Tom Wheeler hasn't reached the point in his FCC chairmanship where he will be unable to launch new major rulemakings, but if he wants to wrap them up before the Nov. 8 election he will need to start them soon, officials said. Last week, Wheeler started what's expected to be his final nine months as chairman. The FCC didn't comment.
While Stream TV -- Dish Network's foray into over-the-top video service -- was first in the pay-TV universe to look at market segmentation as a business model, Dish's interests longer term lie in being "a connectivity company ... through satellite or wireless," CEO Charlie Ergen said Wednesday during the company's Q1 earnings call. Executives were largely mum about the company's spectrum strategy, citing the quiet period of the upcoming incentive auction, including whether it plans to take part in the auction. But, Ergen said, "We think we're positioned to participate in all kinds of connectivity -- cars are just one of them." He said the company sees connectivity revenue opportunities in IoT.
While Stream TV -- Dish Network's foray into over-the-top video service -- was first in the pay-TV universe to look at market segmentation as a business model, Dish's interests longer term lie in being "a connectivity company ... through satellite or wireless," CEO Charlie Ergen said Wednesday during the company's Q1 earnings call. Executives were largely mum about the company's spectrum strategy, citing the quiet period of the upcoming incentive auction, including whether it plans to take part in the auction. But, Ergen said, "We think we're positioned to participate in all kinds of connectivity -- cars are just one of them." He said the company sees connectivity revenue opportunities in IoT.
While Stream TV -- Dish Network's foray into over-the-top video service -- was first in the pay-TV universe to look at market segmentation as a business model, Dish's interests longer term lie in being "a connectivity company ... through satellite or wireless," CEO Charlie Ergen said Wednesday during the company's Q1 earnings call. Executives were largely mum about the company's spectrum strategy, citing the quiet period of the upcoming incentive auction, including whether it plans to take part in the auction. But, Ergen said, "We think we're positioned to participate in all kinds of connectivity -- cars are just one of them." He said the company sees connectivity revenue opportunities in IoT.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused its review of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against Sirius XM Wednesday, sending the case to the New York Court of Appeals so that court can definitively rule on whether New York law recognizes a public performance right for pre-1972 sound recordings and the scope of the state's law. The status of pre-1972 sound recordings under New York law constitutes a “significant and unresolved issue” of state law that “is determinative” in the 2nd Circuit's eventual decision on Sirius XM's appeal of the case, said Judge Guido Calabresi in the three-judge 2nd Circuit panel's ruling. Sirius XM was appealing a 2014 U.S. District Court in New York decision in favor of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against the company. Flo & Eddie, who own the copyright to “Happy Together” and the rest of The Turtles' music library, have sought back performance royalties on The Turtles' pre-1972 recordings. NAB, Pandora and other groups supporting Sirius XM have questioned whether New York common law includes a performance right for pre-1972 recordings, something that doesn't exist in federal law (see 1508060052). New York's “interest in compensating copyright holders may perhaps outweigh the cost of making such a change,” the 2nd Circuit said. “Whatever the merits of such a determination might be as a value judgment, however, it is a value judgment, which is for New York to make.”
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused its review of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against Sirius XM Wednesday, sending the case to the New York Court of Appeals so that court can definitively rule on whether New York law recognizes a public performance right for pre-1972 sound recordings and the scope of the state's law. The status of pre-1972 sound recordings under New York law constitutes a “significant and unresolved issue” of state law that “is determinative” in the 2nd Circuit's eventual decision on Sirius XM's appeal of the case, said Judge Guido Calabresi in the three-judge 2nd Circuit panel's ruling. Sirius XM was appealing a 2014 U.S. District Court in New York decision in favor of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against the company. Flo & Eddie, who own the copyright to “Happy Together” and the rest of The Turtles' music library, have sought back performance royalties on The Turtles' pre-1972 recordings. NAB, Pandora and other groups supporting Sirius XM have questioned whether New York common law includes a performance right for pre-1972 recordings, something that doesn't exist in federal law (see 1508060052). New York's “interest in compensating copyright holders may perhaps outweigh the cost of making such a change,” the 2nd Circuit said. “Whatever the merits of such a determination might be as a value judgment, however, it is a value judgment, which is for New York to make.”
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused its review of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against Sirius XM Wednesday, sending the case to the New York Court of Appeals so that court can definitively rule on whether New York law recognizes a public performance right for pre-1972 sound recordings and the scope of the state's law. The status of pre-1972 sound recordings under New York law constitutes a “significant and unresolved issue” of state law that “is determinative” in the 2nd Circuit's eventual decision on Sirius XM's appeal of the case, said Judge Guido Calabresi in the three-judge 2nd Circuit panel's ruling. Sirius XM was appealing a 2014 U.S. District Court in New York decision in favor of Flo & Eddie's lawsuit against the company. Flo & Eddie, who own the copyright to “Happy Together” and the rest of The Turtles' music library, have sought back performance royalties on The Turtles' pre-1972 recordings. NAB, Pandora and other groups supporting Sirius XM have questioned whether New York common law includes a performance right for pre-1972 recordings, something that doesn't exist in federal law (see 1508060052). New York's “interest in compensating copyright holders may perhaps outweigh the cost of making such a change,” the 2nd Circuit said. “Whatever the merits of such a determination might be as a value judgment, however, it is a value judgment, which is for New York to make.”
The FCC would be “crazy” to subject cable operators to special access regulation under rules being examined by the agency, said NCTA Executive Vice President James Assey Monday at a Practising Law Institute seminar. The American Cable Association Friday questioned (see 1604080055) FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposal to replace special access regulation with a new "technology-neutral framework."
The FCC would be “crazy” to subject cable operators to special access regulation under rules being examined by the agency, said NCTA Executive Vice President James Assey Monday at a Practising Law Institute seminar. The American Cable Association Friday questioned (see 1604080055) FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposal to replace special access regulation with a new "technology-neutral framework."
Verizon and AT&T disagreed on whether the FCC should get rid of the nondiscrimination condition on telecommunications services between the U.S. and Cuba. The State Department had proposed exactly that step in light of the changing U.S.-Cuba relationship. Last month, President Barrack Obama made a two-day trip to the island nation.