AOL Co-Founder Jim Kimsey Influenced Generation of Net Providers
BENTON’S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016
Today’s Event: Executive Session — MOBILE NOW Act, Senate Commerce Committee:https://www.benton.org/node/234929
FCC OVERSIGHT HEARING
News from the FCC Oversight Hearing
Chairman Wheeler won’t make ‘ironclad commitment’ to leave under new president
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Reaching our wireless potential – Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen Jerry Moran (R-KS) op-ed
SECURITY/PRIVACY
White House Officials Soften Approach at RSA Conference
“I have no idea”: The FBI director at the Apple judiciary hearing gets schooled on security tech by a congressman [links to Benton summary]
What if the San Bernardino shooters had been using a Samsung Galaxy phone? [links to Washington Post]
ACLU: FBI wants to ‘commandeer’ Apple [links to CNN Money]
Complying with the FBI could make it much harder for Apple to rebuff the demands of repressive governments in China and elsewhere abroad [links to Wall Street Journal]
Apple Gets Tech Industry Backing in iPhone Dispute, Despite Misgivings [links to New York Times]
What’s Next for Apple as Battle With the FBI Plays Out in Washington? [links to Revere Digital]
The surprising House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Apple encryption case – editorial [links to American Enterprise Institute]
Department of Defense just launched its first bug bounty program [links to Benton summary]
Alphabet’s Eric Schmidt to Lead Pentagon Board to Make Defense Department Tech Savvier[links to Benton summary]
ELECTIONS & MEDIA
Where do the presidential candidates stand on technology issues? – Brookings analysis
Big-Donor Money Has Not Worked in the 2016 Campaign. Yet. – NYT editorial [links to Benton summary]
Big-money groups band together against Trump in Florida [links to Hill, The]
For TV networks, GOP debates are like a new hit show [links to American Public Radio]
Did the Media Create Trump? – Jack Shafer analysis [links to Benton summary]
Guess what: data is driving political campaigns [links to American Public Media]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
CLIC Supports the Principle of "One Touch" [links to Benton summary]
Idea to Retire: Internet without policy metrics – Brookings op-ed [links to Benton summary]
Cox Begins 1-Gig Rollout in Tucson (AZ) [links to Multichannel News]
Editorial: Tom Wheeler’s Internet Debacle [links to Wall Street Journal]
Op-ed: Is this the beginning of the end of the sales-tax-free Internet? [links to American Enterprise Institute]
CONTENT
Verizon and Hearst to Create TV for Mobile Millennial Viewers [links to New York Times]
Life and Death in the App Store [links to Verge, The]
ITIF Op-ed: Industry cooperation takes another step in fighting online piracy [links to Hill, The]
ADVERTISING
Adblocking is a ‘modern-day protection racket’, says UK culture secretary [links to Guardian, The]
What’s wrong with adblocking? [links to Guardian, The]
JOURNALISM
CPB Awards $4.4 Million to Fund Eight Journalism Collaborations [links to Corporation for Public Broadcasting]
DIVERSITY
YouTube and UN launch two new initiatives to support female filmmakers [links to Benton summary]
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
Innovation Deficit: Why DC is Losing Silicon Valley – Medium op-ed [links to Benton summary]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Chinese Newspaper Editor Fired Over ‘Hidden’ Headline Message [links to NPR]
FCC OVERSIGHT HEARING
NEWS FROM THE FCC OVERSIGHT HEARING
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Kevin Taglang]
The Senate Commerce Committee convened a Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing including each of the five FCC commissioners. A good time was had by all.
In his opening statement Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) noted that the FCC has not been reauthorized by Congress in 25 years “making it the oldest expired authorization within the Commerce Committee’s expansive jurisdiction.” He announced that he will introduce the FCC Reauthorization Act of 2016, and he intends for the committee to mark up the bill in the coming weeks. Chairman Thune also noted his support for current FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel who has been nominated for a new term on the FCC. The Hill reports that there are multiple holds on the renomination. Asked about who placed the holds Chairman Thune said, "I have an idea, there are a couple of them, but I probably, that’s kind of one of those things you’re not supposed to know. I think that my staff probably knows but I’m not certain, so I don’t want to throw anybody under the bus." He said that disagreement with the FCC’s net neutrality order might be "one issue" holding up her nomination, but he noted that there were many issues pending before the FCC that some lawmakers might take issue with. Chairman Thune also said that if FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler publicly committed to leaving his post in January (he declined to do so at the hearing), it could loosen some of the holds on her nomination.
