SAM DONALDSON @ ABCNEWS.COM: BROADBAND AND THE INTERNET {PREMIERE} (INTERNET)

Summary

The first in this series of webcast news programs, hosted by Sam Donaldson. In his opening, Donaldson describes the program, saying "We'll bring you news items and information we think that you'll want to hear, and we'll talk to guests that we know are going to be interesting." He explains that his guests in this installment will be William Kennard, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, and Rob Glaser, chair and CEO of Real Networks. Donaldson then reports that former Vice President Dan Quayle has dropped out of the Republican presidential nomination race, adding that he can relate to Quayle's shortcomings in the realm of spelling. Donaldson goes on to describe the interactive nature of his new program, explaining that it transcends the regular possibilities of television; he notes that viewers can e-mail questions to him at the program and receive direct and immediate answers. He goes on to report on an Iranian man who has been living in Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport for eleven years because he has no passport and cannot travel to his destination. Donaldson talks briefly with correspondent Josh Gerstein in New Orleans. Gerstein reports that the White House Millennium Council has been trying to trademark Bill Clinton's phrase "Honor the past, imagine the future." Next, Donaldson interviews Kennard. Their conversation begins with a discussion of broadband capabilities and the commissioner's concerns about monopolies. Kennard explains that he is working in the consumer interest and that his highest concern is to facilitate high-speed internet access because, in his words, "people are tired of the worldwide wait on the worldwide web." Next, Donaldson talks to Glaser. The CEO touches on modes of expanding broadband capabilities, and he details some of the workings of PICS (the Platform for Internet Content Selection). The two discuss the possibility of filtering "extraneous junk" off the internet. Glaser concludes by suggesting that technology will eventually bring broadcast-quality programming to the internet. Donaldson reports the results of a cyber survey asking how many people can spell "potato." He concludes by announcing that the Warren Report on John F. Kennedy's assassination and the House Assassination Committee report reevaluating the Warren Committee's findings are available through links on the web page. Includes a commercial.

Details

• NETWORK: ABCNews.com (Internet)
• DATE: September 27, 1999 Monday
• RUNNING TIME: 0:17:49
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:65919
• GENRE: Internet - News
• SUBJECT HEADING: Internet (Computer network);
• SERIES RUN: ABCNews.com - Internet series, 1999-
• COMMERCIALS:
  • Internet - Commercials - Powerstreet website

CREDITS

• Sam Donaldson … Host
• Josh Gerstein … Reporter
• Rob Glaser … Guest
• William Kennard … Guest
• Bill Clinton
• John F. Kennedy
• Dan Quayle