Cable operators moving to a la carte pricing would leave a massive financial hole in the TV business, according to a new report.
Chairman Walden Proposes Cap on Universal Service Fund; Consultation with State USF Experts on Expansion Proposals
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn regarding the Universal Service Fund (USF) and proposals to expand the program.
Ad-supported website operators decry cost of new online privacy rules for children
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Under regulations that went into effect July 1, websites catering to children will no longer be able to collect a range of identifying information without obtaining verifiable parental consent.
Big disconnect: Telcos abandon copper phone lines
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Robert Post misses his phone line. Post, 85, has a pacemaker that needs to be checked once a month by phone. But the copper wiring that once connected his home to the rest of the world is gone, and the phone company refuses to restore it.
Yet More Media Consolidation is not the Cure to the Problems Caused by Media Consolidation
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
People are buzzing about possible new consolidation in the cable industry. The reason isn't hard to see: in a market that is already very concentrated, only the strong survive. Programming costs keep rising and larger cable companies would have more leverage in negotiations against media giants like Viacom and Disney. As ISPs, larger cable companies would be better able to drive hard bargains with Internet content companies when it comes to interconnection agreements, or operate their own online video services. But bigger is not better for the public.
Here’s what can go wrong when the government builds a huge database about Americans
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The National Crime Information Center database, maintained by the FBI, provides law enforcement agencies across the country with information they need to do their job, including information about outstanding arrest warrants, gang memberships, firearms records, and much more. According to the AP, it serves 90,000 agencies and receives 9 million data points every day.
If PRISM Is Good Policy, Why Stop With Terrorism?
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
If the justification for PRISM and associated programs is predicated on their potential effectiveness, why shouldn't such logic be applied elsewhere?
FTC Commissioner Brill Starts ‘Reclaim Your Name’ Campaign for Personal Data
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Federal Trade Commission member Julie Brill has proposed an industry-wide initiative to give consumers access to their own records held by data brokers. She envisions an online portal where data brokers would describe their data collection practices and their consumer access policies.