NAB still supports some FCC broadcast ownership deregulation for those getting an overcoming disadvantages preference (ODP), while nonprofits that oppose other types of deregulation shared those concerns with aides to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, ex parte filings in docket 09-182 say. Shared service agreements and other contracts “between putatively separate stations” should be addressed in coming ownership rules, as a draft order’s focus on just joint sales agreements (JSA) continues to be “puzzling” to SSA foe Free Press, an official at the group reported telling an aide to Clyburn (http://xrl.us/bobd2n). “News co-production and ’sharing’ arrangements seem more likely to allow for control or influence over another licensee’s programming than do JSAs.” Clyburn has been considering whether some JSAs may be beneficial, as she and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel have concerns about deregulating other ownership rules before the agency conducts barriers-to-entry studies (CD Jan 18 p1). NAB continues to be willing to discuss with the FCC and others “practical steps” to implement an ODP, the association reported executives told Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake and an aide to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (http://xrl.us/bobd27). It said that NAB, which backs ownership incubator programs to provide deregulation for various media assets, wouldn’t oppose such a “program that was initially limited to radio,” as the Diversity and Competition Supporters coalition has sought. Clyburn’s aide was also lobbied against deregulation by Georgetown University’s Institute for Public Representation, which also is against consolidation (http://xrl.us/bobd27).
The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued a citation and order to Security-Cameras-CCTV.COM for allegedly selling unauthorized wireless camera surveillance systems in the U.S. in violation of FCC rules. “CCTV should take immediate steps to come into compliance and to avoid any recurrence of this misconduct, including such actions as removing unauthorized wireless camera surveillance systems from CCTV’s on-line store and declining to sell unauthorized wireless camera surveillance systems in the United States,” the bureau said (http://xrl.us/bobdvd). “Future violations of the Act and the Rules in this regard may subject CCTV to substantial monetary penalties, seizure of equipment, and criminal sanctions.”
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver request by American Tower Corp., which asked that it be allowed to inspect the 7,000 towers it owns on an annual rather than quarterly basis, since the towers are already monitored using its in-house monitoring system. “The ATC System is designed to reliably diagnose problems, including any failures of control devices, indicators and alarm systems, within real time, and therefore will render strict application of the rule unnecessary to serve its underlying purpose,” the bureau said Friday (http://xrl.us/bobdun). “Moreover, our action will relieve ATC of the burden of performing unnecessary quarterly inspections. In addition, granting ATC’s waiver will further encourage tower owners to invest in state-of-the-art technologies so that they too will become capable of continuous monitoring of both their lighting systems and control devices.” The bureau noted it has granted similar waivers in the past and is in the process of reviewing its tower rules.
Western Pacific Broadcast sought a delay to respond to the opposition of another cable operator facing the broadcaster’s must-carry complaint for WACP Atlantic City, N.J. The station’s owner wants until Feb. 13 to reply to Blue Ridge Cable, Western Pacific said in a filing Thursday in docket 12-365 (http://xrl.us/bobdvu). The extra four weeks will “facilitate discussions between the parties’ engineers in an effort to informally resolve the signal quality issue” of whether WACP can be received OK at Blue Ridge’s principal headend, Western Pacific said. “To be fruitful, these discussions must involve an exchange of engineering information and an analysis of the information by both parties, which will require further time.” The talks could resolve the dispute “without the need” for the Media Bureau to develop an order on the must-carry complaint, according to the motion for extension that said it won’t be opposed by Blue Ridge. The broadcaster made similar contentions in seeking a two-week extension to answer Armstrong Utilities’s objection (CD Jan 16 p17).
Intelsat requested a special temporary authority for 30 days beginning Jan. 28, to use its Hagerstown, Md., C-band earth station. Intelsat plans to use the earth station “to provide launch and early orbit phase services for the Intelsat 27 satellite that is expected to be launched” Jan. 28, it said in its application with the FCC International Bureau (http://xrl.us/bobdt6). The bureau accepted Intelsat’s request for a 180-day STA to drift the Galaxy 11 satellite from 55.5 degrees west to the 55.6 degrees west orbital location, it said in a public notice (http://xrl.us/bobdvf).
