ALAWON v4n85 (October 9, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n85 ------------------- ALWN485.DOS follows -------------------- ****Begin File*************Begin File**************Begin File**** ***************************************************************** ISSN 1069-7799 ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 4, Number 85 October 9, 1995 In this issue: (137 lines) KIDS' TV -- FCC CALLS FOR COMMENTS ACTION NEEDED ALAWON SYSTEM UPGRADE: FEEDBACK NEEDED ***************************************************************** KIDS' TV -- FCC CALLS FOR COMMENTS ACTION NEEDED There are no teeth in the Children's Television Act enacted in 1990. Broadcasters are not required to meet any standards for quality or quantity of children's programming. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is now calling for public comment on the quality of educational programming for children in what, some observers consider, may be the last chance for the public to show its concern and to demand better. The history of children's educational programming shows that broadcasters will not voluntarily meet children's educational programming needs. In thirty-five years, increases in educational programming have come only on the heels of massive pressure. Now, more than ever, massive pressure is needed. The FCC is accepting public comments regarding children's TV programming through October 16. Letters and e-mail will be accepted. (Check with the FCC for rules on making formal comments.) Additional letters and e-mail will be accepted through November 15, although for the greatest impact, the FCC should receive either formal or informal comments by the October 16 date. The National Education Association and other groups have suggested the following points to tell the FCC: * your name and why this issue is important to you as a (librarian, parent, teacher, etc.) * the docket number: MM Docket No. 93-48 * what you want in children's programming; consider the following: --The Processing Guideline should consist of one hour of "core" educational programming daily --Quality "core" programs should be: specifically designed to educate and inform children at least thirty minutes in length regularly scheduled aired between 7am and 11pm Congress is poised to give broadcasters $37 billion worth of free access to the airwaves. If the FCC and Congress are giving away this lucrative spectrum space, the public should demand, at the very least, quality children's programming in return. This is only a very minimal acknowledgment of broadcasters' responsibilities to serve the "public interest". Please repost this message to other listservs to encourage maximum comments to the FCC. E-mail comments can be sent to: kidstv@fcc.gov Mail comments should be sent to: Secretary, Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20554 For additional information about this filing and to find out about accessing their files electronically call: 202-418-0200 ***************************************************************** ALAWON SYSTEM UPGRADE: FEEDBACK NEEDED Now that the ALA Washington Office has moved, ALAWON is being sent out on a new Internet provider. Additionally, the upgraded computer system in the new offices is still being developed. Some ALAWON subscribers have reported that they are receiving garbled or hard-to-read ALAWON files. In checking on these problems, we suspect that there may be some system incompatibility with a few subscribers' systems. 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For other reprinting or redistribution, address requests to the ALA Washington Office (alawash@alawash.org). ***************************************************************** ****End of file************End of file************End of file****