In response to new advice late Tues. by Office of Govt. Ethics (OGE), NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory plans to report as gift contributions that industry lobbyists made to Oct. 2001 party for her, officials said. Her plan to report what hosts paid for party as gift represents change from earlier this week (CD Jan 22 p1). After AP reported party, hosted at her Great Falls, Va., home by 6 lobbyists she counts as personal friends, Victory said Commerce Dept.’s Ethics Office had ruled “benefit” didn’t qualify as reportable gift. Commerce Dept. spokeswoman said Wed. that OGE subsequently asked department to re-interpret calculation used to make original assessment whether gift had to be reported. Based on that math, Victory now will report party as gift in amendment to her financial disclosure form for 2001, spokeswoman said. Gen. Counsel’s office at Commerce Dept. initially had interpreted federal ethics standards based on Victory’s portion of party, spokeswoman said. What has changed in latest calculation is that she had suggested list of some people to be invited to party, spokeswoman said. Dollar threshold for what had to be reported as acceptable gifts in 2001 was $260 under federal guidelines, officials said Tues. “The pro rata shares of the invitees moves that above the $260 limit,” spokeswoman said. Original ruling examined only Victory’s share of party costs, spokeswoman said. Updated advice late Tues. from OGE came after Victory asked Gen. Counsel’s office to take another look at how it reached conclusion on whether gift had to be reported. “What she had done at the beginning was exactly what she was supposed to do,” spokeswoman said, noting that she had asked Gen. Counsel’s office to vet party in advance: “A few days ago she asked them to take a look at it again.” Hosts of party listed on invitation were lobbyists for Cingular, CTIA, Motorola, SBC and partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding. Motorola Vp Richard Barth, not his company, was co-host of party, spokesman said. “It was his initiative motivated by personal friendship,” Motorola spokesman said. “He has said he doesn’t remember if he later got reimbursed for it.”
NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory said through spokesman Tues. that lobbyists who hosted party at her home in Oct. 2001 were “long-time personal friends” who paid for event out of their own pockets. Victory vetted party plans through Office of Gen. Counsel at Commerce Dept., which cleared “benefit” as gift that didn’t need to be reported, spokesman said. Several sources familiar with federal govt. ethics guidelines said that in virtually all instances, gifts involving corporate money must be reported.
Four incumbents (designated *) are among 9 candidates for 6 seats on NAB TV Board: Chmn. *Michael Fiorile, Dispatch Bcst. Group; *Alan Frank, Post-Newsweek Stations; *Patrick Mullen, Tribune Bcstg.; *Madelyn Bonnot, Emmis TV; David Davis, Disney/ABC; Jere Pigue, Gray TV; Mike Harding, Aries Telecom Corp.; Denise Rolf, Pegasus Communications; Edward Quinn, McGraw-Hill Bcstg. TV board is expected to be reduced by one with abolition of seat reserved for now- defunct Assn. of Local TV Stations (ALTV). William Moll of Clear Channel Communications currently occupies seat. Also, Frank has been appointed TV rep to NAB Exec. Committee, succeeding Michael McCarthy, formerly with Belo Bcstg. and now partner in Washington law firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding. On radio side, 5 incumbents are among candidates seeking election to 13 district seats. Mail ballots are due by Jan. 24.
