Shortly after the first commercial radio broadcast in 1920, the medium's popularity exploded and the number of stations on the dial grew tremendously. By 1930, however, a mere 10 years after the first radio broadcast occurred, the industry was dominated by large, commercial stations who sold advertising time in a variety of forms and were operated…

As college costs have increased, and more federal and state aid has become merit-based, the doors of educational opportunity have closed for many students. Countless numbers are being denied access to college simply because they cannot afford it, undermining the fundamental policy object of the Higher Education Act of 1965. On Capitol Hill,…

In April 2007, the New York State Legislature and the Governor passed historic education legislation to provide a multi-year, massive infusion of new school funding; the creation of a clear cut system of accountability that will focus on putting into practice key educational strategies; and a fair and simple funding formula, known as Foundation…

Public concerns regarding illegal immigration are currently polarizing the United States. Regardless of one's position, the children of illegal (also referred to as undocumented) immigrants are in a particularly vulnerable situation. While undocumented children are allowed free public primary and secondary education, their path to skills…

This chapter describes the relationship between federal student privacy laws and state privacy laws, and identifies the changes in the federal law over the last ten years affecting disclosure to parents of college students. Recent litigation on health emergencies is outlined and the limited rights of college students not yet eighteen years of age…

In this article we describe how the Bush administration has used deceptive techniques and subterfuge to force its ideology upon the American people. We provide examples of similar techniques used to manipulate public opinion and national policy in three broad areas: national defense, science, and education. Our example from national defense…

A discussion of H.R. 1407, a bill to establish procedures to improve the allocation and assignment to the electromagnetic spectrum centered on the current policy of allocating portions of the spectrum through lotteries and auction. This report includes a copy of the bill, the text of testimony presented and materials submitted for the record, and…

This report accompanies H.R. 897, the Copyright Reform Act of 1993. The bill, intended to amend title 17, United States Code, to modify certain recordation and registration requirements, to establish copyright arbitration royalty panels to replace the Copyright Royalty Tribunal, and for other purposes, is favorably reported by the Committee on the…

These introductory remarks presented at the plenary session of the 1989 Telecommunications Policy Research Conference outline major areas of concern to state regulators, including alternatives to rate of return legislation; open network architecture; content issues; technical standards and compatibility; optimal pricing; cross subsidies and…

This examination of the open network architecture (ONA) concept and what can be expected as it is currently being implemented begins by defining the open architecture concept as the term is used in the communications and data processing fields. The marketplace benefits that flow from an open architecture are then summarized and the additional…

This paper discusses technical considerations surrounding open network architecture (ONA), specifically: (1) the technical characteristics of the Public Networks (Local Exchange Carriers LATA Networks); (2) the impact of ONA success on the Public Network and some concerns that will have to be addressed in the early implementation stages; and (3)…

This analysis of First Amendment rights for the electronic media recounts the stories of the broadcasting/cable industry must-carry compromise of 1986 and the failed codification of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. It is noted that these cases were peculiar because, in each instance, the most powerful media in the country willingly sought abridgment…

This paper opens with a brief discussion of what some have seen as an unusual threshold decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a broadcast high definition television (HDTV) system. It then identifies the spectrum and standards tradeoffs which are posed by the establishment of a HDTV broadcast transmission standard,…

Reasons for delays in the U.S. Department of Education's issues of regulations related to three federal laws are reviewed in this briefing report. Eighty-three regulations issued under the Education of the Handicapped Act amendments of 1986 and 1988, Higher Education amendments of 1986 and 1987, and Hawkins-Stafford Elementary and Secondary…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed a grant awarded to the National Partnership To Prevent Drug and Alcohol Abuse by the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The GAO interviewed current and former agency and Partnership officials and reviewed applicable laws, policies, regulations, and…