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The US Supreme Court’s Decision Upholding The FCC’s Fining Broadcasters When The Wrong ‘F’ and ‘S’ Words Get Uttered Simply Treats Adults As Children --- Philip M. Stone April 29, 2009
What a difference in culture the Atlantic Ocean can make. In Switzerland, where ftm is produced, the public broadcaster has shown such US cable TV shows as the Sopranos and Deadwood with dual soundtrack – the viewer could choose the original English or the national language – and there was no national furor over how every other word seemed to be the “F” word.

Sorting the vast, unruly Web space for children --- Michael Hedges February 16, 2009
The Web gives and it demands. Its very lack of discipline is its greatest attraction. Making the Web safer for children is a worthy undertaking. Borrowing language from age-old criticism of television’s affect on children, making the Web a healthy place means forging into the convergence of privacy, social networks and curiosity.

Guidelines for reporters covering China and the Beijing Olympics --- Michael Hedges August 5, 2008
The Olympic Games in Beijing opens in less than 100 hours. The foreign media contingent is estimated at more than 20,000, roughly double the number of competing athletes. To be sure, not all the reporters and news crews are focused on sports.

Hurrah!! Some Sanity Returns To TV Thanks To A US Federal Appeals Court Ruling That 90 Million Americans Seeing 9/16ths Of A Second Of Janet Jackson’s Right Breast Did Not Merit $550,000 In Fines --- Philip M. Stone July 22, 2008
Hard to believe the furor was more than four years ago when Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show bared her right nipple on global television for all of 9/16ths of a second. The Federal Communications Commission mightily beat its chest, told CBS it couldn’t show such things and stuck it with a $550,000 fine.

Satellite Radio – Running Out of Cash and Time --- Michael Hedges July 16, 2008
Everybody in the satellite radio business is an innovator. Investors will endure innovators and their endless requests for cash only so long. Consumers like innovators until the next innovator comes along.

Even In The US Where It’s Difficult To Gain Unanimity On Just About Anything, TV Product Placement May Have Just Earned That Distinction On Things Having Gotten Out Of Hand --- Philip M. Stone June 27, 2008
It’s the old story of killing the golden goose. Once the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advised back in 2005 that TV product placement was perfectly ok without having to tell viewers that a product was being “placed” as an advertisement, then the networks and Hollywood just plain went to town on a new way to print money. There are shows today where it’s not uncommon to find from 3 - 5 product placements per minute.

WRC07 Revises Band Allocations --- Michael Hedges March 1, 2008
The month long diplomatic conference on world-wide telecommunications gave broadcasters a respite in the war with mobile telephone operators over scarce and valuable spectrum. The World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC07) was held in Geneva, Switzerland under the auspices of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Nearly 3000 delegates from 160 countries debated proposals on virtually every spot on the spectrum.

Global study questions press freedom --- Michael Hedges December 10, 2007
Press freedom is a fundamental human right, so the Convention says. Ask people, though, and that Western view of a free press is sometimes muted. A global poll commissioned by the BBC World Service points to the striking relationship between the exercise of free press and its popular support.

Ice cream and the small(est) screen --- Michael Hedges December 3, 2007
Bandwidth secured, standards endorsed, investors salivating mobile TV is certain to be the next small thing. But small things can prove effective change agents. It may not be exactly what television needs, but it’s close.

'If We Don’t Act To Improve The Health Of The Newspaper Industry, We Will See Newspapers Wither And Die'—Kevin J. Martin, US Federal Communications Commission Chairman --- Philip M. Stone November 15, 2007
The message we continually get from newspaper trade organizations is that newspapers are in fine shape, sure they need different business models to counter losing advertising to the Internet, but margins are still very healthy even if employment numbers are savaged. But now a leading member of the Bush Administration says, “In many towns and cities, the newspaper is an endangered species.”

The biggest problem for television is its viewers --- Michael Hedges October 8, 2007
Those who toil in television broadcasting, the producers, actors, technicians, do a magnificent job. We can tell because people watch, still watch, after being told over and over that television is rubbish. Television isn’t more or less terrible than it’s been since the blue glow invaded the worlds’ living rooms. Television is just – always – there.

