Netflix will lose some digital viewing minute share to new subscription VOD services from Disney and AT&T, but streaming services in total will grow as consumers shift more TV viewing to digital, nScreenMedia analyst Colin Dixon blogged Tuesday. He said Disney Plus and HBO Max will accelerate the decline in value of Disney- and AT&T-owned TV channels, and it's not clear whether the value generated by the streamers will recoup that lost TV channel value.

The video industry hopes MVPD subscriber declines will level off, but cable companies' focus on profitable subscribers and their continual pushing of over-the-top products could lead to an acceleration of their sub losses, MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson wrote investors Monday. He said sports will be an anchor keeping 60 percent of the current pay-TV sub base, but 40 percent is "at risk." Beyond being able to create good content, media companies need to become good at churn mitigation, direct marketing and content discovery/user interface systems, he emailed.

The various appellate court challenges to the FCC's cable TV local franchise authority order were consolidated, with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday also granting an FCC motion (in Pacer, docket 19-72219) to transfer the now-consolidated petition to the 6th Circuit (see 1909170067).

Plaintiffs appealing the FCC cable TV local franchise authority (LFA) order (see 1911010057) asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay its implementation. In a docket 19-72219 motion (in Pacer) Monday, Eugene, Oregon, and plaintiffs in three other cases said all petitioners in another three lawsuits also support the motion. They said the agency "drastically and impermissibly reinterpreted key provisions of the Cable Act," affecting how franchises can ensure cable operators meet local needs, which was "a key purpose of the Cable Act." They said it "stretch[es] the meaning of the term 'franchise fee' beyond recognition," leading to budgetary worries for local communities. They said a stay wouldn't hurt cable companies, but implementation would mean "considerable harm" to LFAs and residents. It said respondents the FCC and U.S. and intervenor NCTA oppose the motion. The agency didn't comment Tuesday.

Starz rolled out the international Starzplay app in Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico and the U.K. with plans to launch an additional 20 countries next year, it said Monday. Subscription fees are about $5 monthly.

Xfinity Mobile is the exclusive carrier for the Samsung Galaxy A70, launched Monday. Customers switching to Xfinity Mobile or adding a line through early December, will receive $250 off any new Samsung device.

The Florida League of Cities and that state's Pembroke Pines and Coral Gables want to intervene in support of a challenge to the FCC's cable TV local franchise authority order. In a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals motion for leave to intervene Wednesday (in Pacer, docket 19-72760), they said the petitioners -- including Baltimore, Boston and Washington, D.C. (see 1911010057) -- respondent FCC and respondent intervenors NATOA and NCTA -- consented.

Comments are due Dec. 6, replies Dec. 13, on an NCTA petition for clarification of the FCC Media Bureau order denying a stay of implementation of the agency's cable TV local franchise authority order (see 1911130021), said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest.

NCTA sought clarification of last week's FCC staff denial of a stay (see report, Nov. 7, p. 8 of PDF) of a cable TV local franchise authority order. Lawyers for the association had meetings with Chief Michelle Carey and others in the Media Bureau and General Counsel Thomas Johnson and other Office of General Counsel staff about the order. Paragraph 21, though "only meant to paraphrase controlling statements," could "be misinterpreted in a manner that conflicts with" the rules, the association said, posted Wednesday in docket 05-311. That could create "unnecessary confusion as franchising authorities and cable operators begin to implement the" regulations, the group said. "Issue a simple correction," it asked. The group didn't specify exactly what needs changing and declined to comment. The MB also declined to comment.

Top U.S. phone companies lost 226,257 broadband subscribers in Q3, more net losses than in any quarter except Q2 2016, reported Leichtman Research Group Tuesday. Leading cable companies added 830,000, 114 percent of the net add in the year-ago quarter. AT&T was the telco loss leader, dropping 123,000 subscribers, followed by 71,000 losses at Frontier, 36,000 from CenturyLink and 7,000 leaving Verizon. Windstream, TDS and Consolidated gained 11,143 total. All cable companies had subscriber growth, led by Charter with 380,000, followed by Comcast (379,000), Cox (25,000) and Altice (14,900). Total broadband subs among the firms with 96 percent of the market, were 100.5 million; cable had 67 percent.