Verizon/Cable Deal

Verizon, T-Mobile Stop Bickering, Enter Spectrum Pact

It was only yesterday that T-Mobile was lobbying hard to halt Verizon's acquisition of the cable operators' unused 4G spectrum. Today it's not opposed to the deal at all. What changed? T-Mobile and Verizon revealed an agreement to swap some of those same 4G airwaves if Verizon's $3.9 billion purchase gets regulatory approval.

Kevin Fitchard, GigaOM

T-Mobile Likely to End Attempt to Block Verizon Spectrum Purchase

When Verizon Wireless struck a deal to buy new spectrum for $3.9 billion, T-Mobile USA was the first to ask the government to block the sale. But this morning, Verizon announced a deal that seems all but certain to end T-Mobile's opposition. The companies will trade spectrum and cash, with the deal being contingent on the approval of Verizon's purchase of licenses from SpectrumCo, Cox and Leap Wireless.

Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

SpectrumCo Critics Weigh In on Verizon-T-Mobile Trade

Reaction from SpectrumCo deal skeptics came thick and fast to Verizon Wireless' announcement Monday that it had struck a new deal to trade spectrum with T-Mobile, subject to FCC approval of both this deal and SpectrumCo, Verizon's proposed purchase of advanced wireless spectrum from cable operators, some of which will be part of the T-Mobile exchange.

John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable

Verizon Deal with T-Mobile Deserves Careful Scrutiny

Verizon and T-Mobile announced a deal to exchange specific AWS licenses in markets across the nation. The evidence presented in Verizon's deal with SpectrumCo definitively proves that Verizon is badly overstating its need for the cable companies' spectrum. Consumers need access to a more competitive wireless market. Spectrum policy should be used to achieve, not thwart that goal.

Free Press

Future of the Internet

Big Cable's Plan to Lock Down Your Future

While the likes of Comcast and Time Warner Cable have every right to profit from their investments and services, they shouldn't abuse their dominant market share to remake our Internet in their image. The rise of online video is causing fits among cable executives. The "data caps" they're using to stifle cord-cutting take away user choice and could dismantling the open and democratic architecture that has been the cornerstone of the Internet's success.

Timothy Karr, Other Words

Does Kansas City Own the Business of Broadband?

Studying the more than 150 successful community broadband networks and listening to mayors of cities that are driving significant innovations with broadband, a serious question comes to mind. Has Kansas City taken full ownership of the business of broadband? Communities nationwide with broadband hopes should ask the same question of their efforts.

Craig Settles, GigaOM

The Short-Sightedness of Wall Street When It Comes to Broadband Infrastructure Investment

Wall Street functions on a quarterly basis mostly -- with an occasional nod to looking out a full year, but rarely anything further than that. This creates stupidly short-sighted incentives that are deathly towards anyone with any long term goals or strategy. It's unfortunate how many companies find themselves slaves to Wall Street analysts views in making their strategic planning efforts. Because that holds them back from actually making the important big strategic investments they often need for the future.

Mike Masnick, Tech Dirt

Why You Will Need a 300 Mbps Broadband Connection

The growing popularity of connected TVs and efforts to build interactive programs will drive the next wave of broadband demand. But are you prepared to shell out more than $200 a month for a 300 Mbps connection?

Stacy Higginbotham, GigaOM

Global Internet Freedom

A New Treaty Could Cost You Skype, Freedom or Both

An international telecommunications treaty is being re-examined. Why should you care? Because it could affect the future of the Internet. The International Telecommunications Union has been around since 1865, establishing rules for countries to follow. The last updates to the rules came in 1988. And now some countries may look to make big changes to those agreements to clamp down on the open nature of the Internet.

John Moe, Marketplace

Informed Societies: Towards a Code of Conduct for Government Leaders

The World Economic Forum has proposed a code of conduct for governments that includes transparency, media literacy and open Internet policies. The draft code was presented by the Global Agenda Council on Informed Societies, a group of journalists, academics and media entrepreneurs. The council will create an "Informed Societies Index" to measure government compliance with the code.

World Economic Forum

Japan Criminalizes Unauthorized Downloads, Making DVD Backups -- And Maybe Watching YouTube

The Japanese government has approved a bill that makes downloading copyrighted material a criminal act. The bill makes it illegal to upload or download the data, even if it's to backup a DVD or watch a YouTube video. Since people will inevitably carry on doing all these things, Japan's legislation will simply crimininalize an entire generation.

Glyn Moody, TechDirt

Journalism and Beyond

Journalism Is Essential

Former Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin recently quoted blogger Matt Drudge, saying "Every citizen can be a reporter, can take on the powers that be." But will citizen reporters rush toward destruction, disaster and genocide to get the stories or pore over budgets and complicated court rulings to help the rest of us understand our cities, nation and the world? No.

Leonard Pitts, Jr., Statesman-Journal

Digital Media Flourishing Despite Global Economic Uncertainty

Media brands around the world may be using a wider range of digital assets and rely on digital sources in their reporting more than ever, but a new report says that journalists will only use social media to research or support their work when they know the source.

The Horn Group, Marketwatch

Shock at the BCC as Reporters Are Told to Start Making Money

There are fears for the future editorial independence of the BBC after news journalists were ordered to come up with money-generating ideas for the corporation, a leaked email reveals. BBC bosses have told reporters to think of money-making schemes and present them to their line managers at forthcoming job appraisals -- raising concerns that the organization's prized editorial standards will be compromised by commercial imperatives.

Ian Burrell, The Independent

Iraq Orders Closure of 44 Media Outlets

An Iraqi regulatory body has ordered the closure of 44 media outlets in the country including the BBC and Voice of America in a dispute over broadcast licenses. Other organizations targeted for shutdown include privately-owned local TV channels Sharqiya and Baghdadia as well as U.S.-financed Radio Sawa.

Reuters

Vatican Hires Fox News Journalist to Help Media Relations

The Vatican, stung by communications blunders and mired in a leaks scandal, has hired an American journalist from Fox News and member of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei to help improve its relations with the media.

Philip Pullella, Reuters