoo! and Microsoft wind up doing, one question still remains: Who's going to provide Google some tougher competition? Rob Pegoraro, Washington Post http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=_HA1t5zp_URpH4TdoiepfA.. SUNDANCE CHANNEL IS SOLD TO CABLEVISION FOR $496 MILLION Cablevision said that it was wading deeper into the cable programming business by buying the Sundance Channel from its famous co-founder, Robert Redford, and two media companies for $496 million. Meg James, Los Angeles Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=0TDwtONvgbCMvIijZTZ5UQ.. TVB STUDY FINDS TV IS AMERICA'S TOP MEDIUM A new Nielsen survey says television continues to dominate as the most influential and authoritative medium. TV Newsday http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=3YeQUICUtNkW2VWHJ0NZhA.. SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE WANTS CONSUMER FLEXIBILITY ON DTV COUPONS The Chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee want consumers to be able to use their DTV-to-analog converter box coupons to preorder the boxes and to use them after their printed expiration date. John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=g6BEntYGCcgoS8a-XzOVzA.. MICROSOFT MAY BUILD A COPYRIGHT COP INTO EVERY ZUNE A future update of the software for Microsoft's portable media player may well include a feature that will block unauthorized copies of copyrighted videos from being played on it. Saul Hansell, New York Times http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=CA6quG-HtVcSg213D6F9tA.. CHINA WON'T GUARANTEE WEB FREEDOM OVER OLYMPICS China will not guarantee it won't censor the Internet over this summer's Beijing Olympics, nor can it guarantee to stamp out piracy of Olympic-branded goods. Ben Blanchard, Reuters http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=aejsmrnJC5Qi89iG3uMkag.. 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=00eHqcKIVSvLStMa1vl3eg.. Free Press is a national organization working to increase informed public participation in crucial media policy debates. 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