Ranking Member Bill Nelson said, “We need Commissioner Rosenworcel re-confirmed to the commission as soon as possible. At the end of the 113th Congress, we had one Republican FCC Commissioner – Mike O’Rielly – awaiting confirmation. Democrats agreed to confirm O’Rielly’s nomination without pairing him with any other nominee in exchange for a promise that Republicans would confirm Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel quickly in the new Congress. Senators McConnell promised Senator Reid and then-Chairman Rockefeller that they would move the Rosenworcel nomination without delay in the new Congress if Democrats agreed to move Commissioner O’Rielly’s nomination. Commissioner Rosenworcel’s nomination is now on the executive calendar. Chairman Thune, I know you are working with Leader McConnell to make this happen. We do not want lose her leadership and thoughtful approach to the crucial issues the FCC is facing.”
A disagreement between FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Ajit Pai over network neutrality become heated. A question from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) over whether the rules had hurt investments in Internet networks sparked a testy exchange. Commissioner Pai claimed that investment slowed down in 2015 for major broadband providers and smaller ISPs. But Chairman Wheeler directly contested that claim. “With all due respect to my colleague, what he has just portrayed as facts are not,” Wheeler responded. “Investment is up… fiber is up 13 percent over last year. Usage of the Internet is up and that has driven what you want to be up, which is increased revenue per subscriber for the Internet companies in the last year since the Open Internet Order took place.” Pai continued to criticize the FCC’s broadband policies. “It’s no accident the regulatory infrastructure we have built is now depressing broadband investment," Pai told the committee. But Wheeler insisted that was not true. “We are not seeing a decline in broadband infrastructure investment," he responded. “You can say it and say it and say it but it doesn’t make it a fact.”
Chairman Wheeler also vigorously defended the process by which the FCC reached its decision to reclassify Internet access as a Title II common carrier service. Sen Johnson asked Wheeler whether he was aware of some of the staff’s concerns about a "thin record" for supporting the Title II move, which was detailed in the report. Chairman Wheeler said he hoped the lawyers were "constantly second-guessing each other and me." He said there was fulsome debate and discussion. Asked why he had prepared a public notice to beef up the record, but did not pull the trigger, Wheeler said that the FCC had hit pause for the purpose of "enriching the record," and that was because the FCC knew "the Big Dogs are going to sue" and wanted to make sure "all the i’s were dotted and the t’s crossed." Wheeler said the FCC had not circumvented the ex parte notification requirement about communications with White House staffers. He conceded there had been meetings and e-mails, but said that the only time an ex parte was required was when there was "substantial significance" that was intended to affect the outcome of the decision. Sen Johnson said that the FCC turned on a dime after the President came out in favor of Title II, so they appeared to be significant conversations. Wheeler pointed out the White House had filed an ex parte in connection with the President’s statement. During his questioning, Sen Ed Markey (D-MA) followed up, giving Wheeler a chance to point out that communications between the White House and independent agencies are not unusual—"the White House, Congress, and everybody," Wheeler said—and that, in fact, other Presidents have been known to contact FCC chairs, pointing to a meeting between former FCC Chairman Mark Fowler and President Ronald Reagan.
Additional news from the hearing:
Chairman Wheeler signaled that the FCC’s proposal on applying oversight to broadband consumer privacy could come as early as this month (March 2016).
Chairman Wheeler said that operators’ programming stream will remain protected under a new proposal concerning set-top boxes.
Wheeler said the FCC would make "special efforts" to accommodate any LPTVs displaced in the coming repacking of TV stations after the incentive auctions.
Statement (Chairman Thune)
benton.org/headlines/news-fcc-oversight-hearing | Benton Foundation | Ranking Member Nelson |Chairman Wheeler | Commissioner Clyburn | Commissioner Rosenworcel | Commissioner Pai |Commissioner O’Rielly | The Hill | B&C Title II | B&C privacy | B&C cable content | B&C LPTV | The Verge
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CHAIRMAN WHEELER WON’T MAKE IRONCLAD COMMITMENT TO LEAVE UNDER NEW PRESIDENT
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: David McCabe]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said that he would not make an “ironclad commitment” to step down under a new president during an awkward exchange with a top Republican lawmaker. “FCC chairmen have traditionally resigned from the FCC when a new president is inaugurated,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) said. “That enables the new president to nominate a chairman of the FCC who is from the same party as a new president. So my question — you can probably figure out where I’m going with this — is do you intend to respect that tradition and resign from the FCC when the new president takes office unless explicitly asked to stay on?” Chairman Wheeler, whose term technically expires in 2018, would not commit to leaving his post next January, but suggested he realizes that would be in line with the norm. “It’s a ways off,” he said. “I understand precedent; I understand expectations. I also understand that 10 or 11 months is a long time. So it’s probably not the wisest thing in the world to do to make some kind of ironclad commitment, but I understand the point you’re making.” “And you understand the tradition that historically has been observed with regard to that?” Chairman Thune asked. "I understand the point,” Chairman Wheeler responded.
