Author: Paul

CNET News has an article on outgoing FCC chair William Kennard’s “record of controversial compromise.” It explores the way Kennard tried to walk the line between industry-friendly deregulation and the public interest. LPFM is an example of this type of compromise, where Kennard tried to recreate a service that would give community broadcasting a tiny…

An article from the most recent Nation Magazine entitled “The Crackdown on Dissent” has been posted on the DC Indymedia site. While it primarily focuses on police surveillance and actions against protestors engaged in direct action, this chilling climate is also very significant to anyone doing or intending to do independent journalism. In the eyes…

Reminder: Tune in to the Internet for the REAL coronation… er, inaguration coverage! I know I mentioned it before, but it’s already getting pushed down the page: Microradio.net is hosting streaming audio and video coverage of the planned protests against the inaguration of George W. Bush on Saturday. I’ll actually be out videotaping local protests…

More Pacifica First, Michael Albert, of Z Magazine, has written a thoughtful and insightful analysis toward “Resolving the Pacifica Crisis.” What’s refreshing is Albert’s even-handed, yet unflinching approach to the conspiracy of factors that have influenced the situation that mires Pacifica. To whit: “Given the bitter hostility within Pacifica’s camps… those who seek a rejuvenated,…

Talking About ‘ZinesHad a few beers this evening with local ‘zine publisher Jason Pankoke who does Micro-Film, the journal of personal cinema, who is helping me find resources for obtaining independent publications and ‘zines to sell and stock in the Urbana-Champaign Indpendent Media Center library. Since ‘zines are some of the most grassroots and independent…

MicroRadio.net announces streaming audio and video coverage of the planned protests against the inaguration of George W. Bush on January 20. They’re looking for community and unlicensed/micropower/pirate radio stations to pick up and rebroadcast the feed–tune your ‘net to them on Saturday or contact your local station if this is something you want to hear.

Mediachannel.org has assembled an array of in depth reports on the public protests in the Czech Republic over recent attempts by the gov’t to secure greater politcal control over Czech public television. They ask the question: “Is it just an ongoing political battle or is it a media reform movement taking shape?”

The New York Times has an interesting article on the rejuvenation of short films–long thought dead in mainstream Hollywood–due to Internet and digital video technology.It’s fairly even-handed, noting that a few creators of some popular shorts posted to the Internet have gotten opportunities in Hollywood, but that this becomes more difficult as the number of…

As it has been widely reported, FCC chair William Kennard has resigned, in expectation for a change of direction at the FCC being brought on by president-elect Bush. Kenndard announced that he plans to join the Aspen Institute, where he will become Senior Fellow of the Communications and Society Program.As it’s turned out, Kenndard was…

The Houston Press tells the story of Rice University’s radio station KTRU, which narrowly escaped an administration plan to seize total control of the station away from the students who have been running it for the last 25 years. The article skillfully places this event in the larger context of the corporatizing of universities, whereby…