LAS VEGAS -- FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein believes reforming universal service in 2008 is “worth trying,” aide Scott Bergmann said Tuesday in a Wiley Rein panel on USF at NXTCOMM. Officials from Sprint, Embarq, Cisco and Verizon agreed reform is needed, but disagreed on the details.
A proponent of open equipment for satellite radio called XM-Sirius’ voluntary commitment “a sham.” If the open access condition “is to be structured the way Sirius has proposed, then we have problems -- big problems,” Charles Helein, outside counsel for U.S. Electronics, told us.
Bilateral international discussions on telecommunications and information policy will begin shortly, starting with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting on Telecommunications and Information Industry (TELMIN7) next week, said Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy Chairman Richard Wiley. He spoke at the International Communications and Information Policy advisory committee meeting.
A second round of side-by-side tests of three mobile DTV systems being considered for adoption as an industry standard was to begin Saturday in Las Vegas. The tests, run by the Open Mobile Video Coalition on behalf of the Advanced TV Systems Committee, mark the latest phase of an aggressive schedule intended to allow broadcasters to offer mobile DTV service soon after the analog cutoff. Similar tests in San Francisco ended earlier in March. Meanwhile, engineers in Washington have been holding marathon meetings, including an eight-hour session last week at NAB’s office, a six-hour March 11 meeting at the PBS office and a 10-hour-plus March 10 meeting at Wiley Rein. ATSC’s board is to meet Tuesday at NAB.
NTIA Acting Administrator Meredith Baker is doing an “absolutely excellent job” running the DTV converter box coupon program, said telecom lawyer Richard Wiley. He spoke at the Internet Video Policy conference Wednesday in Washington. Baker’s job is “very tough,” added Wiley, who was FCC chairman 1974 to 1977 and was influential in the development of DTV policy. Baker is leaving the agency and will be replaced by Neil Patel.
The digital TV transition will be the FCC’s top media issue in 2008, said industry lawyers, predicting that the big shift will eclipse a half-dozen other broadcast, cable and consumer electronics issues on commissioners’ menus. Chairman Kevin Martin believes DTV and the 700 MHz auction are among the commission’s top near-term priorities, he told reporters Tuesday. “The main focus of the DTV transition needs to be focusing on consumer education,” he said. Martin has items on the FCC’s top floor concerning the transition, he said, declining to be more specific. His priority is “making that transition as seamless as possible with minimal consumer disruption.”
The FCC won’t act quickly on two-way plug-and-play rules (CD Dec 21 p3), judging by Chairman Kevin Martin’s comments at the Consumer Electronics Show and other evidence, a number of industry officials said. In his CES appearance Tuesday, Martin defied months of industry speculation that he would outline his stance on the controversial issue, saying little about it, according to people who heard him. In a Q-and-A session with CEA President Gary Shapiro, Martin highlighted efforts by the cable and consumer electronics industries to deploy plug-and-play devices. The chairman didn’t get into policy specifics.
NeuStar names Lisa Hook, ex-AOL Time Warner, president and chief operating officer, replacing Larry Bouman, who remains an advisor… New partners at Wiley Rein: Kevin Anderson, intellectual property; Amy Worlton, privacy, communications and international trade; New of counsel: John Kuzin, communications; Robert Scheffel, intellectual property… Will Funk promoted to Turner Sports senior vice president, sports sponsorships and sales… Comcast Network Advertising Sales promotes Holly Miller to vice president, central region ad sales… Hearst-Argyle TV promotes James Carter to president and general manager, WESH-TV and WKCF-TV, Orlando-Daytona-Melbourne.
Wireless carriers shouldn’t be able to decide on their own whether to send emergency alerts to areas smaller than counties, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Thursday. “In the end it’s not just up to the carrier,” Martin told reporters. Before his speech, industry officials offered regulators recommendations and predictions in a Practising Law Institute conference panel.
Reed Hundt, chairman in 1997 when the FCC approved an order authorizing the satellite radio service, voiced general support for the XM-Sirius merger in comments filed at the agency. Hundt said the 1997 digital audio radio service (DARS) order’s bars on an operator’s owning both licensees weren’t necessarily meant to be permanent. The FCC sought comment during the summer on whether DARS is a “binding” rule, meaning that the commission would have to grant a waiver to approve the XM-Sirius merger (CD June 28 p5).