Though two-thirds of remote and hybrid workers in the U.S. plan to return to the office sometime this year, only 13% say they will go back five days a week, reported Qualtrics Wednesday. The research firm canvassed 1,050 full-time employees Feb. 18-22, finding half as many women as men said they will return five days a week (9% vs. 18%), it said. Of all respondents, 40% say they're comfortable returning to the office now, but 18% said they don’t want to return to the office no matter what, said Qualtrics. The rest would return “depending on COVID safety and work-life improvements,” it said. A quarter said they would return if everyone were vaccinated, 15% would return if they were paid more, and 10% would return if the office were a better working environment than they have at home, it said.

Reported cases of consumer fraud spiked in 2020 and 2021 compared with the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, “presenting a growing challenge for public safety agencies to find new strategies to counter the trend,” reported Accenture Monday. Accenture compiled consumer fraud data from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S., finding reported cases increased 6.8% annually between 2013 and 2019, it said. Cases then spiked 22.5% annually during 2020 and 2021, “in parallel with the large shift of workers and consumers to digital channels and greater use of technology during the pandemic,” it said. “Our analysis revealed the cost of consumer fraud during the pandemic exceeded the level seen over six years prior to 2020.”

When the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit resumes in-person oral arguments March 30 (see 2203040069), everyone other than the judge and arguing counsel at the lectern must be masked, per court COVID-19 protocols Wednesday. A judge or arguing counsel can choose to be masked, it said. Arguing counsel wanting to speak without a mask must take a COVID-19 test the day before oral arguments and submit proof of a negative test result by that evening. It said the media and public can attend oral arguments as space permits, but audio of oral arguments will continue to be livestreamed via the court's YouTube channel.

T-Mobile and Sprint urged the FCC to extend a waiver of speed-of-answer requirements in agency telecommunications relay services rules. “While the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic are certainly improving, the ongoing impact of the pandemic on T-Mobile Accessibility’s TRS operations will continue beyond March 31 ... when the current TRS waivers are set to expire,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. “While T-Mobile Accessibility and its vendors have made significant strides to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, adequate staffing continues to be problematic given the economic conditions created by the pandemic, including a tight labor market.” T-Mobile spoke with staff from FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. The provider redacted data in its filing and asked for confidential treatment.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will resume in-person oral arguments starting March 30, it said Friday.

With Washington's mask and vaccine mandates ending as of Tuesday, the Satellite 2022 show and conference March 21-24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center won't require masking of attendees, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test to attend, organizers said. Enhanced cleaning and sanitation efforts will still be underway at the venue, they said.

NAB is canvassing NAB Show “alumni” who haven't registered for the April 23-27 event at the Las Vegas Convention Center to ask if the show’s health and safety policy was holding them back. A simple three-question survey asks past show participants where they stand about plans to attend. For those who answered “not sure,” NAB asked if COVID-19 “health concerns” were the reason for the “indecision,” or if it was the show’s health and safety policy. They were offered a promo code redeemable for a free exhibits pass. “We hope the COVID situation continues to improve and our Policy evolves so that you are able to join us in Las Vegas this April,” concluded the questionnaire. The policy requires all NAB Show audiences to be fully vaccinated and recommends but doesn't require booster shots. NAB also recommends masks but doesn't require them, after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) lifted the state’s mask mandate for indoor public venues earlier this month (see 2202110020).

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will resume in-person oral arguments for the March court sitting, it announced Tuesday. It had reverted to virtual oral arguments for its February sitting amid the surge in cases from COVID-19's omicron variant. With coronavirus cases numbers dwindling in the D.C. area, the court will still limit in-person attendance to arguing counsel and one additional "necessary attendee," it said. N95, KN95 or KF95 masks will be required of anyone entering the building, as will proof of a negative polymerase chain reaction test taken in the previous 72 hours, say the court's health and safety protocols last revised Jan. 18.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) lifted the state’s COVID-19 mask mandates for public indoor venues Thursday, meaning audiences at the April 23-27 NAB Show, if the policy stays in force, won’t need to wear masks at the Las Vegas Convention Center, as CES 2022 attendees were required to do in early January. Masks will still be required at Harry Reid International Airport under continuing federal mandates. “Just like vaccines, masks are still a great tool we have to slow the spread of the virus,” but they will no longer be required, said Sisolak. The NAB Show, like CES 2022, is requiring its audiences to be fully vaccinated, and is recommending, but not requiring, booster shots unless the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changes policy and requires them for a person to be defined as fully vaccinated, said the association. “NAB will update the policies and protocols to align with the new requirements,” said the show’s health and safety protocols page, last updated Jan. 19, with the LVCC mask mandate listed as still in effect.

Starz, even “in a very competitive environment,” added 1.7 million streaming subscribers in fiscal Q3 ended Dec. 31, including 600,000 domestically, said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer on a Thursday call. Lionsgate entered the fiscal year having “significantly ramped” its investment in Starz original programming, but COVID-19-driven production delays on multiple series, including an 11-month delay on “fan favorite” Outlander, “pushed back the full benefit of that investment,” he said. “This resulted in diminished subscriber growth in the first half of the year relative to our expectations.” The company sees “subscriber acquisition months” as “really key” for driving the Starz business, said Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch. “When you look at the original plan versus where we are today, it's about a total of 50 months of subscriber acquisition opportunity that we lost by moving content around,” he said. Outlander is “one of our big tent poles,” a “huge fan favorite,” he said. The series draws about 7 million “multi-platform views a week, which is one of the bigger shows on television, a very passionate fan base,” he said. “Missing a year of that content, it really hurts the subscriber growth, and you saw that in the first half of the year.” The eight-episode sixth season is scheduled to debut March 6. As a major feature-film studio trying to strike the right balance between theatrical exhibition and direct-to-consumer streaming, Lionsgate has shown it can make profitable films that “live comfortably” in both the theatrical and subscription VOD worlds, “from day-and-date multi-platform releases with a 92% profitability rate to larger movies that will benefit from hybrid releases,” said Feltheimer. “As a studio whose signature has always been diversified slates, allowing us to play in every space, our ability to tackle the challenges of a shifting and uncertain box office is more of a natural evolution than a pivot.” The way the industry is “shaping up” among the “broad-based” streaming services, “everybody is really competing to be that first SVOD in the home,” said Hirsch. “Couple that with the fact that we believe that there's going to be four to six SVODs per home, it sets Starz up to be this really great premium add-on tier as a way for those broad-based services to compete.” Lionsgate Class A shares closed down 8% Friday at $13.54.