FCC

Genachowski Applauds New Broadcaster Auction Coalition

FCC Chair Welcomes Broadcasters Eyeing 'Once in a Lifetime Financial Opportunity'
By: John Eggerton Nov 13 2012 - 2:37pm
FCC Chair Welcomes Broadcasters Eyeing 'Once in a Lifetime Financial Opportunity'

FCC chairman Julius Genachowski Tuesday gave an “open, transparent and data-driven” shout-out to the new Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition, which is being organized by former broadcast exec and one-time Association for Independent Television Stations president Preston Padden.

 

Padden Assembling Coalition of the Willing (Spectrum Sellers)

New Group Will Advocate for 'Right Conditions' for Stations to Auction Spectrum
By: John Eggerton Nov 13 2012 - 2:33pm
New Group Will Advocate for 'Right Conditions' for Stations to Auction Spectrum

Broadcasters that may want to sell some of their spectrum rights to the government in the upcoming incentive auctions have formed the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition to advocate for a successful auction, according to Preston Padden, former Disney Washington and News Corp. executive, who is putting together the group.

 

ACA Seeks More Time For Compliance With FCC Home Networking Deadline

Argues That Larger Operators Are at Head of Line for New Tech
By: John Eggerton Nov 12 2012 - 8:59pm
Argues That Larger Operators Are at Head of Line for New Tech

 

The American Cable Association has asked the FCC to give smaller operators extra time--six months more--to comply with a Dec. 1, 2012 deadline for cable HD boxes to meet an open industry standard for home networking.

 

Cable in the Courtroom

Supremes Hear One Class-Action Suit, Dismiss Second
By: John Eggerton Nov 12 2012 - 1:00am
Supremes Hear One Class-Action Suit, Dismiss Second

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in one class-action lawsuit against Comcast, but denied an appeal of a lower court’s dismissal of a second such lawsuit against that MSO and others over the practice of bundling channels.

Charter Seeks FCC Waiver to Help in Its Digital Transition

MSO Asks for Two-Year Waiver of Ban on Integrated Set-Tops
By: John Eggerton Nov 9 2012 - 2:02pm
MSO Asks for Two-Year Waiver of Ban on Integrated Set-Tops

Charter Communications has asked the FCC for a two-year waiver of its prohibition on integrated set-tops, saying the waiver is necessary for the company to make the transition to all-digital networks.

The FCC granted a similar waiver to Cablevision and has taken steps to promote the transition to all-digital cable, which frees up bandwidth for broadband, including lifting its ban on encryption of the digital basic tier.

Tennis, Bloomberg Defend FCC Carriage Decision

Tell Appeals Court to Deny Comcast Appeal of Commission's Tennis Channel Decision
By: John Eggerton Nov 8 2012 - 3:24pm
Tell Appeals Court to Deny Comcast Appeal of Commission's Tennis Channel Decision

Tennis Channel, Bloomberg and the FCC have all filed briefs with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit asking it to deny Comcast's appeal of the commission's program carriage finding against the nation's largest cable operator in the Tennis' carriage complaint.

Tennis filed an intervenor's brief, Bloomberg an amicus brief and the FCC a respondent's brief, but they all carry the same message: the commission was right and the court should deny the petition for review.

FCC Sources: Chairman Wants Media-Ownership Vote on Nov. 30

Genachowski Has Said Item On Track For Year-End Decision
By: John Eggerton Nov 5 2012 - 1:40pm
Genachowski Has Said Item On Track For Year-End Decision

WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski said in July that the agency is on track to issue an order on its media ownership notice of proposed rulemaking by the end of the year and, according to FCC sources, he is expected to circulate an item for a vote at the Nov 30 meeting.

The chairman's office had no comment.

The FCC had been reviewing its media-ownership rules due to a congressional obligation to do so every four years, as well as an order from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Charter Wants Downloadable Set-Top Security

MSO Requests Waiver of FCC Integrated-Security Ban, Citing CEO Rutledge’s Previous Rollout at Cablevision
By: Todd Spangler Nov 4 2012 - 11:16am
MSO Requests Waiver of FCC Integrated-Security Ban, Citing CEO Rutledge’s Previous Rollout at Cablevision

Charter Communications requested a two-year waiver of the FCC’s ban on set-tops with integrated security, with the MSO claiming the exemption is necessary to adopt a less expensive software-downloadable security solution like the one CEO Tom Rutledge previously deployed at Cablevision Systems.

FCC: Cable Outages Drop to 12%-14%

Commission Says Getting Fuel to Generators is Priority
By: John Eggerton Nov 1 2012 - 4:45pm
Commission Says Getting Fuel to Generators is Priority

The FCC said Thursday that it was focused on helping speed fuel deliveries for generators that can keep communications services up and running during power outages.

FCC Sets Comment Deadline On Program Access Query

Topic Is Whether To Consider Withholding Co-owned RSNs Presumptively Unfair
By: John Eggerton Oct 31 2012 - 2:57pm
Topic Is Whether To Consider Withholding Co-owned RSNs Presumptively Unfair

The Federal Communications Commission has set a Dec. 17 deadline for final comments on various proposals related to its revision of program-access rules, including key proposals backed by the American Cable Association.

On Oct. 5, the FCC voted to sunset its ban on exclusive contracts between MVPDs and co-owned programming networks, complaints about which will now be handled under the existing prohibition on unfair practices (section 628[b]).

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