Comcast may be willing to move off some broadcast spectrum used by NBC Universal’s TV stations to gain approval of the cable operator’s purchase of control of the programmer, an opponent of the deal said. “To the extent that Comcast would be better equipped to transition from over-the-air transmission, it may be receptive to such entreaties” for spectrum reallocation, wrote President Andrew Schwartzman of the Media Access Project. He was answering questions by Chairman Herb Kohl, D-Wis., of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee following up on a hearing (CD Feb 5 p1).
Gauging how new media serve the public interest and whether it can do more seems worthy of inquiry as the FCC held its first workshop Thursday on the Future of Media, Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps said. They and some other panelists expressed concern that online news may not always serve communities, while broadcast officials said the public interest shouldn’t be narrowly defined for stations. The Future of Media project is just gearing up (CD Feb 22 p6) and initiative head Steve Waldman said he hoped “some panelists will challenge us and provoke us.” His wish was granted by Allbritton Communications Senior Vice President Jerry Fritz.
Gauging how new media serve the public interest and whether it can do more seems worthy of inquiry as the FCC held its first workshop Thursday on the Future of Media (WID March 2 p4), Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps said. They and some other panelists expressed concern that online news may not always serve communities, while broadcast officials said the public interest shouldn’t be narrowly defined for stations. The Future of Media project is just gearing up and initiative head Steve Waldman said he hoped “some panelists will challenge us and provoke us.” His wish was granted by Allbritton Communications Senior Vice President Jerry Fritz.
The FCC workshop on media’s future and the Internet’s impact will have three panels and be opened by Commissioner Michael Copps, the agency said Monday. Future of Media project leader Steve Waldman will moderate. A panel overview of the public interest will have Paul Starr of Princeton University, ex-FCC General Counsel Henry Geller and Deputy Media Bureau Chief Bob Ratcliffe. A panel on radio and TV and the public interest will have Angela Campbell of Georgetown University, Barbara Cochran of the Radio Television Digital News Association, Jerry Fritz of Allbritton Communications, Eric Klinenberg of New York University, Jane Mago of NAB, Tom Rosenstiel of the Pew Research Center and Andrew Schwartzman of the Media Access Project. On a panel on convergence are Dan Brenner of Hogan & Hartson, Christopher Guttman-McCabe of CTIA, Jeff Jarvis of CUNY, Srinandan Kasi of the Associated Press, Ben Scott of Free Press and Adam Thierer of the Progress & Freedom Foundation.
The FCC workshop on media’s future and the Internet’s impact will have three panels and be opened by Commissioner Michael Copps, the agency said Monday. Future of Media project leader Steve Waldman will moderate. A panel overview of the public interest will have Paul Starr of Princeton University, ex-FCC General Counsel Henry Geller and Deputy Media Bureau Chief Bob Ratcliffe. A panel on radio and TV and the public interest will have Angela Campbell of Georgetown University, Barbara Cochran of the Radio Television Digital News Association, Jerry Fritz of Allbritton Communications, Eric Klinenberg of New York University, Jane Mago of NAB, Tom Rosenstiel of the Pew Research Center and Andrew Schwartzman of the Media Access Project. On a panel on convergence are Dan Brenner of Hogan & Hartson, Christopher Guttman-McCabe of CTIA, Jeff Jarvis of CUNY, Srinandan Kasi of the Associated Press, Ben Scott of Free Press and Adam Thierer of the Progress & Freedom Foundation.
House Democrats voiced skepticism that no jobs would be lost as a result of the Comcast-NBC Universal deal, during a wide-ranging hearing Thursday before the Judiciary Committee. Members also grilled the companies’ executives on independent programming and diversity in programming and corporate leadership. Republicans seemed more amenable to the deal, though some sought assurances that Comcast would more forcefully address intellectual property issues.
House Democrats voiced skepticism that no jobs would be lost as a result of the Comcast-NBC Universal deal, during a wide-ranging hearing Thursday before the Judiciary Committee. Members also grilled the companies’ executives on independent programming and diversity in programming and corporate leadership. Republicans seemed more amenable to the deal, though some sought assurances that Comcast would more forcefully address intellectual property issues.
PHILADELPHIA -- Janet Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl show “wardrobe malfunction” is still causing judicial grief. During oral argument in CBS v. FCC, a panel of judges on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seemed frustrated by a Supreme Court ruling in another indecency case that forced them to reassess their earlier decision against the agency’s indecency policy. “The judges made pretty plain … that they think they were right the first time,” said Andrew Schwartzman, Media Access Project CEO and a lawyer for an amicus party to the case. “But they are reluctant to adhere to their prior ruling in light of the Supreme Court’s decision” in Fox v. FCC which focused on indecent “fleeting words” (CD April 29 p2), he said.
The FTC and the FCC are looking for ways help the news industry fund local civic journalism but have to be careful not to pick fixes that run counter to technology such as the Internet, said Susan DeSanti, the FTC’s director of policy planning. At a Georgetown Center of Business and Public Policy event, DeSanti and other speakers discussed whether bundling news with other Web content such as sports or entertainment could help sustain civic journalism. “In general the Internet unbundles things,” DeSanti said. “Don’t fight the technology. Try to find a solution that works with it.” She said she was speaking for herself only.
Large and small companies and advocacy groups made late ex parte filings even as an FCC rulemaking notice on ex parte procedures was circulating. A review of more than 1,000 filings posted online by the commission Nov. 1 to Feb. 12 on a variety of issues found that this is a continuing practice. The rulemaking is set for a Thursday vote (CD Feb 10 p5).