RABJ Newsletter

Jan. 18, 2012
www.rabj.net

PIPPA VS. PIPA: If you’re still following gossip about British royal Pippa Middleton, that’s so passé at least for today (Wednesday; Jan. 18), as a battle royale begins over the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

Perhaps you’ve heard that Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, has gone dark for 24-hours to protest web piracy bills being considered by the U.S Senate and House of Representatives that some say will make it difficult for major websites to continue doing business.

And in solidarity websites like www.freepress.net, as well as some others belonging to media reform organizations and other groups, have faded to black as well.

  “Today we are joining dozens of other sites across the Web and going dark to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

  These two bills could undermine the open Internet and open the door to widespread censorship online. They must be stopped.

The Senate is set to vote on PIPA next week. Take action to learn more about this destructive bill, and urge your senators to vote against it,’’ states www.freepress.net.

Happy Anniversary (?): Hard to believe 365 days has gone by since the merger of Comcast, the nation’s largest cable and home internet provider, and NBC Universal. Media reform organizations decried FCC’s approval of the merger on Jan. 18, 2011 as another example of too much corporate power being concentrated in one company.

Media Analyst On Air: Tom Proietti , a Monroe Community College communications faculty member, will likely talk about Wikipedia, anti-piracy legislation and other hot topics from noon to 1 p.m. today (Wednesday; Jan. 18) when he is a guest on the 1370 Connection public affairs radio show.

The show is airs over WXXI-AM (1370). On Wednesdays, the program is simulcast on Rochester's City 12 cable channel.

     To speak with the show’s guest, call (585) 263-WXXI (9994).

     If you live outside of the Rochester broadcast area, and would like to listen to the show online, go to http://interactive.wxxi.org/1370connection.