（美國傳媒新聞整理，是由Benton基金會免費提供分享資源）
BENTON’S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2015 (Tenga un feliz Cinco de Mayo)
AGENDA
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for May 2016 Open Meeting – press release
All That’s Old Is New Again – FCC Chairman Wheeler
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Sens Ask USDA to Boost Broadband Speed Benchmark
Charter-TWC merger opposition group presses FCC for more conditions
Net neutrality is effectively random – AEI op-ed [links to Benton summary]
Municipal broadband limits tucked into totally unrelated traffic bill in MO [links to Benton summary]
Gunning for Google, Comcast Preps Gigabit Internet That Works With Regular Cable [links to Benton summary]
California Department of Technology to Extend Fiber to City of Sacramento [links to Government Technology]
FairPoint’s Sunu: Charter-Time Warner Cable deal won’t affect broadband growth [links to Fierce]
OWNERSHIP
Tribune Publishing rejects Gannett’s bid
Charter-TWC merger opposition group presses FCC for more conditions
FairPoint’s Sunu: Charter-Time Warner Cable deal won’t affect broadband growth [links to Fierce]
Dish warns key 5G spectrum ‘will be controlled almost exclusively by Verizon’ if XO deal approved [links to Benton summary]
AT&T is unwinding a 15-year partnership with Yahoo, as the Internet pioneer is in talks to sell itself to bidders including AT&T’s fiercest rival, Verizon [links to Wall Street Journal]
TELEVISION
Statutory Copyright Licenses: Stakeholders’ Views on a Phaseout of Licenses for Broadcast Programming – GAO research
YouTube Said to Plan ‘Unplugged’ Online TV Service for 2017 [links to Benton summary]
Turner CEO Says US Has Too Many Networks [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
Comcast accounts for half of cable industry EBITDA, driving industry growth, Moody’s says[links to Fierce]
Natural Resources Defense Council Questions ‘Greenness’ of FCC Set-Top Proposal [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
Judge opens the door to Clinton deposition in email case [links to Benton summary]
Did social media ruin Ted Cruz’s campaign? – analysis
Ted Cruz and friends spent $10 per vote in Indiana. Trump won anyway. [links to Center for Public Integrity]
Sinclair’s Smith: Trump Could Mean Cash for Local TV [links to Benton summary]
GOP super-PAC enlists public with opposition research app [links to Benton summary]
Progressives try to tie Google to Trump with new Chrome extension [links to Hill, The]
How the AP calls political races [links to American Public Media]
Silicon Valley’s GOP elite hate Trump, but don’t know whether to vote for Clinton [links to Revere Digital]
Hollywood Conservatives Reluctantly Fall in Line With Donald Trump [links to Wrap, The]
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Dish warns key 5G spectrum ‘will be controlled almost exclusively by Verizon’ if XO deal approved [links to Benton summary]
Temporary antennas could speed broadcast incentive auction repack process [links to Benton summary]
Sigfox to challenge AT&T, Verizon by deploying its IoT network in 100 US cities in 2016 [links to Fierce]
SECURITY/PRIVACY
ITIF’s Doug Brake: The FCC’s Privacy Ruse [links to Forbes]
It’s the Year 2020 … How is Your Cybersecurity? [links to Conversation, The]
Podcast: Terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins on terrorists and technology, and the tradeoffs of freedom and security [links to Los Angeles Times]
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
NSA and CIA Double Their Warrantless Searches on Americans in Two Years [links to Benton summary]
Legal quirk enabling surveillance state expansion absent Congressional vote [links to Benton summary]
CONTENT
YouTube Said to Plan ‘Unplugged’ Online TV Service for 2017 [links to Benton summary]
At CBS News, the Future May Not Be TV [links to Variety]
This is what happens on the Internet in 60 seconds [links to MarketWatch]
ADVERTISING
Op-Ed: How Cord Cutting Will Influence the Future of TV Commercials [links to Vice]
ENERGY
Natural Resources Defense Council Questions ‘Greenness’ of FCC Set-Top Proposal [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
AGENDA
FCC ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR MAY 2016 OPEN MEETING
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 25, 2016:
Updating the Public Inspection File Requirements: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on proposals to eliminate the requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain copies of letters and emails from the public in their public inspection file and the requirement that cable operators reveal the location of the cable system’s principal headend. (MB Docket No. 16-xxx)
Enhancing Public Safety and Network Reliability Through Communications Outage Reporting: The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update its Part 4 communications network outage reporting requirements (PS Docket Nos. 15-80, 11-82; ET Docket No. 04-35)
Connect America Phase II Auction: The Commission will consider a Report & Order adopting rules to implement a competitive bidding process for high-cost universal service support from Phase II of the Connect America Fund. (WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, 14-259)
benton.org/headlines/fcc-announces-tentative-agenda-may-2016-open-meeting | Federal Communications Commission | Chairman Wheeler Blog | Broadcasting&Cable
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
ALL THAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler]