Tribune Shareholders Vote Yes On The Zell Deal But The Stock Price Indicates The Smart Money Is Not So Sure The Deal Will Go Through On Current Terms --- Philip Stone August 23, 2007
Some 97% of Tribune shareholders approved the Sam Zell takeover which puts the company into junk debt to the tune of some $13 billion, but with the share price around $6 less than the agreed purchase price there still seems a fair amount of doubt that Tribune is doing well enough financially these days to support the repayment schedule.

The New Business Model For News and Information: It’s The Content That’s All Important, Not The Platform --- Philip Stone August 17, 2007
Some 70 of the more powerful names in media, information and politics gathered in Aspen, Colorado this week to discuss how old and new media can improve our lives, and the main point of agreement seemed to be that platform-centric is out and new business models must adapt to new technologies in providing news and information as quickly as possible on all platforms.

Can Tribune Financially Survive Privatization? --- Philip Stone July 26, 2007
It’s all well and good for Tribune to say it has all the financing in place for the Sam Zell privatization, but with the company’s dismal results thus far this year the main question is whether the group will be able to earn enough money to pay off the debt, and there is a growing feeling among the money people that right now it’s about 50-50.

Kellogg Will Advertise Only Nutritional Food To The Under 12s Globally In A Major Victory In The War Against Childhood Obesity --- Philip M. Stone - June 15, 2007
Make no mistake, television food advertising aimed at kids is a huge grown-ups business worth some $3 billion in the US alone last year. A recent US government study said that half the junk food, sugary cereals, and soft drinks ads are on TV programs aimed at the under 12s. Nutritionists and government officials around the world are convinced such ads are a leading cause of the large increase in childhood obesity. But an admonished Tony the Tiger says he’ll do better from now on.

US Television Has Always Been Blamed For Excessive Violence That It Perpetuates Around the World, But Now The Feds Are In With Proposals To Regulate What The Industry Has Failed To Do --- Philip M. Stone - April 27, 2007
Moral revulsion has never been enough legally to regulate American TV violence, but the Federal Communications Commission is giving another go at preventing children from seeing what most medical and psychological groups say kids really should not be watching.

NAB2007 Happened in Vegas --- Michael Hedges April 23, 2007
ftm has prepared a special summary of the NAB Las Vegas Convention and Expo to assist those who attended and, sometime soon, must explain what happened, those who didn’t but want to make a case for attending next year and the rest of the universe who understand why “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

China’s Media Revenue In All Sectors Grows By Leaps And Bounds, But The Story The Government Has The Most Trouble Handling Is Press Freedom --- Philip Stone February 27, 2007
There are two “leads” to the China media story. On the commercial side advertising revenue jumped 18 - 22% last year depending on the source, and huge investments are planned for a new 3G mobile network. But when it comes to press freedom, while authorities have made it easy now, because of next year’s Olympic Games, for foreign correspondents to move around China, they seem to be clamping down ever harder on their domestic journalists.

The Boom Times Are Just Beginning For India’s Media But For Those Thinking Of Outsourcing, Beware – Salaries Are Skyrocketing And Inflation Is Soaring --- Philip Stone February 26, 2007
The reaction by Hutchison Telecom shareholders to the company’s sale of Hutchison Essar, its mobile business in India, for a $9.6 billion profit tells the story of India’s media today. Most analysts agree Hutchison received a premium price yet its shares fell 15% on the Hong Kong market on news it was out of India.

Media Executives Beware: Dumb Stunts Cost Jobs - Sometimes --- Michael Hedges February 15, 2007
Turner Entertainment Group President Mark Lazarus graciously accepted the resignation of Cartoon Network General Manager Jim Samples shortly after the company announced it would pay the city of Boston, Massachusetts $2 million for the effects of a promotional stunt aimed at ramping up interest in Aqua Teen Hunger Force, cartoon characters featured in Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim channel.

