PEBBLE BEACH, Cal. -- Because so few consumers get their TV over air, broadcasters may soon have difficulty justifying their continuing control of big block of spectrum unless they refocus on public service, analyst Thomas Wolzien said in speech opening NAB Futures Summit here Sun. Although he said figure probably was inflated by various factors, Wolzien said recent auctions indicated broadcast spectrum could be worth as much as $367 billion, even though total market value of all TV stations is only about $100 billion.
Shaw Communications said it received Canadian govt.’s approval to purchase Moffat Communications. With CRTC’s approval, Shaw said it would boost its cable dominance in western Canada, controlling more than 2.2 million subscribers in 5 urban clusters -- Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg. Overall, Shaw now has 2.8 million cable, DBS and Internet customers in Canada.
FCC Chmn. Powell said Commission would rely on new Consumer/Disability Telecom Advisory Committee to provide “input and advice” to help agency be more responsive to needs of people with disabilities. He said it was well-known that he preferred marketplace forces to regulation but FCC sometimes had to step in because marketplace “often bypasses” consumers with special needs. Said Comr. Ness: “A lot of creative ideas come from groups such as yours.” Committee Chmn. Shirley Rooker, Call for Action pres., said group would listen to diverse opinions represented in its membership and make recommendations to FCC on variety of issues.
Harmonic said Mon. it had upgraded CyberStream multiservice platform with 2nd-generation data gateway, new 8PSK-VSAT terminal, 8PSK receiver/router. Upgraded platform allows broadband service providers to increase network throughput. New system will be demonstrated at Satellite 2001 at Washington Convention Center Wed.-Fri.
U.S. Navy has picked International Launch Services (ILS) to launch UHF Follow-On (UFO) mobile communications satellite, latter announced Mon. Atlas III rocket will lift Boeing-built UFO satellite in 2003 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
SatelliteSafe and Sybari Software joined forces to fight computer viruses for Antigen users Mon. SatelliteSafe will beam virus protection updates directly to Sybari’s Antigen clients. Companies cited Anna Kournikova virus as example of need to send virus updates as quickly as possible.
FCC said it would post new children’s TV programming form (398), which TV stations are required to file annually, on its Web site (www.fcc.gov.) by Thurs. (March 29). It requires stations to file additional information on preemptions of network programs and on published program guides. Deadline for electronically filing new Form 398 is April 10.
Five years of FTC enforcement of Telemarketing Sales Rule have resulted in $152 million in consumer redress and $500,000 in civil penalties, agency said Mon. Rule prohibits misrepresentations, limits hours when consumers can be called and other requirements. Enforcement by FTC and state attorney gens. has attacked variety of scams, FTC said, among them: (1) Promising loans or credit cards for advanced fee and not delivering. (2) Misrepresenting cost of vacation travel packages and failing to disclose terms, such as required attendance at timeshare sales presentations. (3) Phone prize promotions.
SonicBlue said it signed definitive agreement to buy all of ReplayTV, one of 2 Silicon Valley startups in emerging personal video recorder (PVR) market. SonicBlue said it would issue 15.5 million shares of common stock, options and warrants to pay for transaction, which still must be approved by ReplayTV shareholders and regulators. SonicBlue said it planned to incorporate ReplayTV’s PVR technology with its digital audio players, home networking technology, Internet access products, information appliances.
New book published by new National Cable TV Center in Denver focuses on role that early cable engineers and technicians played in promoting industry’s development. Book is written by Archer Taylor, co-founder of Malarkey-Taylor and Strategis Group. Titled History Between Their Ears, book relies mainly on oral history interviews with technical staff of major cable manufacturing companies to show how cable technology has evolved and industry has grown over last 53 years. It stresses 1948-1975 developments, before launch of satellite-delivered programming networks transformed cable into major national business.