DENVER—The Syndeo Institute at The Cable Center said it has entered into a tentative deal with the University of Denver (DU) to sell its physical building here.

The university approached The Cable Center about purchasing its Denver building, which broke ground in 1999, as part of a long-term campus planning effort, Syndeo Institute said. It described DU’s interest in the building and its surrounding property as an opportunity for its leadership “to evaluate a path aligned with mission, financial discipline and long-term sustainability.”

The Cable Center was founded in 1985 as the National Cable Television Center and Museum, intended to preserve the cable and broadband industry’s institutional memory and legacy, including historical assets such as the Barco Library, the Cable Hall of Fame and industry archives. In 2023, the center rebranded as the Syndeo Institute at The Cable Center, with a focus on leadership development, education and collaboration efforts, such as its Intrapreneurship Academy.

Sale proceeds would go primarily to The Cable Center’s endowment to support long-term sustainability and expand organizational capacity, the Syndeo Institute said.

“As stewards of the organization, we owed it to our stakeholders to evaluate the opportunity and determine the best path forward,” board chairman Michael Willner, CEO of Penthera Partners and former CEO of Insight Communications, said. “This pivotal moment positions The Cable Center to serve the industry with greater reach, flexibility, and scale at a time when the landscape is evolving rapidly.”

The agreement kickstarts a defined due diligence period in which final terms, timing and logistics of the deal will be evaluated, the group said. All mission-serving programs, industry events and commitments of The Cable Center will continue throughout the process.

The Syndeo Institute’s administrative team and library will continue to operate from the building through the end of March, the Center said, with its building rental business operating through the end of June. The Barco Library’s collection will be relocated responsibly, it added, with careful stewardship and long-term preservation as priorities.

“This step strengthens our long-term financial foundation, but it does not change how we operate day to day,” President and CEO Diane Christman said. “This is not unrestricted operating revenue. The Cable Center will remain a lean organization. Placing proceeds into the endowment is about stewardship and long-term sustainability, not replacing philanthropic support. Fundraising remains essential to our work, and we look forward to continuing strong partnerships with the leaders and organizations who help power our mission and serve the industry.”

More updates will be shared as appropriate and as new information is available, The Cable Center said.

NEW YORK—The popularity of NFL games is largely responsible for continued seasonal momentum in TV viewership into October (measured Sept. 29-Oct. 26), according to Nielsen’s The Gauge report, its monthly snapshot of total TV and streaming consumption.

The NFL simultaneously drove a 4.3% increase in broadcast viewing as well as gains for key streaming services, it said.

The impact of NFL coverage in October was most apparent when isolating viewership by day. Sundays exhibited the largest viewing shift across categories for the month, as broadcast averaged a 5.3-point gain to climb from an average of 22% of TV on Monday through Saturday, to 27.3% of TV on Sundays. By contrast, cable and streaming viewership experienced the opposite effect, with the time spent watching up slightly Monday-Saturday and lower on Sundays.

The NFL also drove increases on game days and overall for several streaming services.

Peacock exhibited a 19% monthly viewing uptick in October and represented 1.6% of TV. Its share on Sundays, however, averaged 2.0% of total TV.

Paramount+ viewership was up 8% in total versus last month, and the streamer’s average share of TV increased from 1.2% Monday-Saturday to 1.6% on Sundays, when it simulcasts CBS.

Amazon Prime Video, home of “Thursday Night Football,” gained three points against its monthly average on game days, jumping to 6.4% of TV on Thursdays in October.

Broadcast led all TV categories with a 4.3% monthly viewing gain in October, which resulted in 0.6 additional share points and 22.9% of television—building on its lead over cable and marking its largest share of TV since November 2024 (23.7%).

Despite the performance, broadcast sports viewership was down compared to September (-6.4%) but still accounted for nearly one-third of all broadcast viewing. NFL games on CBS, Fox and NBC claimed the top three overall program rankings with over 20 million viewers apiece (L+7). The fall TV season continued to unfold in October as well, as broadcast drama viewership saw a 28% increase over September led by “Tracker,” “Matlock” and “NCIS” on CBS, “High Potential” on ABC and “Chicago Fire” on NBC, to represent the largest monthly gain within the category.

Streaming viewership was up 2.4% month-over-month, outpacing the increase in overall TV usage (1.3%) to gain a half-point and represent 45.7% of TV watch-time in October. Surging football viewing on key streaming platforms helped to fuel the increase, while most non-NFL streamers saw decreases on game days. Netflix bucked the trend and grew its share of TV on Sundays. Netflix netted out with 7.9% of TV in October, but on Sundays specifically, its share climbed to 8.2% of TV. This was partially on the strength of its original series “Monster: The Ed Gein Story,” which was the most-streamed title of the month with 5.4 billion minutes viewed.

Cable watch-time in October tracked closely with overall usage (+1.2%), but the category’s share of TV slipped by 0.1 due to rounding to finish with 22.2% of total TV. Cable sports viewership increased nearly 50% versus September and represented 14% of the category’s viewing total.

Feature films were a bright spot for cable, exhibiting a 7% monthly increase in October as viewers sought out their favorite spooky movies amid the Halloween season. News continued to lead cable viewing, owning nearly a quarter of the category’s share despite a 3% drop from the preceding month.

More information is available on The Gauge and Nielsen websites.

Charter Communications and Cox Communications announced today that the two companies will merge in a deal valued at $34.5 billion. The transaction—which consists of $21.9 billion in equity with $12.6 billion in net debt—combines the nation’s second- and fourth-largest broadband providers with an estimated 36.5 million broadband subscribers. If approved, the merger could make it the nation’s largest cable-based broadband provider, leapfrogging Comcast’s 32 million.

Cox Communications, a division of Cox Enterprises, is the largest privately held broadband company in the U.S., with about 6.5 million total residential and commercial customers. Charter reported 30 million broadband customers at the end of the first quarter.

Under the agreement, Charter will acquire Cox’s commercial fiber, IT, and cloud businesses, while Cox’s residential cable operations will be contributed to Charter Holdings, an existing Charter partnership. In exchange, Cox Enterprises will receive $4 billion in cash, $6 billion in convertible preferred units and 33.6 million common units in Charter Holdings, giving it about 23% ownership in the combined company post-closing. The transaction is contingent on regulatory and shareholder approvals and is expected to close alongside the Liberty Broadband merger, announced last fall.

If approved, the new entity will become Cox Communications and the combined company will have a wider national footprint. Charter has subscribers in 41 states, making it available to 57 million homes and businesses. Cox Communications provides broadband services across 18 U.S. states, with a strong presence in the South, Southwest, and select East Coast regions.

Charter’s Spectrum will become the consumer-facing brand within the communities Cox serves. The combined company will remain headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and will maintain a significant presence on Cox’s Atlanta campus following the closing.

The merger is the latest indication of the pressure the cable TV industry has been under for the past decade, as cord-cutting has decimated its video business and wireless providers increasingly market 5G wireless alternatives. Although cable broadband still reigns nationwide with 76.1 million subscribers, Fixed Wireless Access, (aka 5G wireless services) provided by AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have approximately 11.5 million subscribers nationwide and is the fastest growing market segment.

Both Charter and Cox also provide mobile broadband services, with Charter reporting 10.5 million mobile lines as of March 31. Although Cox doesn’t report wireless subscribers, its Cox Mobile service is available in 19 states and Washington, D.C., making it available to 7 million subscribers nationwide.

Following the merger, Charter president and CEO Chris Winfrey will lead the combined company and Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, will join the board as Chairman. Eric Zinterhofer, chairman of Charter’s Board of Directors will become the lead independent director on Charter’s board.

“We’re honored that the Cox family has entrusted us with its impressive legacy and are excited by the opportunity to benefit from the terrific operating history and community leadership of Cox,” said Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter. “Cox and Charter have been innovators in connectivity and entertainment services—with decades of work and hundreds of billions of dollars invested to build, upgrade and expand our complementary regional networks to provide high-quality internet, video, voice and mobile services.

“This combination will augment our ability to innovate and provide high-quality, competitively priced products, delivered with outstanding customer service, to millions of homes and businesses,” Winfrey continued. “We will continue to deliver high-value products that save American families money, and we’ll onshore jobs from overseas to create new, good-paying careers for U.S. employees that come with great benefits, career training and advancement, and retirement and ownership opportunities.”

WASHINGTON—Last week Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced the “Stop Sports Blackouts Act” to make cable and satellite companies refund customers who aren’t able to watch the channels they already pay for during television blackouts.

The proposed legislation is just the latest attempt by lawmakers to intervene in conflicts between multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) and broadcasters and other content providers that all too often result in cable and satellite companies dropping channels after negotiations break down.

In introducing the act, the legislators pointed to a dispute between Optimum and MSG Networks, affecting over a million customers in the New York City tri-state area who have been unable to watch the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils on networks MSG and MSGSN. A separate blackout with Nexstar Media Group-owned WPIX New York left Optimum customers unable to watch “Judy Justice’ and local news for more than 10 days, the lawmakers said.

From 2010-2024, the two congressmen said New Yorkers experienced a total of 100 blackouts for a total of 3,350 days when consumers were blocked from viewing content they had paid for.

Ryan, who claims to be a champion of consumer protection in entertainment, previously demanded an investigation into blackouts and slammed sports leagues for making it more difficult for fans to watch games.

“It’s outrageous that millions of folks couldn’t watch the Knicks, Judy Justice, or dozens of other programs for weeks because of blackouts,” Ryan said. “And it’s even more ridiculous that we’re all still paying for the right to stare at black screens! I don’t see why this is even a debate—cable companies simply should not be able to advertise and charge for services they are not providing.

“On behalf of fans across the country, we’re putting down a marker: everyone will get their money back when a blackout stops them from watching TV, no questions asked,” he continued. “That means dollars back in your pockets and, equally importantly, it provides a hell of an incentive to these billion-dollar corporations to make sure these blackouts don’t happen in the future. They have teams of lobbyists looking out for them—I’m introducing this legislation because I fight for YOU.”

Said Murphy: “Blackouts are a slap in the face to every customer paying their hard-earned money for TV shows they can’t even watch. It’s ridiculous the rest of us get stuck in the crossfire of negotiations between cable and broadcast companies. Our bill is simple: if cable companies can’t provide the service you’re paying for, they owe you a refund.”

On Jan. 1, Optimum and MSG Networks announced that they were unable to renew their distribution agreement, leaving subscribers unable to watch NBA and NHL games in the middle of the season. On Jan. 10, Optimum subscribers were subjected to an additional blackout when the company announced it had failed to come to an agreement with Nexstar Media’s WPIX, which owns the syndication rights to popular show “Judy Justice,” starring Judge Judy Sheindlin, as well as the NewsNation network.

Congressman Ryan and Sen. Murphy’s “Stop Sports Blackouts Act” would direct the Federal Communications Commission to require television distributors to provide rebates to subscribers for television blackouts that occur as a result of carriage disputes.

Last month, the FCC passed a rule requiring cable and satellite pay TV operators to report commercial broadcast station blackouts that last than 24 hours or longer and were caused by failed negotiations over a new retransmission-consent agreement.

The American Television Alliance, a group of small and independent MVPDs, warned that such legislation will only increase prices.

“We agree it’s outrageous when big broadcasters unilaterally remove channels from TV lineups, blacking out content from consumers and depriving paying customers of critical local news coverage, sporting events and entertainment programming,” said ATVA spokesperson Hunter Wilson. “While well-intentioned, this bill will only raise prices for consumers. Blackouts are the result of networks and other big programmers holding their channels for ransom to force pay TV providers into higher-priced programming deals. Requiring pay TV providers to pay rebates will only encourage big broadcasters to further increase prices at a time when retransmission consent fees are at record highs.

“The broken retransmission consent system has led to nearly a thousand TV blackouts in the last decade,” he concluded. “ATVA stands ready to work with Congress to modernize dated regulations that turn sizeable profits for big broadcasters at the expense of consumers.”

NYC regional sports network MSG Networks—which was dropped by Optimum owner Altice USA at the beginning of the year and is currently in talks with Amazon to avoid bankruptcy—applauded the proposal.

An MSG spokesman said: “It’s not surprising that elected officials are engaged and standing up for their constituents. We appreciate Senator Murphy and Congressman Ryan’s efforts to fight for sports fans who are stuck paying for content they aren’t receiving, while Altice pockets their money. It’s time for Altice to do what’s right and agree to binding arbitration so that sports fans can again begin to watch games of their favorite teams.”

LOUISVILLE, Colo.—CableLabs said 2024 saw significant progress in the transition to 10G broadband networks, which offer multigigabit speeds and several features designed to deliver the future of entertainment and a host of other applications.

The 10G platform was first announced at CES six years ago,

“Digital transformation demands an adaptive network that is not only fast but smart, reliable and capable of responding to user needs at any moment,” CableLabs CEO Phil McKinney said. “With each milestone, we’re that much closer to bringing the platform of the future to life, allowing applications and devices to interact with the network dynamically and securely. This push forward illustrates our commitment to pioneering the next-generation connectivity solutions that will empower our members to lead in a competitive, constantly evolving market—and shape our digital future.”

CableLabs, the cable industry’s technology consortium, said that the 2024 10G milestones mark a notable development in the 10G platform. as work transitions from the pursuit of ultrafast speeds to an emphasis on creating adaptable networks that can meet the dynamic needs of users and devices in real time. This evolution includes breakthroughs in NaaS (Network as a Service); Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput (L4S) equipment; interoperability events; and the release of new security frameworks. Those milestones center on themes that define the future of 10G: reliability, latency, security and speed, the research consortium reported.

Earlier this year, CableLabs unveiled NaaS, a foundational framework that enables third-party developers to connect directly to network services and data through standardized application programming interfaces. Driving network reliability and intelligence, NaaS allows applications to respond to changing network conditions in real time, delivering consistent, adaptive user experiences across operators.

In September, Charter Communications, in collaboration with CableLabs, launched Bryte IQ, a NaaS platform that streamlines and secures developer access to Spectrum’s wired and wireless networks, accelerating application development and broadening service possibilities for business-to-business clients.

In another important development, CableLabs facilitated and hosted a series of events throughout the year focused on end-to-end interoperability between the next-generation applications that implement L4S and the networking gear (including DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 4.0 equipment) that provides the necessary L4S congestion signaling.