benton.org/headlines/chairman-wheeler-wont-make-ironclad-commitment-leave-under-new-president | Hill, The
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
REACHING OUR WIRELESS POTENTIAL
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen Jerry Moran (R-KS)]
[Commentary] Whether we are using a data plan on licensed spectrum or accessing the web through Wi-Fi in unlicensed bands, we’ve all experienced the frustration of a slower connection. That is because the airwaves are overcrowded. In fact, Apple and Cisco recently released reports that found the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band to be overloaded and no longer considered suitable for mission critical communications. Solving this problem isn’t easy. We can’t simply create more spectrum, but technology can help us maximize its utilization. In the weeks ahead, the Senate Commerce Committee has an opportunity to advance a strategy that will ensure this public resource can reach its full potential. In order to do that, this legislation must include an aggressive proposal that will help us find ways to improve spectrum efficiency and make more capacity available for both licensed and unlicensed uses, like Wi-Fi. Legislation that will make more licensed spectrum available and facilitate deployment of supporting infrastructure is essential because it will give wireless providers the certainty they need to further develop their networks and offer innovative services to more customers. Legislation can also help us maintain our international leadership in wireless communication by providing a stable regulatory environment that will foster next generation technologies such as 5G. But while much attention focuses on how to make new frequencies available for licensed use, we need a clear plan to support the continued innovation in unlicensed bands. Our experience with Wi-Fi in unlicensed bands is the best example of the opportunity ahead.
benton.org/headlines/reaching-our-wireless-potential | Hill, The
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SECURITY/PRIVACY
WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS SOFTEN APPROACH AT RSA CONFERENCE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Nicole Perlroth]
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch joined a parade of Obama Administration officials to tech’s home turf on March 2. Their message: National security depends on the industry’s cooperation. The heavyweights from Washington arrived against the backdrop of Apple’s fight with the Federal Bureau of Investigation over access to an iPhone and a growing fissure between Washington and Silicon Valley. In a speech at the RSA Conference, arguably the world’s largest gathering of computer security experts, AG Lynch avoided directly addressing the fight with Apple, and emphasized the need to find middle ground. “I know that neither our technology companies nor their leaders have any sympathy for terrorists or criminals who target Americans,” AG Lynch told an audience at the city’s Moscone Center. “And the Department of Justice will never sacrifice the safety of the American people or the ideals we all cherish.” But in a stage interview after her speech, AG Lynch was asked what the middle ground would be between the FBI and Apple. “For me, the middle ground” is to do “what the law requires,” AG Lynch responded, which drew a smattering of laughter and hisses from the audience. She said law enforcement has for years had Apple’s help getting access to iPhones without controversy, and that “having the inability to obtain evidence that could save lives is a real risk.”
benton.org/headlines/white-house-officials-soften-approach-rsa-conference | New York Times
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ELECTIONS & MEDIA
WHERE DO THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES STAND ON TECHNOLOGY ISSUES?
[SOURCE: Brookings, AUTHOR: Jack Karsten, Darrell West]
Each 2016 presidential candidate has addressed a number of issues over the last few months, but their stances on tech issues have not often made it onto the debate. The rapid advancement of technology and its continuous proliferation raise several matters for the next presidential administration to address. If voted into office, how does each candidate plan to address Internet sales tax, cybersecurity, smartphone encryption, and network neutrality? At this stage, the candidates’ statements provide a general sense of direction but no detailed policy predictions. None of the candidates are technology experts, and once in office, the future president will have to consult with specialists. How policies and legislation will really turn out for Internet sales tax, cyber security, encryption, and net neutrality will depend on the administration as a whole rather than the president alone.
benton.org/headlines/where-do-presidential-candidates-stand-technology-issues | Brookings
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