Cablefax Dailytm Wednesday — August 19, 2020 What the Industry Reads First Volume 31 / No

www.cablefaxdaily.com, Published by Access Intelligence, LLC, Tel: 301-354-2101

Cablefax DailyTM Wednesday — August 19, 2020 What the Industry Reads First Volume 31 / No. 160 NextGen TV: Cable Wants Retrans, Signal Quality Addressed in ATSC 3.0 Proceeding As the broadcast industry ponders using ATSC 3.0 for the deployment of broadcast internet services, cable wants to make sure a thumb isn’t put on the scale in favor of over-the-air stations. That includes not allowing broadcasters to use retransmission consent negotiations for carriage of broadcast internet services provided by a consortium of broadcasters. NCTA argued that doing so would be the equivalent of joint retrans consent negotiations, which the FCC barred in 2014 among non-commonly owned top-four stations. “At a minimum, a broadcaster’s use of retransmission consent to acquire capacity on a cable system for a broadcast internet service provided by a consortium of non-commonly owned broadcasters implicates the same anti-competitive concerns as joint retransmission consent negotiations, and should similarly be prohibited,” NCTA said in comments at the FCC this week. Monday was the deadline to file comments in an FCC NPRM that asks whether and how to modify existing ancillary and supplementary service rules to promote the deployment of broadcast internet services via ATSC 3.0 or the NextGen broadcast standard. The American TV Alliance, a group that pushes for retrans reform and is comprised of several cable and satellite operators, told the Commission that it should require broadcasters that offer ancillary or supplementary services to transmit a single HD feed of television service. It’s a move the NAB objects to (see “Broadcast POV on ATSC 3.0” below). In 1997, the FCC required broadcasters to transmit in SD, but declined an HD requirement, which means broadcasters may devote as much spectrum to ancillary and supplementary services as they want as long as the single SD transmission remains. By ATVA’s estimation, a TV stations transmitting in ATSC 1.0 needs only 20% of its 6MHz channel to transmit a single SD signal and a station using ATSC 3.0 needs as little as 8% to do the same. “Objectively, a broadcaster devoting more than 90 percent of its capacity to something other than broadcasting can no longer maintain that its non-broadcasting service is ‘ancillary’ to anything,” ATVA said in pushing for the single HD signal requirement. “Only by doing so can the Commission give meaning to Congress’s instruction to ‘limit’ ancillary and supplementary services so that they do not derogate the primary service.” NCTA and ATVA also want the FCC to revisit the appropriate fee to remit to the treasury for such services. The fee is currently at 5%, with it based on the amount that equals would be recovered had such services been licensed at auction. In 2017, the FCC declined to adjust the ancillary service fee because it wasn’t yet

Help Cablefax recognize the most powerful women based on their influence and power within the industry—as well as their commitment to ensuring that other execs receive the same opportunities to grow and flourish.

As always, it’s free to nominate candidates for the Most Powerful Women list.

NEW for 2020! Mentor of the Year An individual whose extraordinary INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES mentoring effort to women The Wavemakers either within or outside his or Female executives whose energy her organization has made a has propelled their careers, their measurable impact in helping to companies and the industry over increase the number of low- to mid- the last year through specific level female executives who have business initiatives, campaigns or risen to senior roles. career accomplishments. This select group of innovators got people’s attention in 2020, got people talking ORGANIZATION and ultimately got big things done. CATEGORIES: Mentoring Program Recognizes a successful female- focused promotion program or initiative that has been in place for at least 2 years and has made a sustained and measurable impact on a company’s ratio of female employees. The Rising Tide Advertising Campaign We all know the female leaders Recognizes an advertising making a big difference every day, campaign for a brand, service or but the next generation is always product that appeals to women or 2020 ISSUE RELEASE DATE learning and preparing to someday increases a company’s outreach to take the mantle. The Rising Tide list female customers or female-run November 17 recognizes women under 30 whose businesses and clients. TO ADVERTISE, CONTACT: hard work already has them on the path to making big waves in the Public Affairs Campaign Robbie Caploe at future as they seek out mentors, Recognizes a public affairs media, [email protected] push forward new business ideas lobbying or awareness campaign and ensure this industry stays (local, regional or national) bolster relevant to all generations of causes and charitable contributions customers. (Eligibility: Women who aimed at helping women and are 30 years or younger on Dec. 31, promoting opportunities for women 2020) around the world.

