Save Access

Apparently the FCC is still withholding documents relating to localism and the media. Michael Powell buried these when he was Chairman - now there needs to be a full accounting of FCC reporting responsibilities.

from: Broadcasting and Cable

from: Light Reading

2006 Top Ten: Big IPTV Moments

JANUARY 05, 2007

Most people will probably look back at 2006 as (another) "warm-up year" for IPTV. Here at Light Reading we like to think of IPTV as a toddler -- just out of diapers, and about to break a heap load of stuff as part of its "learning process."

Friendly Giants in an age of deregulation?

from: Slate

Bellwether: Ma Bell is back. Should you be afraid?
By Tim Wu

Posted Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, at 5:47 PM ET

Ma Bell is back. Blown into eight pieces by an antitrust court in 1984, AT&T, like a self-repairing robot, has slowly put itself back together. Last Friday, the Federal Communications Commission, demanding net neutrality and other conditions, approved AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth. That will make AT&T—once again—the world's largest technology company. And don't just think big. Think Goliath, with about $110 billion in annual revenue, more than 300,000 employees, and 90 million paying accounts. Google, by way of comparison, brings in about $9 billion a year. Even Microsoft, at $45 billion, is a mere elephant compared to the AT&T mammoth.

Interesting to see politicians attentive to the class-based membership of a market driven virtual world. Now if we can just get them to work on real legislation for a real democratic media...out here for everyone

from: Computer World

US House member outlines agenda in Second Life

from: Broadband Reports

Can AT&T Just Ignore New Concessions?
Neutrality advocates cheer, ignore fine print...

Posted on 2007-01-02 16:25:46 by Karl

While AT&T did offer some additional concessions to squeeze through the AT&T BellSouth merger, Kevin Webach (via Techdirt) points out that the post-merger statements by Republican commissioners hint that they may not require the company to actually adhere to them. According to the statement, Tate and Martin believe that "while the Democrat Commissioners may have extracted concessions from AT&T, they in no way bind future Commission action. Thus, to the extent that AT&T has, as a business matter, determined to take certain actions, they are allowed to do so."

from: ISP Planet

DSL Prime: AT&T's Net Neutrality Offer is Just Hot Air

AT&T promises to deliver bits without traffic shaping, but the agreement excludes the parts of the network it can control.

by Dave Burstein
of DSL Prime and Future of TV
[January 4, 2007]

"I call them the black ninjas. They work by night and are very, very good."

from: ComputerWorld

FCC boss: We can throw away the AT&T net neutrality agreement

By Preston Gralla on Thu, 01/04/2007 - 2:34pm

The groundbreaking AT&T pledge to agree to net neutrality provisions in return for being allowed to buy out BellSouth carries absolutely no weight with FCC honcho Kevin Martin. In fact, Martin has said that the FCC "will oppose such policies going forward."

a technology consultant firm predicting business as usual

from: Gartner

AT&T Closes BellSouth Deal by Making Only Small Concessions

4 January 2007

Jay E. Pultz Kathie Hackler Phillip Redman

AT&T made several minor concessions to win FCC approval of this deal. Now larger and with a wholly owned wireless capability, AT&T is strengthened as a global telecom leader. But enterprises shouldn't overlook alternatives.

An earlier FCC ruling article worth repeating. Martin should leave the FCC or be forced out.
from: Digital Destiny

FCC Chief Kevin Martin: Ignorant of Media History.
Lesson # 1–Cable is a Community Communications System
Dec. 22, 2006

Kevin Martin is the chair of one of the most powerful federal agencies–the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Martin’s first allegiance–as with most of the FCC’s chairs–is with the corporate media and telecommunications industries. Martin should be serving the public, working to ensure that the country’s electronic media system blossoms into a dynamic and diverse system of communications. But Martin’s worldview is shaped by the requirements of companies who will likely employ him in the future–and will need to be tapped for campaign contributions (like his predecessor Michael Powell, Martin is interested in elected office in the future).

two very perceptive articles by Susan Crawford
from: Susan Crawford's Blog

The day the internet became cable television: Dec. 29, 2006

by Susan on Fri 29 Dec 2006 11:49 AM EST

As part of the AT&T/BellSouth merger that is expected to be approved today, AT&T is now pledging to keep its "wireline broadband Internet access service" neutral.