All that’s old is new again at the Commission’s May open meeting. Our agenda will feature many long-standing Commission priorities — public safety, universal service, process reform – and build on a foundation of recent reforms to three key Commission programs. 1) I am circulating an item that would refine our network outage reporting requirements and propose common-sense updates to keep pace with technological change. This proposal would initiate a dialogue and seek comment on ways to keep our reporting requirements current, whether for outages to emergency or non-emergency communications, so that we can continue to collectively safeguard the networks that American consumers and businesses rely upon. 2) Building on the Commission’s experience with its Rural Broadband Experiments program, I’m proposing new rules that would allocate over $2 billion over the next decade in Connect America Fund support for rural broadband through competitive bidding. The Order I’m proposing to the Commission would set robust yet flexible standards for broadband deployment, recognizing the diverse challenges inherent in deploying broadband in rural America. It would also target support where it’s most needed on the local level, ensure accountability, and safeguard against waste, fraud, and abuse. Ultimately, we hope the power of competitive bidding will spark robust broadband deployment and service offerings across rural America in the most cost-efficient way possible. 3) I circulated a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to eliminate two outdated public file requirements: one regarding the retention of copies of letters and emails from the public and another requiring cable operators to publicly disclose the location of their control center for receiving and processing television signals. These recommendations are consistent with our agency-wide process reform initiative to review all Commission regulations and update or repeal outdated and unnecessary rules.
benton.org/headlines/all-thats-old-new-again | Federal Communications Commission
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
INTERNET/BROADBAND
SENS ASK USDA TO BOOST BROADBAND SPEED BENCHMARK
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
A bipartisan group of Sens has asked the US Department of Agriculture to update the broadband speed definitions of its Community Connect grant program, which, like the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Program, provides subsidies to build out broadband in areas where there isn’t a business case, in this case focused on rural areas. They want the definition for high speed to be upped to 10 Mbps. The USDA recently upped the speeds for the Broadband Access Loan Program to 10 Mbps, but Community Connect was only increased to 4 Mbps. The Sens signaled that did not cut it. “Federal policymakers must ensure that taxpayer-supported infrastructure is sufficiently robust to handle demand. It is not only a matter of fairness that rural Americans can fully utilize broadband-enabled resources," they wrote, "but also a matter of ensuring that taxpayers are receiving the full economic development return on their investments.” Both USDA and the Department of Commerce administer broadband funding programs with funds earmarked by Congress, while the FCC administers a low-income and no-business case advanced telecommunications subsidy through a USF fee on monthly phone bills. The FCC has said that to qualify as providing high-speed broadband, its Lifeline USF subsidy, which is being migrated to broadband, must be at least 10 Mbps, though it has said 25 Mbps should be the new table stakes.
benton.org/headlines/sens-ask-usda-boost-broadband-speed-benchmark | Multichannel News
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
CHARTER-TWC MERGER OPPOSITION GROUP PRESSES FCC FOR MORE CONDITIONS
[SOURCE: Fierce, AUTHOR: Daniel Frankel]
With Commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission set to vote on Charter Communications’ takeover of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, opposition group Stop Mega Cable has made an 11th-hour plea with the agency to impose more conditions on the deals. On May 2, representatives from the group, led by legal eagles from member company Dish Network, met with Marc Paul, legal advisor for Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. The opposition group said conditions to the deals outlined in an approval order published by FCC Commissioner Tom Wheeler don’t go far enough. "Among other things, the conditions proposed in the draft order do not fully prevent Charter from using its dominant position in the marketplace to thwart competition from [over-the-top] streaming services and stifle competitors in underserved, rural communities," the group said in an ex parte filing outlining the FCC meeting. "Coalition members explained that additional conditions should be imposed to remedy the harms that remain insufficiently addressed by the draft order," the ex parte added. "Among other things, Charter should be required to offer a standalone broadband service that would enable consumers wishing to ‘cut the cord’ to have that option." Stop Mega Cable asked the FCC to demand that Charter establish a standalone broadband product with a minimum download speed of 60 Mbps. "In addition, members of the coalition underscored the need to establish a meaningful condition to improve media diversity that goes beyond a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). MOUs in mergers have proven to be ineffective for the most part and the MOU proffered in this merger was even lighter than most (e.g., calling for the renewal of a single African-American oriented programming service)," the group added.