The events enabled operators to test and fine-tune the network configurations used in their field trials and Low Latency DOCSIS (LLD) deployments. In addition, CableLabs facilitated several L4S interoperability events in coordination with the Internet Engineering Task Force to provide further opportunities for application developers and network equipment developers from Apple, Broadcom, Google, Netflix, Nokia, NVIDIA and others to come together.

Working with multiple participants in the Wireless Broadband Alliance to explore the integration of L4S network functions into a Wi-Fi access point, CableLabs published an L4S implementation guidelines document that gives Wi-Fi equipment vendors detailed instructions on implementing support for L4S in their equipment, enabling end-to-end low latency for immersive applications.

In November, Comcast announced the first wide-scale deployment of LLD with L4S, illustrating the technology’s scalability. Midco also presented a technical paper at SCTE TechExpo, showing HFC networks can deliver high-speed data services with latency levels comparable to or better than PON performance for nonqueue building (NQB) traffic.

In security, there were also advances in cybersecurity standards and zero-trust practices, CableLabs said.

In January, CableLabs released the Routing Security Profile, or RSP, an actionable and adaptable guide to enhancing internet routing security. Based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 1.1’s core functions, the RSP enables organizations to better identify, protect, detect, respond to and recover from cybersecurity events affecting IP networks. CableLabs released version 2.0, which incorporates feedback received from stakeholders following the release, on Oct. 1.

Released in September, the Zero Trust and Infrastructure Security (ØTIS) Best Common Practices (BCP) aligns the approach to zero-trust implementation for core and access network infrastructure. Emphasizing credential protection, supply chain risk management, policy-based access and consistent control, the comprehensive security framework supports an intelligent network by safeguarding against threats at every point of access.

In terms of broadband speeds, there were also a number of developments in the area of DOCSIS 4.0 interoperability.

During 2024, CableLabs organized and led numerous events focused on multi-supplier interoperability across the DOCSIS 4.0 ecosystem. The convened various companies in the Interop Laboratory to test and refine preproduction and development versions of networking hardware and application software. Highlighting crucial developments in network interoperability, virtualization and speed, the April event set new records in downstream speeds—over 9 Gbps through a DOCSIS 4.0 modem—while the August event dived deeper into advancing upstream capabilities.

In addition to this progress, CableLabs advanced DOCSIS 4.0 technology with Full Duplex DOCSIS now extending operation to 1.8 gigahertz. This improvement drives new advancements for modems operating in Frequency Division Duplexing mode, supporting further innovation across technology and business models and from multiple suppliers.

CableLabs members also reached significant 10G milestones this year. CableLabs’ blog features more about Charter, Comcast, Cox, Liberty Global, Midco, Rogers and others’ progress.

For more information visit CableLabs.com/10G.

PHILADELPHIA—As Comcast reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results, executives told analysts the company is considering spinning off its cable networks, a move that could produce a significant shift in its corporate strategies and in the U.S. media landscape.

“Like many of our peers in media, we are experiencing the effects of the transition in our video businesses and have been studying the best path forward for these assets,“ Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said of the cable networks, part of its NBCUniversal unit, on the company’s third-quarter earnings call. “To that end, we are now exploring whether creating a new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape and create value for our shareholders. We are not ready to talk about any specifics yet, but we’ll be back to you if and when we reach firm conclusions.

“I’m not talking about Peacock or broadcast,” Cavanagh added, though he did say Comcast would be willing to “consider partnerships in streaming despite their complexities.”

Some analysts, though, have already thrown cold water on the idea and have highlighted a wide range of problems such a deal would pose.

Cavanagh didn't address those specifics and stressed that it is early in a process that, he conceded, would raise a lot of complex issues. Executives were going public with the idea so Comcast shareholders would have a better understanding of what they were exploring, he said.

“There are a lot of questions to which we don't have answers so we want to do the work, and we want to do the work with transparency around it so that as rumors fly and the like, we expect that,” he said. “But we want our shareholders to understand what we’re willing to look at. And that's in the context of a broader, ‘We look at a lot of things.’ And I do think in a moment of a lot of transition in the industries we're part of, I think we've got a very strong hand given the strength of the businesses.”

In response to the possibility of the spinoff, LightShed Partners analysts Richard Greenfield, Brandon Ross and Mark Kelley were generally negative about the prospects of a cable spinoff or any deal involving Peacock.

“Given the acceleration in cord-cutting and the secular decline of linear TV advertising, particularly basic-cable networks, it’s no surprise that Comcast/NBCU would be interested in spinning off its cable networks,” they wrote. “Unfortunately, spinning off NBCU’s cable networks is challenging at this stage of their life cycle and merging Peacock with a streaming-industry peer is beyond complicated. In turn, we wonder whether this is really much ado about nothing or if it could actually lead to a far broader strategic conversation where Comcast revisits spinning off/merging all of NBCU ex-Theme Parks.

“We suspect this is much ado about nothing and is simply a sign of just how structurally challenged linear cable networks and subscale, U.S.-only streaming platforms are in 2024 and beyond,” the analysts concluded. “When you see a dismal future, with no path to growth, you sound the alarm and explore strategic alternatives.”

Cable Carriage Deals a Concern
One major problem with a spinoff was the value of those networks in ongoing negotiations with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) as a separate company without NBC, which Cavanaugh said would not be included in the spinoff.

“While Comcast Cable could certainly sign a long-term distribution deal with NBCU’s cable networks, why would any other distributor want to renew its carriage agreements or at least renew at levels anywhere near current agreements?” they asked. “It is one thing to package USA, Syfy, Bravo, MSNBC and CNBC cable-network distribution with NBC broadcast, which controls ‘Sunday Night Football,’ college football, Olympics and soon NBA. But without NBC, those cable networks would be in an incredibly precarious position.”

“Remember what happened to Diamond Sports after it lost the protection of the Fox Broadcast Network?” the analysts added, referencing the troubled former Sinclair subsidiary that acquired the Fox Sports regional sports network business spun out during Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. “Diamond’s $2 billion of EBITDA evaporated within three years and entered bankruptcy because it lost distribution. And remember, there is a lot of NBCU cable network content on Peacock, so for consumers that love that content, there are still ways to access that content, even if not carried by an MVPD/vMVPD.”

Likewise, they noted that some sort of partnership with Peacock is an appealing idea given the streaming platform has already lost $9 billion and is still losing $400 million a quarter. But a “Peacock merger with another streaming service sounds even more complicated and hard to effectuate,” they said.

Issues that would complicate such a deal include control over the partnership; the difficulties of untangling the close ties between Peacock and NBC in terms of programming and sports rights; the regulatory environment; and existing sports-rights deals that could be voided by a merger.

TROY, Mich.—The highly anticipated annual J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study indicates that once again vMVPDs, which J.D. Power calls “Live TV streamers,” had a much higher satisfaction rate than traditional cable and satellite services. 

The newly redesigned survey found that live TV streamers is 625 (on a 1,000-point scale) compared with 524 among cable and satellite customers.

The biggest gap in satisfaction between live TV streaming and cable and satellite—140 points—is heavily based on costs, the researchers said. The survey found that the reported monthly average cost for live TV streaming is $75, while cable and satellite is $120.

YouTube TV ranked highest in the live TV streaming segment for a second consecutive year, with a score of 651. Hulu + Live TV (635) ranked second.

Spectrum ranked highest in the cable/satellite TV–national segment with a score of 530. Xfinity (529) ranked second.

“It is clear that price has been a main driver in satisfaction, however, satisfaction for streaming is higher than cable and satellite customers across all seven dimensions of the study,” said Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom intelligence at J.D. Power. “Live streaming has reorganized the industry and as it continues, cable and satellite providers have been working hard to remain competitive, including exploring new revenue models to compete with the cost pressure.”

In terms of different regions, Verizon Fios ranked highest in the cable/satellite TV–east region for a third consecutive year, with a score of 570. DirecTV (520) ranked second.

Xfinity ranked highest in the cable/satellite TV–north central region with a score of 528. Spectrum (516) ranked second.

Xfinity ranked highest in the cable/satellite TV–south region with a score of 570. Cox Communications (547) ranked second and Spectrum (545) ranked third.

Spectrum ranked highest in the cable/satellite TV–west region with a score of 534. Xfinity (517) ranked second and Dish (516) ranked third.

The J.D. Power U.S. Television Service Provider Satisfaction StudySM is designed to provide a detailed assessment of customer perceptions of service with their current television provider. The study measures Overall Satisfaction with television service providers based on seven dimensions: value for price paid; consistently delivering high-quality service; level of trust with provider; ease of doing business; people; digital tools; and resolving problems or complaints. To be included in the national cable/satellite TV ranking, brands must be ranked in all four geographic regions. The study is based on responses from 32,349 customers and was fielded from October 2023 through August 2024.

For more information about the U.S. Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/tmt/us-residential-television-customer-satisfaction-study. 

Harmonic, a major supplier of tech to the pay-TV business announced this week that it is considering selling off its video business. 

"Due to changes in the marketplace and our customer strategies, synergies between our broadband and video businesses are now less compelling," Harmonic CEO Patrick Harshman said in the company’s Q3 earnings call.

Harmonic entered the video business with the acquisition of Omneon, a provider of storage and transcoding technology in 2010. “Media companies are being driven by ever-increasing demand for video content coupled with consumers’ desire to consume video anytime and anywhere,” Harshman said at the time.

What seemed like a smart strategic move at the time has given way to the fact that cord cutting has forced cable companies to increasingly turn away from marketing themselves as video companies and more like data/broadband companies, with fewer and fewer subscribers opting for vMVPDs and/or streaming services instead. Providers to the industry, including Harmonic, have in recent years focused on the cable industry’s move towards next-generation virtualized DOCSIS 4.0 networks.

Harmonic is taking a formal review of its video business and has received several interested buyers. “Together with financial and legal advisors, we're assessing a range of alternatives for the video business with a clear goal of optimizing long-term value," he said. 

Sales lagged for the company’s third quarter with Harmonic logging revenue of $127.7 million. The video division accounts for 40% of Harmonic’s business and its latest quarterly revenues of $51.4 million represent a nearly 20% decline, according to the company, which reported one bright spot: its cloud-based SaaS solutions represented by its VOS platform increased 42% to $12.5 million.

Its broadband business declined 17.5% in Q3 with revenues of $75.8 million, which Harshman attributed to several factors. 

“We anticipated this third quarter revenue decline, for two related reasons,” Harshman said. “First, some customers who are bleeding down inventory positions established during the pandemic, and second, better than anticipated progress on DOCSIS 4.0 technology, was leading to a slowdown in DOCSIS 3.1 deployment plans in anticipation, of DOCSIS 4.0 rollout. This is all playing out largely as we had anticipated.”

Harshman added that for the company;s DOCSIS 4.0 strategy, “the progress has been stunning,” noting the success of the Harmonic’s cOS cloud-native software and the company’s work on edge devices.  

Harmonic did not reveal a timeline for its review. 

DURHAM, N.H.—Leichtman Research Group (LRG) is reporting that fixed wireless broadband providers gained market share in Q2, 2022, with 800,000 net ads while the largest cable operators lost 60,000 broadband subs and the top wireless phone companies lost 85,000 subs. 

Overall, the largest cable, wireline phone providers and fixed wireless services in the U.S. acquired about 670,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in Q2 2022, compared to a pro forma gain of about 1,000,000 subscribers in Q2 2021.  

The top broadband providers covered by the report serve about 96% of the broadband market, LRG said. 

The figures highlight a slowdown in new broadband subs for cable operators following the large sub growth they reported during the height of the pandemic. 

“Top broadband providers added about 670,000 subscribers in Q2 2022, reflecting over 800,000 net adds for fixed wireless services, along with modest net losses for cable and wireline phone providers,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc.  “Over the past year, there were about 3,260,000 net broadband adds, with fixed wireless services accounting for 56% of them.”

Overall, the top broadband providers account for about 110 million subscribers, with top cable companies having about 75.6 million broadband subscribers, top wireline phone companies having about 32.2 million subscribers, and top fixed wireless services having about 2.2 million subscribers.

Other key findings include: 

• Overall, broadband additions in Q2 2022 were 67% of those in Q2 2021.
• The top cable companies lost about 60,000 subscribers in Q2 2022 – compared to about 840,000 net adds in Q2 2021.
• The top wireline phone companies lost about 85,000 total broadband subscribers in Q2 2022 – compared to about 50,000 net adds in Q2 2021.
• Wireline Telcos had about 490,000 net adds via fiber in Q2 2022, and about 575,000 non-fiber net losses.
• Fixed wireless/5G home Internet services from T-Mobile and Verizon added about 815,000 subscribers in Q2 2022 – compared to about 120,000 net adds in Q2 2021.

SEATTLE—The ongoing shift in consumer spending towards streaming services has slightly cut U.S. consumer spending on cable and internet spending, according to a new report from doxo, 

Despite inflation in the overall economy, doxo’s new U.S. Cable & Internet Market Size and Household Spending Report for 2022, reveals Americans spend $146 billion annually on cable and internet bills, with 82% of U.S. households paying cable and Internet bills that cost $114 per month, or $1,368 per year on average. That amounts to $1,122 per year when averaging across all U.S. households. 

These figures are slightly down from the 2021 analysis of the $147 billion Cable & Internet market that found consumers paid $116 per month on average. 

This relatively flat spending stands in stark contrast to the surge of consumer spending on streaming services and mobile content, the researchers said. 

As the availability of over-the-top (OTT) platforms continues to explode, consumers continue to cut the cord, opting for streaming services to consume content, with 93% of consumers planning to increase their streaming options (or make no changes to their existing plans), doxo reported.  

“Consumer consumption of streaming content has never been higher, thanks in large part to the over-the-top (OTT) platforms and content providing more choice and increased consumer appetite and consumption,” said Jim Kreyenhagen, vice president of marketing and consumer services at doxo. “While our recent doxoINSIGHTS United States of Bill Pay report showed an increase in consumer spending across nearly every other category in line with overall rate of inflation, cable and internet spending has not kept pace. While the decline in consumer spending isn’t a complete surprise given the intense competition from OTT content, what’s a little surprising is that it is one of the only bill categories not affected by the current inflation rate.”

Notwithstanding the slowing growth, the increase in people working from home and distance learning in the pandemic has stressed household finances. 

The FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit was launched to subsidize increased cable and internet use and corresponding bills. The Biden Administration has since extended this subsidy via the Affordable Connectivity Program, a $14 billion dollar program aimed at alleviating this hardship, with up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households (and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands), and a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute a set amount toward the purchase price. 

Given the average US household spends $1,122 per year on cable and internet service, this assistance of up to $360 per year for each qualifying household to offset cable, adds up to a 32% savings for the average household cable.

Overall the report found:   

• Total Cable & Internet Market Size: $146 billion spent per year
• Average Monthly/Annual Cost: $114 spent per month; $1,368 spent per year
• Percent of Households: 82% of U.S. households pay Cable & Internet bills
• Average Annual Cost per U.S. Household: $1,122 per year
• Percent of Annual Income: Cable & Internet bills amount to 2% of consumers’ income per year

NEW YORK—New forecasts and analysis from Kagan, the media research unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence, suggests that the U.S. residential broadband outlook will see even greater competition dominated by market share battles as the industry reaches a saturation point with residential service penetrations exceeding 90%.

Amid surging investment and technological advances, a new report written by Ian Olgeirson and John Fletcher at Kagan argues that a number of factors are driving increased competition, with telcos keying in on fiber upgrades, carriers fueling 5G fixed wireless residential and commercial broadband replacement, upstarts readying fleets of orbiting satellite broadband alternatives and cable fortifying its dominate market share a mix of DOCSIS 4.0 and fiber of its own.

“Behind it all is private investment aimed at capturing high-margin revenue and surging public money, most notably the federal push for better high-speed internet accessibility through the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment, or BEAD, project,” the analysts explain. “The subsidies promise to turn up the heat on the entire sector.

“According to Kagan's update forecast, U.S. residential broadband subscriptions are on track to top 122 million at the end of 2022,” they add. “There simply are not enough subscribers to accommodate the growth ambitions of each segment. Cable operators believe they can continue to take market share, the telcos believe they can steal momentum with fiber, the wireless services believe 5G is their answer to residential substitution and the satellite services believe they can elevate access everywhere.”

Despite those pressures, the Kagan analysts predict that cable’s hybrid-fiber coax networks will continue to dominate residential broadband and that “the segment is positioned to limit market share loss amid intensifying competition with 61.9% through 2026.”

For telcos, fiber upgrades are revamping their networks, but legacy copper infrastructure limits the potential upside. “We forecast the segment can reverse the pattern of declines but is positioned for share to slip below 25% by 2026,” they wrote. 

Meanwhile Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are ramping up fixed wireless networks and targeting both rural and non-rural areas. “We expect wireless-only homes are poised to grow from 8% to 12.6% of broadband subs by 2026,” they conclude.

For satellite, the outlook is mixed, they argue. “ The next generation of satellite broadband offers more room for optimism, but unfavorable cost and speed comparisons limit growth expectations,” they write. “A niche service for the residential space, we expect its slice of the pie to hold at 1% through 2026.”

Pearl TV, the consortium of TV stations advancing NextGen TV, took aim at cable operators in a meeting with FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington.

That is according to an FCC document on the meeting.

Pearl was pitching a National Association of Broadcasters petition to clarify the application of the FCC's ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) rules to multicast streams. Those are the extra channels broadcasters got in the switch to digital.

"The proceeding is a narrow, technical one, that clarifies broadcasters can partner with each other to enable hosting of multicast streams (as only primary streams are addressed in the current ATSC 3.0 rules), and that multicast streams can be transmitted in either ATSC 1.0 or ATSC 3.0, without a simulcast requirement," Pearl TV said. "Comments and reply comments are in, and they show remarkable consensus that the FCC should adopt the core principles of the proposed rule. The Commission should disregard self-serving comments that clearly do not seek to benefit the public, such as the limitations on the number of multicast streams that ATVA and NCTA are asking the Commission to impose or to turn this proceeding into a relitigation of the debate on retransmission consent."

Back in November 2021, the FCC tentatively concluded that NextGen TV broadcasters -- ones with signals in the ATSC 3.0 standard -- should be granted a sublicense of sorts to allow them to contract with another “host” station or stations to carry their simulcast multicast streams, whether that is in ATSC 3.0 or the current 1.0 format.

The FCC is allowing stations to partner on distribution arrangements so that broadcasters can continue to deliver a primary TV station signal stream in ATSC 1.0 given that ATSC 3.0 is not backward compatible with current sets.

The National Association of Broadcasters, in that petition for declaratory rulemaking, wanted the FCC to declare "that various multi-station arrangements for hosting and originating multicast streams in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 are OK."

But cable operators represented by NCTA-the Internet & Television Association, want the FCC to limit the number of multicast streams a station can host for another station.

In addition, the American Television Association (ATVA), which comprises cable and satellite operators and others, says the FCC should explicitly prohibit non-simulcast multicasting to become de facto affiliation swaps that "either created new local duopolies, automatically raised retransmission consent prices, or both." Currently FCC rules do not prevent two top-four network affiliated station signals being delivered by one station owner if they are multicast fees."

ATVA told the FCC that "just as the nonsimulcast multicast regime should [not] become a new tool to evade the local media ownership rules generally, it should not become a tool to evade the affiliate-swap rule more specifically." ■

Cable video customer losses, which improved over the past few quarters during the pandemic, are back on the rise, according to a Moody’s Investor Service report. 

While broadband subscriber growth exploded during the pandemic, lesser known was the impact stay-at-home orders had on pay TV video customer rolls. During Q3 2021, video losses tempered enough to cause a handful of analysts to rethink their forecasts. Wells Fargo Securities media analyst Steven Cahall modified his 2025 prediction for total pay TV video losses from 4.7 million to 4.3 million; MoffettNathanson senior analyst Craig Moffett expected cable video losses to spike to 2.4 million in 2021, falling to 1.98 million by 2025.

In his most recent report, Moody’s senior VP Jason Cuomo noted that the Video Replacement Rate (VRR) for the sector, a measure of the pace at which broadband is replacing traditional video subscriptions, fell to 1.5 times in 2021 from 2.21 times in the prior year. While that seems like a big improvement for video, it was more a factor of dramatically slower broadband growth. According to Cuomo’s report, broadband additions in Q4 slowed to 4.1% from 4.2% in Q3, while pay TV subscriber losses rose to 6.4% from 6.2% for the year.

In his report, Cuomo concluded that the temporary benefits from the pandemic are beginning to disappear and, coupled with newer subscribers taking only high-speed Internet services, should drive video’s decline higher as broadband additions even out. 

“Video losses will continue to be driven by weak attachment rates to broadband subscriptions among younger consumers, and a loss of existing subscribers because of ongoing cord-cutting by those switching to video streaming,” Cuomo wrote. “Rising penetration rates in residential and commercial markets, and gains from expansion of the footprint (new builds, overbuilds, and edge-outs) will continue to support broadband growth.”

While the two largest cable operators — Comcast and Charter Communications — had relatively strong increases in broadband subscribers (4.3% and 4.2%, respectively), their video losses varied widely. According to Moody’s, Comcast’s average video loss rate was -8.4%, while Charter’s was -2.4%. Comcast and Charter account for about 83% of cable video customers.

According to Moody’s, only three cable companies increased their VRRs in the period — Cable One (from 36.4 times to 85.1 times), Breezeline parent Cogeco Communications (from 7.5 times to 8.1 times) and WideOpenWest (from 0.7 times to 1.1 times). Charter had the biggest drop (from 54.7 times to 45.6 times) followed by Block Communications (from 1.8 to 1.4)  and Comcast (from 1.3 to 1.1).   

Revenue growth for the sector in Q4 was 4%, down from 7.2% in Q3 and 6.1% for the same period in the prior year. Cash flow growth fell to 5.9% in Q4, down from 9.6% in Q3 and 7.7% in Q4 2020. That, Cuomo wrote, was directionally consistent with the VRR trends. 

“We believe the slower growth is at least partially attributable to a difficult comparison to 2020 given the temporary benefit of the pandemic, which peaked during this time,” Cuomo wrote. “Growth, while at a lower level, is supported by the continued shift to lower-priced, higher-margin broadband (from higher-priced, but much lower-margin video).”

Broadband, he continued, accounted for about 54% of the total subscriber mix in Q4, and was nearly 2 times video subscribers in the period, up 20% from 1.7 times at the end of 2020. 

DURHAM, N.H.—Leichtman Research Group (LRG) has issued a new report showing that the largest cable and wireline phone providers in the U.S. – representing about 96% of the market – acquired about 2,950,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in 2021, compared to a pro forma gain of about 4,860,000 subscribers in 2020, and about 2,550,000 in 2019.   

While the new subscribers were down substantially from 2020, LRG noted that the sub gains in 2021 were in fact higher than those in the pre-pandemic years of 2016 to 2919. 

As usual in recent years, cable dominated market, accounting for 95% of the new subscribers. 

These top broadband providers now account for about 108.4 million subscribers, with top cable companies having about 75.7 million broadband subscribers, and top wireline phone companies having about 32.7 million subscribers.

Key data points from the report include:  

• Overall, broadband additions in 2021 were 61% of the total in 2020, and 115% of the total in 2019.
• The top cable companies had about 2.8 million net adds in 2021, 58% of the cable broadband additions in 2020, and 89% of additions in 2019.
• The top wireline phone companies added about 150,000 subscribers in 2021 – compared to a gain of about 30,000 subscribers in 2020, and a net loss of about 590,000 subscribers in 2019.
• Telcos had about 1.8 million net adds via fiber in 2021 – compared to about 1.64 million fiber net adds in 2020.
• Among these top providers, cable companies accounted for 95% of the net broadband adds in 2021 – compared to 99% in 2020, and 123% in 2019.
• The two largest broadband providers were Comcast, with 31,901,000 subs, up by 1,327,000 from 2020 and Charter, with 30,089,000 subs, up 1,210,000 subs from 2020. 

“Broadband additions proved to be resilient in 2021 following 2020’s pandemic-related surge in subscribers,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc.  “The top broadband providers added significantly fewer subscribers in 2021 than in 2020, but the net adds in 2021 were higher than in each year from 2016-2019.”

More information including sub counts for individual companies can be found at www.LeichtmanResearch.com.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Canadian technology and media company Rogers Communications has chosen Harmonic to power its next-generation multi-gigabit broadband services using Harmonic’s CableOS cloud-native converged core platform.

"At Rogers, it is our top priority to deliver the latest cutting-edge technology and reliable broadband experiences to our customers," said Luciano Ramos, senior vice president of development and core engineering at Rogers. 

"We're proud to be working with Harmonic to bring leading DAA [distributed access architecture] and virtualized solutions for our cable and converged FTTH [fiber to the home] services. Deploying a cloud-native virtualized access platform with a clear path to DOCSIS 4.0 allows us to seamlessly evolve our network, while continuing to bring the best of connectivity to our customers," Ramos continued. 

The company is deploying Harmonic’s CableOS platform in a distributed access network with virtualized cable modem termination system [CMTS] software and the Ripple Remote-PHY (R-PHY) node.

The CableOS Platform is future-ready to support converged cable and FTTH, DOCSIS 4.0 technology and other advanced services, including edge cloud, Harmonic said.

Rogers is using this technology to converge its data, voice and video services in the IP domain, which will bring several benefits, including faster speed, higher availability for its customers and a reduction in space, power and cooling costs to support its growing network, it said.

More information is available on the Harmonic website. 

ELLISVILLE, Mo.—When people were forced to quarantine in their homes over the last year, investing in TV and streaming services was a popular way for many to stay informed and entertained. But now that Covid-19 vaccines are allowing the world to slowly open up again, many consumers are planning to reduce their spending on TV services, according to a new study from Antennas Direct.

In its “Post-Covid TV Viewership” report, Antennas Direct found that during quarantine two out of five consumers said they limited spending elsewhere to better afford cable and streaming subscriptions. Now, four in five admit they will need to cut back on these TV services post-Covid to pay unaddressed bills or household utility costs, while others hope to use that spending on other activities.

Asking more directly what consumers plan to do, Antennas Direct found that half intend to keep all of their TV services post-Covid, while one in three already have plans to cut cable or streaming services and two in five plan to cut more than one type of service. A quarter of respondents want to get their monthly TV spending down to around $50 per month.

“While Americans have tolerated the financial strain that has come with subscribing and sharing services, this simply isn't feasible in the post-COVID world,” the report said. “Our research shows that many plan to cut services and lower costs to fund household expenses or experiences outside of the home. This doesn’t just hurt providers, it hurts consumers who are forced to choose between paying their electric billing and having access to their local news to stay informed.”

Antennas Direct then notes that over-the-air TV, which it works to provide OTA service via digital antennas, is an avenue that consumers can go to maintain access to some of the services cable and streaming provides while cutting costs.

For the full report, visit Antennas Direct’s website. 

PORTLAND, Maine—Cable subscribers in Maine won’t be able to handpick what channels they pay for, as the Maine Attorney General’s Office has dropped its defense of a 2019 law that would require cable TV providers to offer channels a la carte, as the Portland Press Herald first reported.

Shortly after the law was passed in Maine in 2019, cable companies filed a lawsuit against the state. Cable companies argued that the law violated their First Amendment rights of “editorial discretion” as programmers and cable operators.

In December 2019, a U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction against the law, preventing it from taking effect. This past February, a federal appeals court in Boston upheld the injunction.

After the February decision, the state of Maine and the cable operators filed a joint motion agreeing to resolve the lawsuit in favor of the cable companies. The motion was approved by the U.S. District Court, officially closing the case. The law can never be enforced or put into effect, the Press Herald reports.

No official word was given as to why Maine decided to concede its case.

“Maine has recognized that their programming law, which would have harmed consumers and independent and diverse programmers, is unconstitutional after court rulings that affirmed the First Amendment prevents states from declining how video content is sold to consumers,” a Comcast spokesperson said in an email. “The video marketplace is dynamic and consumers have more choices than ever before to view and buy programming. We’ll continue to offer our customers a wide variety of diverse channels, programs and packages and to compete with others in this vibrant market.”

State Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos told the Portland Press Herald that despite the bill, which he sponsored, failing, cable companies would eventually embrace an a la carte model as consumers move to streaming services.

The full story is available via the Portland Press Herald.  

WASHINGTON—Broadcast and cable networks are being put under the microscope by the House Energy & Commerce subcommittee on Communications and Technology for their potential role in promoting extremism and disinformation to viewers with a hearing set to take place on Feb. 24.

“Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in the Media” will be a remote hearing conducted by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Mike Doyle (D-Pa.).

“The prolonged severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attack on our Capitol on Jan. 6 have driven home a frightening reality: the spread of disinformation and extremism by traditional news media presents a tangible and destabilizing threat,” said Pallone and Doyle in announcing the hearing. “Some broadcasters’ and cable networks’ increasing reliance on conspiracy theories and misleading or patently false information raises questions about their devotion to journalistic integrity. We look forward to hearing from media experts about what is being done and what more can be done to address this growing problem moving forward.”

No specific broadcaster or network was referenced, and no information on who will be giving testimony was shared at the time of the announcement. However, media critics have recently called out Fox News Media for its coverage of recent events.

The “Fanning the Flames” hearing will take place on Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Members of the public will be able to watch a live webcast on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s website. 

NEW YORK—A New Year resolution for many U.S. households is apparently to cut the cord for cable TV subscriptions. According to a new study by The Trade Desk, 27% of U.S. cable TV subscribers plan to end their subscriptions by the end of 2021, which is nearly double from the 15% that did so in 2020 and a big jump from the 3% annual decline that eMarketer reported prior to 2020.

Multiple factors that lead back to the COVID-19 pandemic are contributing to this rise in cord-cutting, per The Trade Desk. With more people working from home, budget pressure for many and broader availability of streaming services, streaming consumption now accounts for 68% of TV viewing versus 28% for traditional TV viewing.

What is widely seen as the biggest draw for traditional TV, live sports, is seeing its importance waning. The Trade Desk found that only 30% of U.S. consumers cite live sports as a reason to maintain their cable TV subscription; Trade Desk says nine months prior that number was at 60%. Since the pandemic, Trade Desk says that 39% of sports viewers are watching live sports either through Connected TVs or social media.

“COVID has accelerated cord-cutting trends that were already underway, to a point where less than 50% of U.S. households today have a cable subscription. It’s not because U.S. consumers have fallen out of love with TV, but that there are now more convenient ways of consuming it. That even applies to traditional cable mainstays, such as live sports,” said Tim Sims, chief revenue officer, The Trade Desk. “As more broadcasters launch and expand their streaming services, these gaps are only going to widen.” 

However, there is still a limit to what people are willing to spend on streaming services. Just above half of U.S. consumers (51%) say they would not spend more than $20 on streaming subscriptions. Also, consumers are more than five-times as likely to prefer free or low-cost streaming TV with ads over services with higher monthly subscription fees with no ads (72% vs. 14%), Trade Desk found.

The Trade Desk also surveyed advertisers to see how this transition from traditional linear TV is impacting their practices. Among those who are reevaluating their strategies, CTV is the primary option to reallocate campaign budgets to. CTV will represent 18% of their advertising spend moving forward, Trade Desk says.

This will likely mean shifts in buying strategies, including making fewer upfront commitments in 2021. Ad buyers are also expected to focus on CTV marketing skills, with 37% intending to hire new talent fluent in CTV. More than half (55%) intend to navigate both linear TV and CTV.

Moving forward, Trade Desk found that the top focus areas for CTV ad buyers will be the shift from a content-first to audience-first approach; a greater focus on integrated, cross-channel strategies; and more focus on non-traditional ad formats.

“The TV ad business is at a tipping point. Advertisers can reach more households via CTV than via traditional linear TV for the first time. That trend is not reversing,” said Sims. “Digitally savvy advertisers recognize the advantages of CTV advertising, including precision measurement, an audience versus content focus and the ability to apply data to all aspects of their TV campaigns. Many are embracing these opportunities, and that also means transforming some of the cultural norms of this industry, including how we think about skills development and ad-buying processes such as the upfronts.” 

PORTLAND, Ore.—The NextGen TV standard is set to undergo a test on its ability to transmit the ATSC 3.0-powered standard over limited cable infrastructure in Portland, Ore., the Phoenix Model Market has announced.

The Phoenix Model Market Partners are working with Comcast in Portland to see how to deliver NextGen TV to Comcast’s infrastructure, which Phoenix Model Market believes could provide the industry a real-world technical example of how to transmit ATSC 3.0 over hybrid fiber-coaxial infrastructure.

The collaboration between the Phoenix Model Market and Comcast will develop the technical capability to pass along NextGen TV 4K UHD content through cable and eventually other features like HDR, Wide Color Gamut and ATSC 3.0 advanced immersive audio capabilities, per the Phoenix Model Market.

“While the Phoenix Model Market continues to expand its testing capability, we will be working together with industry leader Comcast to test out compatibility between both current cable and future broadcast architecture in the Portland market,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, which manages the Phoenix Model Market. “We want to ensure that our viewers over cable can enjoy the enhanced video and audio experience that NextGen TV plans to offer.”

Comcast’s Senior Director of Digital Technology and Standards Jerry Parkins says that the test will provide insights into the performance of the technology for broadcast partners, manufacturers and technical groups.

Portland stations began transmitting the NextGen TV standard earlier this year.

CHICAGO—The scales have tipped in favor of streaming over cable TV, according to a new survey conducted by TransUnion. Driven in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home restrictions, consumers’ viewing habits have changed to the ultimate benefit of streaming.

Subscription-based streaming providers, from Netflix to Apple TV, have seen growing adoption among consumers since March and the beginning of the pandemic. On average, consumers are spending 3-4 hours a day consuming streaming media, with 55% choosing streaming over a cable TV subscription, per the TransUnion survey.

TransUnion conducted a similar survey in May, where it found that 56% of consumers had increased their usage of streaming since March. This latest survey has seen that number increase to 71% of consumers.

“COVID-19 has upended the entertainment landscape and with it, has accelerated the shift to streamed media,” said Matt Spiegel, executive vice president and head of the marketing solutions and media verticals at TransUnion. “To gain market share, platforms are vying for captive audiences, focusing on how their content can stand out in a growing sea of choices. We can expect factors like content quality, price and user experience to all carry weight in decisions from consumers about streaming new content through various service providers.”

To the factors Spiegel mentions, across all age groups the number one reason choose streaming is the content the streamer provided. The second most popular reason for all age groups was streaming platforms being more affordable than cable or satellite TV; in particular, 42% of Gen Z, 41% of millennials and 38% of Gen X cited this as a key reason they will use more streaming in 2021. Overall, TransUnion found that 68% of respondents will consider adding more streaming services in 2021.

However, the number of streaming services that consumers are willing to pay for may have hit a plateau, even as more services enter the market. TransUnion found that 44% of consumers subscribe to three to five paid streaming services; only 7% subscribe to as many as six to 10.

More than half (58%) of consumers do not expect to add another paid streaming service in the next 30-60 days, but 67% do not plan to cancel any of their existing subscriptions either.

“The streaming wars have entered a new phase where it is not only about capturing potential new customers, but there’s also a focus on sustaining and maintaining their existing customer base. While consumers are adjusting to the new realities brought on by the pandemic, there is still a strong appetite for streaming. As those preferences persist, the advertising industry will need to connect the dots and create a better, more accurate view into the devices and people consuming streaming media in the connected home.” said Spiegel.

For more information on the survey, visit TransUnion’s website. 

BOSTON—2020 has seen U.S. consumers of all ages more focused on the news, and according to a recent report from Altman Solon, broadcast and cable networks are the leading options.

News consumption is up in the U.S. according to the report, with 54% of U.S. consumers saying they are watching more news, while 34% say they are watching three or more additional hours of news per week.

Per Altman Solon, broadcast networks are the top source of daily news for U.S. consumers, with ABC viewed daily by 26% of respondents, followed by both NBC and CBS at 20%. Cable TV had a record-breaking year for ratings, Altman Solon said, with CNN and Fox tied at 17% of consumers viewing daily.

Trust in TV news also saw an increase since the pandemic began. Trust in other news sources like radio, free online newspapers, print newspapers, news websites and podcasts, inversely, were down by 1-3%. Social media, however, saw a decline of 12% in is trustworthiness over the same period, Altman Solon reports.

Still, social media platforms like Facebook and Google News are viewed as some’s top news source, with 15% of respondents citing Facebook as their primary resource and 11% for Google News.

Additional findings from Altman Solon’s report includes that nearly one-third of Americans are willing to pay for reliable news content, with viewers 18-24 more open to paying (53%) than those over 55 (15%); even after the pandemic, 82% of Americans expect to continue to pay for news.

For more information on the report, visit Altman Solon’s website. 

WASHINGTON—The FCC is eliminating the requirement that cable operators maintain records in their online public inspection files related to their interests in video programming services and information regarding their carriage of these services on cable systems they own.

The FCC adopted these rules 25 years ago in an effort to police compliance with channel occupancy limits on programming where cable operators had a financial interest, the commission says. In 2001, the D.C. Circuit ended those limits and remanded them back to the FCC, which has determined no need to establish new limits.

“Given that these requirements no longer serve their intended purpose and the information covered by the rule can be obtained from sources other than public inspection files, the commission voted to remove this unnecessary and outdated regulatory burden on cable operators,” the FCC said in its announcement.

The decision came ahead of the FCC’s Sept. 30 open meeting, where the rule was on the docket. It has been removed from the agenda as a result.

According to TVT’s sister publication Multichannel News, cable operators have been split on the need for these requirements. ACA Connects has argued for the requirements to stay in place as enforcement for program access rules, while NCTA—The Internet & Television Association claimed that ACAC’s stance was self-serving, as the information is easily available.

This is the latest example of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s for media regulation modernization efforts—the 24th, according to the FCC.

Recently, departing FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly shared a blog post where he stresses the importance of modernizing media regulations for broadcast and cable operators.

TEL AVIV, Israel—A new report from TechSee shows how consumers are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic when it comes to getting service for utilities like cable. Health concerns, as well as overall convenience, have more people preferring remote service options (61%) over having technicians come to their homes to fix an issue.

These findings are based on a 1,000-person consumer poll that aimed to see how attitudes have changed to customer service practices during the COVID-19 outbreak.

TechSee found that 75% of consumers do not want technicians in or around their homes at this time, and 60% said that they would consider cancelling a contract with a provider if technicians did not follow safety measures like wearing personal protective equipment or sanitation. Still, 57% of consumers expect providers to resolve service and equipment issues as quickly and effectively as before the pandemic.

The 61% of people who say they now prefer remote assistance point to the ability to troubleshoot or resolve issues on their own—with the option of a remote technician—while others utilize visual support solutions.

“A shift away from costly and time-consuming technician dispatches was always inevitable,” said Eitan Cohen, CEO of TechSee. “Consumers have long preferred the ease and convenience of visual assistance. But now we see that shift rapidly accelerating due to the current circumstances.”

Additional findings included that 20% of consumers would refuse a technician dispatch regardless of safety procedures. In the event that a technician must be sent: 68% expect a shorter-than-normal visit; 80% expect the proper PPE to be worn; 59% expect tools and vehicles to be sanitized; and 75% expect technicians to abide by social distancing guidelines.

TechSee also shared that the cable industry (as well as other telecom areas) is expected to see a loss in revenue this year of 3.4%, which would equate to $40 billion.

TechSee is a computer vision AI-enabled visual assistance provider that is currently partnered with Verizon, Vodafone, Sky, Virgin, Altice, Orange and Liberty Global on developing remote visual assistance. For more information, visit www.techsee.co.  

LONDON—HBO Max is expected to launch to consumers in May, and WarnerMedia is making sure that it has plenty of content to fill its new streaming service, per a new report from Ampere Analysis. Inversely, as the number of titles commissioned for HBO Max increase, the number of shows approved for cable have begun to significantly trail behind.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, WarnerMedia commissioned 29 new titles; 27 of them were designated for its cable services, while only two were meant for streaming. Q1 and Q2 of 2019 saw small increases in the number of approved streaming titles, but cable still dominated. 

However, in Q3 2019, which was the same time period that WarnerMedia announced HBO Max, the dynamics began to change. It was a near 50/50 split between cable and streaming title commissioned during Q3 2019, with 23 approved for cable and 20 for streaming.

Q4 2019 was when streaming officially became the primary placement for newly commissioned WarnerMedia titles, with 46 developed specifically for streaming and 17 developed for cable. In a year’s time, cable went from having more than 90% of the commissioned titles to just more than one quarter of them.

Even with its declining numbers for cable titles, WarnerMedia’s cable properties were still among the top five U.S. cable network commissioners in each quarter of 2019.

“Warner’s pivot toward an increasingly HBO Max-first approach to commissioning is not only apparent in the number of new projects in development, but also in the types of content being commissioned,” noted Fred Black, analyst at Ampere. “Warner’s cable properties commissioned only four sci-fi & fantasy titles in 2019, all at HBO, while its streaming properties greenlit 12. This is the clearest sign yet that the home of the juggernaut “Game of Thrones” will in the future play second fiddle to HBO Max when it comes to some of Warner’s highest-profile genre commissions.”

For more information, visit www.ampereanalysis.com.  

NEW YORK—Verizon is changing how it provides cable and internet to its customers, announcing its new Mix & Match on Fios program.

What Verizon describes as a “goodbye to traditional cable bundles,” Mix & Match lets customers select the best internet and cable options for them, starting at $39.99, while also eliminating past cable policies like bundling, hidden extra fees and annual contracts.

Verizon customers can now choose from three basic internet options—100 Mbps ($39.99/month), 300 Mbps ($59.99/month) and Gigabit connection ($79.99/month).

They will then have the option to pick a TV package between Your Fios TV, offering more than 125 channels for $50/month; More Fios TV with more than 300 channels for $70/month; The Most Fios TV with more than 425 channels for $90/month; or YouTubeTV’s 70-plus channels at $49.99/month. Verizon is also offering customers a two-month trial period with its more than 425 channels, at the end of which Verizon will recommend packages based on viewership data. All TV packages feature major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Telemundo and Univision.

Verizon says it has also simplified its bill process, with no added surcharges, no broadcast or regional sports network fees and “no surprises.”

“Customers have been loud and clear about their frustrations with cable, and we’ve listened,” said Frank Boulben, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing and Products at Verizon. “As a result, we’re transforming our approach to internet and TV offers by giving customers more choices and more transparency. Customers are tired of having to buy a bundle with services they don’t want to get the best rates, and then discover that those rates didn’t include extra fees and surcharges. We’re putting an end to the traditional bundle contract and putting customers in control.”

For more information, visit verizon.com/mixandmatch.