At Least One Thing Seems To Unite European And American Lawmakers When It Comes To Television –Those Unhealthy Food Ads Targeted At Kids Need Restrictions, But Voluntary or Legislation? --- Philip Stone - February 12, 2007
On both sides of the Atlantic the campaign is gaining steam – obesity is a major problem, it’s continually getting worse in children at ever younger ages and one big villain is television. And although some food producers have voluntarily cut back targeting ads at the under 12s, and some government agencies have proposed what they see as tough advertising restrictions, the verbiage from some lawmakers and lobby groups is that it’s not enough.

No US Radio Person of the Year --- Michael Hedges January 16, 2007
Brought to our attention, quite late it seems, was that the turn of the new year did not produce an American radio person of the year. At least this was the judgment of a tip sheet for US radio broadcasters.

Political Shift to Impact American Broadcasting --- Michael Hedges - November 13, 2006
As the political wind changes in Washington DC so might the domestic “industry” and US government international broadcasting. Further de-regulation, in particular cross-media ownership, will grind to a halt. US media analysts, largely of the Wall Street variety, see an ominous shift away from the staunchly partisan, pro-big business US Congress.

The real “F” Words in US Television Programming Today Are Fear And FCC --- Philip M. Stone - September 13, 2006
It all seems too silly to be true – that in the land of free speech, television stations quiver in case a curse word or two uttered on air during a news documentary covering the 9/11 tragedy will cost those network affiliates hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Why Is It So Difficult For The Media Just To Say “Sorry”? --- Philip Stone February 13, 2006
A Danish reader took FTM to task this past week for saying that Jyllands-Posten had apologized for printing the 12 cartoons that caused riots throughout the world by protesting Muslims. There was no apology for printing the cartoons, we were told, but rather the apology was if the cartoons caused any offense.

Is There A Difference If Newspapers Did Not Print Those Danish Cartoons But Did Publish Them On Their Web Sites Or Provided Links Outside Their Country To Where They Could Be Viewed? --- Philip Stone February 9, 2006
US media, with just a few exceptions, did not show the Danish cartoons exercising their freedom of the press responsibility, but a Google image search found the most offensive of those cartoons on the San Francisco Chronicle web site, but not in the newspaper. In the UK not one newspaper printed the cartoons but that didn’t stop some national newspapers from offering direct links to sites outside the country where the cartoons could be viewed.

With Danish Embassies Burning, Danish Goods Taken Off Store Shelves – Some European-Owned -- Were European Newspaper’s Acting Responsibly In Reprinting Those Jyllands-Posten Cartoons? Or Are Those Fires and Boycotts The Price Democracy Pays For Freedom of the Press? --- Philip Stone February 6, 2006
When European newspapers reprinted those 12 Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad there is no question they had the freedom of the press to do so, but was it responsible journalism to offend Muslims in such a way? And in making that decision does one take into account the rioting, the burnings, the boycotts the world over? In other words should “fear” of what might happen preclude publication?

A New Trend in US Newspapers – Let the Readers Choose the Stories They Want to Read. Whoa! (And To Get The True Meaning Of that Word Read Further About A Guy In Seattle And A Horse…) --- Philip M. Stone January 25, 2006
Newspapers are trying everything they can think of to reinvent themselves, to use the Internet to their best advantage – anything to get readers back to print. So a Wisconsin State Journal editor’s note telling readers that from now on from 1100 – 1600 daily they can choose from among five stories listed on the web which one should be printed on the next day’s front page, it is yet another example of getting readers involved.

With Obesity on the Increase, European Countries Target Food Advertising, Especially That Aimed at Kids, While Food Manufacturers Greatly Increase Their Spend to Promote Healthy Food --- Philip M. Stone - November 10, 2005
Food advertising in France next year must contain a health warning against high fat or sugar content or the manufacturer could face a 1.5% tax on its advertising spend.

Can Anyone Explain the Difference Between Payola and Product Placement? --- Philip Stone July 28, 2005

Delivery of Video Via Broadband Is A Powerful Reason to Visit Internet News Sites --- Philip Stone July 13, 2005

Mobile Phone Penetration is Approaching Saturation --- Philip Stone July 13, 2005
The really good news is that mobile phones usage in Europe Is around 80% with the UK and Italy at saturation point. The bad news for media vendors and phone operators is that customers don’t seem very interested in the premium services on offer. What they really want their phones for are to, well, talk and communicate with one another.

