Advanced Television

Policy

CNMC backs RTVE in ad dispute with private TV

Spain’s competition watchdog, the CNMC, has ruled in favour of RTVE in its ongoing dispute with private TV players, endorsing the broadcaster’s use of cultural sponsorship and dismissing a formal complaint lodged by UTECA.  The regulator concluded that the programme La Revuelta falls within the legal definition of a cultural programme. As such, it is permitted to include […]

April 9, 2026From David Del Valle in Madrid

FCC spectrum boost for satellite broadband

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has announced that the Commission is to vote on an order to modernise its satellite spectrum-sharing rules—a change that could unlock more than $2 billion in economic benefits for the American people and up to seven-fold more capacity for space-based broadband services. SpaceX had lobbied for such a move, suggesting it […]

April 9, 2026By Colin Mann

Italian court rules Netflix price rises “unlawful”

A Rome court has ruled that increases imposed by Netflix on its Italian subscribers over the last seven years were “unlawful”, and has ordered the US streaming giant to reimburse them. Consumer group Movimento Consumatori said in a statement that the court had upheld ​its lawsuit against Netflix Italia and deemed unfair clauses that allowed […]

April 7, 2026

Telefónica prevails over Vodafone in Disney+ dispute 

Spain’s National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) has dismissed a complaint filed by Vodafone Spain against Telefónica over the integration of Disney+ into its pay-TV platform, Movistar+. Vodafone had argued that the agreement amounted to a form of hidden exclusivity, potentially restricting competition. However, the regulator – chaired by Cani Fernández – found no […]

April 7, 2026From David Del Valle in Madrid

Trump’s PBS defunding ruled unlawful

A US federal judge has ruled that Donald Trump’s executive order to end funding for NPR (National Public Radio) and PBS public media violated the First Amendment. The judge wrote that the First Amendment right to free speech “does not tolerate viewpoint discrimination and retaliation of this type. It is difficult to conceive of clearer […]

April 2, 2026By Chris Forrester

EUIPO, EC team to combat piracy

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) will provide consultative support to the European Commission (EC) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to help rights holders and consumers navigate the online world more safely. Under a five-year agreement with the Commission, the EUIPO will provide technical support and expertise in intellectual property (IP)-related matters to […]

March 31, 2026By Colin Mann

Devas vs Antrix rumbles on

Earlier in March, one appeal lawsuit in the very long running dispute – since 2011 – between Devas and Antrix over a S-band satellite capacity spectrum contract that Devas had with the Indian government’s Space Department (represented by its then sales entity, Antrix) was dismissed. The relationship between Devas and Antrix had been mutually beneficial […]

March 31, 2026

ACE dismantles AnimePlay

Anti‑piracy coalition the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) has successfully shut down AnimePlay, one of the largest illicit anime streaming applications operating in the Asia-Pacific region. The application was run out of Riau, Indonesia. AnimePlay had amassed more than 5 million registered users, primarily in Indonesia, and was hosting over 60 terabytes of infringing […]

March 27, 2026By Colin Mann

BBC’s Davie to chair Creative Industries Council

Outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie has been appointed as the next co-chair of the Creative Industries Council. The council is a forum that brings industry and the government together to ensure the continued success of the UK’s creative economy. It aims to unite the sector and give them a clearer voice when advocating to the […]

March 27, 2026By Colin Mann

US Supreme Court: Cox not liable for user piracy

The US Supreme Court has ruled that Cox Communications cannot be held liable for piracy by its internet service subscribers of songs owned by Sony Music ending their billion-dollar-plus music copyright lawsuit. The 9-0 ‌ruling overturned a lower court’s decision to order a new trial to determine how much the ISP owed the record labels […]

March 25, 2026