Globecast, the global solutions provider for media, has further strengthened its management team in Asia with the appointment of Tan See Chai as Head of Sales – Distribution.  

Beginning at the start of January 2020 and based in Singapore, See Chai will report to Shakunt Malhotra, Globecast Asia MD. See Chai is responsible for sales of Globecast’s permanent distribution services to broadcasters, cable operators, news agencies, corporations as well as other relevant organisations across Asia and Asia-Pacific. This will include identifying and pursuing new business as well as maintaining and growing relationships with existing customers.  

Malhotra said, “We are pleased to welcome Tan to this important role. He has huge experience across the satellite industry, in particular, and this will come to the fore in this multifaceted position. As well as liaising with new and existing customers, he will also work closely with our Singapore-based operations and engineering group – where one of our three global Media Centers is located – as well as liaising with key personnel in other Global Business Units located around the world.” 

See Chai has over 25 years’ experience in the industry and was most recently Director of Sales with Telesat, a position he held for the past 30 months. In that role he was responsible for major satellite capacity sales across the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to that, he held a range of positions with Globecast, the last as Senior Director of Sales – Head of Occasional Services for Asia, a job he held for five years. He has also worked for Verestar and Echostar International, among others.  

See Chai said, “I’m genuinely excited to be appointed to this important position with my extensive experience across the industry being recognised as being invaluable to the role. I already have extensive experience with the company and I look forward to helping Globecast attain further growth across its distribution business.” 

NEW ORLEANS—The promise of 10G, as well as other technological innovations and key policy issues were among the main topics of discussion during the four days that SCTE-ISBE’s Cable-Tec Expo 2019 took place in New Orleans this past week.

Using the theme “Raising the Bar,” the Cable-Tec Expo sought to present deep dives to its attendees from the cable and telecom industries in key areas of technology, policy and use cases.

To discuss 10G, as well as other cable technologies, Cable-Tec brought in speakers that included Dean Kamen, Preetha Vijayakumar of FedEx and author and TV host David Pogue.

NCTA President and CEO Michael Powell has one of the industry leaders on hand to provide insights into legislative and regulatory developments. Powell also gave a session on the recent decision by the courts on net neutrality.

In addition, areas of focus included the first public prototype of a Generic Access Platform node that can simplify network operations for cable system operators; cable’s role in smart cities; IoT and wireless deployments; and an educational and thought leadership program that featured speakers and workshops that occurred pre- and post-conference.

Dates were also announced for the 2020 edition of the Cable-Tec Expo, which will move to Denver and take place Oct. 13-15, 2020. Ed Marchetti, senior vice president of operations for Comcast, and Tom Monaghan, senior vice president of field operations at Charter Communications, will be 2020’s program committee co-chairs.

WASHINGTON—Is cable sandbagging ATSC 3.0? Or are operators just jockeying to limit competition to their evolving data transmission business?

A sequence of recent actions suggests that cable operators are pushing back against collaboration with the Advanced Television Standards Committee’s efforts to enable carriage of the format on MVPD systems. It is unclear whether they legitimately believe, as claimed, that it is “too early” to establish ATSC 3.0 (aka Next Gen TV) retransmission procedures or if the MVPDs are defensively rejecting the standard’s data transmission opportunities as competition to cable’s own digital agenda.

In recent weeks:

• SCTE bluntly told ATSC that it will “defer initiation of the work” concerning carriage of ATSC 3.0 over cable” until the broadcast industry completes its standardization efforts.
• Charter Communications, the second largest cable multisystem operator held a curious meeting with top Federal Communications Commission staff members to explain that proposed 3.0 wireless data delivery plans don’t mesh with existing retransmission agreements. During the FCC meeting, Charter also warned of eventual retransmission problems in the Phoenix model market field trial of 3.0 broadcasts.
• America’s Public Television Stations (the association of non-commercial broadcasters) and the Public Broadcasting Service met with FCC officials to discuss a possible exemption of noncommercial educational licensees from the simulcasting mandate in the NextGen standard.

The spate of cable resistance collectively suggests that the festering 18-month old Next Gen TV rulemaking faces a challenging road ahead. It raises questions about an all-voluntary transition to ATSC 3.0. And since, as some skeptics have observed, the necessary hardware will be relatively inexpensive, cable companies’ recalcitrance to carry ATSC 3.0 services stems from their reluctance to support possible competition.

Madeleine Noland, president of ATSC, dismissed the recent cable maneuvers, pointing out that MVPD operators have had “extensive guest access” to the planning process at ATSC meetings.

“We want full access from the full value chain,” Noland said. “Everybody has to see value. We welcome and hope for input from the MVPDs.” She characterized ATSC as a “very flexible system” that will enable a variety of business goals and rejected claims by cable operators that the standard is not complete yet.

“The standard is ‘done’ as of January 2018,” Noland emphasized, acknowledging that it is “a living, breathing document” with expectations that it will be modified through a “measured revision process that accounts for the need for stability.”

“I feel good that ATSC’s membership wants the correct balance between stability and evolvability,” Noland added. She pointed out that an ATSC specialist group is focusing on redistribution, including the conversion of 3.0 to 1.0. NCTA: The Internet and Television Association was a founding member of ATSC and is a participant in the specialist group.

“Cable operators will have to deal with the fact that channels are moving, as they’ve done with the repack,” Noland said. “The FCC stopped short of saying that 1.0 and 3.0 must be exactly the same. The bottom line is that 1.0 is there and available for at least [five years].”

Given that reality, Noland agreed that “cable operators can say, ‘We don’t need to be ready yet.’”

CHARTER’S OPPOSITION PUTS FOCUS ON DIFFERENCES

The recognition of an extended transition process doesn’t explain why Charter brought up the issue, which is not moving quickly at the FCC.

At the FCC meeting in late July, Kevin Leddy, senior vice president, Technology Planning and Application, and Maureen O’Connell, vice president, Regulatory Affairs for the nation’s second largest cable operator, told FCC staff that the MSO does not intend to carry 3.0 signals since broadcasters have not yet settled on standards. Leddy and O’Connell also told FCC officials from the Office of Engineering and Technology Office, Media Bureau and four Commissioners’ staffs that many of the proposed auxiliary services (such as wireless data transmission) do not fit with existing retransmission agreements.

Charter executives emphasized that ATSC 3.0 “is not backwards-compatible with any existing equipment in the home or in the MVPD ecosystem,” according to their ex parte notice. They also questioned the consumer benefits of the ATSC 3.0 transition, noting that “broadcasters have yet to define which among those possible uses of the new standard they are interested in pursuing.”

According to their filing, Leddy and O’Connell stressed that “many of the uses identified are already available to consumers over the internet [such as delivery of video to mobile devices, movie downloads, data delivery to cars, and data enhancements to video], which could limit demand for ATSC 3.0 consumer equipment.’

In their presentation to the FCC staff, Leddy and O’Connell also pointed to the anomaly they perceive in the current Phoenix Next Gen TV tests now underway. They claimed that “the over-the-air ATSC 1.0 signals involved in the Phoenix test market are different from the ATSC 1.0 signals being delivered by fiber.”

“Because these signals don’t match, there is currently no backup for ATSC 1.0 that can be utilized by MVPDs,” they concluded. Their presentation featured charts illustrating how the shared transmissions of current 1.0 signals would not work in the future 3.0 environment. Those charts were identical to illustrations used in a recent presentation by a top executive of Cox Communications, the major cable TV company in Phoenix.

(Note: Cox Communications operates separately from the Cox Media Group, which recently sold majority stakes in its TV stations to Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm. Cox Media Group is a member of the Pearl TV consortium, which is managing the Phoenix trial.)

When asked for further details about the FCC presentation, Charter officials declined to provide any information—including the reason for the discussion of the Phoenix situation since Charter is not a significant provider in that market. “We have no comment beyond the ex parte filing. It speaks for itself,” a Charter spokesperson said.

Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, questioned Charter’s (and Cox’s) illustration of incompatibility. She said that the “chart showed us there is no problem when we did the plan.”

Schelle acknowledged that there is “no equipment right now to enable it” [3.0 retransmission], but said that Pearl is working in Phoenix with many organizations, including CableLabs, the cable industry’s research and development organization.

Neither Pearl nor CableLabs would identify the nature or status of their collaboration. “We’ll look at 3.0 implementation with cable in many different ways,” Schelle said. “That will take more time,” although she did not predict a timetable other than noting that Pearl is “starting testing integration and multiple paths.”

FIVE-YEAR WAITING PERIOD

Noland, Schelle and others point out that the rules for ATSC 3.0 implementation include a mandate that broadcasters must continue to transmit in the 1.0 format for at least five more years. Analysts contend that cable operators will eventually figure out how to handle the Next Gen TV transition as they are doing with the repack. Moreover, since the FCC stopped short of saying that 1.0 and 3.0 must be exactly the same, cable operators’ contention that they “don’t need to be ready yet” is a legitimate positioning statement as they develop their 3.0 strategies.

The cable industry’s stance regarding this transition process took on added significance in a memo from the Engineering Committee of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers to ATSC ‘s Noland. The mid-August missive (obtained by TV Technology) came in response to a “Liaison Request Concerning Standardization of ATSC 3.0 For Delivery by Cable.”

“It would be better for us to defer initiation of the work until such time as the broadcast industry efforts are completed,” said the message from the SCTE committee, which did not identify any individual sender. SCTE said it “appreciates” ATSC’s request to develop a coordination process—calling it a reflection of the “history of productive collaboration between ATSC and SCTE.”

“However, we do not feel that the ATSC 3.0 specification in its current form is ready for work in SCTE,” according to the memo. “Specifically, ATSC 3.0 allows a very wide variety of operating points and we request that the broadcast industry develop and provide the necessary constraints, in the form of ‘launch profiles’ along with associated priorities, timeframes for availability, and cadence of expected deployment.”

Beyond the SCTE response, Charter’s FCC presentation spurred other reactions. “The only apparent motivation behind Charter’s filing is its desire to stifle competitive innovation,” said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. He also pointed out that MVPDs are not required to carry Next Gen TV signals, and broadcasters transitioning to 3.0 are required to simulcast ATSC 1.0 signals.

ONE Media 3.0 LLC, Sinclair’s high-tech development subsidiary, aaccused Charter of confusing standards with flexible uses for non-television delivery of data.

“If MVPDs and broadcasters are motivated to add an ATSC 3.0 delivered feature or service to the MVPD’s platform, implementation will be achieved in a reasonable timeframe and based on mutual business objectives,” said ONE Media Executive Vice President Jerald Fritz. He pointed out that, “Broadcasters have been working closely with equipment vendors to establish basic television service profiles.”

NON COMMERCIAL 3.0 SERVICE

Public TV stations—which have a history of being aggressive in developing advanced TV technologies—became involved in the 3.0 process as soon as the Next Gen TV rulemaking was issued in February 2018. Lonna Thompson, executive vice president/chief operating officer and general counsel for America’s Public Television Stations, pointed out that public stations face three scenarios, beginning with the differing needs of rural public TV stations, state-wide public TV groups and university-run stations. In particular, the association is looking at delivering 3.0 services to places that don’t have broadband.

The APTS/PBS presentation to the FCC staff focused on the difficulties that some stations will face if they must simulcast 1.0 and 3.0.

“We want to be exempt from simulcast rules,” Thompson said, focusing on the possibility that the requirement could strand some stations. “Licensees know their communities best.” She pointed out that public stations “have been active in market transitions,” including participation in the Phoenix trial.

Thompson also emphasized that public stations have a long history of working in datacasting and other expanded services. She said that stations are working with first responders, the National Guard and other organizations that can use 3.0’s data capabilities.

An NCTA cited the association’s 18-month-old comments to the FCC when the commission opened its Next Gen TV rulemaking, adding that the association would have “nothing more to say” about the current situation.

ATSC’s Noland and others in the broadcast clique cited their long-term support for collaboration with broadcasters, taking hope from the comments of Steve Watkins, Cox Communications’s executive director-Strategic Technology Policy. At an SCTE conference, Watkins focused on the “need to flesh out what’s real and reduce complexity.”

Watkins said, presumably on behalf of his cable company, “If the content/experience is compelling and customers want it, we want to be in a position to deliver it.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LONDON—While pay-TV services in the U.S. are in the middle of a battle for subscribers against the established and emerging streaming platforms, the global pay-TV industry continues to grow overall and has recently crossed a milestone. According to Digital TV Research, with the number of added subscribers throughout the world in 2018, the total number of pay-TV subscribers has surpassed 1 billion.

Estimates show that the total number of pay-TV subscribers increased by 26 million across 138 countries from 2017 to 2018. IPTV subscribers saw the biggest growth of 42 million, and the service now makes up a quarter of all pay-TV subscribers; it also surpassed satellite TV in total subscribers. Satellite TV still did see a growth of 2 million, as did DTT, which added 1 million subscribers.

Cable, however, suffered a net loss in 2018. Digital cable TV added 7 million subscribers, but analog loss 16 million. Cable still accounts for half of pay-TV subscribers, but that is down from its three-quarters share in 2010.

After peaking at $205 billion in 2016, global revenues fell to $199 billion in 2018, according to the report.

The full Pay-TV Databook is available here.

SYOSSET, N.Y.—ESPN was a fixture in the top spots of Beta Research’s studies looking at what cable networks U.S. viewers valued the most. In its 2019 edition of the “Cable Subscriber Study—Evaluation of Basic Cable Networks,” the sports network was never worse than second in any finding.

Beta Research conducted its survey with a national sample of 1,400 cable subscribers age 18 and older, using three questions to measure 45 basic cable networks.

The first question asked what cable networks men and women consider “must haves,” meaning they scored a four or five on a scale of one to five. Among men, ESPN came out on top with 47% of respondents rating it a must have; for women, their top must-have station was the Food Network (36%). Only three cable networks ranked in the top seven for both genders: Discovery Channel, Weather Channel and FX.

Respondents were also tasked with providing an average perceived value for the networks. ESPN was again at the top, however it tied with Nick Jr., with viewers giving an average value of $1.74. Sports and kids programs were among the most popular in this section, with Disney, Cartoon Network, ESPN2 and Fox Sports 1 also making the top 10. ID, Food Network, Comedy Central and National Geographic rounded out the top networks.

The lone instance where ESPN was not the top station in a survey was when it came to determining how many people would switch cable providers if a basic cable network was dropped from the service. Discovery came out ahead with 19%; ESPN and History Channel followed with 18% each.

