News Corp. Chmn. Rupert Murdoch is trying to restore relations with Chinese officials by organizing media summit meeting in Shanghai later this year. He wants summit to coincide with gathering of regional leaders for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Murdoch’s goal is to offer his Star TV system throughout country.

Mont. House State Administration Committee completed hearings Wed. on bill that would require state agencies to retain internal and external e-mail memos and letters as public record, just as they must do now with correspondence on paper. Measure (HB-112) would clarify state open records law to include e-mail among agency records that must be retained and made available to public. Panel has until mid-Feb. to move bill. Measure also would make it crime to harass or threaten anyone via e-mail. Penalties would be same as for telephone harassment. State Rep. John Brueggeman (R- Polson), bill’s sponsor, said e-mail had become common method for conducting official state business, but effectively was exempt under current law from requirements that official correspondence be kept for public inspection. Other supporters cited incident last fall in which environmental group seeking internal memos from state Natural Resources Dept. to bolster case in timberland dispute discovered material had been deleted in routine purge of e-mail files. Supporters also said making e-mail harassment crime would close loophole in current law. No opponents spoke at hearing.

U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., remanded low-power FM (LPFM) rules to FCC to give Commission time to implement latest legislation, responding to NAB petition (CD Dec 28 p4). Court said parties should report to court within 21 days after FCC action, to allow court to decide whether more action was needed. Court also said FCC must implement character qualification provisions of Radio Bcstg. Preservation Act.

Ariz. Attorney Gen. Janet Napolitano ruled expansion of Ariz. Corporation Commission to 5 members from 3, which voters approved in Nov., won’t be effective until 2 additional commission members are selected by voters in 2002 general election. She said plain language of ballot question and fact that legislature didn’t budget for additional members in 2001-02 fiscal cycle clearly showed it didn’t intend that ballot proposition create vacancies that required interim gubernatorial appointments. On related question, Napolitano said current commissioners could be elected to one additional 4-year term when their present terms expired. She said past commissioners, who previously were barred by law from seeking commission seat ever again, could run for 2nd term on agency starting with 2002 elections. With legal questions settled, agency Comrs. Marc Spitzer and Jim Irvin agreed Tues. that Comr. William Mundell was commission’s new chmn. Chmn. serves indefinite term and always casts final vote.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center gave Swales Aerospace 5- year contract worth potential $350 million to provide engineering service for Goddard’s Applied Engineering, Technology, Suborbital and Special Orbital Projects Directorates, including studying, designing, developing, testing, verifying and operating spacecraft and ground system hardware and software. Swales also will coordinate work of Orbital Sciences, Jackson & Tull, Hammers and Curtis Management in deal that consolidates services of 2 prior engineering service contracts.

Promotions at Time Warner: John Fogarty to vp, Gary Matz to vp, Trish McCausland to senior counsel… Sallie Fraenkel advanced to senior vp-mktg. & operations, program enterprises and distribution, Showtime… Jonathan Shair, ex-Bravo/Independent Film Channel, appointed vp-program scheduling and planning, Starz Encore Group… Richard Sulpizio, Qualcomm pres.-COO, elected to board… Ralph Haiek promoted to COO, Claxson Interactive Group… Michael Kennedy advanced to corporate vp and dir.-global govt. relations, Motorola… Berry Smith, senior vp, Schurz Communications, retires Jan. 31… Clifford Rees promoted to pres.- N. America, World Access… Changes at Broadbeam: Sri Sridharan, ex-ServiceNet, named pres.-COO; William Lenahan, CEO, KMC Telecom, joins board… Hewlett Packard Chmn. Carly Fiorina appointed to Cisco Systems board… Geoffrey Crowley promoted to regional vp-sales for the north, Net2000 Communications… Michael Kuehn, ex-Desert Island Resource Group, named vp-quality assurance & process development, Pathnet… Gordon McKenna, chmn., American Teleservices Assn., resigns.

Salt Lake Organizing Committee will be broadcast frequency coordinator for 2002 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, FCC said in notice Wed. Group will coordinate frequency use in 150 km radius from city during games, FCC said.

Helgi Walker, aide to FCC Comr. Furchtgott-Roth, will move to White House as assoc. White House counsel and special asst., his office said. Walker, who specialized in mass media and cable issues, will be replaced by Ben Golant of FCC Cable Bureau.

Responding to patent infringement suit filed against it by nCube Corp. earlier this week (CD Jan 9 p12), SeaChange International called charges “without merit” and said it would “vigorously defend its technology, products and customers.” SeaChange complained that it received “no notice” of nCube’s infringement claim before suit was filed. Interactive TV provider also said Del. jury had rejected similar nCube suit in late Sept., reaffirming validity of SeaChange’s MediaCluster technology patent.

Cox Communications has begun its first trial of broadband home security service in Las Vegas, using its high-speed cable lines and technology supplied by Security Broadband Corp. Cox said it hoped trial, which will test transmission of audio, video and alarm signals over cable plant, would lead to commercial product for residential and small-business cable subscribers. Security Broadband, backed by Adelphia, Charter, Comcast, Cox and other MSOs, said it aimed to introduce commercial service to consumers later this year.