Peter Shields, Wiley, Rein & Fielding, named pres.-elect, Federal Communications Bar Assn… Peter Davidson, ex-Qwest, named gen. counsel, U.S. Trade Representative… Ex-FCC Gen. Counsel Christopher Wright will move to Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis April 2 to head its appellate practice… Andrew Fessel, ex-Jupiter Media Metrix, appointed vp-wireless Internet intelligence, Telephia… Changes at BigBand Networks: James Rodgers, ex- PowerTV, named COO; Ed Thompson, ex-Harmonic, appointed vp- business development for cable networks; Michael Taylor, ex- nCube, named vp-business development for IP networks… James Jochum, Accenture, nominated by President Bush to be Asst. Secy. of Commerce for Export Administration… Promotions WFYI Indianapolis TelePlex: Jeanelle Adamak and Alan Cloe advanced to exec. vps; Steve Jensen promoted to vp-engineering; James Duvall steps up vp-audio services and radio station mgr.; Gail Thomas- Strong moves up to dir.-learning services; Donald Newman promoted to dir.-Ind. Reading & Information Services; Thomas Ewing advanced to dir.-corporate development… Julie Roth, ex-Motorola, appointed vp-mktg., U.S. Wireless… Marianne Goode, ex-Rondor, joins Lifetime TV as vp-music… David Lazzo, ex-KCFX-FM Kansas City, named midwest account executive, Fox Sports Net… Robert Acquaotta, ex-Sesame Workshop, named dir.-online sales, American Baby Group, Primedia Consumer Magazines… Michael Yudin, ex- Telescene Entertainment, named pres., Magnum Productions unit of Magnum Sports & Entertainment.
FCC will consider mandatory detariffing of international telecom services at agenda meeting Fri. This would be companion to agency’s order last year requiring detariffing of domestic long distance services. Domestic detariffing for mass markets has been delayed until July while agency considers possible international action. Industry has told FCC it would be administratively difficult and confusing to customers to have detariffed rates domestically but not internationally. Industry source said carriers want July start date for both, but with 9-month implementation to ease transition for residential services. Also on agenda is start of rulemaking on licensing, technical and service rules for new users of 700-MHz band, which FCC plans to auction after broadcasters move out of spectrum. Spectrum is expected to be used for wireless communications. Commission also will consider revisions in technical rules for broadcast auxiliary, CARS, fixed microwave, other spectrum.
S.C. Dept. of Consumer Affairs urged S.C. PSC to delay action on industry proposals for area code overlays in 803 (Columbia) and 843 (Florence) areas and seek FCC authority to implement 1,000- block number pooling and other code conservation measures. Consumer agency said Thurs. that mandatory 10-digit local dialing required with overlays would cause confusion and inconvenience that could be delayed or avoided if PSC took advantage of code conservation measures. Codes now are projected to run out of numbers in spring 2003. Agency said FCC had granted 30 states expanded number conservation authority.
“No further action is warranted” in case of allegedly subliminal anti-Gore message in Republican National Committee ad last fall, FCC Enforcement Bureau said. Most of stations that aired it weren’t aware word “RATS” appeared in it, according to FCC investigation, and others believed it was acceptable because it included identifiable appearance by candidate.
Former FCC official Janis Obuchowski now is front-runner for one of 2 Republican vacancies on Commission, according to GOP sources. Her appointment would fulfill Administration’s desire to retain woman commissioner after Democratic Comrs. Ness and Tristani leave, we're told. Obuchowski was NTIA dir. in first Bush Administration and now is international consultant.
FCC closed book late Fri. on last spring’s nasty Time Warner- Disney programming fight, approving consent decree with AOL Time Warner that excused MSO from further sanctions for cutting off ABC in 7 markets for 2 days. Under decision by Cable Bureau, AOL Time Warner evaded any fines for its role in retransmission consent dispute but volunteered to make $72,000 contribution to U.S. Treasury. Cable Bureau held that MSO, while at fault for turning off ABC last May, responded to problem quickly by providing prompt subscriber refunds and taking other conciliatory steps. Contribution is based on $750 payment for each of 96 cable systems.
