COVID-19-induced stay-at-home orders in March sparked a 30% increase in the average number of VOD transactions per household compared with March 2019, said Comscore Wednesday. The average subscribing home accessed, bought or rented 16 titles of VOD content during the month, nearly four more titles than a year earlier. VOD consumption increased steadily as March wore on. It peaked the week of March 29 when consumption spiked 57% higher.
Citing personal ownership of stock in AT&T, one of the plaintiffs, U.S. District Judge John Kronstadt of Los Angeles ordered (docket 20-cv-03129, in Pacer) video piracy litigation brought by the company and other content companies against streaming service Nitro TV (see 2004060063) transferred to Judge Dean Pregerson. Judge Michael Fitzgerald, who handled similar content company litigation against another alleged pirate streaming service, Tickbox, had declined transfer, saying it involved "different defendants, different attorneys and different software."
Despite what could be a massive early sign-up of subscribers and much quality content, prospects for short-form video platform Quibi are bleak due to the pandemic shutdown on new content production, nScreenMedia analyst Colin Dixon blogged Monday. It also will be challenged by such emerging over-the-top competition as Comcast's Peacock streaming service debuts in July and HBO Max in May, and by belt-tightening by consumers, he said. Quibi didn't comment Tuesday.
Delay by 30 days comment and reply deadlines for the 2020 communications market report to Congress (see 2002270067) due to music licensers' and content providers' focus on getting through COVID-19, the American Association of Independent Music and Future of Music Coalition asked Monday in FCC docket 20-60. Comments would be due May 13, replies June 12.
ViacomCBS bought a 49% stake in Miramax, with beIN Media Group retaining its 51% stake, it said Friday. The price was $150 million at closing plus a $225 million commitment over the next five years toward new film and TV production and working capital, it said. The acquirer's Paramount Pictures gets an exclusive distribution agreement for Miramax's film library and first-look agreement to develop, produce, finance and distribute film and TV projects based on Miramax intellectual property.
Of U.S. households with a livestreaming vMVPD such as AT&T TV Now, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV, 44% switched from traditional pay TV, while 26% also have a traditional service, said Leichtman Research Group Friday. Eighteen percent switched from another vMVPD; 12% were most recently nonsubscribers. That's similar to findings from a year ago. Overall, 18% of adults 18-44 have a vMVPD service -- vs. 9% of consumers ages 45 and above -- and they account for 65% of U.S. adults with a vMVPD. Fourteen percent of respondents are “very likely” to switch from a vMVPD in the next six months; 54% of vMVPD households have three-plus TVs; 95% with an vMVPD service also have a subscription VOD service from Amazon Prime, Hulu and/or Netflix; and 79% of all households have at least one SVOD or direct-to-consumer streaming video service; 44% have three-plus. The February survey involved 6,462 adults.
Saying Block Communications didn't demonstrate any injury stemming from the FCC order modifying the market for WHIO-TV Dayton, Ohio, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the broadcaster's market modification appeal Friday. Judges Richard Suhrheinrich, Eric Clay and Bernice Donald, in an opinion penned by Donald (docket 18-4137), said Block lacks standing because it didn't show injury. The court didn't rule on the merits of Block's arguments on the FCC order. Block outside counsel didn't comment.
FuboTV and FaceBank Group closed on their deal (see 2003230065), with the combined company led as planned by fuboTV CEO David Gandler and doing business as fuboTV, they said Thursday.
Comcast and Fox signed a long-term renewal of their distribution agreement for Fox's channels, including retransmission consent of Fox stations to Xfinity customers, Comcast said Wednesday. The deal includes streaming rights for watching through the Xfinity streaming service.
Political advertising disclosure rules could leave cable operators “subject to liability for unintentional errors,” NCTA told aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and to Commissioners Geoffrey Starks, Jessica Rosenworcel and Mike O’Rielly, per a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-363. The FCC should “clarify that it will continue to defer to cable operators’ good faith efforts when evaluating compliance,” said the filing. The agency should also clarify that the rules only apply to non-candidate disclosures, NCTA said. An order addressing NAB's petition for reconsideration is on circulation (see 2003300046).