Measuring cable penetration in the US is critical to a wide range of communications policymaking, from broadband deployment strategies, to  public access TV requirements, to the contentious conversation around ‘a la carte’ cable—the debundling of programming.  In the fall of 2007, it became apparent that the FCC had no good way to measure cable penetration in the United States.  FCC conversations about its regulatory role with respect to cable were blocked for lack of good data. As a result, the FCC placed a new emphasis on gathering accurate data and will seek comment on appropriate methodologies.  How was it possible for the FCC to err so badly?  What standards should the FCC adopt going forward?  The Media Access Project seeks a collaborator who can provide an account of this process and help develop an effective strategy for FCC data collection on cable penetration.

While many high-profile municipal broadband initiatives have faltered in the United States, innovative projects continue to flourish internationally. Sustainable, large-scale networks already blanket major metropolitan areas and entire regions in a growing number of countries. Many of these networks are using innovative business models and open source technologies that have yet to be utilized in the US. The New America Foundation would welcome a report that highlighted success stories and focused on the lessons US wireless implementers can learn from these foreign networks. This proposal contemplates a primary editor and contributions from additional contributors.

HD radio has the potential to reinvigorate radio through the creation of anywhere from three to five times the number of stations than are currently possible in a local market with analog technologies. However, HD radio’s rollout has also raised a number of questions. The FCC has essentially handed over this additional spectrum to incumbent broadcasters without thinking seriously about the long-term implications of this transition, how it related to media ownership in local markets and its bearing on the Commission’s public interest obligations.

FMC proposes a HD radio playlist analysis project during which a researcher would examine HD radio programming, and determine whether programming is increasing diversity, or addressing local issues or community interests. The completed research would be published and submitted to the FCC, along with any appropriate policy recommendations that would be determined based on the results.

In the spring and summer of 2007, the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) pressed the FCC for significant changes to the process auctioning spectrum licenses for the returned analog broadcast spectrum.  The purpose of these reforms was to (a) introduce new entrants into the wireless world -- particularly women and minorities, and (b) prevent incumbents from colluding to distribute licenses at artificially low prices.  Many of the reforms of the public interest groups were adopted.  The desired research would examine (a) whether these reforms achieved their goals; and (b) what further reforms are necessary? 

Regulators have relaxed price regulation or eliminated them entirely on voice and video carrier (i.e., telephone companies, cable companies, wireless providers, etc.) in anticipation of lower prices.  While bundling of service by carriers has resulted in packages with savings for the underlying basic service and other products in the bundle, the price of the components of these bundles has generally risen faster than inflation.  In effect, bundling has created a regressive price increase for customers only able to afford services a la carte, and increased prices paid by all consumers overall.  Question: Given the characteristics of telecommunications networks, is it inevitable that allowing operators to sell bundled services will result in regressive pricing?

The desired study would be a comparative analysis of approaches to bundling and unbundling video products (e.g., traditional TV channels, pay-per-view), in order to evaluate the benefits and costs to consumers of each approach.  This study would be instrumental in advancing a contentious and largely data-free debate about the consequences of debundling programming—a debate that divides not only industry but public-interest advocacy groups

Brazil’s telecommunications sector was privatized in 1998, but changes in the telecommunications market necessitate the transformation of the legal framework. The research team will compare the regulations applicable to different telecommunications services, with an attempt to present a critical view of how consumer’s rights are represented in ANATEL rules. To study whether Brazil’s biggest Internet service providers are treating all users and data equally, Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (IDEC) will conduct a comparative test to verify the quality/speed of Internet access service in regions throughout Brazil.

Media Access Project will collaborate with the New America Foundation on a collective project of spectrum reform policy work.  This project is the outcome of a successful 'Research Bounty' proposal, to which New America responded.

As part of MAP's efforts to prevent holders of scarce or critical resources from becoming "gatekeepers" over speech, it seeks to ensure that sufficient spectrum becomes available for direct public use to minimize the power of licensees.  In the last five years, MAP has sought to address this problem by expanding the availability of unlicensed spectrum or spectrum licensed on a non-exclusive basis.