FCC Digest: Chair slams media companies for failing to combat childhood obesity

The US election - unlike here in Canada - hasn't prevented regulators with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from speaking publicly. In a flurry of speeches delivered this month, commissioners spoke about the role of the FCC and industry in combating childhood obesity, the current status on the transition to digital television and challenges in finding additional spectrum.The current federal elections seem to affect regulators differently, depending on which side of the border you're on. Here in Canada, the CRTC and other government officials have been told by the Privy Council Office (who, one would assume, has been instructed by the Conservative government) to avoid public statements and media interviews. Such an election gag order doesn't appear to be in effect in the US, however, where FCC commissioners have been busy this month speaking at conferences, Senate and committees and other public forums. Childhood obesityThe unwillingness of many US media companies to limit junk food advertising targeted at children has prompted FCC chair Kevin Martin to suggest mandatory restrictions may be required. It has also resulted in public health and child advocacy groups asking Congress to pass legislation requiring that at least 50% of all food advertising to children on broadcast and cable television programming be devoted to healthy food products.In an address to the US Senate September 23, Martin praised voluntary measures by The Walt Disney Company, Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network and other companies, while criticizing the majority of companies for "refusing to play a role in protecting children from the advertising of unhealthy food.""While it was - and always is - my hope that we will not have to resort to actual requirements, and I strongly encouraged the media companies to propose some voluntary limitations on advertising targeting our children, in the end no widespread voluntary commitment on behalf of the media industry was forthcoming. On the voluntary side, I am left to conclude that, sadly, no limit was even close to being presented," Martin told a sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.The FCC chair's attack was sparked by the alarming level of childhood obesity in the US, with one-third of American children either obese or at risk for obesity. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association recently identified television watching as a major contributor to childhood obesity.According to Nielsen Media Research (for the 2004-2005 season), an average American household has the television turned on more than 8 hours a day, with children watching between 2 and 4 hours every day.Childhood obesity is a major concern in Canada as well. A major report on children's health released in March by the House of Commons health committee said the CRTC should "examine the option of banning the advertising of junk food on children's programming targeted to children under 12 by 2010."Quebec, Sweden and Norway all ban direct television advertising to children. The UK regulatory body, Ofcom, recently implemented new rules banning advertising of high fat, salt and sugar food and beverages geared to children under 16.Update on the DTV frontIn a separate address that same day to a different Senate committee, Martin provided an update on state of digital television. He said that over 90% of US television stations are either fully digital-ready or are on track to have their full digital service operational by February 17, 2009 - the deadline for ending over-the-air analog television broadcasts in the US. Another 5% have committed to reach at least 85% of their serving area by the deadline.Earlier this month, Wilmington NC became the first US market to switch to all-digital. Martin said the 400,000 television viewers in Wilmington provided "a real-world test that would help ready the broadcasters, viewers and us for the upcoming transition."To ensure a smooth transition, FCC launched an ambitious outreach campaign, attending more than 400 events, distributing more than 85,000 publications and engaging "at risk" groups, including seniors, non-English speakers and low-income consumers.While Martin said the transition was a success, there were some technical problems, mainly with configuring new converter boxes.Lessons learned from the Wilmington rollout will be applied to other communities across the country. The US experience will also prove educational to Canada, which plans a nationwide switch to digital in 2011.Most pressing wireless issuesFCC commission Jonathon Adelstein waded into some of the top wireless issues facing the US in a September 18 speech in Arlington VA. Among them, he said, is to improve spectrum efficiency and identify more public spectrum that can be freed for commercial purposes."As I like to say, ‘God isn't making any more spectrum', so we have to make the best use of the spectrum we have," he told delegates at the Annual Conference on Spectrum Management.Among the options on the table:- Working with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee to identify more public spectrum that can be made available for commercial use. "Charging agencies for use of the spectrum might just get their attention enough to free up some spectrum, and rewarding them with part of the auction proceeds might add some tasty carrot to the stick," he said.- The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology is exploring how cognitive radio, spectrum sensing and geo-location based technology that enable better use of unused television bands ("white spaces").- Allocating spectrum in the Advanced Wireless Services 3 band: A hotly debated issue because of concerns over interference, and the concept of providing a nationwide broadband service that's free from both access fees and pornography. The plan has come under heavy fire from wireless companies and public interest groups, among others, that call it a threat to freedom of speech on the Internet.- Allocating spectrum for a national, interoperable public safety network (700 MHz band D block). A technically complex and costly proposal that remains stalled. "Though I continue to believe that direct federal funding for building a national public safety broadband network is preferable, I am working diligently with my colleagues to consider the draft rules before us."

FCC Digest: Chair slams media companies for failing to combat childhood obesity

News | 09/29/2008 6:18 pm EDT

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