Cheap smartphones and tablets have put Web-ready technology into more hands than ever. But the price of Internet connectivity hasn't come down nearly as quickly. And in many rural areas, high-speed Internet through traditional phone lines simply isn't available at any price. The result is a divide between families that have broadband constantly available on their home computers and phones, and those that have to plan their days around visits to free sources of Internet access. That divide is becoming a bigger problem now that a fast Internet connection has evolved into an essential tool for completing many assignments at public schools.
Dodgers, Time Warner Cable announce new channel: SportsNet LA
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The name for the Dodgers' new television channel: SportsNet LA. The Dodgers and Time Warner Cable officially announced their television contract, with the team-owned channel starting in 2014. The deal, pending the approval of Major League Baseball, covers 25 years and is believed to be worth between $7 billion and $8 billion to the team.
How to Give the US Ultrafast Internet
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, made an important speech last week calling for at least one “gigabit city” in all 50 states by 2015. For the U.S. to maintain its leadership in innovation, he said, a critical mass of communities must have networks capable of ultrahigh Internet-access speeds. His point is welcome. The question is whether fair rules are in place that will allow the improvements he seeks.
Sec Clinton: Government Has Left Media Message Void That Jihadists Filled
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
At a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she created a new unit at the State Department to counter jihadist propaganda in social media.
Battle lines drawn in online search war
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The battle lines in the new search wars have now been drawn.
The Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction: A Staff Summary
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Congress, in passing the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 in early 2012, authorized the FCC to conduct incentive auctions, with the first auction to be of broadcast television spectrum. Congress further directed that certain net proceeds from the broadcast incentive auction are to be deposited in the Public Safety Trust Fund to fund a national first responder network, state and local public safety grants, and public safety research, and the balance is to be used for deficit reduction.
The Agenda Of The Senate Judiciary Committee For The 113th Congress
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
At the Georgetown Law Center, Sen Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed the panel’s agenda for the 113th Congress.
Lessons from the Derecho: When Industry Self-Regulation Is Not Enough
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The Federal Communications Commission released a fairly thorough report on the widespread 9-1-1 failure that followed the June 2012 “derecho” windstorm. The report concluded that both Verizon and Frontier failed to follow industry best practices or their own internal procedures.
Online News Viewing Cuts into Cable Viewership
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Cable news shows may be seeing a dip in viewership among digital-savvy US consumers. According to a January survey by AYTM Market Research, 37% of internet users surveyed said they watched less cable TV news than they did five years earlier.
Resignation Suggests Rift Between CNET and CBS
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
A senior writer for CNET, the technology news Web site, resigned less than an hour after a report suggested that CNET was barred from presenting an award to a company being sued by CBS, which owns CNET.