Women’s Advancement Champion A female executive whose contributions to the advancement of women within her company has made an important impact within the cable & broadband industry and inspired others to step up their games.

www.CablefaxWomen.com | Deadline Aug. 21 37413 Cablefax DailyTM Wednesday, August 19, 2020 ● Page 3

Cablefax Daily (ISSN 1069-6644) is published daily by Access Intelligence, LLC ● www.cablefax.com ● 301.354.2101 ● Editorial Director: Amy Maclean, 301.354.1760, [email protected] ● Publisher, Cynopsis: Robbie Caploe, 917.974.0640, [email protected] ●Senior Editor: Sara Winegardner, 301.354.1701, [email protected] ● Associate Editor: Mollie Cahillane, 212.621.4951,[email protected] ● VP, Sales: Mike Farina, 203.218.6480, [email protected] ● Sales Exec: Albert Nassour, 917.545.3129, [email protected] ● Dir of Marketing: Kate Schaeffer, [email protected] ● Prod. Mgr: Joann Fato, [email protected] ● Kerry Smith, Divisional President, Marketing & Media Group, [email protected] ● Group Subs/Subscription Questions,Client Services: 301.354.2101, [email protected] ● Annual subscription price: $1,749.00/year ● Access Intelligence, LLC, 9211 Corporate Blvd., 4th Floor, Rockville, MD 20850 clear which ATSC 3.0-based serviced would emerge. ATVA suggested the FCC’s new Office of Economics & Analytics to run a spectrum valuation and auction recovery analysis for ancillary and supplementary broadcast service. Public Knowledge, Consumer Reports and New America’s Open Technology Institute argue that the FCC is statutorily required to collect fees from ancillary services. The consumer groups want that money to fund a coupon program to help offset consumer costs to upgrade consumer electronic equipment for ATSC 3.0, similar to the DTV transition. Broadcast POV on ATSC 3.0: Broadcasters’ take on how the FCC can best promote broadcast internet services under the voluntary NextGen TV standard can best be summed up by ‘first, do no harm.’ “Requiring broadcasters to pay a regulatory tax in the form of more stringent requirements for every new opportunity will hamper, not encourage, innovation and the efficient use of spectrum,” NAB told the FCC this week. While the American TV Alliance is asking the FCC to require broadcasters that offer ancillary or supplementary services to transmit a single HD feed of television service, NAB said the change would prove challenging given that broadcasters are making the ATSC 3.0 transition without additional spectrum. “As broadcasters seek to transition to ATSC 3.0 while preserving as much existing service as possible, they have been forced to engage in complex arrangements involvingCable multiplefax D ailypartners,”TM NAB said, arguing thatWednesday, “heightened March 18, 2020 ● Page 2 Cablefax Daily (ISSN 1069-6644) is published daily by Access Intelligence, LLC ● www.cablefax.com ● 301.354.2101 ● regulatory burdens” would only make the voluntary transition tougher.Editorial Director: America’s Amy Maclean, Public 301.354.1760, TV [email protected] Stations and PBS ● Publisher: want Michaelthe Grebb, 323.380.6263, [email protected] ● Senior Editor: Sara Winegardner, 301.354.1701, [email protected] ● Associate Editor: Mollie Cahillane, 212.621.4951, [email protected] ● Acct. Exec: Olivia Murray, 301.354.2010, FCC to exempt noncommercial educational licensees from [email protected] ancillary and supplementary ● Director of Marketing: service Kate Schaeffer, fees [email protected] to the extent that ● Prod. Mgr: Joann Fato, [email protected] ● Kerry Smith, Divisional President, Marketing & Media Group, [email protected] ● Group Subs or Subscription Questions,Client Services: 301.354.2101, [email protected] ● Annual subscription price: $1,749.00/year ● the licensee confirms that the revenues from such services areAccess used Intelligence, to supportLLC, 9211 Corporate their Blvd., non-profit 4th Floor, Rockville, public MD 20850 service activities.

