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ABC Cancels More Adam Lambert Gigs

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Late Night, Music, Talk Shows, ABC, Gossip, News,

Adam Lambert on the American Music Awards

Looks like Adam Lambert will be in ABC’s doghouse a little while longer.

The singer’s controversial number on the American Music Awards has already cost him a performance on GMA, now he’s lost two other gigs on that same network. Lambert’s previously scheduled appearance on the Dec. 17 broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live has just been dropped. A tentative booking on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is off as well.

Click to continue reading ABC Cancels More Adam Lambert Gigs

Verizon Wireless opts to end handset exclusivity agreements (with a catch)

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,

Verizon Wireless announced this morning that their President and CEO, Lowell McAdam, has sent a letter to lawmakers on Capitol Hill announcing that “Effective immediately for small wireless carriers…any new exclusivity arrangement we enter with handset makers will last no longer than six months - for all manufacturers and all devices.” At first glance, that’s kind of a big deal. After all, handset exclusivity is something that can be very financially beneficial to a carrier (see AT&T and iPhone as one such example.) So here’s the thing, when you re-read that statement, you discover that this exclusivity thing will still be in effect as it pertains to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. It’s only the small wireless carriers, those with 500,000 customers or less, that will be able to pick up handsets that are exclusive to Verizon Wireless after a six-month period. Still, it’s better than nothing, but the cast majority of non-Verizon Wireless mobile customers won’t benefit from this news.

In other words, this is a blatant attempt by Verizon Wireless to look like the nice guy while the FCC and congressional inquiries into exclusive handset deals proceed. This isn’t much progress at all. It’s just a political play that we can guarantee wouldn’t have happened if lawmakers weren’t taking a peek behind the curtain. What’s more, Verizon is hoping that other carriers will follow their lead with this move, specifically AT&T with the iPhone.

You can see the entire letter after the break.

Click to continue reading Verizon Wireless opts to end handset exclusivity agreements (with a catch)

Digital Transition This Friday

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Misc. Tech,

DTV logo You know this is your final week before your TV turns into snow, right? If not, it is time to stop procrastinating with the excuse, “The dog ate my coupons.” DTV.gov says that about 42% of stations have already made the digital transition and that means that as of Friday, 58% of the channels you take for granted on your old analog set will cease to exist. Check out their site if you need physical or emotional support.

More TV Stations to Crossover to Digital Before June

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories:

Digital Crossover art The FCC has announced that 158 more stations will switch from analog to digital before the June 12 deadline, with about a third of them being PBS affiliates. This leaves 927 stations, 51.6%, to make the change later. One of our local stations that made the early transition almost harasses you if you tune them in without a converter. Twenty four hours a day of telling us to get a box is not exactly friendly PR. You can check the list of those that are crossing over early on an FCC PDF.

TV Stations To Crossover To Digital Early

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV,

TV With Snow Now that the crossover to digital TV has been postponed, don’t think that you still have 4 months to buy a new TV or converter box. Some of the 1,796 full-power stations will still go with the option of dropping analog transmission this month. The FCC has asked those stations to notify them today and can prohibit the change if they feel that it is not in the public’s interest. So if you still aren’t ready and you live in an urban area, you might see that snow after all February 17.

FCC Authorizes Free Wireless Internet Band

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Internet, Wireless / WiFi,

FCC logo The FCC has released a report that says that utilizing a new U.S. radio band for free wireless service will not overly interfere with cell phone use that has a nearby band. The agency is thinking of auctioning off frequencies in the AWS-3 (Advanced Wireless Services 3) band that is between 2155 and 2175 MHz if operators offer free service. The auction’s earliest date is set in June or July 2009 and once decided, the FCC would have to set rules for usage of the band.

National Emergency Alert for Cell Phones Planned

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones,

Osama on Nokia The Federal regulatory powers that be have approved of creating an emergency alert system with texting delivered to cellies. There will be three types of messages. One is a national presidential alert in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. A second would be an “imminent threat, ” such as a tornado or university sniper, and the last would be used for Amber Alerts. Each would have an audio sound associated with it. The FCC free service will be voluntary and is expected to be up and running by 2010.

FCC Reduces Fine Against FOX Over 2003 Reality Show

Posted by Jacci Lewis Categories: Prime Time, Reality, ABC, FOX, Cable/Satellite, News,

FOX fine slashed Score one for

FOX reality TV, sort of. The Federal Communications Commission slashed nearly all of a proposed $1.2 million indecency fine against several FOX stations yesterday, according to the Washington Post.

The FCC instead decided stations can only be fined for airing the offensive TV show in question if viewers actually complained about it. There was not a change in the FCC’s determination that the show in question was, in fact, indecent.

In this case, 13 of the 169 FOX stations that aired the April 7, 2003 episode of the short-lived Married By America will actually be required to pay indecency fines. The total amount of fines will be somewhere near $91,000.

The episode that lead to the original fine showed digitally-obscured nudity and strippers covered in whipped cream. FOX argued that the worst parts were obscured, keeping the scene from being indecent under FCC rules which prohibit conventional radio and television stations from broadcasting what’s called “patently offensive” material of a sexual or excretory nature between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (Times when children are most likely to be watching.) Obviously FCC indecency statutes do not cover cable or satellite TV (e.g. Paradise Hotel 2).

The Post says FOX, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., hasn’t decided whether to appeal the FCC ruling in federal court.

Click to continue reading FCC Reduces Fine Against FOX Over 2003 Reality Show

Retailers to Feature ATCS Tuners

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Misc. Tech,

FCC logo There are now only 433 days to go until analog TV is no more. Eight retailers will begin to sell ATCS tuners to convert analog TVs to digital beginning in February. You can find them at Circuit City, Target, Sears, Kmart, RadioShack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Sam’s Club. To facilitate that purchase, don’t forget to contact our helpful FCC who will be issuing two coupons worth $40.00 apiece. We suggest you not procrastinate, for although the program will dispense with over 33 million coupons, we suspect there are still at least that many analog TVs kicking around by 2009 that dont have satellite or cable.You can apply for your coupon after January 1 by contacting the FCC’s official site or calling 1-888-DTV-2009.

FCC Frets Over Analog Cable Dilemma

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment, Movies,

FCC logo We have more news on the death of analog TV in 2009. As we mentioned previously, cable companies will either have to convert their digital signal for analog receiving customers or provide them with a “down converter.” The FCC has approved rules to ensure that everyone is taken care of after the transition. The National Cable and Telecommunications Association say that they can have already pledged to do so voluntarily. Spokesperson Brian Dietz claims they will do this without charging extra or forcing subscribers to up to a pricier digital service. We would just as soon stay out of the fracas as long as we can still get our MTV.

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