Nickelodeon Releases Research on "The Digital Family"

According to a new Nickelodeon research study titled "The Digital Family," families today rely on modern technology to function more than ever before, rendering former household staples such as road maps and dictionaries obsolete, as well as reducing the importance of spelling skills. Key findings of the study also indicated that kids and parents place a higher premium on "downtime," and that TV has become their medium of choice to relax. And, contrary to popular belief, parents are embracing technologies just as much as kids, and view cell phones as essential part of managing their lives, while also providing kids more freedom.

"The Digital Family" research incorporates findings from Nickelodeon's "Living in a Digital World" research project (2006), which explores technologies including: the Internet, television, cell phones, mp3 players and more. "The Digital Family" offers insights from kids 8-14 and parents of kids 0-14, and references several findings from Nickelodeon commissioned studies (Multicultural Kids Study 2006 and Nickelodeon Wireless Study 2006).

"In today's modern family, parents and kids identify technology as a homework helper, virtual babysitter, time-keeper and a center piece of a lot of family time," said Cyma Zarghami, President of Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids and Family Group. "We found that technology has brought the need for new skills while seemingly lessening the need for others. What is very apparent is the critical role technology is playing in helping modern families functions."

The survey found that tech devices like computers and the Internet have become essential tools in daily living, making kids and parents much more productive and self sufficient. In some instances, the Internet has almost become part of the family. More than half of parents (59 percent) strongly agree that it helps them get things done and 68 percent surveyed believe it makes them more efficient and self sufficient.  As one parent from the study said, "I just didn't realize how much the internet was part of my family."

The majority of kids said the Internet helps them do better in school (85 percent) and helped them learn things (93 percent). Kids also said they believed it helps them to be more creative and makes them feel like they've accomplished something.

SIRIUS is the Satellite Radio Home of Super Bowl XLI

SIRIUS Satellite Radio, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, will provide comprehensive radio coverage of Super Bowl XLI, with multiple live game broadcasts, live day-long news and analysis every day of Super Bowl Week.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 4, SIRIUS will air an expanded lineup of live play-by-play broadcasts of Super Bowl XLI. SIRIUS will offer ten different game calls in seven languages, including both teams' local radio broadcasts and the national Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports broadcast.

From now  through Super Bowl Sunday, SIRIUS NFL Radio // ch. 124, SIRIUS' 24/7 year-round NFL talk radio channel, will broadcast live every day from Radio Row at the Miami Beach Convention Center and will be streamed live and free of charge on the NFL's official game site www.superbowl.com.

SIRIUS NFL Radio will provide up-to-the-minute news and analysis from a panel of expert hosts that includes Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Tim Ryan, Pat Kirwan, Gil Brandt, Jim Miller, Carl Banks, Bob Papa and Adam Schein. SIRIUS NFL Radio will broadcast live from Dolphin Stadium on Media Day, Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. Media Day shows will feature one-on-one interviews with players and coaches from the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.

IRIUS listeners in the Miami area during Super Bowl Week can also monitor traffic and weather conditions by tuning in to SIRIUS First Traffic and Weather for Miami on channel 153.

For more details on the programming schedule, check out the SIRIUS press release.

ComEd Expands Residential Real-Time Pricing Program

ComEd announced earlier this month the expansion of its Residential Real-Time Pricing Program. A part of the company's efforts to help customers effectively manage their bills, the program provides participants hour-to-hour electricity pricing.

"We are pleased to offer residential customers a pricing program that puts more control into their hands," ComEd President Barry Mitchell said. "This voluntary program is an option that participating customers can use to potentially save money by reducing their electric consumption during high hourly price periods."

Under the legislatively mandated program, approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission last month, residential customers choosing the real-time pricing option will be billed for the power they consume based on hourly market prices. Participating customers will be able to lower their monthly electric bills by changing their usage habits to take advantage of lower- priced time periods, and avoiding heavy usage during higher-priced time periods.

Participants will receive hourly pricing information from the program's third party administrator, Comverge, who was selected following a competitive bidding process held in December. Over the past four years, 1,100 customers participated in a pilot program administered by the Community Energy Cooperative.

