At 07:43 AM 7/16/99 , [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Jay Fenello wrote:
>
>> More biased coverage from News.com:
>>
>What exactly do you reproach to the coverage?
>
>If it is the part where he pretends that the NSI critics and the Registrars
>have not been invited to testify, do you have different information? It will
>be good for everybody if you could rectify wrong data in the report, instead
>as plainly dismiss it as "biased".
>
>Thank you for the information, anyway.
Hi Roberto,
Thank you for asking.
Media bias is not something that is inherent in
any one article, any more than the effectiveness
of an advertising campaign is inherent in any
single advertisement. And even if a news source
covers all sides of an issue, that does not mean
that it is not biased.
Media bias comes into play when one particular
point of view is presented repeatedly, with a
larger distribution, and broader coverage, than
another.
To see the bias below, please read the article
that News.com wrote the day before:
http://news.com/News/Item/0,4,39113,00.html
To make our comparison easier, lets call this
Article 1, and the story below Article 2.
Article 1 has 21 paragraphs of coverage.
Article 2 has only 7! Of those seven, one
whole paragraph is dedicated to reinforcing
the prior article, and it even links the
reader directly to it.
Given the *much* broader coverage it was afforded,
and given the fact that it was referenced twice in
two days, News.com treats Article 1 as if it were
a much more important news story!
But is that the case?
Article 1 is about several private businesses
that are unhappy about a business relationship
related to the devolution of the NSI monopoly.
On the face of it, it is a dispute between less
than 30 companies. At *most*, it may interest
75% of current domain name holders, and impact
less than 2% of the TLDs in the legacy root.
Article 2, on the other hand, is about a hearing
being held by the House Subcommittee on Oversight
and Investigations titled "Domain Name System
Privatization: Is ICANN Out of Control?" This
committee is obviously going to investigate the many
complaints over the gaming and capture of ICANN, and
the lack of oversight provided by the Commerce
Department.
On the face of it, this is about the privatization
of the *entire* domain name system, affecting 100% of
all domain name holders, and 100% of all TLDs in the
legacy root. At most, it is about the establishment
of Internet Governance over *all* of the coordinate
assets of the Internet, including IP addresses and
Protocol numbers assignments. It has the potential
to impact every Netizen on the planet, with issues
as diverse as access, privacy, freedom of speech,
taxation without representation, etc.
So, while the first article may be important, it
pales in comparison to the importance of the second,
especially given the number of people who may be
adversely impacted by ICANN today and in the future.
So why is News.com downplaying these hearings?
I don't know, but it certainly is media bias in my
book. And it is just one example of the bias that
I've detected in media coverage over my two and a
half years of involvement in these debates.
There are many other tricks of the trade that
are being employed by News.com and others. Over
the next couple of days, I'll have more to say
about this topic.
Respectfully,
Jay Fenello
President, Iperdome, Inc. 404-943-0524
-----------------------------------------------
What's your .per(sm)? http://www.iperdome.com
>> House to address domain system's future
>> By Dan Goodin
>> Staff Writer, CNET News.com
>> July 14, 1999, 5:15 p.m. PT
>>
>> Details are beginning to emerge about an upcoming House subcommittee
>> hearing that could have strong consequences for the future registration of
>> domain names.
>>
>> The hearing, to be held July 22 before the House Subcommittee on Oversight
>> and Investigations, is tentatively titled "The domain name system: Is
>> ICANN
>> out of control?" ICANN refers to the Internet Corporation for Assigned
>> Names and Numbers, which the Clinton administration appointed last year to
>> take over administration of the Net and end Network Solutions' (NSI)
>> monopoly on the registration of domain names ending in ".com," ".net," and
>> ".org."
>>
>> ICANN's critics complain that the organization has overstepped its mandate
>> and holds secret meetings. In addition to NSI, Rep. Thomas Bliley
>> (R-Virginia) also has taken on non-profit, criticizing it for charging $1
>> for every domain name registered. Bliley, who chairs the House Commerce
>> Committee, is spearheading the upcoming hearing.
>>
>> Tentatively, two panels will address the committee, according to sources.
>> The first will be made up of representatives from NSI, ICANN, and the
>> Commerce Department, which ultimately is responsible for administration of
>> the Internet so far as the United States is concerned. A second panel will
>> include ICANN critics. To date, NSI critics and registrars appointed to
>> compete against NSI are not scheduled to be called as witnesses, the
>> sources said.
>>
>> Representatives from the subcommittee were not immediately available for
>> comment.
>>
>> The omission may come as a disappointment to a band of about 20 smaller
>> registrars recently named by ICANN to participate in a shared registration
>> system. As reported yesterday, the group has formed a group to lobby
>> Congress on their complaints about NSI.
>>
>> NSI and ICANN have been at loggerheads over the past few months as to
>> whether the Herndon, Virginia, registrar must submit to the nonprofit's
>> control of Internet governance issues. A weakening of ICANN would be a
>> boost for NSI and the requirements it imposes on new competitors.
>>
>>
>> Related news stories
>> * Domain registrar cleans up names July 14, 1999
>> * NSI rivals open Washington lobbying effort July 13, 1999
>> * ICANN defensive in letter to Commerce July 9, 1999
>> * ICANN running out of money July 7, 1999
>> * ICANN to control domain name server June 30, 1999
>> * EU probes NSI for antitrust violations June 29, 1999
>> * NSI won't sign on with ICANN June 25, 1999
>> * House committee blasts ICANN's moves June 22, 1999
>>
>>
>>
>> Respectfully,
>>
>> Jay Fenello
>> President, Iperdome, Inc. 404-943-0524
>> -----------------------------------------------
>> What's your .per(sm)? http://www.iperdome.com
>>
>