Broadcast TV consortium Pearl TV, which includes Sinclair, formsNexstar to launch, EWa series Scripps of PSAs and and multi-channel others, content asked to provide the messages FCC to to theclarify public. NBCU, in partnership that regulations that pertain to the operation of broadcast TV withstations the Ad Council also and do the not White apply House, tocreated broadcast digital and socialInternet graphics, services. in both English and Spanish, to inform high-risk populations about steps they can take to protect themselves and prevent the spread. ViacomCBS is launch- “For example, Section 73.625 of the Commission’s rules establishesing a multiplatform coverage campaign, requirements led by MTV, to communicate for DTV the transmitters.importance of social It distancing. may Disney/ABC is work- be that broadcast internet services utilize transmitters, but theying onshould priority messaging not be forexpected parents and tofamilies operate for distribution at a acrosscertain channels power and platforms. level Fox Buying Tubi: The year of AVOD continues. Fox entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AVOD serviceTubi for over the station’s principle community,” Pearl TV said. approximately $440mln in net cash consideration. The acquisition bolsters Fox’s DTC digital reach while also deepening its capabilities in digital advertising, DTC interfaces and personalization technology. In return, Tubi will be able to leverage FCC Allows Expands Comment Period on Charter MergerFox’s Conditions advertising and :distribution The FCC relationships’s Wireline and its national Competition and local promotional Bureau platforms an to continue- the service’s nounced an additional comment period Tuesday for interestedgrowth. parties Fox plans to to respond continue to run to Tubi Charter as an independent’s petition service, to but sunset plans to expand two itscon offerings- by adding in national and local news and sports content. Tubi founder/CEO Farhad Massoudi will remain at the head of the AVOD following ditions tied to its merger with Time Warner Cable. The additionalthe closing comment of the deal, whichperiod is expected will ensureto come before the June Bureau 30. “Fox Corporation’shas a full relationships record with advertisers and distribution partners, combined with the company’s dominance in news and sports programming, will help Tubi continue on which to evaluate the effects of the conditions and give commentersto grow and differentiate a chance itself in the to high-growth address ad-supported the effect streaming of the marketplace,” DC Circuit’s Massoudi said in a statement. “I Aug 14 decision to vacate two of the Commission’s merger conditionsam proud of what tied the teamto low-cost has already accomplishedbroadband here and at Tubi interconnection. and we couldn’t be more excited about joining such a fast-moving, entrepreneurial company.” Fox will finance the Tubi acquisition principally with the net proceeds from the Charter has petitioned the FCC to get out of the interconnectioncompleted condition sale of its 5%as stake well in Rokuas one. Its stake that was prevents valued at around it from $350mln. imposing Fox was an early investor in Roku and Fox Corp CEO/executive chmn Lachlan Murdoch said he’s excited to expand Fox’s partnership with Roku following the data caps/usage-based pricing. Comments for this period areTubi due acquisition. Sept The 2. relationshipMore folks between have the two already soured last begun month when chiming Roku threatened in on to pull Fox’s apps off its plat- www.cablefaxdaily.com, Published by Access Intelligence, LLC, Tel: 301-354-2101 form a day before the Super Bowl. Roku stock skyrocketed 8.8% on news of the stake’s sale. The Collapse of Theatrical Windows?: With theaters shuttering, will day-and-date releases become common? Univer- sal Pictures is the first out of the gate, announcing “Trolls World Tour” will be available April 10 for an on demand, 48-hour rental. Other in-release movie titles are set to be available as soon as this Friday. The movies will be made available to Comcast, Sky and a “broad range of on-demand partners.” Titles to be made available include “The Hunt,” “The Invisible TM We are so proud of our industry and the Man” and “Emma,”Cablefax with a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the US. “Universal Daily Pictures has a broad and diverse range many ways companies are responding to of movies with 2020Tuesday being — no March exception. 