The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia erred when it dismissed adult films producer Strike 3's motion seeking from Comcast the name of a broadband subscriber allegedly pirating its films, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Tuesday. In an opinion (in Pacer, docket 18-7188) by Judges Harry Edwards, Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao and penned by Rao, the D.C. Circuit said the lower court gave too much weight to the allegedly “aberrantly salacious nature” of Strike 3’s films and the danger Strike 3's method of identifying infringers using IP addresses and geolocation could result in false identifications. It reversed the lower court's order and remanded. Comcast didn't comment Wednesday.
Cinedigm will partner with former Codeblack Films executive Quincy Newell and his TwentyOne14 Media to launch an “urban multi-cultural entertainment and lifestyle” streaming network in Q1 2021, they said Tuesday. The unnamed network will be available in the U.S. for linear and ad-supported VOD platforms on connected TVs, digital set-tops, media-streaming devices and web-based and online OTT services, they said.
SiriusXM agreed to buy the Stitcher podcast business from Scripps for $265 million cash, said the satellite company Monday. It “will advance and deepen SiriusXM's position in podcasting, the fastest-growing sector in the audio entertainment ecosystem,” it said. SiriusXM agreed to make up to $60 million more in “additional contingent payments” to Scripps if Stitcher achieves unspecified “financial metrics” this year and next, it said. The deal will better position SiriusXM “to advance the podcast ad market,” it said: Q3 closing hinges on required regulatory approvals and other conditions..
“Watch Google,” said a Friday streaming TV analyst note to investors from LightShed on the war for the living room among MVPDs, platform providers and media companies. Google could be a “much needed disrupter” in the connected TV world, reducing leverage Roku and Amazon currently hold, wrote Richard Greenfield and colleagues. Amazon “has underwhelmed” with Fire TV as a TV operating system, and Apple doesn’t want to be a TV OS on third-party TVs, said analysts, leaving “all eyes” on Google to take on category leader Roku. Unlike Roku, whose devices and platform were “purpose built for streaming video,” Google doesn’t need to make money, “at least today,” from connected TV ad inventory or sharing in new subscription VOD services, analysts said. Google’s interest is in gaining data on user behavior, capturing more of consumer’s time, boosting usage of its ad-supported YouTube app and growing its YouTube TV, Stadia and Nest Aware apps, they said. Google didn't comment. Analysts cited increased tension between platforms and programmers/apps that first became evident in January with a battle between Fox and Roku before the Super Bowl. Now, TurnerMedia’s HBO Max, which launched late May, doesn't have an agreement with Roku; NBCUniversal’s Peacock, rolling out broadly on Wednesday, reportedly doesn't have an agreement with Fire TV or Roku, either, they said. Those companies also didn’t comment.
Sony will make a $250 million “strategic investment” for a minority interest in Epic Games, said the companies Thursday. Epic operates the Fortnite online videogame platform claimed to be the world’s largest, with 350 million accounts. The deal's closing hinges on regulatory approvals and other conditions.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau waived its annual requirement that emergency alert system participants file identifying information in the emergency test reporting system, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency canceled the 2020 nationwide EAS test (see 2006240067), said a public notice Wednesday. “In consideration of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) national emergency and FEMA’s decision not to conduct a nationwide test of the EAS in 2020,” there's good cause to waive the requirement, the PN said.
Nielsen expects to save $250 million annually by exiting “several smaller, underperforming markets and non-core businesses” and cutting 3,500 jobs, about 8% of the global workforce, said the company Tuesday. Nielsen expects to incur up to $170 million in 2020 pretax restructuring charges, about half attributable to severance costs, it said. The downsizing should be “substantially completed” this year, it said. It plans to provide more detail on its Q2 call Aug. 3, it said. The company closed 2019 with about 46,000 employees, said its Feb. 27 annual report.
Comments are due today on Miracle Attainment's application for certification to operate an open video system in parts of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Guam, the FCC Media Bureau said in a public notice in Monday's Daily Digest.
Comcast's Peacock streaming service, to launch July 15, signed a licensing agreement for a variety of Paramount TV shows and movies from the ViacomCBS library, it said Wednesday.
Spotify launched Premium Duo in the U.S., shaving $2 off a family plan for two members at the same address. It adds Duo Mix, a regularly updated playlist made for the two users “to discover audio they both love.” Premium Duo is $12.99 monthly. Also Wednesday, Spotify said its free, ad-supported version is now available, and voice-controllable, on Alexa devices.