BUSINESS 33221--2012:
ECONOMICS AND POLICY IN THE TELECOM, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES

The T.A.s are Jennifer Berk--jberk@chicagobooth.edu and Michael Miller--michmill@gmail.com

Office contact: Maggie Newman--lnewman@uchicago.edu

Course Information:

Syallabus (we will adjust this as we go along to keep up with current events)

Week 1 Overview, Microeconomics Review, Economics of Networks, The TMT Economy
A. Economic Background to Network Industries
B. Wireless Industry

Assignments Due:
None

Readings:
FCC Wireless Competition Report

Week 2: Wireless and Adoption of New Products
A. CASE: "NTT DoCoMo: Marketing i-mode" (in packet)
B. CASE: Apple's decision to go exclusive with AT&T

Assignments Due:
Prepare iMode case-1-2 page write-up due (groups ok), CASE QUESTIONS
Prepare answer to why Apple and AT&T signed an exclusive agreement for the iPhone. No write-up due

Readings:
iMode Case (in packet)
Apple 2008 Case--especially the sections on The iPhone Gambles (in packet)
"iPhone seen boosting AT&T, hurting Sprint", Reuters Jun 17, 2007

Week 3: Platform Competition and Adoption of New Products
A. CASE: iPhone/Android App Market
B. CASE: Kindle

Assignments Due:
Prepare App case 1-2 page write-up due (groups ok) CASE QUESTIONS
Prepare Kindle case but no write up due CASE QUESTIONS

Readings:
CASE: Developing an App for That (in packet)
CASE: eReading: Amazon's Kindle (in packet)
CASE: The Random House Response to the Kindle (in packet)

Week 4: Apple Price Fixing + Horizontal Mergers and Anti-Trust
A. Anti-trust overview
B. Apple Price Fixing Case on e-Books
C. CASE: Proposed Echostar/DirecTV Merger

Assignments Due:
Prepare Echostar-DirecTV merger case-1-2 page write-up due. Apply the merger guidelines and decide if they should approve merger

Readings:
Merger Guidelines (packet has earlier version of guidelines which is ok, too)
CASE: Echostar-DirecTV merger write-up due
     Pro merger document
     Anti-merger document

Week 5: Horizontal Mergers and Anti-Trust + Vertical Mergers
A. Prepare AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
B. Prepare Disney/Pixar case (in packet)

Assignments Due:
Prepare AT&T/T-Mobile Merger but no write up due. Apply the merger guidelines and decide if they should oppose merger)
Prepare Disney/Pixar merger case-1-2 page write-up due. CASE QUESTIONS

Readings:
CASE: AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
    FCC Staff Analysis
    AT&T Response

Week 6: Vertical Integration in Video Markets
A. CASE: Newscorp
B. CASE: Time Warner vs. Disney
C. Vertical Integration in Video, 2012; Comcast and NBC

Assignment Due:
Prepare Newscorp case (in packet) but no write up due CASE QUESTIONS
Prepare Time Warner vs. Disney case (in packet) 1-2 page write-up due CASE QUESTIONS

Readings
Vertical Integration

Week 7: Video Competition
A. CASE: Hulu
B. CASE: TiVo

Assignment Due:
Prepare Hulu case (in packet) 1-2 page write up due CASE QUESTIONS
Prepare TiVo case (in packet) but no write-up due CASE QUESTIONS

Week 8: Vertical Anti-trust + Aggregators
A. CASE: Google Books
B. CASE: MS Trial

Assignment Due:
Prepare Google Library Case no write-up due CASE Qs: 1) Do you think Google Books Violates copyright law? 2) Should it be Allowed on Economic Grounds?
Prepare MS Trial Case (in packet) 1-2 page no write up due BUT Prepare arguments for your case CASE QUESTIONS (we will debate in class)

Readings
Google Books: Policy Overview | 1st Updated Settlement | 2nd Updated Settlement | PRO | CON | MARCH MADNESS GRAPH/NEXT STEPS
MS Trial: Readings in Packet, European Settlement of 2009 (original trial was about browsers, Europe case centered on media players but same issues)

Week 9: Search, Tech Clusters/Local TMT
A. CASE: Microsoft Search
B. CASE: Local Initiatives--Austin, Wellington, Mexico City, Others

Assignment Due:
Prepare Microsoft Search Case1-2 page write-up due CASE QUESTIONS
Prepare Local TMT Cases no write up due but repare arguments for your case CASE QUESTIONS (we will debate in class)

Readings:
"Austin, Texas" (in packet)
"Wired Wellington" (in packet)
"Cities Start Own Efforts to Speed Up Broadband," WSJ, May 19, 2008
Mexico City, MacLean's, 2012

Week 10: Optional Class/Finals Review (Monday Sections Cancelled for Memorial Day, Tuesday section to start at 9 AM and be videotaped)
A. Extra stuff
B. Finals Review

No Assignment Due

FINAL EXAM Due before 5pm June 4 put in faculty mailbox, emailed to TA's (email above) or faxed to 773 702 5869

Past Exams with answer key for the first one (not all the subjects were the same in those years, of course, but the economic concepts should be familiar): EXAM I, EXAM II