Korea: Getting out of the worst period

With encouraging signs of recovery in woven fabric exports in 2002, there are expectations that the worst period will soon be over. At the same time, there are still many challenging tasks to be accomplished.

Both exports and domestic demand dipped considerably in 2001. Especially, textile product exportsAC which play a role of the engine in textile & apparel business, retreated to nearly US$16 billion from the initial target of US$19 billion.

Domestic demand for apparel was also sluggish due to slackened business and decreased by 15% to 1.03 million tons from the preceding year. In spite of the declined domestic demand, imports increased by 3% from the year-- before …

Norwegian HVS Invest's offer gets little support from GGG shareholders.

(ADPnews) - Dec 27, 2010 - Norwegian company HVS Invest AS said today its tender offer for all the stock in engineering firm Grenland Group ASA (OSL:GGG) got acceptance for 3,000 shares, equal to 0.04% of the shares it does not already own as at December 23.

HVS Invest AS, which holds 75.5% of the shares and 76.32% of the votes in GGG, made a bid on December 8 to fully acquire the company at …

Alarm company faces new Nasdaq problem.(Business)

Byline: ALAN WECHSLER Business writer

ALBANY - Integrated Alarm Services Group Inc., which recently faced a potential Nasdaq delisting due to late earnings statements, is facing the same threat again.

This time, though, company officials expect the problem to be resolved in two weeks when a new board is voted in by shareholders at the annual meeting.

The problem stems from Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350.

In 2003, in light of Enron and other corporate scandals, a 44-page amendment was added to the rules governing Nasdaq-listed companies to regulate the relationships of board members. Albany-based Integrated, which provides monitoring and …

Comcast. Philly Come to Friendly Terms

Comcast Corp.'s Comcast Cablevision will build a two-way data-transmission network in Philadelphia for the city's police and fire departments, as part of an agreement that brought the system a new, 15-year franchise.

The city might be able to use the network to arraign criminal suspects remotely via video, saving it transportation and insurance costs.

In the negotiations, Comcast also won the temporary return of two access channels: one government channel that had only been duplicating the programming of the primary, municipally run channel; and an education outlet.

The latter will be returned to public use as a digital slot after the system's planned upgrade. The digital educational slot will allow the school district to program a closed education channel, and Comcast will retain the analog slot. Comcast has pledged a onetime contribution of $500,000 to maintain video equipment, and it will wire and equip each school with a cable modem.

Under the deal, the city can reclaim the government channel when it needs to by giving Comcast 60 days' notice.

The talks were unusual in their amity. Rather than the rancorous talks that have strained cable-city relations in other cities, Comcast completed the deal over two-and-one-half years of informal talks, two years in advance of when its franchise expires.

In other cities, such as in Chicago, local governments put operators on notice that there would be no renewals without concessions on significant issues, such as late fees. But no such ultimatums were issued in the City of Brotherly Love.

Philadelphia is Comcast's hometown, and that helped to smooth the way, local general manager Ed Pardini said.

"We have a very good Comcast operation here. No amount of good politics can overcome a lousy operation," he added.

Comcast has committed to a $21 million rebuild to a 750megahertz hybrid fiber-coaxial system, which will deliver 200 channels and better Internet access, the company said.

A spokesman for the city did not return calls for comment.

Comcast has frozen the cost of its most basic tier, in reaction to officials' concerns about the affordability of cable for senior citizens and low-income residents. The freeze - holding the broadcast-basic package to $10.68 per month - will last through March 1999, and it will benefit 6,000 customers, Comcast said.

The operator has maintained a loan fund for minority-owned businesses, which it will increase to $500,000 from its previous $250,000. Also, the system will increase its commitment to minority contractors and minority hiring under the new franchise.

Court restores ban on newspaper, TV ownership.(News)

Byline: Joelle Tessler; The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has restored a long-standing ban that prevents media companies from owning a newspaper and a television station in the same market.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia said Thursday that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) didn't give the public adequate opportunity to comment on new rules that lifted the ban in the 20 largest media markets. The appeals court sent the rules back to the FCC to be rewritten.

The so-called cross-ownership ban dates to 1975, when newspapers dominated the media industry. In 2007, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, a Bush administration appointee, moved to ease those restrictions in the biggest media markets. He argued that the ban no longer made sense in a media landscape where the Internet had left many daily newspapers struggling for survival.

Public-interest groups challenged the changes and warned that too many media outlets falling under the ownership of a handful of large corporations could be detrimental to democracy, which relies on a vibrant press with many voices.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, head of the nonprofit law firm Media Access Project, which led the challenge, hailed Thursday's ruling.

