Traces the development of American policy on broadcast satellites from the early 1960s to the present. The American position is that regulation of direct broadcasting satellites is premature at this stage of technological development and would undermine the concept of free flow of information. (JMF)

Discusses plans for development of direct broadcasting satellite systems in several European countries. Presents economic advantages of satellite broadcasting over terrestrial television systems for advertisers as well as equipment producers. Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the spillover effect. (JMF)

A survey of employers in the nonbroadcast telecommunications areas indicates that job opportunities exist in these areas for graduates of radio-television-film departments. Employers are looking for generalists with writing and oral communication skills. (JMF)

Summarizes conclusions of a report to determine whether computer conferencing improves productivity of geographically separated researchers. Examines how computer conferencing affected how, when, where, and with whom people work. (PD)

Presents the Third World approach and calls for self-reliance and sovereign control in the informatics field. (PD)

The project demonstrated that a minicomputer control system could serve a large number of families simultaneously. Reliable telephonic data transmission between computer and home-based teaching machines was achieved, families accepted the placement of equipment in their homes, and children interacted with automated devices on a daily basis.…

Examines the reactions of various New Yorkers to a twenty-three day phone service blackout in that state. Results indicate that the blackout affected their feelings of connectedness with and control over their environment. (MH)

Describes how one school district was able to efficiently install fragile telecommunication cabling throughout its high school and save thousands of dollars. Discusses solutions to some common cable-management problems. (GR)

Because the Supreme Court has put severe limits on the use of the concepts of national security and protection of women to justify censorship, the predominant strategy has become censorship to protect minors. This article examines the legal concepts of obscenity and material harmful to minors, restrictions on broadcasting, and challenges raised by…

Discusses the availability of radio "cybercasts" on the Internet, either in real time or on demand. Topics include problems and opportunities, copyright issues, equipment and software needed for listening, and searchability of sites. Provides an annotated list of radio-related Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), including music, news,…

Discusses advances in telecommunications and telemedicine in developing countries and describes a partnership between the Emergency Scientific Medical Center in Armenia, Boston University School of Medicine, and the University of Massachusetts to exchange personnel for educational and technical assistance and to provide better services and…

With the rise of the Internet and the debate over the National Information Infrastructure, Congress had an opportunity with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to reassess communication policy in light of the information age. Instead, Congress passed a product of political compromise rather than political vision; it calls for deregulation without…

As a result of litigation, a number of companies have written policies declaring the right to monitor employee electronic communication. Discusses reasons why employers monitor employee e-mail, the prevalence of monitoring in universities, use and ethics policy statements, and bills of rights statements protecting employee privacy. (PEN)

Describes the Chemical Integrated Information Service Network (ChI2Net), a comprehensive online information service system which includes chemical, technical, economic, market, news, and management information based on computer and modern communication technology that was built by the China National Chemical Information Centre. (Author/LRW)

One of the most important initiatives of Turkish higher education is the Open Education Faculty (OEF), which uses telecommunication technologies to deliver distance education. Discusses Turkish distance education and limitations of the Turkish OEF: lack of up-to-date technology, perception that graduates of the OEF are not as qualified as those of…