Author: Paul
-
Live Blog from Porto Allegre
Anarchogeek is at the World Social Forum in Porto Allegre Brasil, and blogging updates. The WSF is the economic forum for the rest of the world that isn’t necessarily invited to the table at forums like the G8, Davos or WTO. Here’s where the true impact of globalisation is being tracked and coped with, with…
-
Why Broadband’s so Goddamn expensive
Or, why it isn’t cheaper. The Mercury News’ Dan Gillmor reports that competition in telecomm, especially broadband internet, hasn’t fully materialized, allowing the incumbent providers — primarily regional Bells — to monopolize and keep rates jacked. He also notes the impending threats — that your broadband provider might more seriously constrict and restrict the content…
-
De-localizing Local News
I’ve just seen a glimpse of television conglomerate Sinclair Broadcasting’s plans to centralize and de-localize local news at its stations. Sinclair owns and operates 63 stations across the country reaching 25% of the national broadcast audience. Your local news may soon come from Maryland.
-
When the Banker Is Friends with the Robbers
New York Times: “The Bush administration’s top official for telecommunications policy let lobbyists for wireless companies help pay for a private reception at her home and 10 days later urged a policy change that benefited their industry, according to documents and interviews. “The official, Nancy Victory, an assistant commerce secretary, said she regarded the lobbyists…
-
Whither Satellite Radio?
Media writer Frank Ahrens asks, “Can XM Put Radio Back Together Again?” I still haven’t heard it, but would like to check it out. My concern is audio quality, since XM uses a lossy compression schema to cram in so many channels, and I understand that the bitrates are relatively low. Of course, the test…
-
Call It the Safire Indicator?
You know that a particular issue is getting traction with the broader public when the New York Times’ crusty old conservative commentator opines on it… and he agrees with you. William Safire’s Sunday column is “On Media Giantism,” where he comes down squarely against loosening media ownership restrictions. In fact, his leading complaint is that…
-
The FCC Faces up to the Public @ Columbia Law School, but Which Public?
Yesterday was the first public forum on the FCC’s upcoming media ownerhip review. This one was sponsored by the Columbia University School of Law (not the FCC), and, according to CBS Marketwatch apparently had several hundred attendees in addition to lots of speakers. Columbia has archived videos of the forum on-line. I watched a little…
-
Supremes Say “Yes!” to Copyright Cartel, No to Eldred and Lessig
The Supreme Court this morning released their ruling 7-2 in favor of the massive extention of copyright protection of the Sonny Bono Copyright Act, and against the challenge put forth by Eric Eldred and law professor Lawrence Lessig. This is bad news, since it cements the ability of the entertainment cartel to keep ideas and…
-
A Few Surprises in the FCC Appearance at the Senate Commerce Committee
I just finished scanning through the C-SPAN archive of the meeting and found about a half-hour where the commissioners tackle the media concentration issue at the prompting of Sen. Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Dorgan (D-ND). Chairman Powell’s response was quite interesting, in fact, contending that he is concerned about concentration, especially in radio, and that,…
-
All 5 FCC Commissioners Summoned to Senate Today
In a rare full commission appearance, all five FCC commissioners appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee under the power-shared chairship of Sen. Fritz Hollings and Sen. John McCain (McCain has not yet been made chair by committee resolution). The topic was primarily competition of telecommunications, and not the media ownership issue. Sen Hollings, in particular,…