Municipally owned utility Braintree Electric Light Dept. (BELD) will launch cable TV service in Braintree, Mass., Feb. 28. BELD is offering basic package of 59 channels for $31 and digital package of 151 channels for $36, including basic service, music choice, digital set-top box, remote control rental.
Appeals Court decision upholding Mass. commercial speech rules would be “a radical departure from existing Supreme Court precedents” and “would turn back the clock on First Amendment protection,” said Dan Jaffe, vp, Assn. of National Advertisers (ANA). ANA filed amicus brief with Supreme Court saying “efforts to childproof the flow of speech in our society might be politically popular” but “would impose a constitutionally intolerable burden on adult-to-adult communications.” Appeal involves Mass. ban on most outdoor and point-of-sale ads for tobacco products. Jaffe said case was “critically important to a broad range of advertisers.”
“Digital divide” between Internet users and nonusers isn’t result of ethnicity or other demographic factors, General Accounting Office (GAO) said in report released Thurs., but those with higher incomes are significantly more likely to have broadband Internet connections. House Telecom Subcommittee ranking Democrat Markey (Mass.), who had asked for GAO study, said results showed “cost chasm” that “may persist among Internet users unless local broadband competition is reinvigorated… We must renew our policy commitment to competition.”
NBC TV affilates board members are “comfortable” with network’s decision to drop annual spring convention (CD Jan 24 p3), according to Affiliates’ Chmn. Jack Sander of Belo. “We talked about that a great deal out at NATPE” in Jan., he told reporters in late Wed. conference call, with some affiliates having varied reactions. On Sat. night XFL football, which has seen ratings drop dramatically since first week, “everyone is disappointed,” Sander said, but 3 weeks “is maybe a little too soon” to get upset, and charge there’s “gloom and doom” among affiliates over XFL is “overstated.” But, he conceded, they are concerned, especially on West Coast (where Belo has stations) with 5 p.m. start that cuts into local news. “We need to see some improvement within the next 2 or-3 weeks” or Belo may delay football telecasts, he said. “It’s a Saturday night, there’s not very much going on.”
Skybridge, which seeks U.S. license for advanced fixed broadband service using low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites, has “adopted alternative” business while new constellation is being built and will launch business by leasing space on existing geostationary satellites, Vp Mark MacGann confirmed in short interview Thurs. Company will lease satellite capacity to prove system can work and to give it time to raise additional money needed to launch full satellite system by target date of 2003. Skybridge hasn’t indicated which satellites it might use, but Loral and Boeing are among strategic partners and investors and are likely candidates for contract. “That could be the case,” MacGann said. French company also will continue efforts to get U.S. license and “expects to receive one soon,” Skybridge lawyer Phil Spector told us.
Requiring broadcasters to post public interest filings on Web sites wouldn’t be change of policy, just “responding to changed conditions, including the development of the Internet and the fact that most stations have Web sites,” public interest groups led by United Church of Christ said in comments on FCC rulemaking (MM 00- 168). Groups said posting (CD Feb 21 p8) simply makes files “consistent with modern means of accessing information” and wouldn’t impose new programming requirements.
With many small-market broadcasters delaying move to DTV, Shockley Communications went opposite direction and was quick to equip its 6 TV stations for high-definition transmissions once FCC set parameters -- and long before Commission’s May 1, 2002, deadline for group’s small-market stations to go digital. Commission FCC official said Shockley was only small group to move so quickly into digital. Hundreds of stations still haven’t installed necessary equipment and are taking a “wait-and-see attitude” -- particularly in markets below 100. Typical viewpoint is that of Michael McKinnon, owner of TV independent station in San Diego and 2 ABC affiliates in Tex., who told us last spring: “I'm going to be the No. 3 or No. 4 guy in digital in my markets… I want the other guys to get an arrow in the back” (CD March 23 p6).
Md. House Ways & Means Committee plans hearing March 6 on bill (HB-768) that would exempt telecom companies from state’s utility gross receipts tax. To address resulting tax revenue loss, bill would make retail telecom services other than Internet access, toll-free calling and private lines subject to state’s sales tax. Tax change would take effect Jan. 1. Parallel Senate version of bill (SB-787) will be heard in Senate Budget & Taxation Committee March 21. House Commerce Committee will hold hearing March 7 on legislation (HB-1078/SB-505) that would authorize statewide establishment of wireless E911 service, which would provide automatic location information for wireless phones. Program would be funded through state 911 surcharges and administered by state Emergency Number Systems Board.
FCC affirmed Enforcement Bureau order year ago that found GTE Wireless of the South had violated regulations on service area boundaries. Violations involved boundaries of 3 cellular towers overlapping cellular geographic service area licensed to Bachow/Coastal in Gulf of Mexico. Commission also affirmed ruling that directed GTE to modify signal strength to rectify extensions of its boundaries. GTE petitioned for review of decision, disputing Bureau conclusion that Sand Island didn’t extend southern boundary of its cellular area beyond coastline and into Gulf. GTE relied on settlement decree between U.S. and Ala. approved by U.S. Supreme Court that stipulated that Ala. coastline included Sand Island.
More than 80% of European chief information officers (CIOs) believe mobile Internet services will become more important for their businesses, but only 24% are willing to pay higher prices for 3G wireless services, study by Gartner Group reported. “This is bad news for European 3G mobile operators who have paid high premiums for licenses,” Research Dir. Nick Jones said. Main inhibitors for 3G acceptance, according to respondents: (1) 76% were concerned about security and privacy. (2) 52% about support costs. (3) 39% about high mobile phone bills.