The Copyright Royalty Board is seeking comments on motions of Phase I claimants in connection with the 2011 royalty funds for cable and satellite. The board seeks comment on “whether any reasonable objection exists that would preclude the distribution of 50 percent of the 2011 satellite royalty funds to the Phase I claimants,” the CRB said in a Federal Register notice(http://xrl.us/bobdr6). The board also seeks comment on the existence and extent of any controversies to the 2011 royalty funds “that would remain if the motion for partial distribution is granted,” it said. The board requested comments “as to the existence of Phase I and Phase II controversies with respect to the distribution of 2011 cable royalty funds,” it said in a separate notice (http://xrl.us/bobdsg). Comments in each proceeding are due Feb. 19.
CTIA sent the FCC a letter, urging officials there to download a QR Reader on their smartphone or tablet so they can watch a series of videos released by the group (http://xrl.us/bobc77). “These videos demonstrate the reality of the ‘virtuous cycle’ -- as long as more spectrum is available, the industry will continue to invest in networks to handle more capacity, device manufacturers will continue to develop new capabilities for handsets and content developers will continue to create new apps and content -- which ultimately benefits the consumers who continue to want and expect more from the mobile ecosystem,” CTIA said. CTIA President Steve Largent, meanwhile, met with Commissioner Ajit Pai Thursday to discuss “how the discussion surrounding the need for more spectrum has changed significantly in the last two years as mobile broadband innovations have been launched in a wide range of sectors of our economy, including healthcare, transportation, farming, small business, education, energy and more,” CTIA said (http://xrl.us/bobdon).
SES partnered with O3B Networks to provide Internet capacity for Digicel’s cellular network services. Digicel, a mobile services provider, contracted capacity on SES’s NSS-9 satellite and O3B’s Medium Earth Orbit fleet “to provide high quality Internet bandwidth for their cellular network in Papua New Guinea,” SES said in a press release (http://xrl.us/bobc9k). The NSS-9 satellite will offer C-band capacity at the 183 degrees east orbital position, SES said.
TF Cornerstone asked the New York State Public Service Commission for more time to respond to Verizon’s PSC petition to enter two TF Cornerstone properties and install FiOS. Verizon first petitioned the PSC earlier this month (CD Jan 4 p12) for permission to enter six New York City properties damaged by Superstorm Sandy. It wanted to replace the buildings’ damaged Verizon copper with FiOS, citing its greater ability to withstand natural disasters and offering to install it free of charge. Six properties refused at the time, Verizon said. TF Cornerstone, managing agent for two of the six properties, asked for an extension to Feb. 8 to decide and noted Verizon’s counsel has consented, it told the PSC Friday (http://xrl.us/bobc2y). The PSC granted the extension request (http://xrl.us/bobd6v). Rockrose Development Corp., which manages another two of the six properties, told us a week after the petition that it had decided to welcome Verizon’s proposals of installing FiOS (CD Jan 11 p14).
A U.K. government commitment to impose new export controls on telecom equipment that could be used for Internet censorship and surveillance is welcome but the process is too drawn-out, Privacy International said Friday. In a December report (http://xrl.us/bobcyb), Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee recommended that the U.K. “set out the scope for controlling the supply by UK nationals, or by companies based in the UK, of telecommunications equipment for which there is a reasonable expectation that it might be used to restrict freedom of expression on the internet.” In response, Foreign Secretary William Hague said the kind of equipment referred to may already be subject to export control, for example, if it contains encryption technology as specified in the EU dual-use regulation, under which controlled items aren’t allowed to leave EU customs territory without an export authorization. All applications for export license for such equipment are assessed case-by-case against EU and national arms export licensing criteria, he said. The EU has also adopted additional measures in the context of sanctions against Iran and Syria, he said. Where this type of equipment isn’t currently subject to control, the government is committed to working with international partners to agree on a specific list of goods, software and technology, he said. “In our view an internationally agreed and implemented list is the most effective and efficient means of controlling exports of concern. Given the evolving nature of these technologies and the very technical nature of these discussions,” the work is expected to continue this year, he said. “This is another step towards ensuring that British technologies are not used in the violation of human rights abroad,” said PI Head of Research Eric King. But by choosing long-drawn international accords over swift action at the national level, “the government is passing the buck,” he said. The “Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills has the power to stop these exports tomorrow -- so why isn’t he using it?"