Media Consolidation is Just a Phase June 30, 2005 --- Michael Hedges June 20, 2005

Procter & Gamble And Product Placement --- Philip Stone June 15, 2005

Gruner + Jahr Get Out of Dodge City --- Philip Stone May 26, 2005

Sex and Nudity Are OK Within Limits, But Better Not Mess With Religion --- Philip Stone May 10, 2005

It’s All Too Much for US Public Broadcasting --- Philip Stone February 21, 2005

The European Christian Lobby Against TV Indecency Learns From Its US Cousins the Organized Way to Fight Alleged Blasphemy and Obscenity --- Philip Stone January 16, 2005

Some Good Has Finally Come From Seeing Janet Jackson’s Nipple: We Don’t Get to See Mickey Rooney’s Posterior --- Philip Stone January 16, 2005
The idea was that Airborne, a cold remedy, would spend $1.15 million on a 15-second ad during the 2005 Super Bowl in which old-time Hollywood star Mickey Rooney sits in a sauna, he hears a cough, and as he rushes out he drops his towel and we see…. well, we see what we really don’t want to see of a 84-year-old man.

Private Ryan Is Saved, But Now the FCC Investigates the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony --- Philip Stone December 15, 2004

Is Saving Private Ryan a Bridge Too Far? --- Philip M. Stone November 15, 2004
We had warned that the US FCC crackdown on indecency after the Janet Jackson “nipplegate” incident would have effects far beyond US borders, and first indications regretfully prove we are right. On Veterans Day the ABC network screened Saving Private Ryan – recognized as a Steven Spielberg masterpiece dramatically portraying the Normandy landings and beyond -- and 30% of the network’s stations declined to show the film, fearing FCC fines for excessive violence and bad language.

Junk Food Joins Alcohol and Tobacco --- Philip Stone November 15, 2004
he reason we and our kids are fat is because we succumb to all that junk food advertising on television instead of eating healthy nutritional salads, vegetables and the like. Actually, it’s not our fault as parents; it’s the kids fault since they are the ones who after watching all those television ads directed at them are dragging us to those fast-food outlets.

FCC --- Philip M. Stone October 13, 2004

Howard Stern --- Michael Hedges October 10, 2004
In a move that rattled American broadcasters but startled few financial analysts, notorious shock-jock Howard Stern will leave Infinity Radio for Sirius Satellite Radio.

Concentration and Diversity --- Michael Hedges July 30, 2004

From Alternative To Icon And Back --- Michael Hedges March 12, 2012 Follow on Twitter
The fearful truth about the digital age is that advantage goes to those willing and able to exploit a hot spot. While some in digital media see every breath taking moment as new and brilliant, the longer view shows a more consistent and real world. The spirit of the times needs lots of spirit while times change slowly.

Always Another Game To Play --- Michael Hedges May 3, 2015 Follow on Twitter
Reordering the media world is taking a pace, if not dimension, only a few saw coming. Opportunity is created in all this disruption, certainly for the few most nimble or most lucky. Unease is palpable among those trying to make ends meet or trying to meet the end. The spotlight follows the most important actors, at least until the curtain falls.

Synergies Apply To The Known --- Michael Hedges December 14, 2016 Follow on Twitter
The digital age has made one factor more important than all others: scale. To thrive, if not only survive, media operators view consolidation as primary business strategy. Shareholders and stock traders agree; other insecurities pale. Above all, what is familiar is favored.

Ok, So Now That It’s Agreed That Newspapers Need To Charge For Online Content How To Go About Doing It? Obvious Answer: Hold A Meeting --- Philip M. Stone June 4, 2009 Follow on Twitter
For an industry that prides itself on breaking the secrecy of government, newspapers don’t seem very good at keeping secrets of their own, so it quickly became common knowledge when publishers held a “secret” meeting in a Chicago suburb last week to discuss the “hows” of charging for their digital content.

