Coda

SCTE Dons 3-D Goggles

Exton, Pa. — The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers is investigating the standardization required for the carriage of 3-D content on cable networks.

The SCTE’s Engineering Committee, which oversees the association’s development of technical standards for cable networks, has approved a project to identify necessary or desirable changes to existing SCTE standards, including transport protocols, to facilitate the provision of 3-D content by cable operators.

While 3-D movies shown in theaters have been gaining traction — and HDTVs with three-dimensional capabilities captured buzz at the Consumer Electronics Show in January — delivering advanced three-dimensional video to televisions remains hampered by a lack of standards and bandwidth considerations.

Cable programmers have experimented with 3-D broadcasts, such as Disney Channel’s Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds concert last summer, but these have relied on the old-fashioned red-and-blue cellophane glasses that are inferior to newer display technologies.

“Although 3-D content is available today over cable, the long-term delivery of next-generation 3-D content will be strengthened by the adoption of uniform engineering and technical criteria,” SCTE Engineering Committee chairman Charlie Kennamer said, in a statement. “To that end, SCTE intends to examine new 3-D television technology to develop standards that can be used by the cable industry to deliver a more immersive television experience.”

Standardization work in this area is nascent. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers last summer set up a task force to define the parameters of a “stereoscopic 3-D mastering standard” for home video.

The SCTE’s “3D over Cable” project has been assigned to the association’s Digital Video Subcommittee, which will make recommendations on standards and protocols based on the needs of the cable industry.

As part of this effort, DVS will consider not only cable industry activities but also standards work being conducted in other organizations such as the SMPTE and the Consumer Electronics Association. The subcommittee will discuss the project at its March meeting.

— Todd Spangler

ESPN, Discovery Top 'Must-Keep’ List

Toronto — If viewers had to pick just a handful of TV channels they could keep, ESPN and Discovery Channel would be the first two cable networks on their lists, according to a survey by research firm Solutions Research Group.

SRG asked 1,200 U.S. TV viewers which channels they considered “must keep” given a limited lineup during the sweeps period in November 2008.

The four major broadcast networks topped the rankings, with consumers selecting in order of preference ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. About 81% of those surveyed said they would keep at least one of the four networks if they had a very limited set of channels, and 57% said they would keep two of the four.

Rounding out the rest of the top 10 in order were: ESPN, Discovery Channel, History, Sci Fi Channel, HBO and Food Network. Among cable news networks, CNN came in at No. 14 and Fox News was No. 18.

Compared with a similar survey SRG conducted in the fourth quarter of 2007, Sci Fi moved into the No. 8 spot from No. 14 a year earlier, and Food Network entered into the top 10 for the first time.

Other “momentum brands” in the 2008 survey included USA at the No. 11 spot (up from 20 a year earlier), TNT at 13 (up from 23) and TBS at 23 (up from 32).

A&E slipped to 21 from 16, according to the survey, while MTV fell to 36th place from 33 in the fall of 2007. The CW also lost momentum, now ranking 25th, down four spots from a year earlier.

Top gainers in the 18-to-34 demographic were VH1 (up 10 spots to No. 13), Bravo (up 14 spots to No. 19) and Spike (up 10 spots to No. 21), according to SRG.

— Todd Spangler

Verizon Ponders $5 Calling Plan

New York — What value is there in a telephone that doesn’t allow you to make any phone calls? Verizon Communications’ answer: $5 a month.

The telco is considering a landline service at that price point that would let customers receive calls, but not place them (except for 911 and Verizon customer service), according to published reports. A possible $10-per-month plan would allow “limited local calling.”

The lower-tier phone services would be available only to Verizon’s high-speed Internet subscribers, and represent an attempt to shore up losses in its legacy telephone business: Verizon lost 2.9 million residential phone lines in 2008, to end the year with 21.0 million.

— Todd Spangler

Cox Hires Pair Of Wireless Execs

Atlanta — Cox Communications announced the hiring of two executives in its wireless business unit as it prepares to launch mobile-phone services in 2009.

Cox last fall announced plans to introduce wireless services initially in partnership with Sprint Nextel and eventually through 3G CDMA networks the MSO is building using its own spectrum.

The new hires are Raj Beri, vice president of wireless product operations, and Dane Dickie, executive director of wireless product development. Both report to Stephen Bye, Cox’s vice president of wireless.

Beri previously headed North American services for Nokia Siemens Networks and spent 10 years in various positions at AT&T Wireless. At Cox, Beri will be responsible for the long-term operational processes for the forthcoming wireless product, including the overall direction, management and coordination of the launch and deployment of wireless products and services.

Dickie will be responsible for directing and managing the development of devices and services within Cox’s wireless business unit. He was formerly general manager of carrier operations at Hughes Telematics and worked at BellSouth International overseeing various wireless, broadband and software products.

— Todd Spangler