New FCC rules allowing MVPDs to deliver some notices to broadcasters via email instead of via the post (see 2001300001) take effect April 20, says Thursday's Federal Register.
The full FCC unanimously voted to eliminate leftover language in its rules on the local, physical public inspection files of commercial and noncommercial broadcasters and MVPDs, said an order in Thursday’s Daily Digest. The last requirements for local inspection files were changed to require only online files in 2018, and as of March 1, the transition to the online system was complete, the order said.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling for Google and its YouTube subsidiary in Prager University's lawsuit (see 2002260046) leaves open the broader issue of how courts will treat online platforms as speakers, Wiley lawyers Megan Brown, Boyd Garriott and Jeremy Broggi blogged Wednesday for the Washington Legal Foundation. The Supreme Court's Manhattan Community Access v. Halleck decision left the door open to the court finding sufficient state action in future First Amendment cases, they said. With doctrine unsettled, some platforms are focusing on self-regulation, they said. They said the Communications Decency Act's Section 230 immunity could go away in the face of bipartisan criticism and DOJ saying it's looking at ways of paring it back.
Though major studios are scooting up digital release dates of feature films during the COVID-19 crisis, that's unlikely to be a permanent change, nScreen Media analyst Colin Dixon blogged Monday. If studios see some subscription VOD success with earlier releases, they likely will chalk it up to parents "trying to placate stir-crazy kids" and return to the traditional movie-theater-first releases once theaters reopen, he said. NBCUniversal said it will make a variety of films in theatrical release or being released also available for on-demand rental starting Friday. "Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” NBCU CEO Jeff Shell said.
Comments are due April 6, replies April 13, in docket 20-61 on whether to extend by six months to Dec. 20 the effective date of the Section 642 provisions of the TV Viewer Protection Act, the FCC Media Bureau said in Monday's Federal Register. Section 642 requires MVPDs to give potential subscribers a breakdown of all charges before a contract is signed, plus a 24-hour grace period for new subscribers to cancel service without penalty.
A Maine cable pro-rating bill cleared the Senate by a 29-0 margin Thursday after the House overwhelmingly passed LD-2031 earlier last week (see 2003110020). If signed by Gov. Janet Mills (D), cable companies would be required to pro-rate canceling customers’ final bills. Friday, NCTA declined comment; Mills' office didn’t comment.
Apple's apparent interest in satellites might be for rural broadband delivery, but other possible options include Apple-branded broadband for connectivity for Apple products, CCG Consulting President Doug Dawson blogged Thursday. It also could be thinking of using it for cellphone communications, letting Apple "un-tether from cellular companies," or for satellite-to-car smart car applications. The company didn't comment.
FCC online systems can go slow or even crash on big filing deadline days, and the must-carry/retransmission deadline "is inflexible," so upload whatever TV consent elections information is required to be filed with the agency at least a week in advance of each deadline, Fletcher Heald broadcast lawyer Peter Tannenwald blogged Tuesday. He said the new, all-electronic system for notifying MVPDs of must-carry or retransmission status promises to be cheaper and simpler than the paper system, but every broadcaster and MVPD will have to upload some information this year by July 31 or Oct. 1 deadlines to preserve their legal rights.
Streaming service VidAngel filed a Chapter 11 reorganization plan with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Salt Lake City that would see Hollywood studio plaintiffs that sued it for Copyright Act and Digital Millennium Copyright Act violations paid the full $62.4 million verdict (see 1906180003), it said Thursday. Company bankruptcy trustee George Hofmann said in a statement that the verdict "initially seemed insurmountable," but VidAngel's business growth makes paying the judgment in full feasible. "I look forward to the court confirming a plan so that VidAngel can emerge from bankruptcy, pay its debts and focus on growing," he said. In an accompanying disclosure statement (in Pacer), Hofmann said he intends to appeal the verdict to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after post-trial motions are fully decided. The Parents TV Council said VidAngel is "demonstrat[ing] its commitment to conducting its content filtering business honorably and within the expressed intent of Congress as documented in the Family Movie Act of 2005." PTC said Friday that Congress should, through an update to the act, "make it unmistakably clear to the courts, and to Hollywood, that consumers have free speech rights to filter out explicit streaming content that is pouring into their homes." The group criticized Disney, which was part of studios' 2019 motion (in Pacer) to convert the bankruptcy to Chapter 7 liquidation. “Disney lawyers are fighting against collecting the very financial judgment that they themselves secured, in order to drive a dagger through the heart of filtering technology once and for all. We hope the courts see through Disney’s smokescreen," PTC said. The company didn't comment now.
April 11 is the deadline for the next biannual registration with the FCC of U.S.-based foreign media outlets as required under the McCain National Defense Authorization Act (see 1809050009), said a Media Bureau public notice in Thursday's Daily Digest.