Beta Research conducted the study in June of 2019.

An abundance of streaming services and video content has led to a rise in mobile video viewership, with 62% of global video views happening on the phone or tablet. Whether the viewer is looking to watch a prestige TV series, an award-winning movie, a live sporting event or a short video, they all expect the same thing: when they hit the play button, the video will start instantly and play flawlessly.

Unfortunately, there are still times where the viewing experience fails to match viewer expectations. Slow start times and buffering are still major issues for mobile video. As media companies invest billions of dollars to build streaming services and produce content, even small issues in the playback experience could derail them, regardless of whether the service itself is at fault.

A 2018 study conducted by OpenSignal gave countries around the world qualitative scores on their overall mobile video experience. The U.S. ranked near the bottom with a 47 out of 100. (75-100 is Excellent, 65-75 is Very Good, 55-65 is Good, 40-55 is Fair and 0-40 is poor.) That’s in a developed nation. In India, a country where mobile video viewership is exploding, the mobile experience is even worse. (This is not good for a service like Netflix, which recently announced major plans to expand into the Indian market.) The country that ranked highest in the study, the Czech Republic, still only got a score of 68.

This shows that there’s a lot of room to improve when it comes to mobile video. In fact, in a more recent OpenSignal study, the four largest US carriers—Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile—were rated as merely “fair” providers on the mobile video quality scale. The study cited prolonged stalling and long wait times for high-resolution video. And that’s not acceptable.

Mobile video is still talked about as a “new” technology, which means it gets graded on a curve. It’s somewhat similar to mobile advertising, where ad buyers are told that they’re overachieving if even 70% of their video ads are actually seen. Mobile video buffering used to be really bad, so now that it’s OK, everyone seems to accept that as a victory. But viewers themselves aren’t going to stand for minor improvements. In this era of cord cutting, consumers don’t see mobile video as an emerging replacement for TV. It is TV in viewers’ eyes, and they’re comparing their mobile video experiences to the cable experience.

Cable customers are rightly dismayed if a channel change takes longer than a fraction of a second, and cable operators task dozens of engineers to fix the problem. If cable subscribers experienced poor experiences like buffering and degraded picture quality on a regular basis, they would look for an alternative provider or cancel their subscription. In this regard, OTT services need to start acting like cable operators, striving for 99.99% availability and reliability. We need to fix the quality and reliability problems wherever they occur, from the origin cloud to the last mile.

And the time to act is now. Mobile video providers content to wait for the worldwide deployment and adoption of 5G or some other magic bullet will be the losers in the intense battle for mobile viewers already well underway. It’s time for the mobile video industry to pull out all the stops and effectively present an experience that resembles traditional TV when it comes to quality and reliability. Rather than aim for modest year-over-year improvements in buffering and other performance standards, the industry needs to aim for something much closer to 99.99%.

Dan Taitz is known for transformative work with some of the biggest names in media, including Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Univision Communications and Oxygen Media, where he negotiated the sale of the company to NBC Universal. As president and COO of Penthera, Dan has a deep understanding of how video service providers can create a deeply-engaging, consumer friendly experience in the mobile video space. 

WASHINGTON—There is a new leader in the clubhouse when it comes to the most popular video service for consumers across the globe, as a report from the Motion Picture Association of America indicates that online video services overtook cable subscriptions for the first time in 2018.

Online video services, like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu, saw gains of 131.2 million subscribers throughout the world in 2018, a 27 percent increase from 2017. That brings its world-wide total to 613.3 million subscribers, 186.9 million of which are in the U.S. Cable, meanwhile, saw a slight decrease of about 2 percent to 556 million; the U.S. total saw a slight dip, but still remained around 50 million subscribers.

Since 2014, online video subscriptions have seen the largest amount of growth among all the pay TV options. As of 2014, online video services had around 150 million subscribers, per MPAA’s findings. Cable, satellite, DTT and other third-party premiums saw either no significant growth or decreases in its subscription numbers over the same time period. IPTV is the only other service that has seen a solid uptick, but it remains under 300 million subscribers.

Despite the decrease, cable remains the top revenue generator among the services, and in fact saw an increase of $6.2 billion in total revenue for 2018, bringing it to $118 billion in 2018. Online video subscriptions are well behind, generating just under $40 billion according to the MPAA report.

The MPAA report counted households that have more than one type of video service in each of the categories to which they subscribe.

See the full report from MPAA here.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Reports of traditional broadcast TV’s death may have been exaggerated according to a new report from simulation software company Concentric. The company has released “The Future of Streaming Video” report that forecasts how the TV industry will evolve as OTT continues to rise. One of the key findings in the report is that while cord cutting is a growing factor, bundling of OTT with other broadcast services is the more popular option over the next few years.

While subscribers who cut the cord to simply go with OTT are expected to grow by 17 percent by 2024, the bundling of OTT and broadcast is expected to increase by 56 percent over the same period. The report predicts that it will take a successful integration of live content by OTT providers for cord cutting to become widespread; if accomplished, Concentric says likely one in four people would cut the cord by 2024.

Bundling of OTT with cable, broadcast and satellite will continue to be the popular choice for consumers because no single provider has delivered the optimal customer experience.

As for what is driving consumers to certain bundling options, the report says price is the number one factor, followed by variety of content and user experience.

“The way we consume content is changing,” said Dejan Duzevik, chief product officer and solution architect for media & entertainment at Concentric. “OTT providers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu are disrupting the space, generating buzz about the death of traditional models like cable and broadcast. But consumers won’t be cutting the cord as soon as we might think. … Instead, we will see major changes across providers as cable, broadcast, OTT and satellite evolve to meet consumer demands.”

Other findings from the report show that while cable will remain the top choice for consumers, changes in pricing options and variety of options are recommended to avoid a decline of 2 percent in its total number of subscribers. Satellite, meanwhile, is becoming obsolete with the emergence of 5G and looks to decline by 8 percent over the next five years.

Visit www.concentricmarket.com for the full report.

While the TV business already has seen an alarming number of consumers go over-the-top to get their TV programming, a new study says even more subscribers would cut the cord if the knew they could still get live programming, particularly sports.

According to a white paper from Telaria and Adobe, called "Inside the Minds of Cord-Cutters and Cable-Keepers," consumers lack awareness about the live streaming content that is available to them.

Among the consumers the report labels “cable keepers,” 20 percent don’t know how they would access live TV without a cable subscription.

“Despite steady declines in subscribers, cable still dominates viewership,” the report said. “The primary reason people keep the cord is the perception that only a linear connection can deliver live television content (42 percent). The second and third most common reasons are the desire to have a lot of channels (34 percent) and the fear of losing favorite networks (32 percent).”

Long term, sports and other live events may be reason enough to keep traditional pay TV. The report found that 30 percent of cable keepers said they would cut the cord if they knew they could live stream all of their favorite sports, events, and news.

[Read: Cord-Cutting Pace Accelerates As Viewers Seek Premium Programming, Says EMarketer]

The streaming world appears to be mystifying to cable keepers, with 55% saying that they are are confused by their cord-cutting options.

“Despite the barriers, almost half of cable subscribers have or are considering cutting the cord,” the report said. “This is especially true among Millennials, who outpace older segments in cord-free status. One in three cable subscribers would definitely cut the cord if they could live stream their favorite sports, events and news, and an additional 40% would consider it. Sports fans are even more likely to consider cutting the cord if they could live stream programming.”

The study found that the top reason for cord cutting were that cable was too expensive (73 percent), that everything was available via streaming (36 percent), that there were too many channels on cable (36 percent).

To the cost-conscious, two ways of accessing content have become more mainstream: password sharing and digital antennas.

The study found that 16 percent of respondents said they use someone else’s password from a network or provider to authenticate an app on a device. Another 21 percent share their passwords with friends and family.

More of the live streamers--70 percent said they were satisfied with the monthly price they paid for service, compared to 40 percent for cable-keepers.

The monthly Comcast bill arrived earlier this month and it was $28 higher with no services added. Time to cut the cable, the TV cable anyway.

The first task had nothing to do with technology, TV shows or saving money. It was convincing my spouse that cutting the cable was a good idea. After some gentle persuasion, she consented.

The next step was purchasing two Rokus for streaming. They installed easily and without a hassle. I also subscribed to DirectTV Now, which I mistakenly thought would give me unlimited live network TV, but I later discovered that’s not always the case. Irritatingly, networks and other content providers often make you jump through activation hoops the more you watch. Worse, we could not get full or live PBS programming.

So it was back to the future with over-the-air TV (OTA) using an antenna or what we Boomers used to call an aerial. I acquired a ClearStream FUSION Amplified UHF/VH HDTV outdoor antenna with a 60 mile range from AntennasDirect.com, the go-to people for antennas and advice about how to install them. The company provides a great video about to install it EXCEPT they omit talking about grounding the unit. More on that later.

The $100 unit (full disclosure: I acquired mine as a review unit through TVtechnology.com editor Tom Butts) is well built and easy to set up. Running a new coaxial cable is the biggest chore, but if you’re lucky with your antenna location, you can use existing cables installed by the cable provider. Higher is better for reception, which AntennasDirect can help customers with based on the location of area TV towers relative to your address.

I chose to run a new cable given the location of the unit on my roof. So drilling through a wall and running the cable outside and up to the antenna and around a couple of corners was the biggest chore. I pulled in 16 channels after running the required scan on my TV. The pictures are crisp and clear except NBC cuts out a good deal of the time.

Then I realized I had to install a ground on the mast and the cable. But with a house sitting on ledge next to a river in Maine, there was no way I could sink an 8-foot rod into the ground nor did I want the 10 gauge uninsulated ground wire dangling down the side of house beneath the antenna.

So I took the antenna off the roof and moved it into my attic, an atrociously hot, dangerous and dirty place to work accessible only by hatch. I hoped putting the antenna a dozen feet higher from the rooftop location would compensate for moving the antenna indoors. Indeed, the attic location picked up 16 digital TV channels including the three major networks, Fox and PBS with some pixilation especially with NBC, but not enough to matter much.

A few caveats: my unit purports to be good for more than one TV although AntennasDirect support told me reception takes a hit with that approach. Bear in mind, they want to sell more antennas. They also told me longer cable runs (don’t go more than 100 feet) affects reception adversely.

My OTA journey has been a success given from what I’ve learned and the satisfaction from cutting the TV cable. I also saved $100 a month in process, but still am beholden to Comcast for Internet. OTA and streaming are still somewhat of an adventure, but clearly are the future if not the present.

John Dodge is a freelance journalist living in West Newbury, Mass. 

WASHINGTON--The FCC has granted analog-only cable systems a permanent waiver from one of its rules implementing the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) and extended for another five years the waiver to TV broadcasters from the requirement to provide audio description of non-textual emergency info, like maps or radar sweeps.

The FCC requires emergency information provided visually during non-newscast programming--say, a tornado watch or warning crawl--to be made audible to the blind and visually impaired via a secondary audio stream.

The American Cable Association had sought a waiver of the Audio Crawl Rule, saying analog-only systems, which are essentially by definition the smaller systems ACA represents, lacked the equipment needed to pass through the audio.

The current three-year waiver from the requirement was to have expired June 12. ACA had asked for either a permanent waiver or a five-year extension.

The FCC said there was good cause for the permanent waiver, but made that waiver conditional on operators providing ongoing notice to the public of their waiver status.

In November 2016, the National Association of Broadcasters had been granted an 18-month waiver of the requirement for audible descriptions of radar maps and other graphics on the argument that a technical solution was not yet available and that the waiver would not unduly disrupt the availability of emergency info. NAB, joined by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), then sought the five-year extension saying an automated approach remained elusive and warning that news teams would remove maps and other graphics rather than risk FCC enforcement.

[Read: FCC Increases Video Description Rules]

The Video Programming Subcommittee of the FCC's Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) agreed no solution was in the offing and recommended the five-year extension.

Noting that recommendation the FCC concluded it was a special circumstance and warranted the extension, noting that "in most cases, the critical details of an emergency provided in graphic form are duplicative of information conveyed in textual crawls, which are already aurally described and accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired."

NAB will have to file a report to the FCC at the midpoint of the waiver period Nov. 25, 2020) detailing "the extent to which broadcasters have made progress in finding accessible solutions or alternatives to providing critical emergency details generally delivered in a graphic format, as well as the extent to which this waiver continues to be necessary."

'[A]nalog-only cable systems lack the financial capacity to upgrade their equipment as needed to pass through secondary audio streams, and the financial burden of compliance would force financial marginal analog systems to go out of business," said ACA president Matt Polka. "ACA appreciates the Bureau's recognition that these systems frequently provide a value-priced option for subscribers needing only basic service, and the relief granted in this order will help to ensure that such systems can continue to serve their communities." 

WASHINTON—The American Television Alliance (ATVA) has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider three aspects or its November 2017 order authorizing broadcasters to begin transmitting ATSC 3.0 signals.

Specifically, the petition, filed March 5, asks the FCC to reconsider its decisions:

• Not to require separate negotiations for first-time MVPD carriage of ATSC 3.0 signals;

• To permit low-power and translator stations to flash-cut to ATSC 3.0; and

• To allow broadcasters to degrade their signals without first warning viewers and MVPDs.

The ATVA petition argues that if the transition to ATSC 3.0 is “to be truly ‘voluntary’ for all parties,” carriage of Next-Gen TV signals should not be obtained “by threatening existing television service.”

[ATSC 3.0 Marches On]

“We believe that the best and most effective way to prevent broadcasters from engaging in such conduct is to require separate negotiations for first-time carriage of ATSC 3.0 signals,” the petition said.

ATVA previously predict this situation based on what it described as “broadcasters’ demonstrated conduct” under different circumstances, such as the forced bundling of unwanted programming. Since then, there have been “a handful of cases” in which broadcasters began doing so even before the ATSC 3.0 authorization order was released, it said.

Some MVPDs already “have been forced to grant ‘ATSC 3.0 MFNs [most favored nation status]’ for a technology that is not yet commercially available,” the petition added.

Regarding low-power and TV translator flash-cutting to ATSC 3.0, the ATVA has “never agreed with the notion of exempting” these stations from the requirement to simulcast ATSC 1.0 and 3.0,” the petition said. Doing so “causes exactly the same harm as does allowing full-power station to flash cut,” according to ATVA.

