Broadcast industry officials, advertisers and academics presented differing stances Thursday at the first day of a DOJ Antitrust Division workshop on whether linear local TV spots compete with digital promotions.
Apple posted its highest Services revenue ever, $11.4 billion, in the March quarter, up from $9.8 billion a year ago, said CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday’s earnings call. That 16 percent growth rate didn't offset a 17 percent global revenue decline in iPhones to $31 billion. Canalys reported Wednesday that iPhone shipments worldwide sank 23.2 percent in Q1 to 40.2 million shipments amid a global “freefall” in smartphone shipments that retreated for the sixth straight quarter.
California lawmakers moved a cavalcade of privacy bills, including several tweaking last year’s California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), in hearings this week. The Assembly Appropriations panel Wednesday unanimously cleared three without discussion. No members voted against five privacy bills, or two other bills on wireless data throttling of public safety users and e-commerce marketplace transparency, at a Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee hearing Tuesday.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission sought Supreme Court review of the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision that interconnected VoIP is an information service, in a case about whether the state may regulate Charter Communications cable phone service. The agency Wednesday filed a writ of certiorari in case No. 18A889. That was expected (see 1903040025).
The completion of a bankruptcy restructuring by iHeartMedia Wednesday is expected to be followed by a sale or public offering for the broadcaster and improved health for the radio industry as a whole but isn’t expected to lead to iHeart binge-buying stations, radio attorneys, consultants and analysts told us. The restructuring process reduced iHeart’s debt by more than $10 billion, it said in a news release Monday. “The perception (and reality) that iHeart is now an independently functioning company out from under the scrutiny of bankruptcy court will greatly improve its image and the image of radio, too,” emailed media broker Robert Heymann, from the Chicago office of Media Services Group. The FCC OK'd the restructuring plan last week (see 1904240054).
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., will be “very helpful” for striking consensus (see 1904300195) on a privacy bill that can gain the support of a “huge,” bicameral majority, Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us. His comment came after a committee hearing with consumer advocates and a top EU data privacy enforcer, who offered legislators advice on legislative specifics.
T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray contends AT&T and Verizon were too quick to launch 5G in high-band spectrum (see 1904250065). Experts told us now that Ray highlighted a growing realization that millimeter-wave spectrum will be only part of 5G, though the first to launch. They said AT&T and Verizon are likely learning a lot from their early work, which could give them advantages later on as 5G becomes more widespread across the U.S.
Even revised broadband deployment numbers still show a narrowing digital divide, with notable broadband deployments particularly in rural areas, the FCC said Wednesday. Some skeptics and critics of the initial report (see 1903060034) seemed partly mollified about the new data, though not pleased with the pace of deployment. "The new data doesn't change the ... fundamental conclusion: we are closing the digital divide," Chairman Ajit Pai said.
Satellite groups sought changes to export controls related to a Trump administration effort to revive the National Space Council, in comments that were due Friday. The Aerospace Industries Association asked the Commerce Department for more time before space-related export control regulations, to allow for "open discussions with the government." AIA lacks an "industry consensus" on multiple changes being considered. The association said a member-company asked that Commerce “evaluate” the list and “expand the list of parts and components that do not pose a threat to National Security and Regional Stability.”
Groups representing the hearing impaired urged FCC changes in industry’s wireless resiliency cooperative framework to ensure they get emergency warnings they can easily access. Some industry groups said the agency shouldn't impose new mandates and should rely on a voluntary approach, which they said is working. Two groups representing smaller carriers highlighted roaming concerns. The Public Safety Bureau sought feedback on how well the framework, first agreed to by the largest carriers in 2016, is working now (see 1904010047). Comments were posted Tuesday in docket 11-60.