South Africa’s media regulator ICASA wants certain key sporting events to be classified as of significant public interest and made available to free-to-air broadcasters. However, the sporting rights-holders are not happy, arguing that the proposals extend beyond the current situation – where the national teams are involved – to non-international league games and perhaps to […]
Satisfying the rapid demand growth for additional commercial spectrum presents challenges the Federal Communications Commission, according to public policy issue think tank Phoenix Center. While the Federal Communications Commission has conducted numerous spectrum auctions in recent years, it lacks a ready source for the much-needed spectrum in the low- and mid-bands. By far, the largest, […]
The negative impacts of high spectrum prices on consumers can no longer be disputed, according to a new report by trade body the GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. The report, The Impact of Spectrum Prices on Consumers, confirms that countries with poor spectrum policies – which either inflate spectrum or delay […]
The US Government has returned equipment to Huawei which it seized two years ago. In return Huawei Technologies USA (HT USA) has dropped a lawsuit against the US Commerce Department and several other US government agencies that it filed back in June. Huawei said it views the decision to return the technology as a tacit […]
A number of US Senators have joined forces to ask Google CEO Sundar Pichai to expand Content ID, YouTube’s copyright infringement technology, to more members of the creative community. The Senators – Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) […]
Investment bank Exane/BNPP says that the FCC has to submit a report to the US Congress on its thinking in regard to the proposed reversioning of some 180 MHz of satellite C-band by September 23rd. Exane says that “While this report may not contain the full details of (or be published before) its Final Order, […]
Netflix has applied for a licence to continue operating in Turkey under new online broadcasting rules that have raised fears over potential censorship. Turkey last month granted its radio and television watchdog sweeping oversight over all online content, including streaming platforms and news outlets, a move that raised concerns that the state was tightening its […]
Pushing OTT platforms to invest in local content production is what the upcoming audiovisual reform, promised by French President Macron, is aiming at. “If the platforms don’t respect the French law, notably in terms of local content financing, they won’t be able to stream anymore,” French Culture Minister Franck Riester has warned this week at […]
The Arabic Al Hurra TV channel has been hit with a 3 month broadcasting ban. The channel is alleged to have transmitted a controversial 12 minute report on corruption within Islamic religious bodies. The programme was transmitted on Sunday. Al Hurra TV, founded in 2004 and based in Virginia, US, is widely watched in Iraq. […]
Vodafone UK and TalkTalk have lodged an appeal with the Competition Appeal Tribunal to try and overturn Ofcom’s regulation published on June 28th. Helen Lamprell, Vodafone UK’s General Counsel, said the company “had not taken the decision lightly.” The fundamental problem, argue Vodafone and TalkTalk is that BT/Openreach has significant market power and so regulated […]