17, 2020 Rather thanWhat delaying the Industrythese films Reads or releasing First them intoVolume a challenged 31 / No. 052 distribution landscape, we wantedFor Now: to provide Providers an option Set for Asidepeople Disputesto view these During titles Coronavirusin the home that Outbreak is both accessible and afford- the pandemic. Free internet, fresh content, able,” NBCU CEOwww.cablefaxdaily.com,As Jeffthey Shellface the said common in Publisheda statement.enemy thatby Access is “We the coronavirus hopeIntelligence, and pandemic, believe LLC, Tel: that Cox 301-354-2101 peopleMedia Group will still and go DISH to the have movies agreed toin theaters set aside their retrans dispute for now so that DISH can resume its carriage of 10 CMG stations in markets in New employee safety and much more. York, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Louisiana, California, Mississippi and Idaho. No word on how long the stations, which have been blacked out since mid-January, will be carried by DISH. “We appreciate DISH’s cooperation in agreeingCablefax to suspend Selectedour dispute so by that SCTE•ISBE we can help our viewers navigate throughFeaturing this uncertain Expanded time,” Cox Coverage Media in asGroup Exclusive CEO Kimwww.cablefaxdaily.com, Partner Guthrie said for in thea statement. Official Published DISH Show has by also AccessDaily agreed Intelligence, to temporarilyPrint, Online LLC,restore Tel: channels & 301-354-2101 Video owned Show by Mis Dailies- The Cablefax Editorial Team is reporting on sion Broadcasting, Marshall Broadcasting Group and White Knight Broadcasting through April 13. “DISH is committed to ensuring that our customers have access to critical local news coverage regardingTM COVID-19 in their Cablefax DailyTM Tuesday, March 17, 2020 ● Page 3 vital industry updates every day. We want Cablefaxcommunity,” DISH svp, programming Andy LeCuyer saidDaily in a statement. “Our customers always come first, and re- Friday — March 13,storing 2020 these channels Whatis one more the stepIndustry we’ve taken Reads to help First them get throughVolume this challenging 31 / No. time.”050 Folks are also will be televised,banding though together all onpublic the wireless events side, surrounding offering those thethat requiredraft in additional Vegas networkwill be capacity canceled. access The to anydraft extra takes place April to hear from you so please reach out to New Normal: Companies Roll Out Contingency Plans in Face of Covid-19 23-25, airing acrossspectrum ESPN they don’t, ABC need. andThe FCC the grantedNFL Network T-Mobile special. -- WICT temporary has authoritycanceled to use the additional April sessions spectrum inof its Executive share your news and stories. With a growing numberthe of 600MHz students band and to employees help bolster working its networks. from home, The Commission it’s mission criticalsaid T-Mobile for the nation’splans to broadbanduse the spectrum to support providersDevelopment during the Covid-19 telehealthSeries pandemic.and initiatives, its Rising Operatorsdistance Leaders learning, big and teleworksmallProgram, are and up-ending withthe needs registrants their of day-to-dayfirst responders. moving operations T-Mobileto fall to ensure sessions. will use spectrum The Signaturethat TM Lun- the cheonsafety of intheirCablefax April employeeswas is canceled, held while either continuing in with the FCC’s details to service inventory on their the or customers.byrevised other licensees event On Thursday, forthcoming.that have Cox consented beganDaily All remotely WICTto T-Mobile’s managing employees use of the arespectrum. working remotely Wednesday — March 18, 2020 What the Industry Reads First Volume 31 / No. 053 its networkwith full operations capabilities,Those center—a licensees and first all includefor out-of-town the DISH,MSO. ComcastCox, business which, NewLevelclosed travel down, LBis a suspendedLicenseRhode Island Co, Channel facility for now. last 51 ,-- weekOmega The for VCTA, aBluewater deep is postponing and TStar this year’s Content. Community. Daily. clean after an employee’sLicenseSupercharge family Holdings member. T-Mobile tested positive willYour also for have the Exposure! virus,access has to Sprintalso increased’s spectrum teleworking portfolio whenand is the sending pair’s merger closes next Virginia Cable Summit, originally scheduledContent April