"Comverge is excited to have been chosen to manage this important real- time pricing program rollout," said Robert M. Chiste, president and CEO of Comverge Inc. "Real-time pricing programs are a critical element to the long term reliability of the electric infrastructure. Comverge is pleased to share this vision with ComEd and bring its expertise to this program."

CNN.com was Tops in 2006

CNN.com announced this week that it claimed the greatest average monthly share of online news among all Current Events and Global News sites in 2006.

CNN.com, with 15 percent of online news usage, garnered a higher average monthly share of online news than both second-ranked Yahoo! News, which had a 13 percent share, and third-ranked MSNBC.com, which had a 10 percent share.

"During 2006, CNN.com reasserted its dominance as a leading online news source, providing users with incomparable access to the best news and information and the most compelling on-demand video," said David Payne, senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com. "Coming off such a strong year, we face the challenge to take the online news experience to a whole new level. As we move into 2007, our online consumers will find CNN.com more than capable to meet the challenge."

"The phenomenal reach of our digital assets and the quality content that CNN.com provides as the number one online news source has led to unprecedented growth for our digital advertising business," said Greg D'Alba COO of CNN Ad Sales and Marketing. "Combining our impressive digital portfolio with CNN's powerful on-air networks, our ad sales team is able to develop fully-integrated packages for our clients that deliver all the advantages of CNN's brand across multiple platforms."

As the first Internet site dedicated to 24-hour news coverage, CNN.com attracts an average of 23 million unique users each month. Launched in 1995, CNN.com draws from the resources of CNN Worldwide to provide relevant, up-to-the minute news and information. CNN.com features the latest multimedia technologies, from video streaming and user-generated content to audio packages and searchable archives of news features and background information.

For more information, check out the press release CNN.com Tops News Sites in 2006 for Online News Usage.

Verizon to Provide New Local TV Channels on FiOS TV

Verizon announced earlier this month that it will launch local television channels in selected markets in 2007, starting with the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in the first quarter.

Michelle Webb, a former ABC News producer, will produce and manage the project. The announcements were made at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Verizon will offer the local channels, to be called FiOS1, on its Verizon FiOS TV service.

FiOS1 will include round-the-clock traffic and weather, local news and community sports. Verizon will partner with professional news organizations to deliver some of the content. It will also televise original features shot and produced by citizen journalists using high-definition camcorders and provide a platform for local user-generated content. Verizon says it plans to announce more details as the launch date approaches.

Webb joined Verizon last spring as executive producer and general manager, FiOS1 local channels. Prior to her current position, she served for four years as a producer of the ABC News program "Primetime Live," where she did preproduction planning, research and storyline development for features and segments presented on the network's television-magazine shows.

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Premium Sound System for Multiple Satellite Radio Receivers

Earlier this month at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show, Delphi Corp. announced the introduction of a premium sound system designed to work with multiple satellite radio receivers.

The company says that the Delphi Premium Sound System allows consumers to enjoy clear XM Satellite Radio sound transmitted seamlessly through the Delphi SKYFi3(R), Roady XT(R), MyFi(TM) and Audiovox(R) Xpress(TM) XM receivers. They are touting the system as the easiest, most elegant way to listen to XM Satellite Radio at home, at the office or outdoors with its battery feature.

"The Delphi Premium Sound System's sleek design makes it an excellent choice for use in the corporate office, and its premium sound allows listeners to enjoy digital audio throughout their day - even when away from their car," said Max Rogers, general director of consumer electronics, Delphi Product & Service Solutions. "This system will appeal to a wide range of XM Satellite Radio listeners."

The Delphi Premium Sound System features an advanced acoustic and integrated systems that includes precisely engineered speakers, state-of-the-art power supply and amplifier architecture, and advanced digital signal processing. There is also a bass enhancer to provide full sound, even at lower volume levels. The result is natural, life-like sound with a sense of clarity and spaciousness not typically found in a system at this price and size.

Along with its compact design, the Premium Sound System features an integrated handle and an integrated XM antenna for convenient portability from room-to-room or on-the-go away from home. No complex setup or adjustments are needed to start enjoying the crystal clear Delphi Premium Sound System. Docking a compatible XM receiver is all it takes to start enjoying crystal- clear sound virtually anywhere. Private listening is also available through headphones, and the Delphi Premium Sound System can be connected to another audio device, such as an MP3 player.

