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News of the movement for September 10, 2012 |
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AT&T's FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf
It's disappointing that AT&T is standing in the way of innovation that addresses the needs of its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. Sometimes it takes a while (and some prodding) for technology and technology companies to catch up to and embrace accessibility. In this case the technology is there, but it's AT&T that's throwing up the barrier. In One City, Signing Up for Internet Becomes a Civic Cause
With Google's promise last year to wire homes, schools, libraries and other public institutions in Sansas City with the nation's fastest Internet connection, community leaders on the long forlorn, predominantly black east side were excited, seeing a potentially uplifting force. They anticipated new educational opportunities for their children and an incentive for developers to build in their communities. Google to Blanket Kansas City with Superfast Internet: 180 Neighborhoods Register for Fiber
At least 180 Kansas City neighborhoods on both sides of the Kansas/Missouri state line have pre-registered for Google's superfast fiber optic Internet service since the company's announcement back in July. According to a post on the official Google Fiber blog, the signups account for more than 89 percent of eligible neighborhoods -- referred to by Google as "fiberhoods" -- with the service set to be rolled out on a priority basis in order of registration. Got Broadband? Access Now Extends to 94 Percent of Americans
Every year, Internet access via broadband becomes available to millions more Americans, up from 92 percent last year to 94 percent, a recent report shows. Rural and tribal areas are the outliers.
FCC Backpedals from Internet Tax
The FCC is rapidly backpedalling from a proposal to tax broadband Internet service after a public outcry over the issue. Democrats and Republicans at the agency are now blaming each other for pushing the idea in the first place. FCC Kickstarts Auction Plan, but Airwaves Won't Hit Your Smartphone for Years
The FCC kicked off its much-anticipated plans to auction broadcast television spectrum for mobile wireless networks. But it will be years before your iPhone or Galaxy feels the difference, analysts said. That’s because of the long regulatory process ahead at the FCC to get the auction up and running and then make those airwaves available to winners.
Press Harassment at the Political Conventions
The close of the Democratic National Convention brought to an end two long weeks of political punditry, public protest and an enormous police presence that engulfed Tampa and Charlotte. However, even with a reported 15,000 journalists on hand at both conventions and a huge and complicated security force filling the streets, there were relatively few cases of press suppression. On Campus, an Experiment to Save Local News
From the rattling cicadas at twilight to the willow trees bending in the late summer heat, the lush campus of Mercer University seems like the last place to find one of the nation's boldest journalism experiments. Star Tribune vs. Oregonian: Whose Bet Will Win?
The Oregonian, in Portland, is one of the nation's top regional newspapers. In size, ambition and statewide influence, it very much resembles the Star Tribune. But the resemblance ends with the news and business strategies currently playing out at the two papers. Right now, the Oregonian and the Strib are betting their businesses on decidedly different visions of the future. News Corp. Makes Offer for Consolidated Media
News Corp. bid 1.94 billion Australian dollars for Australia's Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd., as the media company sought to boost its presence in the nation's pay-television market. Five Lessons Learned: Improving Civic Engagement Through a Local News Site
Four years ago, a team of communication scholars, researchers and journalists set out to create a community news website that would increase civic engagement and cross ethnic barriers in a predominantly Asian and Latino immigrant city. Since Alhambra Source launched in 2010, it has grown to more than 60 community contributors who speak 10 languages and range in age from high school students to retirees. Their stories have helped shape local policy and contributed to a more engaged citizenry within a diverse community. Here are five lessons we've learned about creating a community news website that fosters civic engagement. Al-Jazeera News Network Hacked Again, This Time By Syrian Gov't Supporters
News network Al-Jazeera has fallen victim to a cyber attack for the second time in less than a week. Hackers claiming to support the Syrian government have been sending false news updates to subscribers of the Arabic media giant's mobile update service.
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We want your help to plan the next National Conference for Media Reform, which will be held in Denver on April 5–7, 2013. Share your ideas and help us plan the conference. Submit your session, presenter and topic ideas.
Both presidential candidates have indicated support for Internet freedom. That's a good start. Now we need to send a message that this is a nonpartisan issue. Tell the candidates: Sign the Declaration of Internet Freedom.
AT&T has announced it's crippling the FaceTime video calling app on its customers' iPhones unless they subscribe to a more expensive text-and-voice plan. Tell the FCC: Put a stop to AT&T's anti-consumer and anti-Net Neutrality actions.
In Other News..Public Television Requires Strong Foundation of Public Funding Amazon to Allow Kindle Fire Users to Pay to Block Ads Google Struggles to Unseat Amazon as the Web's Most Popular Mall Do Our Gadgets Really Threaten Planes?
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