Companies28 and 29 in Williamsburg, Step Up Efforts VA. No new date slated yet, but the regular communicationsWe wereCovering blownmonth of away CDC as expected, by guidelines Covid-19: the passion but to New andcustomer-facing Street imagination Research Cablefax employees. suggested brought Hotwire toin a the note Communications SCTE•ISBE that T-Mobile may, a midsizetry to get pro early- access to that vidergroup that’sCable-Tec footprintexpectsProgrammers Expo includesas it well.officialwill NewFlorida, beare show sometime Streetshuffling dailyGeorgia, also coverage. schedules said SCin thislateInand print, could NC, fall.to online respondhas prove-- ACA10and tonetwork especially beto Connects thean importantoperationscoronavirus in video, themaybusiness center Cablefax crisis. have engineers move The postponed for Weather T-Mobile identified Channelasthis asit looksyear’s beganto perma summit, dedicating- but the criticalgroup whoteam isare timestillwent being abovesupportingduringnently voluntarily and bolstereach beyond quarantined hour itsits in network.capturingmembers of live in the“Itprogramming offsite will moments by be housinghosting interesting that atmadefor 50two seven-day to Expo minutes see webinars 2019 what periods.a past must-attendT-Mobile onthe The Covid-19. hourdoes event.NOC/engineering/IT towith share the “The borrowed educational FCC’s area 600MHz ‘Keep iscontent after America aimedsixty at Connected’children Amy Maclean, Editorial Director, Together we’re already imaging the possibilities for new concepts at Expo 2020 in Denver. SOLD! openPledge only to authorizedDuringstayingdays; thehome personnel, they Covid-19 due are towithusing school aCrisis” itdedicated for closures.free takes now; entrance presumablyTopics place and include on restrooms. theyTuesday whywould Likethunder have at many 2pm, to happens,pay other andfor companies,it after“Covid-19 how the rainbows first Mediacom Preparednesssixty form days; and but ithow could and to stay Response” safe in is has been increasing - SCTE•ISBE’ssevere itsmake weather.President remote sense andwork Newsrooms for CEO, bothcapacity Mark sides Dzuban at are if a they largercontinuing do scale (could andto be deal foran aimportant with longer confirmed period win for of DISH),” time.cases WOW! New of the Street has virus, developed said with in aCNN note. NYC staffers informed [email protected] or 301.354.1760 scheduled for Friday at 2pm. pandemic plansTuesday over Coronavirusthe that last anseveral employee Broadband weeks. has“Although Access tested :many Sparklight positive of our and (formerlyworkers is currently already Cable in Onehave very) isthe goodmaking ability health. unlimitedto work CBS from data, ABChome, available, and on NBC all newsrooms Space is selling quickly! Contact Olivia Murray at [email protected] or 301.354.2010 we areFrom currently thehave Commissionexploring all reported contingency confirmed: Another plans for 116cases. essential broadbandUnivision workers news whoand don’t anchortelephone typically Enrique haveservice Acevedo a work-from-home providers posted onhave option,” Instagram taken upTuesday FCC that chmn he Ajit 36290 the company said.has It’sbeen a similar in self-quarantine story for Cable for ONE about, which a week already since has his a subset visit to of CBS call center News personnel in NYC to positioned film his toshow “60 in 6,” where he workPai from’s Keephome. “We’reAmericans looking atConnected additional options Pledge, and makingagreeing plans to as take needed specific to expand steps that capability to keep if itAmericans be- connected for the next had possible contact with colleagues that have tested positive for Covid-19. “Despite meeting all the criteria for testing 36716 comes60 necessarydays. Some in the notable coming days names and weeks,” taking a therep said.pledge Industry include HR association Hotwire C2HR Communications has curated a collection, Midco and GCI. The 185 of resourcescompanies fromestablished employersthat have in in the nowits onlinerevised taken Knowledge CDC the guidelinespledge Center, will andand not will Florida’s updateterminate Departmentarticles service regularly. of toHealth, C2HR any said residentialI have that not many been or small able to business get tested customers due to supply shortages in the state,” he wrote in a post that promised to share any new information. Premium offerings are of itsbecause members