As framers of the ATSC 3.0 next-gen broadcast system march toward their self-imposed deadline of completing work on a "candidate standard" by the end of 2015, the group's board formed an "ad hoc group" to begin studying the various "scenarios" under which ATSC 3.0 might be introduced commercially to the viewing public later in the decade, possibly as soon as 2017. The ad hoc group, under the chairmanship of Sam Matheny, NAB chief technology officer, is "exploratory in nature, trying to take a look at what the possibilities are, and what some of the ramifications of the different possibilities are," said ATSC President Mark Richer in an interview.

Next year’s Congress isn’t expected to exert much legislative influence on the transition of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), despite Tuesday’s Republican-dominated elections, Internet governance experts told us this week. Several House Commerce Committee Republicans expressed concerns earlier this year when NTIA announced its intention to transition the IANA functions to ICANN’s global multistakeholder body by Sept. 30, 2015 (see 1404030052). Their worries culminated in the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act, sponsored by House Commerce Committee member John Shimkus, R-Ill. (see 1403280070).

Some satellite operators had concerns about foreign-licensed satellites, proposed bond requirements and regulatory parity between the satellite industry and wireless operations, after FCC launch of a Further NPRM that would modify Part 25 rules governing earth stations and satellite licenses. Satellite industry executives commended the FCC’s focus on the ITU filing process, milestone compliance and the two-degree spacing requirement, but some executives said the commission should further explore ways to ensure protection of confidential documents. An EchoStar executive said the proposals should have been more technology neutral. The FCC approved the FNPRM in September (see 1410310023).

A draft rulemaking notice seeking comment on allowing broadcasters to communicate contest rule information online rather than over-the-air owes its presence on the FCC's November agenda partly to a June blog post by FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, several broadcast attorneys and an FCC official told us Thursday. Proposed in a petition from Entercom Executive Vice President Jack Donlevie in 2012, the item has languished since, despite receiving no opposition. “Small changes to our Contest Rule could improve consumer notice and options for broadcaster compliance,” O'Rielly said in the post endorsing the rule change. The item is set for a vote at the Nov. 21 open meeting.

Opening a comment proceeding on extending the online political file obligation to pay-TV operators and radio stations likely will be approved 5-0, but may be met with contention along party lines after the adoption of a draft NPRM that's on circulation, said some FCC officials and industry officials in interviews. But some industry lawyers were divided over whether the item itself will be unanimously adopted, or approved along party lines, as was a 2012 order that required TV stations to put their political and other public files online. A draft NPRM on the issue circulated last week (see 1410300052).

Questions FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is raising to lay out a clearer procedure for retiring copper -- in the draft NPRM he’s circulating -- probably won’t be opposed in concept by carriers, said industry and public interest officials. Details of how stringent the agency should be in determining whether there’s a sufficient alternative in place before approving retirement likely will be controversial, they said.

House Republicans have every intention of still engaging with Democrats to overhaul the 1996 Telecom Act, said House Commerce Committee Republican Chief Counsel David Redl Thursday. “All along we’ve known it would have to be a bipartisan process to get to something that people would agree to,” he said during a panel discussion hosted by TechFreedom. “Frankly, that’s been the hallmark of our committee.”

Verizon threw a new concept into the net neutrality debate, “harmful paid prioritization,” arguing that legal challenges to net neutrality rules are unlikely, as long as they address the to-be-defined “harmful” prioritization and as long as the FCC doesn't reclassify broadband as a Title II common carrier service (see 1411040054). Industry and FCC officials said Verizon’s statement Tuesday, in a blog post by General Counsel Randal Milch, seems potentially significant as a compromise proposal from a dominant ISP, coming from high within the company.

The nature of the House Judiciary Committee’s copyright review is unlikely to change due to Republican victories in the House and Senate Tuesday, said experts. But a battle could be brewing over the replacement of outgoing House Judiciary IP Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, R-N.C. Coble told us Wednesday that he’s “really comfortable” endorsing current subcommittee Vice Chairman Tom Marino, R-Pa., as the next chairman. Copyright industry officials said they believe outgoing House Oversight Committee Chairman and IP Subcommittee member Darrell Issa, R-Calif., is likely to be the next IP Subcommittee chairman.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler likely faces more congressional oversight after Republicans won full control of Congress Tuesday. But it's unclear whether the new Congress will have much effect on FCC decision-making, especially on net neutrality, said Washington insiders, including former FCC officials. Industry officials have speculated Wheeler may seek a net neutrality vote on an order in December, before the new Congress is seated (see 1410270055).