POWELL LAUDS COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY FOR ‘HEROIC EFFORTS’

Many at FCC were mourning death of communications attorney Karen Kincaid (CD Sept 13 p4), who once worked in Private Radio Bureau, Comr. Abernathy said. Kincaid was personal friend of Abernathy’s senior legal adviser Bryan Tramont, was teaching course at Washington’s Catholic U. with Tramont and was “very good attorney,” Abernathy said: “She was a very positive, pleasant person, a kind person and those aren’t the kind of words often used to describe an attorney.” Comr. Copps said Internet proved to be “important new channel” of communications in national tragedies.

Meanwhile, U.S. Chamber of Commerce cautioned against reopening stock exchanges in Wall St. area until rescue efforts had been completed and “telephone and electric system reliability is restored.” Chamber said reports indicated “a significant portion of lower Manhattan’s communications grid remains down” and such systems “are integral parts of the stock exchanges” operation.

Organizations continued to cancel events because of travel difficulties. Latest included: (1) Mon. press breakfast at American Enterprise Institute featuring ex-FCC Comr. Harold Furchtgott-Roth and other AEI scholars. It was rescheduled for 8:30 a.m., Sept. 21, at AEI hq., 1150 17th NW (2) National Exchange Carrier Assn.’s Las Vegas Expo, Sept. 17-20. It was rescheduled for Nov. 6-9.

Communications attorney John Nakahata, had close call in Pentagon attack when wreckage from Pentagon impact hit his car while he was sitting in traffic on nearby highway. Nakahata’s rear window was blown out and metal landed on his back seat. He said he turned around in median strip and headed home, glad his car hadn’t been sitting a few feet farther back, in which case metal could have gone through his windshield.

Powell told reporters after meeting that he expected telecom companies to have capacity for financial markets to operate when they reopen. “I think the companies who are going to have service feel confident they will have the majority of the capacity necessary,” he said. Companies have been working “overnight” to ensure that systems will be in place when stock exchanges and SEC decide to open markets again, he said. Powell said he had been in frequent touch since Tues. with top executives of telecom companies, including Verizon Co-CEO Ivan Seidenberg and AT&T Chmn Michael Armstrong. He said Verizon’s efforts had “been nothing short of outstanding, as have been the disaster relief efforts of AT&T and the countless other communications entities.” He also noted extent to which telecom companies appeared to be sharing each other’s networks. Powell remarked on how “remarkable” it is that wireless networks appear to be working to extent that some phone calls have been made by those trapped under rubble in N.Y. Asked how his father, Secy. of State Colin Powell, was holding up, Powell answered: “He’s tired, he’s weary but he’s engaged. He’s a soldier and this is what he does. He will spend every ounce of himself on it. Both as a son and a citizen, that gives me an enormous amount of comfort.” -- Edie Herman

Terrorist Attack Notebook…

Major TV networks were slow to follow lead of NBC and postpone start of new prime-time season by one week to Sept. 24 because of terrorists’ attacks. NBC had suggested other networks also postpone new fall programming rollout as “the appropriate thing to do” under circumstances. “We have not pushed back the start of our prime-time schedule,” said Fox official, with new programs still scheduled to start on staggered basis over next 2 weeks. ABC said Thurs. no decision had been made on delaying start of prime time and CBS said it planned to make announcement after our deadline Wed. However, CBS is expected to stick with its original plans to start new programming next Mon. It has postponed annual Emmy awards show, which was scheduled for Sun. night. WB said it would go ahead with plans to introduce 4 new situation comedies tonight (Fri.). When new season does start, several series episodes and movies will be pulled from schedule because of their violent themes, some involving terrorists, network officials said. Meanwhile, add Thomas Pecorelli, 31, of L.A., to names of those killed. He was free-lance photographer who had worked for Fox Sports and E! Entertainment and was on plane that crashed into World Trade Center.

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Big 4 TV networks continued their wall-to-wall coverage of events surrounding terrorists’ attacks through Thurs. night and all 4 told us they had made no decision on when they would return to regular programming. With today (Fri.) set as day of mourning, they all are expected to stay with terrorist coverage at least until early Sat. “We're still wall-to-wall news,” said CBS official Thurs. afternoon. “We're taking it a day at a time” on when to return to regular programming. ABC official called it “a minute-by-minute decision.” ----

American Red Cross, in conjunction with NAB, moved very rapidly to produce 4 new TV public service spots to inform Americans how they can help in coping with Tues. terrorists’ attacks. Spots were taped Wed. at Red Cross hq and seek both monetary and blood donations from public. Spots were sent by NAB to its members via satellite at 4:30 p.m. Thurs. and were to be transmitted again Fri. morning (today).