The Interactive Advertising Bureau published new draft Quality Assurance Guidelines (QAG) and is soliciting public comment on them, it said. Among the biggest changes to the initial guidelines is a change in terminology from describing “networks and exchanges” to the broader characterization “buyers and sellers,” it said. That new language includes large premium publishers, demand-side platforms, supply-side platforms, trading desks, agencies and marketers, it said. “Without an established framework for common ground and uniform standards, trust becomes an issue for buyers and sellers,” said Patrick Dolan, chief operating officer at the IAB. Work on the new guidelines began in October with the formation of the QAG 2.0 Task Force, led by the 614 Group, a management consulting agency.
Rogers Communications said it bought Blackiron Data from Primus Telecommunications Group for about $195 million in cash. Blackiron is a data center and cloud computer services provider in Canada with about 4,000 customers that recorded about $33.7 million in sales in 2012, Rogers said. It operates eight data centers within 200 kilometers of 80 percent of Canadian businesses, Rogers said. “This acquisition presents Rogers with a significant growth opportunity in the business-to-business market that aligns with our overall enterprise strategy,” said Terry Canning, senior vice president of Rogers Business Solutions.
Vonage said its Vonage Mobile app users can now place free video calls to other Vonage users over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi connections. The app is available on the iPhone and Android devices, it said.
Fox affiliate WCCB-TV Charlotte will move to The CW network July 1, said station owner Bahakel Communications in a release Thursday. According to the release, the CW’s previous affiliate in Charlotte, WJZY-TV, was recently bought by Fox. WCCB is also the affiliate for Charlotte’s MeTV network and will retain broadcast rights for Carolina Panthers pre-season football games.
Arris Group completed its buy of Google’s Motorola Home set-top box unit for $2.2 billion and a 7.7 percent stake in Arris, it said Wednesday. Approved by the Department of Justice Monday, the deal gives Arris the right to license Motorola Mobility patents, Arris said. The Wednesday release said the cash portion of the consideration was funded through syndicated debt financing and the sale of 10.6 million Arris shares to Comcast. The deal leaves Google and Comcast each holding 7.7 percent of Arris shares, it said (http://bit.ly/11hSd0F).
T-Mobile representatives explained the carrier’s 35 x 35 MHz proposal for a band plan after the incentive auction of broadcast TV spectrum, in a series of meetings at the FCC. T-Mobile also explained the plan in some detail in an FCC filing (http://bit.ly/11lz3G1). “T-Mobile is grateful to the FCC for its interest in maximizing licensed spectrum in the 600 MHz auction,” the carrier said. “T-Mobile favors a band plan that maximizes paired spectrum, promotes interoperability, and enhances competition."
As of Wednesday, the “vast majority of American consumers” now get alerts warning them of surprises on their wireless bills and heading off “bill shock,” said Kris Monteith, acting chief of the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Thursday in a update at the commission’s April meeting (http://bit.ly/Z1bTaC). Monteith largely scooped herself the previous day, offering the same update at an FCC workshop (CD April 18 p13). Though 97 percent of wireless subscribers get the alerts, more remains to be done, said Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. “I remain concerned about the remaining 3 percent of wireless customers, for they represent millions of customers who currently are not benefiting from overage alerts,” she said. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC must remain “vigilant” on bill shock. She asked the bureau to come with a report in another year. “We must be certain that we have put the problem of bill shock behind us,” Rosenworcel said. “And going forward we should look for new opportunities to provide consumers with more information to provide them with the confidence they need to make good choices and take full advantage of the opportunities the digital age offers. I think that studying the data we already have, like the 400,000 complaints and inquires the commission receives every year, is a good place to start.” Commissioner Ajit Pai noted that “wireless carriers have a strong interest in providing good customer service; a happy customer is much less likely to switch to another carrier."
The FCC proposed fines Thursday for three stations for violations of public-file requirements for children’s programming reports. According to three Media Bureau notices of apparent liability, North Carolina’s WTBL Lenoir was considered liable for $13,000 for not putting children’s programming information in its public inspection file (http://bit.ly/Z1assE), a $13,000 fine was proposed for WOCH Chicago for both not putting the programming information in its public file and not filing the reports with the FCC on time (http://bit.ly/102lpox), and a $10,000 fine was proposed for WAGT Augusta, Ga., for failing to publicize the location of its children’s programming reports (http://bit.ly/17sboWf).
The Senate Judiciary Committee began consideration of a bill (S-607) by committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, that would amend the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) during a Thursday executive business meetings. The bill would eliminate “the ambiguous and outdated 180-day rule” for warrantless access to stored email currently in ECPA and would require that law enforcement officials obtain a search warrant before accessing electronic communications, Lee said. “Subject to some logical exceptions,” law enforcement officials would have to notify individuals of that access within 10 days, Lee said. Lee, Leahy and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, discussed recent claims that the IRS has accessed individuals’ email accounts. “These concerns are more than theoretical,” Lee said; Leahy said he “is getting more and more concerned.” Citing the support of the committee in the last session, Grassley suggested that Leahy put the bill on the schedule for the next committee business meeting, where it will likely be passed by voice vote. The committee scheduled an executive business meeting to discuss the bill at 10 a.m. April 25 in 226 Dirksen.
Retransmission consent fees, a revenue source that could be threatened by a court decision in favor of Internet TV service Aereo, are projected to reach an amount that would be equal to 21 percent of TV station ad revenue and 14 percent of network ad revenue by 2016, said an analysis released Thursday by SNL Financial. Analyst Robin Flynn calls retrans revenue “an important component of revenue but by no means the largest.” Flynn said that between 2012 and 2016, TV stations will be paid more than $18.2 billion in retrans revenue, while generating more than $106 billion in revenue. Flynn projected that this year retrans fees paid to TV stations will rise to $3.02 billion, while “multichannel operators will pay cable networks, regional sports networks and premium networks $44.5 billion in affiliate fees.” Flynn also said Fox may try to raise retrans fees using its network’s high ratings as justification: “In 2011, ESPN’s prime-time rating averaged 1.84, versus 5.11 for FOX.”