The FCC is fining Univision $24 million for their lack of children’s television programs. The FCC requires TV stations to air at least 3 hours of children’s educational programming a week. See article here.
This article which was featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses the support for net neutrality. The main argument is that allowing ISPs to tier the system would come at a cost to higher education. The lack of net neutrality would hinder creative and educational works and damage education over the internet such as courses that are completed online. The article focuses on the impact net neutrality could have on the educational system.
Higher-Education Groups Ask Senators to Support Net Neutrality
In the last few weeks, I have been periodically surveying major news outlets’ websites, and MSNBC.com has been as much a culprit as any in its abuse of VNRs and fake news. Interestingly, in an online news report from January (under the category of Business), “Business Goes Straight to Video,” it discusses the “calculated” risk of ad companies’ manipulation of its consumers; they lead these consumers to believe they are watching independent, homemade videos on their favorite sites like YouTube.com. Videos posted are oftentimes part of larger ad campaigns. The article focuses on ads invading the blogosphere, discussing how “bloggers were outraged at the deception” in the online videos, which deliberately pretended to be made by individuals, not by corporate adverising agencies. I found it extremely interesting that MSNBC.com did not touch on the topic of VNRs in the news, nor did it allude to the regular “deception” of its own readers.
To see some of the videos the article talks about, click here.
OK, maybe no guns. But Telecom lobbyists are pushing hard at the state and federal level, pressuring elected officials to adopt legislation that would effectively remove local governments from franchsing processes and in all likelihood, undermine anything like a competitive marketplace. Specifically, BellSouth wants to ensure its ability to offer consumers a “triple play”–television, internet access, and telephone.
An article in the Feb. 21st St. Petersburg times, give a brief glimpse of the time, money and energy the Telecom lobby is throwing at this issue.
Today’s afternoon session ended with a brief discussion of the connection between commercialization, consumerism and environmental degredation.
For a brief overview of this issue, from a trusted source, see this article from 2004 featured in the National Geographic.
Spoof ads from Adbusters…
XM & Sirius radio merger. See the NY Times article here.
“The future of the internet is up for grabs” and a broad coalition of Americans are working to keep the Internet an open platform. See a short news story–one you aren’t likely to see on commercial television…
Hip-hop historian, Davey D. discusses the influence of payola on “Urban Radio.”
Check out the column in ThugLifeArmy here.
Excellent starting point for the use (and abuse) of video news releases (VNRs) by television industry.
Find CMD’s Executive Summary here.