FCC Chmn. Powell was thrown out of his office but rescued by MPAA Pres. Jack Valenti posing as angel named Clarence in FCC-produced tape shown at FCBA Chairman’s Dinner Thurs. night. Spoof of It’s a Wonderful Life was shown after Powell ended his annual FCBA speech by stomping off stage saying his job was thankless and he didn’t want to be chairman any more. In tape, it’s next day and Powell discovered he wasn’t chairman. He arrived at his office, no one knew him and after struggle staff member threw out now- disheveled Powell, suggesting it was time to go, “big guy.” As Powell’s guardian angel, Valenti transported him invisibly back into office, noting it was lot harder to get into Powell’s office as lobbyist. Powell discovered Dane Snowden, chief of FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, sitting in Powell’s chair, talking on phone to Powell’s father Colin, whom he called “Dad.” Tape is full of quick, inside jokes. In one sequence, CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler is chmn., pushing spectrum plan and expounding about Civil War, one of Wheeler’s interests, aided by Powell adviser Bryan Tramont, who has worked for several FCC commissioners. “Tramont again?” Powell exclaims: “He'll work for anyone.” One sequence, featuring Covad’s Jason Oxman and ALTS’ Jonathan Askin, was takeoff of Seinfeld TV show’s “soup Nazi” segment in which soup restaurant would give soup to some customers and not others. Askin and Oxman visited “loop Nazi” restaurant manned by FCC staffers John Rogovin and Christopher Libertelli and asked for loops. Askin got some - - bunch of fibers in a soup bowl -- but when Oxman asked for “just the upper frequency,” which is what Covad uses to provide service, Rogovin told him “no loops for you” and urged “him and his bow tie” to leave. Skit featuring Commission staff had Abernathy talking like Valley Girl, indecency critic Comr. Copps complaining that someone was drinking his soy milk, which was “indecent,” youthful-looking Comr. Martin calling another commissioner “dude.” Skit was written by staffer Jeff Carlisle. In speech before tape, Powell got a few zingers off, including comment that with new technology it took only hour to download noted communications attorney Dick Wiley’s Rolodex. “It takes longer to do the conflict checks but he [Wiley] says we don’t have to bother with that.” He said after he rang opening bell on Wall St. he feared CompTel would say: “Powell was standing with a Bell, proving he hates competition.” Powell ended tape by saying he feels “privileged to serve another year at least.”
Affected industries mustn’t see “present setback in digital” transition as validation of old ways of doing business in broadcasting or rejection of change to digital, FCC Chmn. Powell told MSTV DTV conference in Washington Tues. “Don’t be fooled by the current upheaval,” he said. “The DTV migration is regaining steam,” he said, promising Commission would continue its “aggressive role to assist in bringing the transition home.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Hollings (D-S.C.) remains interested in moving legislation that would consider subsidies to aid broadband rollout, but time ran out this session to float bill on which everyone could agree, said Kevin Kayes, panel’s Democratic staff dir. Kayes spoke Mon. on regulatory panel at Yankee Group Telecom Industry Forum in D.C. “It’s not such a far-fetched idea,” he said of subsidization possibilities. “It shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand.” While Senate drafters went through 4-5 versions of bill that would include subsidies, he told reporters after panel that in discussions with equipment-makers, incumbents and competitors: “Nobody was really ready to subsidize. There was sort of a feeling that this was interesting but nobody was really ready to do this.”
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- FCC Comr. Martin told USTA members Tues. he wasn’t sure about suitability of “connection-based” proposal for collecting universal service contributions from carriers, comment that was duly noted by participants on universal service panel later in day. Speaking at USTA’s annual convention here, Martin said proposal by SBC and BellSouth could have “deterring effect on advanced services.”
Leading advocacy group for wireless LANs renamed itself Wi-Fi Alliance. Founded in 1999 as Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), Chmn. Dennis Eaton said name was changed because “Wi-Fi has become such a globally recognized brand.” Group has more than 170 members, including manufacturers of Wi-Fi connectivity devices such as Apple, Avaya, Cisco Systems, Linksys and 3Com; chip makers such as Broadcom and Intel; and PC manufacturers such as Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and IBM. Known for its multiple interoperability certifications, Wi-Fi Alliance has become active in Washington, having retained Wiley Rein & Fielding in its lobbying efforts on unlicensed spectrum issues.
Paul Fiddick, ex-Heritage Media, named pres., Emmis International… New Atlanta-based consulting firm is founded by Randy New, ex-BellSouth; Timothy Jackson, Newbridge Networks; William Norton, BellSouth; Susan Campbell, BellSouth… Stratton Sclavos, VeriSign, nominated to National Security Telecom Advisory Committee… Donna Gregg, ex-Wiley, Rein & Fielding, named vp-gen. counsel, CPB… Patricia Oleson, named vp-COO, Spectrum Astro… Mindy Tucker, ex-Loews Cineplex Entertainment, appointed vp- corporate development, Crown Media Holdings.
Amos Loveday, ex-Ohio State Historic Preservation Officer, named cultural resource specialist, FCC Wireless Bureau… Michael McCarthy, ex-Belo, named partner in Wiley, Rein & Fielding law firm, effective Oct. 1… Qwest board member Hank Brown resigns… Stephen Garcia, ex-CCC GlobalCom, appointed CFO, Universal Broadband Communications… Scott Sprague, named senior vp-global sales, New Skies… Ken Hill, appointed vp-sea operations, Sea Launch… Adam Schrage, ex-Enron Broadband, named vp- sales, Integra Telecom.