An upcoming report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), drafted by a commission led by former Defense Secy. James Schlesinger, will recommend a White House-level body examine spectrum policy. The recommendation has received broad backing from govt., industry and academic participants involved in the drafting. The report, to be released next month, comes as the concept of a White House-level structure to take a broad look at spectrum management has gained traction among federal policymakers, sources said.
Finger pointing over the slowed DTV transition continued in comments filed Mon. with the FCC on 2 DTV proceedings (CD April 22 p3): the biennial review and on whether to impose public interest obligations. Most of the comments were repeats: Cable representatives said more consumer devices were needed, the consumer electronics industry said there wasn’t enough content and promotion and broadcasters said there must be cable must-carry for DTV.
NextWave lauded the FCC’s grant of its construction notification filings Tues. as complying with its PCS build- out rules. The FCC changed the status of NextWave’s licenses in its universal licensing system without fanfare Mon. The Commission approval removes a significant hurdle to NextWave moving ahead with plans for its PCS licenses, which many analysts expect to be sold in whole or in part, although the timing of such a deal remains unclear.
Two long-time Circuit City executives have left company amid small number of layoffs and reduction in number of vp-gen. mdse. mgr. positions to 2 from 3, sources familiar with restructuring told Consumer Electronics Daily.
Washingtonians already are signaling that News Corp.’s purchase of DirecTV (CD April 10 p13) from General Motors won’t sail through completely unscathed, but most are predicting it eventually will be approved by both the FCC and the Justice Dept. Analysts said News Corp. had moved to head off at least one of the key issues with its program access guarantees, but questions still remain about the competitive impact of one company’s owning DBS, a major broadcast network, TV stations, a major movie studio and several hot cable networks.
Beltway insiders already are signaling that News Corp.’s purchase of Hughes Electronics and particularly its subsidiary DirecTV from General Motors won’t sail through completely unscathed, but most are predicting it eventually will be approved by FCC and Justice Dept. Analysts said News Corp. at least moved to head off one of key issues with its program access guarantees, but questions remain about competitive impact of one company’s owning DBS, major broadcast network, TV stations, major movie studio and several hot cable networks.
The information technology (IT) and telecom markets are in “reconstruction mode” and investors are just beginning to “come out of their shells,” said Richard Lukaj, pres., Babcock Capital Partners. He spoke at a panel on technology needs of the telecom and IT industry at the International Finance Corp. (IFC) Global Technology Conference 2003 Wed. Venture capitalists have “very much gone back to the basics” in deciding what to invest in, he said. It’s much tougher to find financing for raw, pre-beta (testing) technologies, Lukaj said. However, he said, the woes of the developed IT markets are creating new opportunities for emerging markets.
CEA’s R3 Audio Systems Committee formed working group (R3 WG4) to develop voluntary standards for All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio receivers and related products. Assn. said initiative included TVs as well as radios and would be public sector-private sector partnership with Commerce Dept.’s National Oceanic & Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS). Working group also will evaluate certification opportunities for developing and placing All Hazards Alert logo on products meeting appropriate criteria, CEA said.
A U.S. stance that particular frequencies don’t need to be identified for public protection and disaster relief at the upcoming World Radio Conference (WRC) 2003 could run into friction from administrations eager for greater specificity, several sources said. Amid Defense Dept. concerns over protecting 380-400 MHz, which NATO uses for global operations, the U.S. supports not locking in particular bands while encouraging countries and regions to consider harmonized spectrum for public protection and disaster relief. But European administrations propose that 380- 385/390-395 MHz be identified in a resolution as part of harmonized bands for that purpose, a European official said.
A Commerce Dept. plan to merge NTIA, the Technology Administration (TA) and the e-commerce duties of the International Trade Administration (ITA), while delayed, still is headed to Capitol Hill. The proposal had been expected to be sent to Congress 45 days after Commerce Secy. Donald Evans unveiled plans Feb. 14 for the merger into a new agency headed by TA Undersecy. Phillip Bond, formerly Evans’s chief of staff. That would have put the proposal in congressional hands last Fri. But Connie Correll, a counselor to Bond, told us legislative language still was being drafted and could be ready as soon as the next week or 2: “We don’t have anything yet, but we are closer.”