"The Delphi Premium Sound System offers the ultimate in flexibility for consumers who own different to XM receivers," said Massimo Baldini, Delphi's global satellite radio business line manager. "Delphi has a rich heritage of innovation in radios, which started with the first in-dash, factory-installed radio in 1936, and continues today with several industry leading firsts in satellite radio technology, enabling us to produce a portable sound system of the highest quality."

Available this spring, the Delphi Premium Sound System will be priced at $179. For more information, check out the Delphi press release.

Cox Cable Adds ESPN2 HD, ESPNU to Lineup

Cox Communications recently announced that it has added ESPN2 HD to its high-definition cable lineup. This high-definition simulcast of the ESPN2 will be now be available on all Cox systems. As part of the new programming agreement, more than 1 million Cox customers will also now have access to ESPNU, a 24-hour sports network that features programming focused on college sports, including approximately 300 live events each year.

In most markets, Cox also carries HBO HD, Showtime HD, Discovery HD Theater, INHD, MHD, ESPN HD, Universal HD and local channels in high definition. ESPN 2 HD has been available for more than a year on other satellite and cable services.

For more information, check out the article Cox Boosts Availability of ESPN2 HD, ESPNU.

MySpace Brings Suit to Stop Spam

MySpace.com recently announced that it filed suit against Scott Richter, for violations of state and federal laws including the CAN-SPAM Act and California's anti-spam statute. The suit, filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles on last week, seeks a permanent injunction barring Richter and his affiliated companies from the MySpace site in addition to unspecified monetary damages.

MySpace alleges in the suit that between July and Dec. 2006, Richter and his associates arranged for millions of spam "bulletins" to be sent from MySpace users' accounts without their knowledge. According to the lawsuit, Richter either phished MySpace accounts himself or acquired a list of phished accounts to launch spam campaigns. The campaigns promote Web sites offering products and services such as ringtones and polo shirts, according to MySpace's filing.

"We're committed to protecting our community from phishing and spam," said Hemanshu Nigam, Chief Security Officer for MySpace. "If it takes filing a federal suit to stop someone who violates the law and damages our members' experience, then that's what we'll do."

Richter previously has been sued by Microsoft and then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. According to Microsoft, Richter agreed in a post-judgment settlement to pay $7 million and to make "fundamental changes" in his e-mail practices. According to Spitzer's office, Richter settled that case for both monetary damages and specific changes in his e-mail campaigns.

MySpace says the suit against Richter is the latest in a series of aggressive steps it has taken over the last two years to combat spam, phishing and other abusive misuse of the MySpace site.

For more information, check out the MySpace press release.

Verizon Customers Help Improve Literacy in Their Communities

Thanks to Verizon telephone customers who participated in Verizon's convenient Check Into Literacy Program, nonprofit organizations throughout 26 states and Washington, D.C., will receive more than $1.28 million to bolster local literacy efforts.

The Check Into Literacy Program enables Verizon landline telephone customers to support literacy by simply checking a box on their monthly phone bills to make a $1 tax-deductible donation. Verizon then distributes the donations to local literacy organizations that serve the individual states the customers live in.

"The generosity of our customers and the commitment of our Verizon employee volunteers go hand-in-hand in our grassroots campaign to continue the important work of improving literacy in our communities," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston.

Residents of Washington, D.C., and the following states took part in the program: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Residents of the following states contributed the greatest amount to the program: Pennsylvania, $304,001; New Jersey, $186,386; Massachusetts, $126,763; California, $95,046; and Maryland, $78,477.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. Committed to improving literacy and K-12 education, fostering awareness and prevention of domestic violence and promoting the use of technology in health-care delivery, the foundation awarded more than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad in 2006. The foundation also matched charitable donations from Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined contributions. Under the foundation's Verizon Volunteer initiative, one of the nation's largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community service since Verizon's inception in 2000.

Fore more information, check out Verizon Customers Help Improve Literacy in Their Communities by Donating More Than $1.28 million To Nonprofit Organizations Through Monthly Program.