Online Media Breathes A Collective Sigh Of Relief, Some At Least --- Michael Hedges January 11, 2021 - Follow on Twitter
Organisms seek to survive and sustain themselves. Science has studied self-preservation behavior from the cellular level to social groups. It is, as they say, inherent. Art and literature has often illuminated this metaphorical journey. Who can forget the HAL 9000 singing "Daisy, Daisy" in Arthur C. Clark's 2001: A Space Odyssey?

Extending Broadband Access The Priority On Both Sides Of The Atlantic --- Philip M. Stone June 18, 2009 Follow on Twitter
The buzzword on both sides of the Atlantic this week is “broadband” – the UK released its long awaited digital report that pledged universal UK access to broadband services by 2012, while in the US FCC chairman nominee Julius Genachowski told a Congressional hearing he wants to use $7.2 billion of stimulus money to expand US broadband delivery.

Competing Ideas Challenge The Media Sector --- Michael Hedges November 13, 2017 - Follow on Twitter
Advocates of democratic values view as essential a free flow of information. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the press are often enshrined in constitutions and similar documents presented and accepted by citizens. Media providers in democracies are, then, tasked with keeping people informed, typically through privately-owned and publicly-supported publishers and broadcasters, all legally established. Ideas are allowed to compete, officially. It was always a good plan. Too bad it is falling apart. The simultaneous rise of illiberal authoritarians, freely accessible digital platforms and acrimonious entitlement has turned the sound of democracy into painful noise.

Audience: Gross and Net --- Michael Hedges June 22, 2009 Follow on Twitter
With the great 21st century platform shift there’s more audience out there broadcasters have discovered. Tracking them down is something of a challenge. It may take non-linear thinking.

Remain Calm And Support Flows In --- Michael Hedges February 3, 2020 Follow on Twitter
Public radio broadcasting, conceptually, is on a different wave-length. This has made it lauded by fans, listeners and supporters. At a time when commercial radio, talk stations in particular, are filled with ranting, raving and screaming public stations are unique. Public radio does the job and remains calm.

Live Events Drive Sports TV, Streaming Makes It Pay --- Michael Hedges June 4, 2019 Follow on Twitter
As the merry seasons change so, too, sports. Every season has its preferred sports; indoor moves outdoor and vice versa. Every season, though, is fit for TV sports. But for sports fans there is always the next game, match, bout or race - all on TV.

Sports Are Meant To Showcase The Best, Not The Worst --- Michael Hedges December 1, 2021 Follow on Twitter
An enduring pleasure in the lives of many is being a sports fan. This manifests itself in many ways, largely positive. Individual athletes become role models. Teams are sources of pride. Within the daily grind of many light distractions are welcome. The media world has contributed greatly to this and been duly compensated.

Memory Hole For Foreign News Bureaus --- Michael Hedges May 10, 2012 Follow on Twitter
After years of shrinking foreign bureaus to save money, news organizations are finding more and more interest in their work. Maybe dismal economics hasn’t put globalization in reverse. Or maybe there are some trends you just can’t buck.

Big Global News Media Faces Down Dictators --- Michael Hedges August 13, 2020 - Follow on Twitter
News media is truly globalized. A hundred years ago this was barely the case. Sure, bigger newspapers hired foreign correspondents, readers enjoyed the occasional report from faraway places even when the copy was slowly carried across the seas by boat. Then radio carried news across wide spaces and international broadcasting was off and running. Satellites were launched to enable television channels almost everywhere. Now, it is the internet, occasionally spiced up with the odd bot.

No Reason To Look Forward, Yesterday Was Perfect --- Michael Hedges May 9, 2022 - Follow on Twitter
Authoritarian regimes are not very creative. All situations are viewed exactly the same. Brute force is the solution to every problem. Criticism is annoying and unwanted. And, yes, 1235 is the role model year.

Broadcasters Warned On "Shock Value" News --- Michael Hedges July 12, 2012 - Follow on Twitter
Recordings of communication between police and a murder suspect that found their way to a television news program raised questions about news value and ethics. Authorities want to know how the recordings, graphically revealing police negotiations with a deranged killer, left their control. Mirroring the outrage of victim’s families, the media regulator asked if rules were broken.