From the New York Times, by John Markoff: "Google ended months of speculation late Friday afternoon by submitting a proposal to offer a free wireless Internet service to the city of San Francisco.

"The proposal, which is one of a range of proposals being submitted both by large communications firms and small start-ups, is in response to a TechConnect program proposed by the city's mayor, Gavin Newsom, this year. Newsom has positioned the program as a way to offer universal and affordable broadband Internet access to the city's residents and businesses.

"In recent months, speculation about Google's plans as an Internet service provider has reached a fevered pitch. However, the company said Friday that it did not yet have plans to roll out free nationwide Internet services.
 

"The company said its service would be an 'open' one and added that it had proposed wholesaling wireless bandwidth to third parties that might be interested in selling premium services."

Read the full story online at the New York Times.


By Todd Shields: "The head of the country's largest traditional radio company on Monday called for relaxed ownership regulations and steps toward restrictions on satellite rivals.

"Mark Mays, president and CEO of Clear Channel Communications, said free over-the-air radio is "struggling" in the face of competition from new technologies such as podcasts, Internet radio, music downloads to wireless phones and -- "perhaps the most alarming"-- the XM and Sirius radio satellite services that each offer more than 120 channels.

"'If XM is allowed to have 150 channels in each market, it is a competitive disadvantage for us to have only eight,' Mays told a luncheon audience in Washington sponsored by the Progress and Freedom Foundation, an anti-regulatory think tank.

"Satellite companies face more than eight competing radio stations in many markets and dozens of stations in larger markets --numbers that could grow sharply once stations convert to digital broadcasting and become capable of sending as many as eight programming streams. Mays said traditional radio's disadvantage would persist even after stations begin offering two or three programming streams.

"Mays called for freedom to buy up to 12 radio stations in the largest markets such as New York and Los Angeles. Regulations currently limit owners to eight stations.

"Mays voiced support for pending legislation that directs federal regulators to study whether satellite operators may offer locally oriented programming on nationally distributed channels. Traditional broadcasters asked the federal government to stop services such as XM's city-specific traffic and weather reports, but withdrew their request before regulators could ask.