"We're extremely pleased that the court recognized that the public has a right to a diverse media environment," he said.

Michael Copps, a Democrat on the FCC and a vocal critic of media consolidation, called the ruling "a huge victory for the millions of Americans who have gone on record demanding a richer and more diverse media."

The decision is a setback for media conglomerates, which argue that consumers have more sources of information than ever in an age of 24-hour cable television and an endless supply of online news outlets.

"We're back to a regulatory scheme from 1975 in spite of the most enormous explosion in communications and competition in the history of man," said John Sturm, president and chief executive of the Newspaper Association of America.

Dennis Wharton, a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, said that "with the future of newspapers under threat, it seems hard to justify the continuation of a rule barring a newspaper-broadcast combination."

The FCC's media-ownership rules, which exist to ensure that communities have choices for local news, include limits on the number of television and radio stations that one company can own in a market and cross-ownership restrictions. Holdings in some markets, such as Atlanta, where Cox Media Group owns WSB-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, are grandfathered in.

Congress requires the FCC to review its media-ownership rules every four years. Thursday's ruling comes as the current FCC, now under Democratic control, is seeking to wrap up its latest review, which began last year.

The FCC said Thursday that the current review will allow it to take "appropriate steps to ensure that the nation's media marketplace remains healthy and vibrant."

Copyright (c) 2011 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.

AT&T Customers Get More Mobile Broadband Coverage in Cumberland County.

New Cell Sites Activated as Part of Ongoing AT&T Investment in Local Wireless Network

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.J., June 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced mobile devices and applications, AT&T* today announced the activation of new mobile broadband cell sites in Cedarville and Millville that will enhance coverage for area residents and businesses in along Routes 552, 553, 608, 610, 634, 55 and 56. With mobile broadband speeds, AT&T customers can surf the Web, download files faster, and enjoy the very latest interactive mobile applications.

"Delivering dependable wireless coverage for consumers and businesses who need to stay connected is our ultimate objective," said J. Michael Schweder, president, AT&T New Jersey. "AT&T's ongoing investments in Cumberland County will help ensure that our customers have access to the wireless services that help drive economic growth."

The new cell sites are one part of AT&T's ongoing efforts to drive investment and innovation to deliver the nation's best, most advanced mobile broadband experience for customers. With the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T provides accelerated mobile data speeds and simultaneous voice and data capabilities.

"Our goal is for our customers to have an extraordinary experience. As part of the Cumberland County community, we're always looking for new opportunities to provide enhanced coverage, and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way we're accomplishing that," said Tiffany Baehman, vice president and general manager, AT&T greater Philadelphia market. "In addition, our recently announced agreement to acquire T-Mobile USA will strengthen and expand our network in Cumberland County. If approved, this deal means that we'll be able to expand the next generation of mobile broadband - 4G LTE - from our current plan of 80 percent of the U.S. population to more than 97 percent."

AT&T's mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the broadest international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, providing access to voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in more than 200 countries. AT&T also offers voice and data roaming coverage on more than 135 major cruise ships, as well as mobile broadband services in more than 130 countries.

AT&T also operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network** with more than 24,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to more than 135,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in New Jersey or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

(c) 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Workplace violence focus of general session at ASIS 2011.(Global News&Analysis)

VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE continues to make news headlines and is a growing concern to security, human resources, and management across all industries. Threats, verbal abuse, physical assault, and homicide in the workplace affect two million American workers annually. A panel of leading experts will examine the issues and the latest information on assessment, prevention and mitigation of this growing threat at ASIS 2011 on Thursday, September 22, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

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Workplace violence is a critical issue that can impact any workplace, at any time. Organizations in every industry need to be prepared to ensure the safety of their employees. A comprehensive workplace violence plan is essential for awareness, prevention and response, and requires a collaborative effort involving executive leadership, human resources, and security," says Ron Rabena, division president, Allied Barton and member, ASIS Law Enforcement Liaison Council (LELC).

The use of the Internet as a means to promote violence through the delivery of threats, as well as the implications and impact of social media are evolving factors in workplace violence that also need to be understood. Mike Knoke, vice chairman, ASIS Commission on Standards and Guidelines, says "Workplace violence is a reality that we must manage. Organizations should address this behavior at the intimidation, bullying, or shouting stage and not wait until it escalates into a physical confrontation. Recognizing these early warning signs, whether they originate over the Internet, a social network site or in person is something that every organization must address."

ASIS 2011 will take place September 19-22, 2011 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. For complete information on more than 180 education sessions and 700+ exhibiting manufacturers, service providers and product experts, visit www.asis2011.org.