benton.org/headlines/charter-twc-merger-opposition-group-presses-fcc-more-conditions | Fierce
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
OWNERSHIP
TRIBUNE PUBLISHING REJECTS GANNETT’S BID
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Roger Yu]
Tribune Publishing, which owns the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and nine other daily newspapers, said its board of directors has unanimously rejected Gannett’s $815 million offer to buy the company. "Tribune Publishing’s board has unanimously determined that Gannett’s opportunistic proposal understates the company’s true value and is not in the best interests of its shareholders," Tribune said. Tribune shares rose 4.4% to $11.50 in after-hours trading. Gannett, which owns USA TODAY and 107 local news properties, revealed its offer to buy Tribune Publishing for $12.25 per share and assume $390 million of Tribune’s debt, bringing the total value of the bid to $815 million. "Tribune Publishing is in the early stages of a compelling transformation, with a well-defined strategic plan to drive increasing monetization of our important brands, capitalize on the global potential of the LA Times and significantly accelerate our conversion of content to revenue through an enhanced digital strategy,” Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn said. “While the Board is always open to evaluating any credible proposal that it believes to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, Gannett’s opportunistic proposal understates the Company’s true value and is not a basis for further discussion. The Board is confident that the execution of our standalone strategic plan will generate shareholder value in excess of Gannett’s proposal.”
benton.org/headlines/tribune-publishing-rejects-gannetts-bid | USAToday
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
TELEVISION
STATUTORY COPYRIGHT LICENSES
[SOURCE: Government Accountability Office, AUTHOR: Mark Goldstein]
Most US households rely on cable or satellite operators to watch television broadcast programming. These operators are able to provide their subscribers with broadcast programming—including local news—by retransmitting local broadcast television stations’ over-the-air signals. Three statutory licenses permit operators to offer copyrighted broadcast programming in return for paying a government-set royalty fee. For 2014, these fees totaled about $320 million. Congress created statutory licenses as a cost-effective way for operators to air broadcast programming without obtaining permission to do so from those that own the copyrights for this programming. However, changes in the video marketplace have led some industry stakeholders to question the need for the licenses. The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization (STELAR) Act of 2014 included a provision for GAO to review possible effects of phasing out the statutory licenses. This report addresses (1) what is known about the feasibility of phasing out the statutory licenses and (2) views of selected stakeholders on the implications of such a phaseout. GAO analyzed Federal Communications Commission’s cable price data from 2010 to 2014 and the US Copyright Office’s royalty data from 2014, the most recently available; reviewed relevant laws and reports; and interviewed 42 industry stakeholders, selected for their role in the video marketplace and expertise on the issue.
benton.org/headlines/statutory-copyright-licenses-stakeholders-views-phaseout-licenses-broadcast-programming | Government Accountability Office | Broadcasting&Cable
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
DID SOCIAL MEDIA RUIN TED CRUZ’S CAMPAIGN?
[SOURCE: The Guardian, AUTHOR: Leigh Alexander]
[Commentary] “Skewered by social media memes” is the essential story of the Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) campaign, and the gleeful and prolific satires of the ordinary citizens’ online community surely played a role in exaggerating the candidate’s inherent strangeness, sketching him as a grotesque figure vulnerable to his rivals. For the first time in a US election cycle, community-generated memes have grown to play a significant role in political discourse, similar to the classic printed cartoon. The anarchic, youth-led online shorthand – which can encompass images with text captions, familiar iconography repurposed in multiple contexts, or even short animations such as gifs and Vines – is no longer just for young people on image boards and in closed groups. In fact, it may even be a sign of how politically engaged young people are today: they’re generating their own image-based political satires. In these memes, the political figure is exaggerated, his context made grotesque or fantastical, just as in traditional political cartooning.