ofare their implementing inability work-from-home to pay bills duepolicies, to disruptionwith one industry from employer the coronavirus to soon announce pandemic, a company- waive any late fees and open wide work-from-homeoffering policy. up free In additioncontent toas suspending Americans non- practice essential social business distancing. travel, AMCemployers Networks are requiring’ SVOD em Sundance- Now is offering a ployeesWiFi to hotspots report30-day all personal to trial any for travel person,new plans. subs even Employeeswith specialif they who codeare have/will notSUNDANCENOW30. a travel customer. to high-risk The countries It pledgecomes are ashas being the also SVOD instructed gained premieres to the supportSeason 3 of of the“The Tele - staycommunications home for 14Restaurant,” days upon Industry theirbilled return as Sweden’s toAssociation the US. answer As for concernsand to “Downton the over US internet Abbey.”Pan Asian overload, This week, American the Internetstreamer Chamber Society CuriosityStream posted of Commerce released itsEducation second a recentFund blog. -- reassuring specialComments “Coronavirus: folks arethat coredue Combating internet April 6 infrastructure on the the Outbreak.” new providers truth-in-billing The should special be and able requirements subsequent to easily absorb episodes added an increase to are the being in Communications made available for Act of traffic1934 and demand,by freethe torecently-passedespecially the public if the through growth Television theis gradual SVOD’s overViewer YouTube a period Protection channel of days,. weeksEpisode Act. Replyor months.three, comments “Race NCTA for said a areVaccine”that todue date, willApril premiere 13. Those next week.requirements its members in areas most affected by the outbreak have reported “modest, but manageable changes” in consumer are set to“We go areinto committed effect on to June releasing 20, sixall the months facts we after learn the about TVPA the iscoronavirus enacted, forbut free the so Commission that anyone who may wants for “goodto learn cause” extend themore, effective can,” CEO date Clint by Stinchcomban additional said. six In months. a time of worldwide crisis, news networks are providing critical updates. Fox News topped the week in total viewership, averaging 2mln viewers in total day. CNN brought in 1.322mln, followed Supportingby MSNBC Distance with 1.295mln. Learning In :primetime, Sens Ed Fox Markey again took(D-MA), in the mostMichael viewers, Bennet averaging (D-CO) 3.594mln. and BrianCNN came Schatz next (D-HI)with led 13 other2.849mln, lawmakers followed inbyCongratulate callingMSNBC on with the 2.346mln. FCC to On temporarily Tuesday, the Telemundo allow schools premiered to ause new E-Rate national programweekday newscast funding to offer WiFidedicated hotspots to coronavirusor devicesWORK and with its WiFiimpact CULTURE capabilities on the Latino to community.LIST students Univision lacking News internet is airing access a network-wide at home. special, The E-Rate “Diario del Coronavirus”© 2020 (The Access Coronavirus Intelligence, Diaries), LLC. Federalat 3pm copyrightevery day law this prohibits week which unauthorized will pre-empt reproduction local programming. by program is cappedUntitled-1 1at $4bln each year.any The means FCC and has imposes already fines allocatedof up to $150,000 about for $2bln violations. this year,3/11/2020 9:10:36 leaving AM the rest availableMeanwhile, for potential the Ad emergency Council is HONOREESworkingaction. with“This the swift, White immediateHouse, CDC, action HHS and would major help media ensure networks that and all digital students plat- can remotely continue their educationRecognize Innovativeduring the & Engagingcurrent publicEmployers health emergency,” the lawmakers said in a letter to the Commission. Markeywho authored are making the work original more E-Ratethan a job. program created as part of the 1996 Telecommunica- ANNOUNCING Help Cablefax choose the tions Act. The program is designedBeing part of this newto traditionconnect is the best schools way to inspire your and team, libraries’s to the internet and ensure access for low- income students and families.recognize excellence -- The and FCCreach the leadersauthorized whose decisions $521K will determine in CAF II fundingMSO over and the Independent next decade to expand www.CFXworkculture.com the future and shape the workplace environment