AT&T “misled” the FCC Media Bureau into ruling that Deerfield Media and other broadcasters with sidecar arrangements with Sinclair violated good-faith retransmission consent rules (see 1912100057), said a heavily redacted reply from the broadcast defendants posted Friday in docket 19-168 in support of their application for review. The bureau ruled that the agent negotiating retransmission terms for the joint parties failed to negotiate, but the agent provided three draft agreements to AT&T on the stations’ behalf, the reply noted. “It was simply AT&T’s self-serving theory -- and later the Bureau’s speculation -- that the agent was lying or mistaken when he claimed to be negotiating terms for the Joint Parties.” AT&T has made opposite arguments elsewhere, the broadcasters said. The decision threatens to “tilt the playing field for future negotiations farther in favor of market-dominant MVPDs like AT&T,” the station owners said. AT&T didn't comment.
“Expect the unexpected” from nontraditional exhibitors at CES 2020, including NBCUniversal and WWE, said organizer CTA Thursday. Sensors, connectivity and smart technology continue to broaden the scope, advance booth invitations show. While traditional categories such as high-end audio turn to more specialized events, CES is casting a wider net to bring in more diverse, global technologies.
Comcast signed retransmission consent agreements with Nexstar and Tegna in advance of previous agreements' Dec. 31 expirations, without blackouts, the cable operator told us Thursday. It didn't provide terms.
Comments are due Jan. 29 on a Copyright Royalty Board notice of inquiry on categorization of claims for cable or satellite royalty funds and treatment of royalties associated with invalid claims, said a notice in Monday's Federal Register.
The FCC Media Bureau made a "detailed and carefully reasoned decision" when it said nine Sinclair-affiliated station groups violated per se good-faith negotiating standards in talks with AT&T (see 1911080036) and there's no basis for overturning it, AT&T said in a heavily redacted docket 19-168 opposition posted Tuesday to the broadcasters' application for review (see 1912100057). It said the station groups argued Duane Lammers of Max Retrans was representing and negotiating for all of them, but the broadcasters didn't cite a single pre-blackout offer that included them. The station groups' outside counsel emailed Thursday that they disagree and plan to file a response.
Comcast and Lionsgate's Starz reached a carriage agreement that will keep the Starz networks on Xfinity TV and have NBCUniversal license Lionsgate content for Peacock, its streaming service launching in April, Comcast said Monday. It said Starz will license NBCUniversal content for U.S. markets and its international streaming service, Starzplay. It said Starz channels will get expanded distribution on the Comcast Flex platform of streaming content for broadband-only subscribers.
Fox sports and entertainment apps -- and the network’s Fox Nation subscription service -- will launch this month on Samsung 2017-2019 smart TVs, the company said Friday.
DOJ will ask a federal court to extend a 2010 consent decree on Live Nation’s buy of Ticketmaster until 2025, the department announced Thursday. After a settlement with Live Nation, the Antitrust Division will ask U.S. District Court in Washington to clarify and extend for five and a half years the final judgment in U.S. v. Ticketmaster. The final judgment allowed the transaction but prohibited “the company from retaliating against concert venues for using another ticketing company, threatening concert venues, or undertaking other specified actions against concert venues for ten years.” DOJ claims Live Nation repeatedly violated the order, and the company agreed to modify the judgment to “make clear that such conduct is prohibited.” The company said, “We believe this is the best outcome for our business, clients and shareholders as we turn our focus to 2020 initiatives.” The stock closed up 9.2 percent at $69.83.
Mobile streamer Ficto announced a slate of shows Wednesday that will debut with Q1 launch. The free platform seeks profit-sharing with creators. It has a beta submission platform.
The Supreme Court denied a Dish Network petition for writ of certiorari on Telephone Consumer Protection Act standing stemming from the $61 million TCPA judgment against the company (see 1905310003), said a docket 19-496 notice Monday.