The media bombards us with this gloom and doom talk about how little choice we have in our Internet wireless service selections, software programs, radio stations and music selection to the point of exhaustion. Two of the latest examples are articles written in two of this country's best newspapers - the Washington Post (Marc Fisher) and San Jose Mercury News (Elise Ackerman). They're both very good articles and I don't disagree with either one of them. Fisher discloses that "Mass media and mass audiences are dead, we're told. Never again will there be a Walter Cronkite, a Beatles, a Top 40 radio". He adds that "the Super Bowl is the last vestige of the era of mass, undifferentiated audiences. Now it's all about the niche." Elise Ackerman talks to a wireless company vice chairman and former chairman of the FCC, Reed Hundt who is A) Trying to drum up business and B) criticizing a decision made by the FCC which limited how much spectrum one firm could acquire, thereby setting up a monopoly for AT&T and Verizon...
The problem with B) above is that that FCC decision in 2001 when the only way to connect to the Internet was by dial-up, was made by Reed Hundt, when he was chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. At the time industry folks went to the FCC asking "Can you make sure that we can use the telephone lines for free?" and the FCC replied "Yes, that would be good for America." What that did, in fact, was eliminate the so-called spectrum caps or the rule limiting how much spectrum a single company could buy. Can you hear me now???
Reed is now opposed to that monopoly, calling it a wireless "cartel". The cartel would be comprised of AT&T and Verizon and if you don't have spectrum you must seek their permission to make a handset or sell ring tones, download music or anything else because they are the "gatekeepers"...
As a post-script, it should be noted that at the beginning of 2008 a small swath of the 700 megahertz spectrum will be auctioned off but it's only 22 megahertz in total. This will be the first and only auction of long-wave spectrum, which can travel through walls and other obstacles but may be enough to build a national network. The feeling is that the FCC not including spectrum caps in 2001 probably marked the end of competition. Now what???
I'm not smart enough to know how to fix this problem but there must be someone who is and yes we have niche not mass media and audiences. So what? Fix it if it can be fixed or compete and win within the groundrules. No moaning allowed...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1951] Premiered on this date: "I Love Lucy" starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. This all-time classic will run 10 original seasons and in re-run forever...1959] "The Untouchables" starring Robert Stack (let's not forget the narration by Walter Winchell). The original series only runs for 4 seasons and here's the show open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa5II4OjVY ...1968] Led Zeppelin make their maiden flight in England...1969] MSG-TV carries its 1st NHL game (Rangers vs. North Stars)...1973] "The Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder debuts...
- 1962] Series Saver: Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson grabs Willie McCovey's line drive for the final out as the Bronx Bombers win their 20th World Series over the SF Giants in 7 games...
- 1964] Curtains: Nikita Krushchev is removed as Soviet Premier and replaced by Alexei N. Kosygin. To wish the new premier good luck, Krushchev pounds Kosygin in the head with his shoe...
- 1964] "Happy Trails": Cole Porter dies of kidney failure at 73...
- 1969] Peace, love, man: Peace demonstrators stage activities across the country, including a candlelight march around the White House to protest the Vietnam War...
- 1971] Getting the last laugh: Rick Nelson is booed when he performs new material at an oldies show at Madison Square Garden, then answers his critics by writing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgr_CWCjW5Q ...
- 1976] Veeps get into it: Walter Mondale and Bob Dole face off in the first VP debate...
- 1986] Mets marathon: The Mets beat the Houston Astros 7-6 in 16 innings (the longest postseason game in history at the time) to win the NL Pennant and will win the World (Bill) Series (Buckner) over (Bill) the (Buckner) Boston (Bill) Red Sox (Buckner)...
- 1991] By a hair: The Senate narrowly confirms the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court (52-48)...
- 2003] Ferry disaster: A Staten Island Ferry slams into a maintenance pier, killing 11. Here's some news footage that ran on Channel One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtGTM_194jw ...
Music Memories:
- 1977] Released on this date: "Rumours" LP - Fleetwood Mac...1977] "Slip Slidin' Away" - Paul Simon (with Oak Ridge Boys): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f88rdBAJSVY ...
- 1977] Number One on this date: "You Light Up My Light" - Debby Boone (#1 for 10 consecutive weeks)...
Commentary:
My congratulations to Len Zola and The Media Gang for another great lunch over the weekend in Randolph (MA). We all enjoyed ourselves, having a great time talking radio for hours. Once again WRKO was well represented with the following in attendance: Roger Alan, Paul Power, Gordon Brown, J.J. Jeffrey, Frank Kingston Smith (Bobby Mitchell at WRKO), Donna Halper, Bill Wayland, Arthur Katz, Dave Rodman, Dick Woodies, Jack Casey and Harry Weinstein. It was a mini-40th anniversary celebration of 68/WRKO - "Number One Then (tymp) and Number One Now"...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Eric Benet (37), Emeril Lagasse (48), Sarah Ferguson (48), Richard Carpenter (61), Penny Marshall (65), Linda Lavin (70), Barry McGuire (72) and Lee Iacocca (83)...
Timeline Countdown: 9 days until the World Series opener, 16 nights until Halloween, 20 days until Standard Time and 31 days until Thanksgiving...
