British Telecom-MCI Merger
WSJ: FCC Is Expected to Clear BT-MCI Merger Soon
NYT: Hundt Endorses MCI-British Telecom Merger
WP: FCC Chief Backs Merger of MCI, BT
Internet
NYT: Giving Away Secrets
WP: Foreign Policy by Internet
Federal Communications Commission
B&C: Clinton taps Kennard for FCC chair
B&C: Would-be broadcasters feel robbed by FCC
FCC: Commissioner Ness's Speech before the NARUC Communications
Committee
Television
B&C: ABCs of Kids TV
B&C: Hindery takes aim at HDTV
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Title: FCC Is Expected to Clear BT-MCI Merger Soon
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/ (A3)
Author: Bryan Gruley
Issue: Mergers
Description: In the next weeks, regulators at the FCC are expected to
approve the merger between British Telecommunications and MCI. The two
companies have taken steps to ensure that the merger won't give them an
unfair advantage in competition because of BT's dominance in the United
Kingdom's local phone market. European regulators gave the merger an OK in
the spring.
Title: Hundt Endorses MCI-British Telecom Merger
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/fcc-bt-mci.html(D5)
Author: Seth Schiesel
Issue: Mergers
Description: Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt said he
would support the proposed British Telecommunications $21 billion takeover
of MCI. The deal must be approved by the entire Commission, Vermont, and
Montana (17 other states already have).
Title: FCC Chief Backs Merger of MCI, BT
Source: Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-07/29/029l-072997-idx.html
(C3)
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Mergers
Description: Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt
announced yesterday that he would recommend that the commission approve
the pending merger between MCI Communications Corp. and British
Telecommunications PLC. Among his reasons for approving the merger,
Hundt cited the British government's decision to sever all ownership
ties to BT. According to a spokesman, Commissioner James Quello is "favorably
disposed" towards the merger, Commissioners Chong and Ness need more
time to study the matter before they can comment on it.
Title: Giving Away Secrets
Source: New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/oped/29wayn.html(A23)
Author: Peter Wayner, "Disappearing Cryptography" author
Issue: Encryption/Privacy
Description: "Internet hype can turn age-old problems into new grave
threats." Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Louis Freech has told
Congress "technology and telecommunications well beyond the contemplation of
the Framers will bring a terrible upset of the balance so wisely set forth
in the Fourth Amendment." But Wayner says this isn't true. Coded messages
were part of the Revolutionary War.
Title: Foreign Policy by Internet
Source: Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-07/29/009l-072997-idx.html
(A15)
Author: Robert D. Hormats, Goldman Sachs
Issue: Internet Regulation
Description: This Op-Ed, written by the vice chairman of Goldman, Sachs
(International), applauds the Administration's decision to "ensure
competition, protect intellectual property and privacy, prevent fraud,
foster transparency and facilitate dispute resolution - not to regulate"
the Internet. He goes on to outline the difficulties that the United
States faces in trying to convince other, less "free" societies to
take the same stance on the regulation issue so that people everywhere
can reap the rewards of the great potential of the Internet as an
information and business tool.
Title: Clinton taps Kennard for FCC chair
Source: Broadcasting&Cable http://www.broadcastingcable.com/(p.8)
Author: Chris McConnell
Issue: Federal Communications Commission/Policymakers
Description: President Clinton's proposed new FCC will be chaired by William
Kennard, presently the Commission's general counsel. The four other
commissioners would be current-Commissioner Susan Ness, the House Commerce
Committee's Chief Economist Harold Furchtgott-Roth, Justice Department
Antitrust Chief of Staff Michael Powell, and New Mexico State Corporation
Commissioner Gloria Tristani. Kennard may face some opposition in the Senate
from former Commerce Committee Chairman Ernest Hollings and the
Congressional Black Caucus.
Title: Would-be broadcasters feel robbed by FCC
Source: Broadcasting&Cable http://www.broadcastingcable.com/(p.22)
Author: Chris McConnell
Issue: Digital TV
Description: In petitions filed at the Federal Communications Commission,
Pennsylvania Telecasters claims that the Commission allocated spectrum they
wanted to use to broadcast an analog TV station in State College (PA) for
digital TV assignments in Johnston and Williamsburg Pennsylvania.
At the FCC http://www.fcc.gov
Commissioner Ness's 7/23/97 Speech before the Joint Meeting of the NARUC
Communications and International Relations Committees in San Francisco,
California http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Ness/spsn715.html
Title: ABCs of Kids TV
Source: Broadcasting&Cable http://www.broadcastingcable.com/(p.24)
Issue: Children's Television
Description: A special report on the ABCs of children's television:
Advertising, Broadcasters, and Cable. [issue not yet online]
Title: Hindery takes aim at HDTV
Source: Broadcasting&Cable http://www.broadcastingcable.com/(p.67)
Author: Donna Petrozzello
Issue: Digital TV
Description: At a meeting of cable operators and broadcasters, TCI CEO Leo
Hindrey argued that cable operators should use compression technology to
provide customers with more channels, not High definition Television (HDTV).
"If we cram HDTV down customers' throats, we'll lose...The push for HDTV
should come from the consumer, not from the technology."
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