AT&T passed on chance to petition FCC for permission to use company’s planned spinoff of Liberty Media Group to satisfy Commission’s MediaOne divestiture requirements. FCC’s Jan. 16 deadline for written petition came and went without word from AT&T, which wrestled with agency last month over how to meet merger divestiture conditions. AT&T spokesman said MSO hadn’t planned to file petition and preferred to “not elaborate” on its previous statements. FCC Cable Bureau spokeswoman also declined comment. In unexpectedly tough order Dec. 21, Commission told AT&T to carry out its stated commitment to shed its 25.5% stake in Time Warner Entertainment (TWE) or place it in irrevocable trust for sale by May 19 even though company said it preferred to meet merger conditions by spinning off its Liberty Media programming unit (CD Dec 26 p1). But FCC said AT&T still could petition agency to modify order by Jan. 16 by submitting written request “with an appropriate showing as to why such a modification would serve the public interest.” AT&T spokesman said company stood by its earlier statements in which it agreed that it had elected to divest TWE to meet Commission’s Dec. 15 election requirement but insisted that it also was proceeding with plans to spin off Liberty. Issue also is key to FCC’s recent approval of AOL’s takeover of Time Warner (TW). In accepting AOL-TW deal last week, both outgoing FCC Chmn. Kennard and Republican Comr. Powell, widely expected to succeed him, stressed importance of severing ownership links between AT&T and TW.

Charter Communications said it began offering Wink Communications’ elementary interactive TV service in S. Fla. Service is available free to Charter digital cable subscribers. With rollout, Wink said it’s available to more than 500,000 cable and satellite homes across U.S., including in more than 20 Charter markets.

Minority Media & Telecom Council said it would appeal court decision overturning FCC EEO rules (CD Jan 17 p1). Group said it would fight U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., decision “with all our strength.” Exec. Dir. David Honig said: “Unless reversed, this decision could put a halt to 32 years of progress in desegregating some of the nation’s most influential industries.” Court rejection of FCC EEO rules “will make it even more difficult to achieve a broadcast industry that reflects America’s rich cultural diversity,” FCC Comr. Tristani said in response to decision. She said she was particularly disappointed that U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., rejected rules entirely, even parts that might have been constitutional.

CARLSBAD, Cal. -- Following end of potentially contentious fight over DTV standards (CD Jan 17 p3), NAB TV board approved financing to start public campaign to “educate consumers on the benefits of digital TV.” To get under way in spring, planning will begin Feb. 6 at joint meeting with co-sponsor MSTV, NAB announced at close of 4 days of board meetings here Wed. Cost of effort wasn’t disclosed, but broadcaster said “we've already spent hundreds of thousands” on engineering studies to determine that 8- VSB standard should be favored over COFDM.

NCTA struck back at Consumer Electronics Retailer Coalition (CERC) late Tues. in continuing battle between cable and CE industries over DTV set labels. In 11-page filing with FCC, NCTA called again for Commission to reconsider its 3 proposed “Digital Cable Ready” labels for DTV receivers and instead adopt revised, more descriptive labels favored by cable industry. Accusing CERC of making “an unfortunate knee-jerk reaction to NCTA’s attempt to offer a constructive and pro-consumer labeling proposal,” cable group argued that CERC’s concerns about cable’s labeling proposals were “misplaced” because NCTA “merely has proposed more informative labels for the categories of DTV sets for which the FCC adopted labels.” NCTA also contended that CERC “is mixing apples and oranges” by confusing “the cable industry’s obligations under the navigation devices provisions of the Communications Act with the use of the term ‘cable ready’ in this proceeding.” Finally, NCTA said CERC “misrepresents” findings of cable’s focus group research indicating that consumers “reject the ‘Digital Cable Ready’ labels as inadequate and confusing descriptors of the DTV sets.” Group said CERC, which questioned findings and legitimacy of study, “offers no evidence to the contrary.”

James Packer, ex-Disney, appointed exec. vp-N. America TV sales, MGM Worldwide TV Distribution… Changes at CNN: Ken Jautz, n-tv Germany, named exec. vp-gen. mgr.-CNNfn after merger of those units; Teya Ryan, exec. vp, domestic networks, CNN News Group, appointed gen. mgr-exec. vp, CNN Headline News… Changes at Starpower: Don Mathison, ex-Media General Cable, named gen. mgr.; Andrew Nigolian, ex-Time Warner, appointed division vp- Adelphia… Michael Yorick, ex-A&E TV Networks, moves to vp- emerging businesses, USA Cable… Wis. PSC Exec. Asst. Robert Garvin appointed to fill Wis. PSC seat of John Farrow, who’s retiring when his term expires in March; Ave Bie reappointed Wis. PSC chmn… Elected to Satellite Industry Assn. board: Larry Atlas, vp-govt. relations, Loral Space & Communications, as chmn.; Peter Hadinger, dir.-telecom strategy, TRW, vice chmn.; Jeffrey Trauberman, dir.-information and communications systems, Boeing, treas.; and Kalpak Gude, vp-govt and regulatory affairs, PanAmSat, Suzanne Hutchings, regulatory counsel, Teledesic, and Gerald Musarra, vp-govt and regulatory affairs, Lockheed Martin, all as exec. committee representatives… Eugene DiDonato, ex- Peritus Software Services, named vp-gen. counsel, Lightbridge.

Eight Chris-Craft TV stations will remain UPN affiliates under new agreement announced this week. Stations, which are being bought by News Corp., had been considered possible candidates for switch to Fox network. Deal runs through 2001-2002 TV season. Terms weren’t disclosed.

Hearst-Argyle TV will use Harris Corp. DTV transmitters under new agreement. Deal at start covers 17 stations, allowing them to begin DTV broadcasting this year, companies said. Hearst-Argyle owns or manages 26 stations.

NTIA, in notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) Wed., outlined changes for how private sector would carry out mandates for reimbursing govt. agencies that relocate from spectrum after frequency reallocations are made. NTIA Dir. Gregory Rohde outlined details of NPRM at Commerce Dept. meeting with industry on upcoming 3rd-generation wireless decisions. Govt. officials stressed proposed framework for reimbursing federal entities that were relocated to other spectrum berths could play “critical” role in upcoming 3G decisions. FCC and NTIA are examining possibility of 2 bands for additional spectrum for 3G and other advanced services: 1755-1850 MHz now used by military systems and 2500- 2690 MHz used by Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service and Instructional TV Fixed Service licensees. At meeting, some industry representatives also raised concerns that more information was needed from govt. on issues such as relocation cost estimates for private sector to complete its own analyses of different 3G spectrum scenarios.

Hot topics at N. American Numbering Council (NANC) meetings Wed. were elimination of certain numbering/dialing options and expansion of N. American Numbering Plan (NANP)capacity. Industry Numbering Committee (INC) proposed elimination of proposals to: (1) Use 4-digit area code. (2) Use 1-digit national destination code that would be dialed as “1” is now for long distance calls. (3) Dial NANC steering committee’s proposed 2-digit geographical code before area code. Also discussed were: (1) How to transition changes once decision is made on dialing methods and whether transition should be gradual or “flash cut.” (2) Whether 10-digit dialing question has been decided. (3) Whether need to move to new dialing regimes is pressing, since it appears significant amount may be accessible soon. NARUC representative said real resolution of numbering issues wouldn’t occur soon.