NBC and ABC joined CBS Fri. in denying charges by Network Affiliate Stations Alliance (NASA) in asking FCC to open inquiry into what Alliance claimed were “illegal” network practices (CD March 9 p2), while Fox said it still was “digesting the 42-page” document, plus attachments. “It’s a shame” request was filed, said NBC. “We've made so much progress in terms of our relationship with our affiliates [and] it’s as good as it has been for many years. We're confident the FCC won’t find any merit to their claims.” Said ABC: “The references in the NASA petition regarding ABC are wholly without merit. The public would best be served by deregulating the broadcast industry to reflect today’s highly competitive environment, not the sweeping and unjustifiable governmental intrusions that NASA demands.” After filing petition at FCC Thurs., affiliates took their arguments to Hill where they received “very thoughtful” reaction from telecom leaders in Congress, said NASA Chmn. Alan Frank, pres. of Post-Newsweek Stations. Several in Congress were “surprised that it took us so long” to challenge networks at FCC, Frank said. Asked why NAB wasn’t informed of filing in advance, he said Assn. “has some network members [CBS, ABC] and we didn’t think it was appropriate.”
Sirius Satellite received authority from FCC to modify space station license from 2- to 3-satellite constellation using nongeostationary (NGSO) system instead of geostationary in 2320- 2332.5 MHz band. No objections were filed. Sirius said change would provide system with “enhancements” and better fulfill potential of radio network. Spokeswoman said higher elliptical orbit would allow satellite signals to be receivable at all times. She said “higher angle of elevation will provide better line of sight from satellites to vehicles” and create less chance for interference. Spokeswoman said Sirius engineers decided to make modification shortly after receiving license to construct, launch and operate satellite from FCC. “We spent a lot of resources on technical aspects of the company,” she said: “This 3-satellite configuration enables us to deliver the best service to our customers.” Testing is under way in several cities, including Houston, N.Y., San Francisco. “Our terrestrial transmitters are operating,” spokeswoman said. Sirius is expected to begin service in June.
As expected, Senate Communications Subcommittee Chmn. Burns (R-Mont.) introduced bill that would remove caps and limitations on universal service support by amending Sec. 254 of Communications Act. S-500, which is co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Daschle (D-S.D.)and Democratic Sens. Baucus (Mont.), Dorgan (N.D.) and Lincoln (Ark.) would: (1) Eliminate restrictions on size of high-cost support (2) Lift caps on how much universal funding individual service providers could receive. (3) Prevent FCC from enforcing or reimposing “caps or limitations on support mechanisms for rural telephone companies or exchanges they acquire based on fund size or other considerations unrelated to the sufficiency of support.” Burns said bill “would provide rural telephone companies with the resources they need to provide their customers the same high-speed Internet services that families living in urban areas enjoy.” Staffer said fact that bill had 4 Democratic co-sponsors and no Republicans “should not be read into too deeply” and Burns said expected full bi-partisan support “A lot of folks [from Congress] in rural areas obviously are interested in high-speed broadband deployment,” staffer said. Gary Lytle, USTA interim pres., said bill would enable companies “to make critical network upgrades and provide a platform they can build on” to deliver advanced services. National Telephone Coop Assn. (NTCA) said lifting of caps was “long overdue.” NTCA Pres. Michael Brunner said “small independent telecommunications carriers lost out on $130 million last year in vital support due to these caps.” Bill was referred to Senate Commerce Committee.
In light of Appeals Court ruling on cable ownership limits, FCC ought to suspend deadline for AT&T to divest cable interests until agency decides how to respond to court, FCC Comr. Furchtgott-Roth said Fri. Action by U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., (CD March 5 p1) has left agency without 30% cable ownership cap, making it hard to force AT&T to comply with it, he told reporters at breakfast briefing. “It’s impossible to compel a company to come into compliance with rules the court said are unconstitutional,” he said. Court decision, Furchtgott-Roth said, “places in substantial doubt what happens to the AT&T merger conditions.”