With a Sept. 4 congressional deadline, the FCC Downloadable Security Technical Advisory Committee has focused on two proposals for technology neutral downloadable security, but remains far from unified, it was revealed at DSTAC's meeting Tuesday. DSTAC efforts coalesced around two rival plans: a pay TV-backed proposal that would use security based on HTML 5 and downloadable apps, and a “virtual head end” system based on link protection backed by members of the Consumer Video Choice Coalition, which includes Public Knowledge and TiVo. The DSTAC doesn't have to choose a winner between the two systems -- its final report will contain both proposals, Chairwoman Cheryl Tritt said. A final draft of the report outlining the proposals will be produced for a vote at the DSTAC's final meeting Aug. 28. The working group reports that will form the basis of the DSTAC's final product are available on the DSTAC homepage.
The Telecommunications Industry Association is increasing lobbying and outreach efforts as it adds major new members, said industry officials in interviews Monday. That lobbying and outreach is meant to keep ahead of industry convergence and “the IP revolution," CEO Scott Belcher said. AT&T and Comcast were announced as among new TIA members. Belcher pointed to the companies' membership as a sign that TIA’s new focus on being vocal is paying dividends.
The comment periods for the FCC’s proposal to preserve a vacant channel in the incentive auction for unlicensed use and wireless microphones were indefinitely suspended, the Media Bureau said in an order Wednesday. The delay followed requests for a three-week extension by both NAB and the LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition. Instead of three weeks, the Media Bureau order announced a “brief suspension” of undefined length, intended to allow the parties to file comments after the FCC enacts the upcoming Auction Procedures public notice, which could include plans to repack TV stations in the duplex gap. “The Commission’s decision on final auction procedures may impact the availability of television channels for use by such devices in certain areas,” the order said. The delay also will allow the FCC to determine new comment deadlines, the order said.
AT&T's decision that 2016 and future specifications for Android smartphones will include activated FM chips is a boon to radio broadcasters, said NAB and broadcast attorneys Tuesday. AT&T's agreement to activate the chips is “a tipping point” in the effort to get the chips activated in all smart phones, Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan said. Emmis and NAB are behind NextRadio, an app designed to take advantage of activated FM chips by allowing smartphones to display interactive content and targeted ads that are tied to broadcast radio content. AT&T's move to activate the chips “marks a new beginning in mobile technology,” NAB President Gordon Smith said in a statement.
Broadcasters planning to take advantage of the capabilities of the upcoming ATSC 3.0 technological shift to lease spectrum to wireless carriers would be better served by participating in the TV incentive auction, said Incentive Auction Task Force Vice Chairman Howard Symons during a webinar Thursday. Largely about the incentive auction, the webinar, hosted by Broadcasting and Cable, also touched on the new broadcast standard and repacking.
The Copyright Royalty Board should reduce the rates noncommercial broadcasters pay in online music royalties, said the National Religious Broadcasters Noncommercial Music License Committee during closing argument Tuesday in the CRB proceeding on streaming music royalty rates (14-CRB-0001-WR [2016-2020]). SoundExchange, which represents artists and record labels, has argued that the noncommercial streaming rates shouldn't change. In June filings, Wiley Rein attorney Karyn Ablin pointed to superior deals made by College Broadcasters Inc. and NPR as evidence that the rate should change.
A ruling on the rates streaming music services will pay for music licensing is expected in December, after closing arguments in the case (14-CRB-0001-WR (2016-2020)) were held before the Copyright Royalty Board Tuesday. The hearing included long stretches of closed session, where the room was shut to outside parties because confidential information was under discussion, according to CRB staff.
A judge’s ruling that streaming TV service FilmOn is eligible for a compulsory copyright license could potentially lead to a circuit split and an eventual cert petition to the Supreme Court, attorneys told us Friday.
Network affiliation agreements could make it difficult for some stations to participate in channel sharing deals with stations they aren’t commonly owned with, broadcast attorneys, industry officials and an engineer told us. FCC officials have stressed the complexity of channel sharing deals in recent public appearances (see 1506160057 and 1506250060). The commission is holding a July 22 webinar on channel sharing and network affiliation agreements. The pacts are expected to inject additional complexity into the process because they often include specific bandwidth requirements, which could leave little bandwidth for potential sharing partners, said industry officials.
The Downloadable Security Technology Advisory Committee remained divided over the characteristics of a possible downloadable security system, at their meeting Tuesday, despite a Congressional requirement that their work be complete by Sept. 4. Entities such as TiVo and Public Knowledge that recently formally banded together as the Consumer Video Choice Coalition (see 1507010064) want a solution that will allow third party retail set top boxes with their own proprietary user interfaces (UIs) to view multichannel video programming distributor content. MVPD representatives said their UIs and set-top box features are an integral part of the service their customers pay for, and are pushing for a solution that won't interfere with those offerings.