Coda
by Staff -- Multichannel News, 10/5/2009 2:00:00 AM
Shooting Stops on 'Jon & Kate’
Los Angeles — TLC’s roller-coaster ride with hit series Jon & Kate Plus 8 took several turns last week, ending with TLC deciding to stop filming on the series indefinitely.
The network ceased production of the series after Jon Gosselin, the soon-to-be divorced father of the six sextuplets and two twins, filed two cease-and-desist letters and posted a sign at his Pennsylvania home warning camera crews to stay away, alleging the filming is having an adverse effect on his children, according to published reports.
Jon Gosselin’s move came one day after TLC announced it would reduce his appearances on the series as part of a revamping of the show beginning in November. The new series, Kate Plus 8, would focus mostly on Kate’s efforts as a single mom, although it would also feature Jon in a much more limited role than he’s had on the current Jon & Kate Plus 8 series.
In a terse statement, TLC said that it has suspended direct filming of the children “pending further conversations between both parents.”
Further, the network said, “We are aware of Jon Gosselin’s recent statements, and remain deeply disappointed at his continued erratic behavior. He and the family were shooting as recently as last Friday, without incident, and his latest comments are grossly inaccurate, without merit and are clearly opportunistic. Despite Jon Gosselin’s repeated self-destructive and unprofessional actions, he remains under an exclusive contract with TLC.”
Kate Gosselin said in a statement: “Jon has never expressed any concerns to me about our children being involved in the show. … It appears that Jon’s priority is Jon and his interests.”
Season five of the series was scheduled to air through Oct. 26.
— R. Thomas Umstead
NCTA: 16.7M CableCard Boxes Served
Washington — The 10 biggest U.S. MSOs have deployed more than 16.7 million set-top boxes with CableCards to date, compared with 443,000 standalone cards for use in retail devices, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association said.
The Federal Communications Commission requires cable operators to use CableCards, which provide conditional access and decryption functions, in digital set-top boxes they lease to consumers. The so-called integrated set-top ban — which went into effect July 2007 — is intended to improve the way the technology works in third-party devices.
As of Aug. 31, 29 consumer electronics manufacturers have had 605 cable-ready products like TVs and DVRs, according to the NCTA. In addition, eight Tru2way-based devices have been certified for use.
The FCC’s Media Bureau in recent months has granted three-year waivers to the integrated set-top ban to five vendors for low-cost, limited-function devices that convert digital TV signals to analog. The three-year waivers allow cable operators to use digital transport adapters, or DTAs, that have embedded security.
— Todd Spangler
Ex-FCC Chief Martin Lands at Law Firm
Washington — Former Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin has landed a new gig.
Martin, who exited the FCC last January and joined the Aspen Institute, has been hired by D.C. law firm Patton Boggs to co-chair its telecommunications and communications practice. He joins the firm early next month.
“This is a major coup for Patton Boggs,” said Stuart M. Pape, the firm’s managing partner, on the firm’s Web site.
— John Eggerton
Sprint Settles VoIP Patent Lawsuit
Dallas — Sprint Nextel and Big River Telephone Co. last week settled Sprint’s litigation alleging the telecommunications provider infringed six patents related to voice-over-Internet protocol systems.
The financial terms of the settlement are confidential. The agreement will allow Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based Big River Telephone to continue to provide telephony services to small cable operators.
Sprint had sued Big River Telephone, as well as Nuvox Communications, BroadVOX Holdings and Paetec Communications, in January 2008 alleging infringement of the six patents owned by Sprint relating to voice-over-packet communications systems.
Sprint previously settled with the three other companies.
— Todd Spangler
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