Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., urged the FCC not to weaken its rules on cross-ownership of newspapers, television and radio stations in the same media markets, in a news conference Thursday. They said they oppose any rule change that would discourage diversity in media ownership, limit public access to unbiased information and impact local news coverage and competition, according to a news release.
Cablevision’s broadband service will cost $5 more per month beginning in January, the company said. The increase won’t apply to customers who are still on promotional packages, it said. It didn’t increase the rates for its phone or video products, it said. Customers subject to the increase will see their monthly bill go up about 3.2 percent, it said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to delay Thursday’s markup of the Location Privacy Protection Act (S-1223) until next week. Republicans on the committee asked that the bill be held over due to some concerns from the communications industry and the Department of Justice, said Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., would require companies to obtain express consent from consumers before collecting or sharing their location data with third parties, and inform consumers about how they can revoke their consent to be tracked. The bill prohibits the unauthorized disclosure of geolocation information used for interstate stalking or violence. The bill also contains a provision that would require the government to study how geolocation tracking is used to commit violence against women. Franken said the bill is needed to close the loopholes from outdated laws that permit companies to collect and disclose information about Americans without their knowledge. But Grassley said the committee needs to examine the bill’s enforcement mechanism to “make sure we don’t create unnecessary problems for litigants or the courts.” He also said the bill must examine the impact that the legislation’s consent provisions will have on current and future technology. A committee spokesman could not say exactly when the committee will mark up the bill next week. The Software and Information Industry Alliance urged in a blog post (http://xrl.us/bn46x9) that lawmakers further delay markup while industry stakeholders develop a self-regulatory mobile privacy framework.
Hearst said it bought half of NorthSouth Productions, a producer of non-scripted TV programs such as Say Yes to the Dress. “This partnership will give us a significantly stronger presence in cable network production, which is experiencing a steady growth in overall demand,” said Frank Bennack, Hearst’s CEO.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology authorized use of devices designed to access the Internet through the TV white spaces across the East Coast. Previously, the FCC had only authorized use of the white spaces in a few, localized areas. “This action is a significant step towards providing for nationwide operation of TV white space devices using new methods for efficiently using unused spectrum (white space) in bands allocated for licensed services,” OET said Thursday (http://xrl.us/bn46w2). The East Coast region includes major population centers such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina. OET had previously authorized launch of an online registration system to protect wireless microphones used at sports stadiums and other entertainment venues in the region. That system went live in September. In a separate notice, OET said it was preparing to take the registration system nationwide (http://xrl.us/bn46xg).
Overseas pay-TV companies are beginning to offer over-the-top (OTT) video products to customers who don’t buy their traditional services, Parks Associates said in a new report on pay-TV providers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Operators such as Sky in the U.K., Telecom Italia, Romania’s Romtelecom and South Korean cable operator CJ HelloVision “have all launched video services that are available to anyone with a broadband connection,” the report said. “Operators in Europe and Asia have dramatically increased their multiscreen offerings and some are expanding into pure-play OTT services, with offerings available outside their network footprint,” said Brett Sappington, director of research for Parks Associates.
Harris said it agreed to sell its broadcast equipment division to an affiliate of the Gores Group for up to $225 million. Harris will be due $160 million up front, plus a $15 million promissory note and “an earnout” of up to $50 million based on future performance, it said. Harris has been looking for a buyer for the unit since May (CD May 2 p16).
The FCC should create a broadband support program that lets healthcare providers procure services as well as facilities, GCI executives told advisers to commissioners Ajit Pai, Robert McDowell, Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel this week (http://xrl.us/bn46sf). GCI proposed several reforms, including the ability for applicants to include multiple sites on a single application; the simplification of “evergreen” contract requirements such as service growth in out-years; and disbursement of support more than twice a year. The commission should also clarify that reimbursement for satellite services should not be capped by rates for unavailable terrestrial services; and expand the list of eligible healthcare providers to include skilled-nursing facilities.
The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) advocates investment in innovation because of what it judges to be a significant competitive decline throughout the states, its 2012 State New Economy Index said. The think tank’s Thursday report (http://xrl.us/bn46sq) outlines the decline in manufacturing and other sectors, including high tech: “Unless the United States addresses this fundamental economic competitiveness challenge, it will be difficult for the U.S. economy and, by extension, individual state economies to thrive.” The report’s index attempts to “measure the economic structure of states,” looking at 26 indicators broadly grouped into categories of knowledge jobs, globalization, economic dynamism, the digital economy and innovation capacity. One major factor is the deployment of broadband. The report describes the need for “faster transmission of larger amounts of data” and the need for adoption and buildout. The index’s top three states are Massachusetts, Delaware and Washington and the bottom three are Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi. The top “new economy” states tend to have high-tech firms as well as “a high concentration of managers, professionals, and college-educated residents working in ‘knowledge jobs'” and be more geared toward global markets, the report added. “All of the states, and perhaps most importantly, the federal government, need to implement innovation strategies in order to compete in the New Economy,” ITIF said. “Successful strategies will incentivize, among other things, having a workforce and jobs based on higher skills; strong global connections; dynamic firms, including strong, high-growth entrepreneurial startups; industries and individuals embracing digital technologies; and strong capabilities in technological innovation."
XO asked the FCC to clarify that reliance on a certificate, consistent with the applicable Form 499-A instructions for the relevant year, sufficiently demonstrates that actual contributions were made to the USF on the relevant services (http://xrl.us/bn46rz). This would help the Universal Service Administrative Co. avoid “arbitrary disparate treatment” between providers who obtained certificates in reliance on the sample language prior to service, and those who did so in reliance on the sample language after service, XO said. XO also wants the FCC to reconsider the standard USAC should apply to evidence submitted by a wholesale carrier. The FCC’s adoption of the “clear and convincing” standard in the Reseller Order conflicts with the Administrative Procedure Act, which applies a “preponderance” standard in agency adjudications, XO said. The commission couldn’t adopt a “new and higher evidentiary standard” in its order without first giving notice and opportunity for comment, XO said.