for years to come. broadband in Idaho’s Benewah County.Nominations Red Spectrum Communications Operatorhas agreed—in of the exchange Year! for funding— to provide broadband at speeds of at |least 25/3Mbps to approximately 185 unserved rural homes and Advertisingbusinesses,For some the Deadline: Executive(s) of which are of theinApril tribal Year: areas.Tout8 your Publication best execs! We’re Date: April 22 lookingContact: for MSO Olivia and Murray independent at [email protected] operator executives who ordrive 301.354.2010 It’s free to enter – but you must Broadband Expansions: TDS is heading to Stoughton, WI. The company announced a fiber-to-the-home network © success2020 Access in all areas Intelligence, of the business, LLC. Federal including copyright ﬁ nance, law legal, prohibits marketing, unauthorized submit reproduction your entriesby by March 27! 36681project CFX Work Culturethat Call operations,will - Advertising offer Ads_SS.indd customersbusinessany 1 means development, up and to imposesone sales gigabit and fines beyond. speeds, of up Theseto $150,000TDS are theTV fortop and violations. phone service.3/12/20 12:05 Businesses PM can receive up to 10 gigabit connections,performers exceeding dedicated company fiber goals, and advancing a hosted new VoIP initiatives business and phone service. The Madison-based company expects to beinnovations, connecting and pushingcustomers through in uniqueStoughton marketplace by the challenges. end of 2020. Tell -- VyveThe IndependentBroadband Operator is working of the on Year upgrading its rural cableour infrastructure, editors who we should launching be recognizing 1 gigabit in 2020! internet service to customersAward in (IOY)the City is presented of Hillsboro, in conjunction Florence and with ACA Connects and NCTC Marion, KS. The new download speed is expected to be available in April. DistributionSubmit: Pluto TV Today is set at: to launch www.CablefaxTopOps.com in Latin America with 55 media and content partners. At launch, it will include 24 Questions:live, linear Contact channels Mary-Lou curated French at into [email protected] categories. Pluto orTV 301.354.1851. Latin America will be available by the end of March in 17 countries.© 2020 Access Intelligence, LLC. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction by any means and imposes fines of up to $150,000 for violations. Ratings: The CNN-Univision Democratic debate Sunday evening pulled in more viewers than any other CNN debate this election34261 CFX Top cycle. Ops Nominations_StripAds.indd A total 10.827mln 1 viewers tuned in, 3.414mln in the A25-54 demo. 3/3/20 12:19 PM Programming: Run out of things to watch on Netflix? Acorn TV is extending its free trial for new subscribers to 30 days, previously seven days. Interested viewers can use the code “FREE30”. -- There’s still some sports left in the US! ESPN is kicking off the 2020 NFL league with more than 13 hours of NFL Free Agency specials through Wednesday. Coverage kicked off Monday at 2pm with “NFL Live.” -- FX is indefinitely postponing the Season 4 premiere of “Fargo,” originally slated for April 19. Production was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a new date will be announced when production resumes. Cablefax DailyTM Wednesday, August 19, 2020 ● Page 4 the issue. In an ex parte, Mediacom supported Charter’s case, fighting back against arguments from the petition’s op- ponents that the Commission should have found a way to bar not just Charter, but all cable operators from implementing data caps and usage-based pricing. “The record growth in high speed data customers experienced by companies implementing data caps and usage-based pricing plans demolishes that argument,” Mediacom said. In an Aug 6 filing,Roku argued against the petition because of the dominance cable operators have in the US residential broadband market. “The bases for the safeguards the Commission adopted to protect consumers following Charter’s merger were Charter’s incentives to act anti-competitively post-merger and the absence of viable competition to Charter in the broadband internet access services market to prevent Charter from acting on those incentives,” Roku said. “Charter’s petition for relief mentions neither, and that omission alone is sufficient for the Commission to dismiss Charter’s request.” DNC Night 1: MSNBC was the big winner for the first night of the Democratic National Convention, averaging 