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Kotchko moderating CT debates

Connecticut Radio Network News Director Steve Kotchko has been tapped to moderate debates for the US Senate race and three Congressional races in Connecticut. All of the debates will be broadcast by Connecticut Public Television. Kotchko is considered the "dean" of the State Capitol press corps, having been ensconced in Hartford since 1973.

WCPO offering Ohio debate broadcast

Ohio's US Senate candidates, incumbent Republican George Voinovich and Democrat Eric Fingerhut, have agreed to a single live-audience debate on Friday, October 22nd at 8:00 pm in Cincinnati. The debate, sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, WCPO-TV, the League of Women Voters and the Cincinnati Enquirer will be broadcast by Scripps' WCPO and made available to radio and TV stations throughout the state. WCPO anchor Clyde Gray will anchor the debate, with questions coming from a panel of reporters from the Cincinnati Enquirer, WVXU-FM and the Cincinnati Herald.

35 vie for Arbitron council seats

35 candidates have been nominated by qualified stations for five format seats to be filled on the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council. Ballots have now been sent out and are due back postmarked no later than October 22nd. The winners will be announced after the council's November 8-10 meeting in Chicago.

XM, Napster, Live 365 now available through Windows Media Player 10 and Windows XP Media Center

More threats to at work listening: XM Satellite Radio is now offering its new Internet radio service XM Radio Online through Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 and Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Microsoft users can choose XM Radio Online by clicking on the Windows Media Player 10 Digital Media Mall or through the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Online Spotlight.

XM Radio Online subscribers listen to XM over the Internet for a monthly fee of 7.99. XM Satellite Radio subscribers receive a discounted rate for XM Radio Online of 3.99 a month.

Napster also introduced the Napster Media Room Edition, specifically designed for viewing through a TV or home entertainment center. The Napster media Room Edition is also available as a featured service in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC, just unveiled at the Microsoft "Digital Entertainment Anywhere" launch event.

Live365, the largest Internet radio network, also announced its network and diverse array of stations will be available on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

Supreme Court won't hear RIAA appeal; Ashcroft steps up rhetoric

The Supreme Court Tuesday declined to examine a lower-court ruling that forces music-industry investigators to file a lawsuit to uncover the identities of people who may be copying their songs online. Verizon Communications had argued it shouldn't be required to turn over customer names whenever it receives a notice from the Recording Industry Association of America. Instead, Verizon argued the RIAA must file a formal suit to get the names of suspected song-swappers, an extra step the ISP said would discourage frivolous requests. A U.S. appeals court in 12/03 agreed with Verizon and ruled the RIAA must file anonymous "John Doe" lawsuits to get customer names. The Supreme Court rejected the appeal by the recording industry without any comment. The high court's action is not likely to seriously affect the recording industry's legal campaign, as RIAA investigators have sued roughly 5,000 individuals using the John Doe process.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft vowed Tuesday to marshal the full force of DOJ and FBI in prosecuting movie piracy, illegal file sharing and counterfeit intellectual property both domestically and abroad. He said the stepped-up campaign was vital to protecting the nation's economy, which loses about 250 billion annually to copyright, trademark and patent infringement. Ashcroft said he will immediately implement the recommendations of the DOJ's Taskforce on Intellectual Property: "These recommendations are a blueprint for the most aggressive, the most ambitious and the most far-reaching law enforcement effort ever undertaken to protect intellectual property and counter intellectual theft," Ashcroft said at a press conference in the U.S. Attorney's LA offices.

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