DirecTV will switch its HD/PVR satellite receivers to an internally developed operating system to deliver home networking and other features, while deploying less NDS middleware, Chief Technology Officer Romulo Pontual told us at a company investment conference Thursday in New York.
GENEVA -- Talks to update the aging World Trade Organization Telecommunications Agreement to account for next-generation networks could cover content, national security and other hot-button matters that have inspired little support for liberalization. The 1998 telecom agreement talks addressed connectivity, said consultant Don Abelson, who was the chief U.S. negotiator for the telecom agreement. Connectivity work began in the 1980s with corporate cross border data flows in the OECD, said Abelson during a WTO symposium on the Telecom Agreement, Feb. 20 to 21.
GENEVA -- Talks to update the aging World Trade Organization Telecommunications Agreement to account for next-generation networks could cover content, national security and other hot-button matters that have inspired little support for liberalization. The 1998 telecom agreement talks addressed connectivity, said consultant Don Abelson, who was the chief U.S. negotiator for the telecom agreement. Connectivity work began in the 1980s with corporate cross border data flows in the OECD, said Abelson during a WTO symposium on the Telecom Agreement, Feb. 20 to 21.
On February 15, 2008 Senator Pryor issued a press release announcing that a bipartisan agreement was reached with Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Inouye and Committee Vice Chairman Stevens which they believe will lead to bipartisan passage of compromise product safety legislation within the next few weeks. (Senator Pryor's press release, with link to a staff working draft of the bipartisan legislation (dated 02/15/08) available at http://pryor.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=293087&)
John Heffron, ex-Univision, becomes Ion Media Networks senior vice president, networks distribution… Mediacom promotes JR Walden to senior vice president, technology… Comcast promotes Grace Killelea to vice president, talent and leadership initiatives… Time Warner Cable promotes Alex Dudley to vice president, public relations… Necole Merritt, ex-AT&T, becomes Cox Communications vice president, public affairs… New at Disney Channel Europe: Simon Amselem promoted to senior vice president, channel distribution; Michael Cairns promoted to vice president- general manager, Disney Channels U.K. and Ireland; Lars Wagner, ex-Discovery Germany, becomes vice president-general manager, Disney Channel Germany, Switzerland and Austria; Helene Etzi promoted to vice president-general manager, Disney Channels France; Casper Bjorner promoted to vice president-general manager, Disney Channels Scandinavia and emerging markets; Nicoletta Gelli moves to vice president, brand marketing; Anna Hill promoted to executive director, marketing… Meredith Chief Financial Officer Suku Radia moves to Bankers Trust as president.
On February 13, 2008, President Bush signed Executive Order 13460 blocking the property and interests in property of additional persons subject to EO 13338 regarding the national emergency with respect to Syria.
In December 2007, McKinsey & Company, released a report which concluded that the U.S. could achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 20301 by relying on a set of tested approaches and high-potential emerging technologies available at relatively marginal costs.
The Journal of Commerce reports that the global economic downturn is finally affecting China, which the World Bank forecasts will "only" grow at 9.6% in 2008 (from a 13 year record high growth rate of 11.4% in 2007.) (JoC, dated 02/11/08, www.joc.com)
In an age where scores of information sources are at every citizen’s fingertips, public officials’ policymaking processes need to be fully transparent because “bad news can’t hide anymore, it will always get out,” said Victoria Clarke. The Comcast senior advisor and national news analyst made the comments in a keynote to state regulators at their winter meeting in Washington. Meanwhile, NARUC committees adopted four telecom policy resolutions including a controversial proposal for unifying federal and state oversight of wireless consumer protection. The resolutions must still be adopted by the NARUC board, which meets Wednesday, before becoming official policy.
Retroactive immunity for telcos is a priority that House Democrats blocked, Bush administration officials said Friday. Most House members left town Friday after Democratic leaders made clear they wouldn’t take up a Senate bill (S-2248) incorporating the immunity provision, a course pushed by Republicans and conservative Democrats. “We are already losing capability due to the failure to address liability protection,” Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said in a Washington Post op-ed Friday, citing a Senate Intelligence Committee report. S-2248 would extend the current law, set to expire Saturday, but House Republicans fought off efforts to pass a similar bill (WID Feb 14 p9). The White House said it would oppose any extension, a strategy aimed at forcing Democrats to yield on immunity, Hill sources said. Opinions differ on whether expiration imperils spy work. The current law, passed in August 2007, temporarily revised the underlying Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That becomes the law of the land if no deal emerges before Saturday. Democratic leaders, who oppose retroactive immunity for carriers, say Republicans try to scare people by claiming that intelligence efforts are hurt until immunity is enacted. “Fortunately, this law’s expiration does not threaten the safety of Americans,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “Existing surveillance orders are very broad and remain in effect for one year, and the 1978 FISA law itself remains in effect should new surveillance orders for some reason be necessary.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., blamed Bush for the law’s expiration. “Having guaranteed the lapse of the August law, the President should now work in a cooperative way with Congress to pass a strong FISA modernization bill,” she said.