Ion Media Networks wants its earth station licenses transferred to newly created sister company Ion Media Stations, the first company said in an FCC International Bureau filing Friday. The creation of Ion Stations and the license transfers are part of a pro forma reorganization "for corporate and tax efficiency and simplification purposes," Ion said. Ion Networks and Ion Stations will have the same officers and operating control, the broadcaster said.
Cox Communications and Nexstar are blaming one another for Nexstar channels being blacked out (see 1601250035) in nine Cox markets Saturday. In a news release Saturday, Nexstar said the blackout "is highly unusual for Nexstar but more common for Cox [which] is routinely involved in disputes with content providers and since 2012 has dropped network and local community programming from five other station owners as a result of its refusal to agree to fair and reasonable market terms to carry some of the most highly rated programming on television." In its own news release, Cox said, "Nexstar ... decided to remove their channels from the Cox line up ... in an effort to boost their bottom line" from higher retransmission fees. "Nexstar has not changed their offer in 2 weeks and is still demanding three times more for its free over-the-air stations for Cox customers," that cable operator said, saying Nexstar's $4.6 billion takeover of Media General "[raises] the specter that they are using retransmission fees to fund these deals." Cox is opposing Nexstar/Media General (see 1601280070).
Hollywall Entertainment bought online video distributor OpenVision Networks, it said in a news release Thursday. Financial terms of the cash and stock acquisition weren't disclosed. Hollywall said OpenVision will operate as HollyVision, with founders Sherman Davis and Leroy Gordon managing it and reporting to Hollywall CEO Darnell Sutton. By acquiring OpenVision, “Hollywall will now offer news and entertainment seekers a one-stop venue with the greatest ease of access to a world of outstanding content, either free or at competitive rates, from television, movies, radio and video games," Sutton said in the release. As "the first virtual, mainstream international cable network," HollyVision will provide 24-hour free basic service available online, while its Key Lime Pie set-top box will allow for viewing of its content on TVs, the release said.
The FCC should reject changes to set-top box rules being proposed (see 1601280064) by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in an upcoming NPRM, CALinnovates said in a news release Friday. "This proposal is wrong for consumers, wrong for creators and wrong for the innovation economy," said Mike Montgomery, CALinnovates executive director. The commission should pursue the apps-based approach favored by pay-TV carriers, CALinnovates said.
The 30-day clock for appeals of FCC rules intended to soften the burden of the incentive auction on low-power TV stations starts Monday, said the LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition in an emailed newsletter Friday. Director Mike Gravino suggested a court challenge of the rules would be more fruitful than a petition filed with the FCC. “At this point in the process who wants to wait through the lengthy and rigged Petitions for Reconsideration process?” Gravino said. “Nope, the clock is starting to get some MAJOR fixes to our post-auction realities.” The FCC didn't comment.
Amazon shares closed 7.6 percent lower Friday at $587 on what analysts largely viewed as disappointing Q4 results. Revenue rose about 22 percent to $35.7 billion from the year-ago quarter, while profit more than doubled to $482 million. Wedbush's Michael Pachter said a higher concentration of third-party goods sold via Amazon’s fulfillment services (FBA) will lead to higher Prime membership engagement and higher services revenue. Amazon said worldwide paid Prime memberships grew 51 percent in Q4. Credit Suisse's Stephen Ju said stronger media revenue was offset by "elevated shipping losses" from “rapid” FBA adoption. Amazon highlighted milestones of its Fire device lineup: Fire TV is the top-selling streaming media player in the U.S., having added more than 1,000 new apps, channels and games since September, including NBC, NBC Sports and Watch HGTV. The company said its Alexa voice platform is growing, and it added news sources from Bloomberg and CNN. Amazon Web Services announced general availability of AWS IoT.
Increasing competition in set-top boxes and reducing barriers experienced by programmers are a "unifying theme" of the Feb. 18 FCC meeting, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a blog post Thursday. The commission will consider an NPRM on set-top rules (see 1601280064) and a notice of inquiry (see 1601280069) on program carriage, Wheeler said. “The video marketplace is changing, including the rise of new ways for consumers to access programming.”
Chipset makers and content providers are among those that will be a key part of high dynamic range (HDR) becoming a broadly accepted feature among consumers, said Dolby CEO Kevin Yeaman on a fiscal Q1 earnings call (its replay can be heard here). Speaking after regular U.S. markets closed Wednesday, he cited the importance of meeting the needs of the content creation, distribution and TV manufacturing communities -- along with the consumer. He said MGM, Sony, Universal and Warner will deliver Dolby Vision HDR content for home distribution, Netflix is creating original content in Dolby Vision that will be available to 75 million subscribers globally, and Vudu is streaming content with Dolby Vision. Gaming and virtual reality are opportunities for Dolby Atmos, its audio technology, said Yeaman, and Sony and Warner have announced software support for Blu-ray titles with Atmos. Vudu is streaming in Atmos and Comcast’s X1 service will support Atmos later this year, he said. Shares closed up 12.5 percent Thursday at $35.71.
The public should "voice its opposition" to Nexstar's buying Media General for about $4.6 billion (see 1601270040), Cox Communications said in a news release Thursday. "Nexstar should not be allowed to become a larger company, which would force more cable TV/satellite companies and ultimately consumers to pay higher fees for retransmission consent." Nexstar is "demanding" that Cox pay triple the previous retrans price or Nexstar will remove its signal Friday, Cox said. Nexstar has expressed concern its deal could be held up by the impending incentive auction. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday after the agency's meeting that the question is likely academic because he expects the transaction approval process likely will take longer than the auction. He declined to give an exact estimate of the auction's length. Cox's "misguided plea to consumers" highlights "irrational thinking," Nexstar said in a released response Thursday. The expiring agreement between Nexstar and Cox dates from 2010, and Nexstar is seeking "slightly more than double" rather than triple the older rate, Nexstar said. If Cox has to raise rates to its viewers, it's because Cox has misallocated its programming fee payments, Nexstar said.
Monday's deadline for webcasters to pay SoundExchange a $500 fee per channel is approaching fast, even though the Copyright Royalty Board hasn't released its latest ruling on webcasting, said Fletcher Heald copyright attorney Kevin Goldberg in a blog post Monday. The obligation, called an annual minimum fee statement of account form, applies to commercial and noncommercial broadcasters, Goldberg said. "Webcasters must again attend to annual SoundExchange homework."