Along with documenting carriage hurdles facing independent and diverse programmers, the FCC in a notice of inquiry approved Thursday is looking for input on possible actions it might take to boost independent programming sources, Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake said. The commissioners approved the NOI, which was mostly as expected (see 1601290047) and seeks comments in docket 16-41 after it's published in the Federal Register. Chairman Tom Wheeler didn't comment about actions the FCC could consider after the NOI, which Commissioner Mignon Clyburn sought as part of last year's OK of AT&T buying DirecTV.

The FCC voted 3-2 Thursday to launch a rulemaking (see 1602160072) seeking comment on numerous changes to set-top box rules intended to make it easier for third parties to build and sell retail set tops that can access pay-TV content. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly as expected (see 1601280066) opposed the proposal, which they said was “slanted” and an unnecessary regulatory intrusion. “I’m confident that most consumers would rather eliminate the set-top box altogether,” Pai said.

The FCC voted 3-2 Thursday to launch a rulemaking (see 1602160072) seeking comment on numerous changes to set-top box rules intended to make it easier for third parties to build and sell retail set tops that can access pay-TV content. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly as expected (see 1601280066) opposed the proposal, which they said was “slanted” and an unnecessary regulatory intrusion. “I’m confident that most consumers would rather eliminate the set-top box altogether,” Pai said.

The Copyright Alliance and the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) separately cautioned the Copyright Office against drawing early conclusions about the copyright implications of consumers’ rising use of software-embedded products, telling the CO that there’s not a sufficient record at this time to warrant changing U.S. copyright law to accommodate such products. Other stakeholders conceded that there’s not extensive evidence yet on how the use of software-embedded products and U.S. copyright law may clash, but urged the CO to explore possible change anyway in a bid to pre-empt potential future problems.

The Copyright Alliance and the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) separately cautioned the Copyright Office against drawing early conclusions about the copyright implications of consumers’ rising use of software-embedded products, telling the CO that there’s not a sufficient record at this time to warrant changing U.S. copyright law to accommodate such products. Other stakeholders conceded that there’s not extensive evidence yet on how the use of software-embedded products and U.S. copyright law may clash, but urged the CO to explore possible change anyway in a bid to pre-empt potential future problems.

The Copyright Alliance and the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) separately cautioned the Copyright Office against drawing early conclusions about the copyright implications of consumers’ rising use of software-embedded products, telling the CO that there’s not a sufficient record at this time to warrant changing U.S. copyright law to accommodate such products. Other stakeholders conceded that there’s not extensive evidence yet on how the use of software-embedded products and U.S. copyright law may clash, but urged the CO to explore possible change anyway in a bid to pre-empt potential future problems.

The FCC's upcoming NPRM on proposed changes to the set-top box market could compromise existing copyright law, said NCTA President Michael Powell Tuesday in a media call hosted by NPRM opponent The Future of TV Coalition. Copyright attorneys told us laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act could protect multichannel video programming distributors from many concerns they've raised about third-party set-top boxes. Powell said the FCC proposal would “tinker” with copyright protections, which is outside FCC jurisdiction.

The FCC's upcoming NPRM on proposed changes to the set-top box market could compromise existing copyright law, said NCTA President Michael Powell Tuesday in a media call hosted by NPRM opponent The Future of TV Coalition. Copyright attorneys told us laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act could protect multichannel video programming distributors from many concerns they've raised about third-party set-top boxes. Powell said the FCC proposal would “tinker” with copyright protections, which is outside FCC jurisdiction.

The FCC's upcoming NPRM on proposed changes to the set-top box market could compromise existing copyright law, said NCTA President Michael Powell Tuesday in a media call hosted by NPRM opponent The Future of TV Coalition. Copyright attorneys told us laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act could protect multichannel video programming distributors from many concerns they've raised about third-party set-top boxes. Powell said the FCC proposal would “tinker” with copyright protections, which is outside FCC jurisdiction.

The Mobile Now spectrum package introduced Thursday doesn't include what were considered some of the wireless industry's most highly anticipated priorities. The bipartisan 32-page version now filed as S-2555 no longer modifies a 2015 budget deal to specify that the federal government free up 50 MHz of spectrum rather than 30 MHz by 2024, nor does it include potent incentives for federal agencies to give up spectrum. Observers affiliated with the wireless industry said they were disappointed about the loss of those proposals, which followed intense Senate engagement with the Obama administration, while other observers outlined a desire for more focus on unlicensed use.