More opposition to net neutrality laws emerged Tues. as another body -- this one fighting any more govt. control of the Web - stepped up. The Internet Freedom Coalition (IFC), made up of 24 conservative entities like Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), the Center for Individual Freedom and state groups, slammed the notion of a net neutrality mandate as a “first giant leap” to Internet taxation, U.N. oversight of the Web’s underlying architecture and other controls.
More opposition to net neutrality laws emerged Tues. as another body -- this one fighting any more govt. control of the Web - stepped up. The Internet Freedom Coalition (IFC), made up of 24 conservative entities like Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), the Center for Individual Freedom and state groups, slammed the notion of a net neutrality mandate as a “first giant leap” to Internet taxation, U.N. oversight of the Web’s underlying architecture and other controls.
Reps. Smith (R-Tex.) and McCaul (R-Tex.) held a House Science Committee field briefing Fri. to examine how IT R&D helps U.S. economic competitiveness. The briefing -- held in Austin, Tex., in tandem with the 15th World Congress on Information Technology -- heard from National Science Foundation Asst. Dir. Peter Freeman, Sematech Dir.-External Programs Randal Goodall, U. of Tex.-Austin Office of Technology Commercialization Dir. Neil Iscoe, Tex. Technology Initiative Chmn. Pike Powers and U. of Tex.-Austin Vp- Research Juan Sanchez. Smith stressed the importance of American IP industries, which account for 50% of U.S. exports and 40% of the country’s growth. “If we are to maintain a competitive advantage over China, India and the many other emerging countries, we must protect intellectual property rights and enhance our ability to innovate,” he said: “To do that, we must leverage the unique strengths of each of the 3 sides of this triangle -- government, universities and industry.”
DirecTV CEO Chase Carey appeared to move away Thurs. from News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch’s comments that the satellite operator would have a clear plan for broadband by spring (CD Jan 10 p2), maintaining that broadband-enabled satellite receivers won’t be available until late this year. DirecTV is continuing to have discussions with RBOCs and other providers regarding wireless broadband and DSL to determine the opportunities “that we can take advantage of,” he said.
DirecTV CEO Chase Carey appeared to move away Thurs. from News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch’s comments that the satellite operator would have a clear plan for broadband by spring (CED Jan 10 p2), maintaining that broadband-enabled satellite receivers won’t be available until late this year. DirecTV is continuing to have discussions with RBOCs and other providers regarding wireless broadband and DSL to determine the opportunities “that we can take advantage of,” he said.
Queries abound over a “Digital Audio Review Board” that a telecom bill by Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R- Alaska) proposes. The board would advise the FCC on audio flag content protections for satellite and terrestrial digital radio (CED May 2 p1). The main question is the most obvious: How could the CE, IT, broadcast and content industries, with their competing interests, agree on an audio flag in the 18 months the bill would allow them?
Funding for next-generation E-911 services should be set in light of new technologies’ impact, which has changed the system from local to national and even global infrastructure, industry and public safety officials said Wed. at an E-911 Institute panel. “The public has made the decision that this is important to their communities,” said Sen. Burns (R- Mont.). He asked panelists how to replace the access fee system with other means, such as a tax on localities, to raise money for upgrading the system. “A lot of people don’t know how expensive these systems are to maintain,” he said. Experts couldn’t agree on what would work. “We need to explore a range of issues,” said Greg Rohde, exec. dir. of the E-911 Institute. Congress should mandate an “expanded role” for the federal govt. in enabling better management of advanced E-911 services, said National Emergency Numbering Assn. Pres. David Jones. Agencies overseeing the services should stay abreast of technological change, he said. A hodgepodge of local and state oversight of E-911 services means there’s no centralized coordination, since systems originally ran locally, Jones and others said. Legislation proposed this Congress has focused on ensuring that VoIP providers extend E-911 coverage to their subscribers. A video franchise bill approved last week by the House Commerce Committee has an amendment requiring compliance by VoIP providers. The Senate Commerce Committee okayed a bill sponsored by Burns and Sens. Nelson (D-Fla.) and Clinton (D- N.Y.), but the committee’s telecom bill didn’t include those provisions.
Three trends will reshape the media business in the connected society, Nitin Desai, special asst. to the UN Secy.-Gen., said Wed.: The world’s shift in economic balance from developed to developing nations; more people exercising democratic rights; and emergence of new networking technologies. Real change will come from the Internet’s increasingly communitarian nature, Desai said at We Media 2006 London. The challenge is finding a business model that combines established media professionalism with the Web’s collaborative potential, he added.
Three trends will reshape the media business in the connected society, Nitin Desai, special asst. to the UN Secy.-Gen., said Wed.: The world’s shift in economic balance from developed to developing nations; more people exercising democratic rights; and emergence of new networking technologies. Real change will come from the Internet’s increasingly communitarian nature, Desai said at We Media 2006 London. The challenge is finding a business model that combines established media professionalism with the Web’s collaborative potential, he added.
Comcast said the D.C. City Council’s effort to force it to carry Nationals baseball games is illegal. “This legislation will not have any legal effect as local government efforts to mandate programming are clearly impermissible under federal law,” said Comcast Exec. Vp David Cohen in a statement. The cable operator has been unable to reach a deal with Mid Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which carries Nationals games (CD May 2 p6). MASN cheered emergency legislation adopted by D.C. Tues. that said cable operators must broadcast all Nationals games. “Today’s vote is a significant step towards forcing Comcast to do what 5 other cable companies are already doing and show all the Nationals games,” said an MASN spokesman.