ATVA argued that narrow waivers are a better way to address low-power concerns with simulcasting “than a broad, class-based exemption” and that “narrow waivers of the simulcasting coverage requirement would address nearly every reason” given to exempt these stations from the simulcast mandate, it said.

One circumstance “appears unamenable to relief” offered by coverage requirement waivers, however, the petition noted. It involves situations in which a low-power station is displaced in the repack and forced to build both ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 facilities, it said.

“Even here, however, a broad exemption for all low power stations is not required,” it said, adding that individual waivers of the simulcasting requirement is a better option.

As relates to degrading the broadcast signal without warning, ATVA acknowledges that no current FCC rule prevents a broadcaster from dropping HD service in favor of SD. “Yet, in the normal course, broadcasters have wanted to transmit in high-definition and had no incentive to cease doing so,” the petition said.

[HPA Panel Examines Road to ATSC 3.0 and Repack]

However, as broadcasters transitioning to ATSC 3.0 are required to simulcast, they will have “a new and specific incentive to degrade their signals.” Broadcasters “have insisted throughout this proceeding that they must be able to do so in order for the ATSC3.0 transition to succeed,” the petition said.

ATVA described the ATSC 3.0 transition as a “special case” and called for the FCC to “insist on simple notification rules corresponding to the unique circumstances presented.”

Dennis Wharton, EVP, Communications at NAB, downplayed the ATVA petition. “The cable industry is trotting out the same arguments the FCC already rejected,” said Wharton. “It’s no secret broadcast industry innovation is great for consumers, but bad for cable. So it’s no surprise they continue to oppose a competing industry’s willingness to invest in its product.”

Editor’s note: All emphasis (italicized text) is the ATVA’s.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

SEATTLE—New research shows Amazon Prime is set to overtake cable TV in terms of popularity in the United States.

According to estimates from Morningstar, nearly 79 million U.S. households now have an Amazon Prime membership, up from around 66 million at the end of last year.

Morningstar suggests more U.S. households may have an Amazon Prime subscription than a pay-TV subscription as soon as next year.

Amazon has begun offering discounts to households in receipt of government assistance and has also introduced a monthly payment plan to lure people who don’t want to pay the $99 annual fee.

This story originally appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

Less than four years ago, a well-regarded expert on the subject of coaxial cable told me that creating affordable and practical 12G coax was not going to happen. The data rate was too high and coax would not support the high frequencies necessary to send 12G data down the thin pipe of flexible coax cable. He recommended fiber.

At NAB Show, it was not hard to find vendors selling coax cable (and the necessary connectors) rated to send 12G data down 100 meters of RG6-diameter coax cable. The impossible was done, and it renewed my faith in the skill of the engineers and technicians working in the broadcast industry.

COPPER CABLES
BELDEN featured its 4794R coax, which supports 12GHz bandwidth and enables a single-link configuration to transmit 4K. With a tri-shield (foil/braid/foil), 4794R’s inner foil is bonded to the core to simplify installation.

Canare 12G BNC Plug

CANARE rolled out a new line of coaxial cable and connectors that are specially optimized for performance at 12 Gbps. The company’s L-5.5 CUHD coax cable has enhanced attenuation characteristics that allow transport of 12G signals at distances up to 100m when used with the specified BNC connectors.

DAWNCO highlighted its low-loss DAWNflex.6QF cable to improve signal quality on satellite downlinks. DAWNflex.6QF coax passes signals to 3 GHz, and is flooded for direct burial, quad shielded for protection against signal ingress, has a 2.5-inch bending radius, and 0.61-inch overall diameter.

FIBER OPTICS
ARTEL debuted the DLC 454 fiber transport module that terminates four bidirectional fiber assemblies and can combine the four to two bidirectional fiber trunks. The DLC 454 works with video up to 4K/60. The company also demonstrated IP- and fiber-based capabilities in its new, fully integrated InfinityLink IL6000, a 1RU, four-slot chassis with active routing and SNMP management system. The company also showcased its FiberLink 3500 Series, which transmits 4K/UHD video at up to 60 fps one way.

BARNFIND highlighted the BarnMini-07, a four-channel CWDM mux that transports 4K over different mediums. This compact mux fits into the BarnMini BTF-Mini-16 frame, and two BarnMini-07s can be cascaded to build an eight-channel CWDM mux.

Camplex CMX-3GSDI-LCF 3G-SDI over singlemode fiber transmission system

BLUEBELL OPTICOMM highlighted its BCX-760 Series 10G Ethernet point-to-point fiber link, a camera-back interface that provides signal transport between a camera and an outside broadcast truck or base station.

CAMPLEX spotlighted its CMX-3GSDI-LCF, a compact 3G-SDI over singlemode fiber transmission system for long-haul video extension up to 20km (12.4 miles). The product supports all standard resolutions and data rates up to 3 Gbps, (1080p60), and both ends feature looping connectors for local monitoring or recording.

GRASS VALLEY debuted the CopperHead 3050 system that provides a fiber link between a camera and ENG vehicle. The system simultaneously transports both digital (SDI or HD-SDI) and analog (NTSC or PAL) program video, plus audio, IFB and intercom signals between the camera and the base station.

Joseph Electronics Tote Caddie portable fiber-optic signal-acquisition system

JOSEPH ELECTRONICS introduced its Tote Caddie series of portable fiber-optic signal-acquisition systems for ENG and other OB applications. Built using rugged Pelican cases and offering a mix of modules to meet the user’s requirements, the Tote Caddie is a weather-resistant fiber solution for field crews working in real-world environments.

LINK ELECTRONICS featured the PFO-100T/R, a miniature and 3G/HD/SD-SDI fiber transmission system with built-in EQ and re-clocking features. It works with either single-mode or multimode fiber cable and supports SMPTE 424M/297M (1080p-2.97Gbps); SMPTE 292M/297M (HDTV-1.485Gbps); SMPTE 259M/297M (SDTV-270/360Mbps).

LYNXTECHNIK launched new yellowBrik interfaces for fiber transmission of 12G video. The compact modules transmit/receive 12G (4,096x2,160 @60 Hz), plus 6G and 3G signals if required, all with uncompressed video quality. All modules support a maximum distance of approximately 10 Km (6.2 miles) using LC single-mode fiber.

Multidyne LightBrix VB-3800 fiber transport series

MULTIDYNE rolled out its LightBrix VB-3800 fiber transport series, which offers several models designed for mounting to POV box cameras and robotic PTZ heads. Each model can transport a range of multichannel camera signals, including 4K quad-link and 12G, as well as optional power from the base unit to the transmitter and camera via SMPTE hybrid cable. The company also added support for 12G to its SilverBack camera-mounted transceivers and unveiled FiberSaver-12G optical remapper/multiplexers that enable as many as 36 signals of up to 12 Gbps each to be transported over just two fibers.

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES highlighted its Model 400 and 410 SDI-over-fiber transport systems. The Model 400 consumes a full rack width, while the Model 410 uses a half-rack mount.

SWIT showed its Optical Fiber Camera System, which mounts on the back of a camera and supports up to 1080p/60 transmission. The system supports Sony and Panasonic remote protocols, and communicates with a base unit using Lemo or Neutrik cables.

CONNECTORS
AVP showed its DIN 1.0/2.3 75-Ohm connector series for patch panels, which permits dense packing and makes them ideal solutions to applications where space is limited. The connector supports high data rates up to 6 Gbps.

BITTREE introduced the 12G+ Mini-WECO coaxial patchbay family, accented with bright green to differentiate it from other systems in a busy control room. The performance of the 12G+ patching system enables reliable handling of 4K over a single 12 Gbps link, and the components are compliant with SMPTE 292M, 424M, ST2081-1 and ST2082-1 standards.

CANARE unveiled new 12G connectors specifically designed for the company’s new 12G cables. Available in RG59, RG6 and RG11 sizes, Canare also has the installation tools to ensure that the connectors don’t compromise the 12G performance of the cable.

CLARK WIRE & CABLE introduced the DT12 37-pin connector for indoor and outdoor broadcast environments. The connector features all-metal backshells that resist crushing and corrosion.

LEMO unveiled the Anglissimo elbow plug that allows for strain-free routing of cables when connected to cameras or other field gear. Each connector can be orientated during its assembly into any of eight different cable exit angles, and the connector then remains securely positioned in that orientation.

NEUTRIK debuted opticalCON MTP24, a 24-channel fiber-optic connection system based on MTP data connectors. The chassis connector accepts a standard MTP breakout cable at the rear, facilitating adaptation to LC, SC or ST optical connectors.

SWITCHCRAFT debuted the Ultra VideoPatch, a family of 24 GHz video patching products and accessories that use mid-size Mini-WECO single jacks in a 2x32 1RU patchbay. The 75-Ohm system features low return-loss and can handle uncompressed 8K video.

Most of the best gear in the world is worthless without the means to connect to other devices, so paying attention to the seemingly mundane topic of cables and connectors is important. The right connectivity products keep the quality high and the failures low, a good way to treat both your viewers and your management.

Of course, in the ever-changing world of professional television, new standards mean new cables and connectors to interconnect the equipment that support those standards. The NAB Show is a great place to spend some time examining the details of little things that handle important signals.

COPPER CABLES
APANTAC will show its HDMI-IP-X HDMI-over-IP transmitter/receiver set, which can provide a 1080p image up to 100m from the source. It features a built-in HDMI loop-through to eliminate the need for a splitter, and transports HDMI via H.264 baseline profile up to 18 Mbps, with 16-bit two-channel 192 Kbps MP3 audio.

Belden 2183 series 4K Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) Media Cable

BELDEN will introduce a new family of 4K HDBaseT cables: 2183P (plenum) and 2183R (riser) cables designed specifically for HDBaseT transmission up to 100m. Smaller and lighter than many other HDBaseT cables, the 2183P/R can carry 100W of power for remotely powered gear.

CANARE will roll out a 12G coax solution that consists of cables and connectors specifically designed to maximize 4K camera transmission, with superior performance at distances up to 100m. Canare’s 12G solutions also support 3G and 6G signals.

Sommer Cable Transit MC 3202 HD 4K cable

DAWNCO will highlight its low-loss DAWNflex satellite signal cable targeted at runs that are more than 300 feet long (100m). The product is a flexible coaxial cable that passes signals to 3 GHz including satellite L band, and it can cut signal path loss in half compared to other cable.

NEMAL will show a range of connectors and cable, including its seven precision coaxial cables, from miniature to RG11 size, all available in 10 colors. For Nemal’s RG59 and RG6 sizes, the company offers a standard as well as an extra-flexible version.

SOMMER CABLE will feature its Transit MC 3202 HD 4K cable, which has multiple conductors for carrying uncompressed 4K video as well as audio, control and intercom to studio cameras. The cable is available in either cut to length and connectorized, or in bulk.

WHIRLWIND will show a range of audio cable systems, including the Medusa Elite, a ruggedized audio snake available in a variety of configurations and suitable for frequent gigging. Medusa Elite is toughened by the addition of SnakeSkin on the fanouts, metal chassis mount XLR connectors, and a Pig Bag to protect the fanouts when not in use.

Artel InfinityLink

FIBER OPTICS
ARTEL will showcase the InfinityLink ILC450 10G HD/SD-SDI, ASI IP gateway and GigE data transport fiber system. The ILC450 packetizes video to SMPTE 2022-6 or 2022-2 encapsulation standards and provides users with various SMPTE 2022-5 or 2022-1 FEC configurations to maximize reliability and minimize latency and overhead.

BARNFIND will debut its HiLo SFP system for higher density of signals in one single fiber. Using half of the spacing in each wavelength of the CWDM range, the HiLo SFPs can double the capacity of traditional CQDM bidirectional transmission. The company will also showcase its 18x CAM-CCE transport solution that has been expanded from supporting nine cameras to 18 cameras on a single fiber.

BLUEBELL OPTICOMM will show its BC390, a mux/demux card designed to associate UHD with multiple SDI signals. The BC390 receives four 3G-SDI inputs and serializes them to one 12G-SDI output on both BNC and fiber ports simultaneously, or vice versa.

CAMPLEX will spotlight its DVI Fiber Extender, which sends a DVI-D signal up to 984 feet over OM3 multimode fiber, and features transmitter EDID learning and resolutions up to 1920x1200 at 60Hz. It is targeted at computer and projector DVI interfaces with long distance connections.

GRASS VALLEY will feature its CopperHead 3404 fiber transceiver, which works with both HD and 4K cameras in a live production environment. The CopperHead 3404 distributes all the signals needed for multicamera 4K production using a single tactical or SMPTE hybrid fiber cable.

Joseph Electronics Tote Caddies

JOSEPH ELECTRONICS will introduce the Caddie Transporter series, a new family of customizable fiber transporter caddies for use in remote-broadcasting applications. The company will also highlight its Tote Caddie series of portable fiber-optic signal-acquisition systems for ENG, SNG, and other OB applications, as well as its DFT-JR, a compact, cost-efficient solution for sending HD video over fiber.

LINK ELECTRONICS will feature the PFO-100-T&R, a compact 3G/HD/SD-SDI or ASI fiber optics transmission system that operates with single-mode or multimode fiber cable. The combined transmitter/receiver pair weighs less than a pound and are capable of transmitting up to 24 miles (40 km), or 48 miles (80 km) available on request.

LYNX TECHNIK will show its yellowBrik line of inexpensive fiber extenders, which come in versions to extend control (RS232/RS422), Ethernet, audio and HD video.

MULTIDYNE will spotlight its FiberSaver-12G fiber transport system, available in either portable or rackmount configurations, which supports 12G signals and can multiplex multiple fibers onto two fibers. Also supporting 3 Gbps and 1.5 Gbps inputs, FiberSaver-12G puts up to 18 format-agnostic signals onto each fiber, without the need to manage wavelengths.

SONNET TECHNOLOGIES will feature its range of 10 GigE adapters and cards, including all-new Thunderbolt 3 adapters. The company’s Twin 10G and Twin 10G SFP+ for Thunderbolt 2 and 3 are dual-port adapters that add lightning-fast 10 GbE network connectivity to any Mac or Windows computer with a Thunderbolt port.

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES will highlight its Model 400 SDI-over-fiber transport system, which distributes digital video signals over short to medium distances. The system supports all common broadcast digital video formats and is suitable for remote trucks, live-event video distribution, and fixed links between production centers and remote sites. Eight Model 400 versions are available, providing a range of input and output configurations.