4.3mln total viewers from 8pm-11pm. That put it ahead of CNN (4.1mln) and Fox News (3.4mln). During the 10pm hour, MSNBC drew 5.2mln viewers, besting CNN (4.8mln), ABC (4.4mln), CBS (1.98mln) and Fox News (2mln). For the 25-54 demo from 8pm-11pm, CNN was tops with 1.241mln, followed by MSNBC 838K and Fox News 651K. CNN also outperformed its competitors in 18-34s from 8-11pm, averaging 306K compared to MSNBC’s 170K and Fox’s 90K. -- MSNBC went black on DirecTV during its coverage of the DNC Monday. The network became unavail- able at 5:03pm PT. The issue lasted for approximately six minutes before the signal was restored. “We are experi- encing temporary technical difficulties. Please stand by,” a prompt on the screen read. “We apologize for the inconve- nience.” DirecTV did not respond to requests for comment. Apple Bundles Streamers With Apple TV+: Apple introduced its first package bundling other streaming services with Apple TV+ Monday. By subscribing to the services through Apple TV channels, customers will be able to purchase subscriptions to CBS All Access and Showtime as an Apple TV+ add-on bundle for $9.99/month after a seven-day free trial. CBS All Access and Showtime typically cost $9.99/month and $10.99/month, respectively. The Apple TV app is available on iOS devices, Mac, select Samsung and LG smart TVs, Roku devices and Amazon Fire TV devices. It will launch on Sony and VIZIO smart TVs later this summer. Byron Allen Acquires Honolulu TV Station: Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group acquired Honolulu ABC affiliate KITV from SLJ Broadcasting for $30mln. Similar to other Hawaiian TV stations, KITV operates multiple satellite stations and translators to rebroadcast the station’s programming outside of metropolitan Honolulu. AMG’s portfolio now includes 16 owned and operated big-four networks in 12 markets. Also included in the KITV portfolio of platforms is carriage of digital cable networks MeTV, Hawaii TV, Start TV and Heroes & Icons. Internet Reliability vs Speed: Internet speed has long been a major marketing point, but EY’s new digital home survey suggests ISPs may want to spend more time highlighting reliability. Over half of respondents (54%) said that reliability is more important than speed, with nearly one-quarter saying they were prepared to pay extra for reliable internet. What’s more, 80% of consumers said they were satisfied with speed, up from 66% last year. The report is based on a survey of 5K US households carried out in 2020. EY said there was increased interest in features that make home networks more effective. Data protection and privacy features appealed to 52%, outage protection appealed to 43%, and Wi-Fi signal management capabilities were attractive to 39% of respondents. In addition, 33% of 18- to 44-year-olds would pay a premium for a low-latency, gaming-focused internet service. EY’s report also offers further evidence of the attractiveness of internet-only packages, with 40% of survey respondents subscribing to them, up from 32% in 2019. Fuse Gets out the Voto: Fuse Media and Voto Latino Foundation renewed their long-standing partnership to encourage Latino participation in the 2020 presidential and local elections. The multimedia campaign will be part of Fuse’s “Be Change” social responsibility initiative, which recently added Climate Power 2020 as a partner. Elements of the Voto Latino campaign include a series of vignettes featuring celebs, such as Amara La Negra and Dascha Polanco, as well as linear programming stunts, including “National Voter Registration Day: We’ve Got Issues (September 22).” The two are working to meet Voto Latino’s goal of 500K voters registered for this election cycle. Fuse will create a series of on-air lower thirds driving viewers to votolatino.org. Fuse and Voto Latino have been partners since the 2008 presidential election. Distribution: Cinedigm launched its SVOD services CONtv, Dove Channel and Docurama on Cox Contour and Contour Stream Player. Cox customers can sign up for a 7-day free trial. -- Zone tv introduced an interactive app to help engage families ahead of the school year. “Ignite Fun at Home,” is available exclusively on Rogers Ignite TV platform. Editor’s Note: Time is running out to get those Most Powerful Women nominations in at cablefaxwomen.com! Friday is the deadline to be considered for Cablefax: The Magazine’s issue. New categories this year include Mentor of the Year.