Targeted advertisements and online privacy

As Congress and the Federal Trade Commission seek enhanced online privacy protection, the news industry is exploring ways to use online information to turn a profit. Looking for ways to stay afloat in the face of lagging paper sales and ad revenue, some newspapers are seeking revenue lifelines from their online sites. The Newspaper Association of America (NAA) recently asked companies to present proposals on "paid content" solutions. The NAA's request itself indicates an interest in gaining reader information. One question asks whether proposed platforms can "provide an information barter environment with appropriate privacy and other protections (i.e. access to……

A new era of bipartisanship?

Early in this year's primary election season I did a study on bipartisanship for the Center on Communication Leadership of the University of Southern California. I'm afraid I was not very optimistic that Republicans and Democrats would be able to get together on much of anything after the Clinton and Bush years of what some call "hyperpartisanship." Now I'm not so sure. I concluded then that: "My own feeling is that only a strong president with a mandate for governing through a universal crisis — a necessary war or devastating climate change — can bring any bipartisanship or, better, nonpartisanship……