/ 04.21.2011 12:00AM
FCC Adds Internet Delivery to Video Competition Report
WASHINGTON: The Internet is officially a TV platform. Television
regulators are now including online delivery in the 14th Annual Video
Competition Report they started in 2009. Today, the Federal Communications
Commission issued a Further Notice of Inquiry to gather more information for
the 2009 report. The intent of the report is to adjust content and distribution
rules based on diversity and provider availability.
The video industry has evolved such that the FCC is having a time getting a
handle on it. First, there was broadcast TV. Then cable. Then satellite. Then
Verizon and AT&T with their multichannel video services. Now, there’s more
and more TV shows online and increasingly, in cell phones.
The commission’s 14th “annual” report initially comprised data from 2007-09.
Since then, the FCC reviewed its data-collection techniques and decided it
didn’t have enough information “to produce an adequate report.” It’s now seeking additional
data for 2009, first-time data for 2010, and for the first time ever, for
online video distribution.
Under the FCC’s “new analytic framework,” it will categorize video distributors
into three groups: Broadcast TV stations; multichannel video programming
distributors (cable and satellite); and online video distributors. It will look
at the structure of each company, merger and acquisition activities, conduct,
pricing and performance. Consumer behavior will be examined as well.
The report calls on information from industry sources, public filings, news
releases, equity reports, academic publications, vendor product releases and
white papers. The FCC is asking if there are additional sources it should
include.
Further details are in the commission’s
30-page
NOI. Comments on MB Docket No. 07-269 are due June 8; replies are due July
8. ~ Deborah D. McAdams
(Image by Alternate Photography)