SWIT will feature its Optical Fiber Camera System, which consists of the E-4020A/S camera optical fiber adaptor, E-1040P 4-channel CCU with intercom panel, E- 5014C universal remote control panel and E-2010P power supply unit.

CONNECTORS
AVP will feature its SMPTE 311M standard camera cable, which incorporates both fiber and copper strands for video, audio, control and intercom. These cables can be delivered with either cable-mount or panel-mount connectors to integrate with your application.

BARNFIND will introduce the Stage Box Break-out panel, which allows front panels to be customized based on the required connectors. A selection of eight modules will serve as connection points to one or more BarnOne or BarnMini units.

BITTREE will introduce a 12G+ BNC coaxial bulkhead patch panel series and 12G+ Mini-WECO coaxial patchbay family. The performance of the 12G+ patching system enables reliable handling of 4K over a single 12 Gbps link, and the components are compliant with SMPTE 292M, 424M, ST2081-1 and ST2082-1 standards.

CANARE will introduce a new 12G coax solution consists of cables and connectors specifically designed to maximize 4K camera transmission, with superior performance at distances up to 100 meters.

Clark Wire & Cable DT12 37-pin audio snake connectors

Lemo Anglissimo

CLARK WIRE & CABLE will introduce the DT12 18-channel audio snake connectors that feature all-metal back shells that are virtually crush and corrosion proof. The male connector has a stainless steel mating thread coupling that is dent resistant, and all electrical contacts are made from gold plated, screw-machined copper.

LEMO will launch a new design for the company’s S series push-pull connector range. The S series will now be manufactured with a new metal outer shell design using Lemo’s famous chocolate bar shape.

NEUTRIK will spotlight a new rearTwist UHD-BNC connector optimized for high frequencies. The insulator design, in combination with the reduced outer diameter of the gold plated center pin, allows UHDdata transmission while meeting the required return loss.

QPC will feature its Qplex expanded beam fiber optic connector, a modular (2–16 channel) connector that uses a spherical lens to collimate the signal at many times the original diameter. This technology makes the connector resistant to shock and environmental issues, minimizing the effects of dust, debris and mechanical vibration.

SAM WOO ELECTRONICS will show its range of connectors, including the SM series of small durable connectors for audio/video applications. The push-pull connectors can support up to eight connections, and are available either not connected or in connectorized with a custom length cable.

Switchcraft 24 GHz patch panel

SWITCHCRAFT will debut the Ultra VideoPatch, a line of 24 GHz video patching solutions that use mid-size Mini-WECO single jacks in a 2x32 1RU patch bay. Ultra VideoPatch meets SMTPE ST 2081-1 and ST 2082-1 standards with low return loss.

INDIAN WELLS, CALIF.—Belden’s Steve Lampen told HPA Tech Retreat program organizer Mark Schubin he could talk about 4K over coax cable, and that Schubin said, “we’re tired of 4K. Talk about something besides 4K.”

Lampen said that made him realize that soon, they could talk about the next thing until everyone’s bored of it, declare victory, and then move on to the next thing, without actually making anything.

Ans so now, the next thing is data cable. Lampen said broadcast facilities are increasingly connected via data cable. He showed a new Category, 6A, or “augmented” Cat. 6, at 500 MHz per pair and with PAM 16 multilevel coding, a 10 Gb data rate and 10GbaseT compatibility.

Shielded or unshielded. That is the question, Lampen said. Neither is perfect. Shielding prevents alien crosstalk, ground loops and ground-induced noise, but it’s more work to install and is general more expensive. He said “telescopic shielding” is not a solution.

Unshielded cable is cheaper, easier to install, has lowest crosstalk between pairs, but the worst alien crosstalk when cables are bundled. Bonded pairing helps, but it’s a lot of work.

Lampen showed the Belden 10GXSxx series cable, a type of Cat. 6A, that has a layer inside the cable that absorbs the disruptive energy and attenuates it throughout the length of the cable. He said it was 25 percent smaller than regular Cat. 6.

And yet… the cable’s only as good as the connecter, he said, and so, voila! Belden REVConnect. Lampen said it’s the best they’ve seen in an RJ45 connector. It can be assembled in about a minute, he said, and the price is on par with most other Cat. 6A connectors. REVConnect contains a “cable manager,” a little housing on the end with color-coded dots for properly routing the individual wires.

The connector handles shielded and unshielded Cat. 5e, 6 and 6A—almost any type of cable—with no pair-splitting required for making bonded pairs. Performance was consistent across distances measuring from 10 to 90 meters.

He cautioned against mixing cable standards, and to choose one of the two, 568A or 568B, the most commonly used cable standard in the United States.

Also see...
Oct. 23, 2014
“ SMPTE 2014: Coax for 4KTV,”
Maybe Belden will build 4K coax cable. Maybe not if no one wants it. Steve Lampen of Belden, the industry’s cable sage, asked for a show of hands in a ballroom full of video engineers, who planned on using coax for 4K. One hand tentatively moved, but Lampen counted zero.

CINCINNATI—Recently you hear more about cable networks branching out to OTT, but Newsy is going the opposite way, as it has announced a partnership with Cincinnati Bell Inc. that will make the news network available to cable television audiences.

Newsy will be located on channel 508 for Cincinnati Bell Fioptics subscribers and will feature Newsy Live, an updated feed of the latest news headlines. This is Newsy’s first carriage with a cable TV network.

Newsy’s OTT service is currently available on Sling TV, Roku, Watchable from Comcast, and Apple TV.

Products for 4K video were all over the halls of the NAB Show, but perhaps the most challenging category for 4K is cable and fiber. Uncompressed 60 fps 4K demands 12 Gbps of data, which is difficult to pack onto a copper cable for more than a few feet. Despite the technical demands, solutions for 4K transport are rapidly appearing.

FIBER
Artel Video Systems featured its Fiberlink 3514 series fiber modems that support four channels of simultaneous 3G-SDI on a single fiber, and transmit them over one fiber. When using all four inputs, Fiberlink 3514 supports 4K/UHD resolutions at 60 fps and the unit is capable of transmitting two 4K/UHD signals at 30 fps simultaneously. The company also relaunched its website that integrates its DigiLink and FiberLink sites, debuted a new logo and introduced Artel Care, a multi-tiered services program including technical support, hardware and software coverage, and other service and support options.

Bluebell Opticom introduced the BCX- 760 Series 10 Gigabit Ethernet point-to-point fiber link, a camera-back interface that allows signal transport between a camera and an OB truck or a base station. The company says the system is the first camera-back system to use 10 GigE for uncompressed 3G-SDI, RS232/422/485, Ethernet and genlock in both directions. Bluebell also debuted the TDM-750 HD-SDI module with Ethernet fibre interface, a rack-mounted module for single-direction transport of HD-SDI and 100BaseT Ethernet signals.

DAWNco showed its SATfiber solution that allows the location of a satellite dish at considerable distance from where the signals are needed. With the company’s Box-Mount TX and Rack-Mount RX products, the fiber transmit module is mounted at the dish and the receive end can be up to 50 miles away.

Joseph Electronics DFT-TOTE V32Grass Valley featured its line of remote camera connection systems, including the CopperHead 3404 fiber transceiver. The CopperHead 3404 takes video from a dual/quad-link 4K camera and delivers it to a studio or production truck, providing all the signals needed for multicamera 4K production using a single tactical or SMPTE hybrid/fiber cable.

Joseph Electronics introduced the JFS Waveshifter-4, which can transport up to four HD camera systems on just one single-mode fiber. Also new is the DFT-TOTE V32, which provides convenient and compact transport of up to 32 3G/HD/SD-SDI signals on as few as two fibers. The DFT-TOTE E12 is a GigE version of the DFT-TOTE.

Lemo introduced the HD Z-Link fiber system, which provides multichannel video and audio connections and control for studio cameras and camcorders over a single hybrid cable using Lemo’s 3K.93C connectors.

LynxTechnik showed its Yellowbrik 4K fiber transmission system, which supports four independent 3G-SDI links over a single fiber that can be combined into an uncompressed 12G 4K signal. These small transmit and receive modules can be used to send video/audio up to 12 miles.

Multidyne BullDog field fiber transport systemMultidyne debuted its BullDog field fiber transport system, a rugged and portable system that provides multiple video audio links over fiber. The expandable chassis makes it easy to scale up or down for specific applications. Also new was the SilverBULLET 3G Compact Signal Transmitter/Receiver for sending SD, HD and 3G-SDI video signals, as well as embedded audio signals, over one single mode fiber cable. Multidyne also demonstrated a fiber-based camera module that connects directly to the back of JVC’s GY-HM890 camcorder and supports 3G-SDI 1080p/60 camera feeds and returns, and takes advantage of the camera’s built-in streaming engine for video-over-IP functionality.

IP
Apantac debuted the KVM-1-RH-LAN IP-based KVM extender/receiver set, targeted at applications where multiple local computers need to be accessed from several remote locations. This new KVM solution can extend HDMI video up to 1,920 x 1,200/1,080p, and also includes connections for USB 2.0/1.1, RS-232, bidirectional audio, and bidirectional IR on a single cable, over a Gigabit Ethernet IP network.

Studio Technologies spotlighted the model 5205 mic/line-to-Dante interface that allows two microphone- or line-level signals to interface with systems that use Dante networking technology.

Barnfind introduced the BarnMini-5, which provides a compact way to combine an RS422/485 4 x GPI and 4 x GPO, controllable via an Ethernet port. Also new is the optical changeover switch BarnMini-06, and the BarnMini-11 and BarnMini-12, both with support up to 12G. The company also launched the HiLo SFP system for 26-channel CWDM.

CONNECTORS
AVP featured its Maxxum bulkhead panels, which can be fitted up with a range of connectors in a variety of shades for easy color coding. Maxxum panels are available in 1-, 1.5-, 2- and 3RU sizes, and there are options for strain relief behind the panels.

Bittree rolled out a limited edition of its 969A series front programmable TT (bantam) audio patchbay. Celebrating the 15-year anniversary of its patent on this product, Bittree made 150 of the panels with a special paint and numbering scheme.

Canare showed the new 4K-DIN coax connector that contains four high-bandwidth fittings in one small housing. This allows you to connect or disconnect four 3G-SDI signals in one easy step, making it easy to deal with uncompressed 4K video feeds.

Julie Carlson shows the business end of a Lemo 3K.93C SMPTE cable connector.Fischer Connectors launched a single fiber connector within its FiberOptic series, aimed at the need for higher data transmission rates over long distances, while maintaining small, rugged connectors. The FO1 connector is available either in pre-configured reels or integrated into custom assemblies for a variety of applications.

Lemo showed its 3K.93C connector used to terminate SMPTE 311M hybrid cables. The rugged connector is rated for severe use, yet connects and disconnects easily.

Nemal introduced a system for adapting Neutrik OpticalCon Duo, Quad and SMPTE connectors to ST, SC, LC and Lemo fiber optic and hybrid connectors. The adapters are available in a range of configurations that include fiber and electrical (SMPTE), or fiber only.

QPC QSeal

Mini-BNC connectors at the Sam Woo Electronics boothNeutrik unveiled its rearTwist UHD-BNC connector, specifically for high frequencies for 4K and 8K. The company has several versions of the connector fitting a wide range of available cables, including those from Clark Wire, Belden, CommScope and Gepco.

QPC debuted QSeal, an IP67-sealed, push-pull style fiber-optic connector that can accommodate either two or four channels. QPC’s product features all-metal construction and optional protective rubber grips for added protection.

SamWoo Electronics showed a range of connectors, including the SMA mini-BNC that is good to frequencies as high as 18 GHz. Conforming to applicable mil-spec requirements, the SMA mini-BNC is available in different metals and can be gold plated.

CABLE
Belden showed its new 10GXS Cat-6a data cable, with a significantly smaller diameter and an absorptive layer to counter crosstalk from both inside and outside the cable. With its smaller diameter as compared to typical Cat-5e cable, 10GXS has a smaller bend radius but maintains the ability to deliver 100 Watts of power for power-over-IP applications.

Clark Wire & Cable featured its RCC2V2A1C6HDE “snake” cable that contains two RG-6 coax, audio pairs and a Cat-6 data cable in the same jacket. Clark also highlighted its HFC series of SMPTE 311M hybrid-fiber camera cables, with versions for portable, permanent and direct-burial applications.

Sommer Cable debuted its HQ-HDMI cables (with connectors), rated to 18 Gbps for uncompressed UHD signals, including 4,096 x 2,160 pixels. The cables also support bidirectional audio and 100 Mbps Ethernet.

WIRELESS BTX
Technologies debuted the Neutrik Xirium Pro digital wireless audio solution that delivers high-quality audio with no compression and low latency via Neutrik’s proprietary DiWA (Digital Wireless Audio) technology. It uses 24-bit/48 kHz sampling on the 5 GHz spectrum, and repeaters are available to extend the distance beyond the basic system’s 1,000 meters.

NEW YORK—Accenture recently released its predictions for things to watch for at the 2016 NAB Show, noting seven topics ranging from newly released virtual reality technology to ad blockers. TV Technology recently spoke with Accenture Executive Gavin Mann about their prognostications.

This year could see a big step forward for over-the-air television broadcasting with the development of ATSC 3.0, the next-generation broadcast standard, according to Accenture. In late March, the Advanced Television Systems Committee, tasked with developing ATSC 3.0, approved the bootstrap component of the standard. Although this marks the first part to reach standard status, it’s probably not the last for this year, with Accenture reporting that more elements of ATSC 3.0 are expected to be approved in 2016. ATSC 3.0 will make broadcasters more competitive with major digital providers like Netflix. “ATSC 3.0 will be the big disruptor for which this industry has been clamoring,” Accenture said in its report.

Gavin Mann

Also grabbing headlines recently was the release of the Oculus Rift virtual reality platform, just one of many components that has Accenture predicting VR as another major trend for 2016. The NAB Show is planning its own virtual reality pavilion at this year’s show, and Mann says “without doubt, it is going to be an increasingly important part of the overall ecosystem of consumer consumption of various format types.”

Despite all the buzz surrounding the new format, Mann does not see it as a replacement to TV, but instead, views it as a tool for future storytellers that is not yet at its end state. “What you see in the first innovation cycle is people want to show how it works,” said Mann, “but I think the future will be more interesting than that.”

The report also indicates the importance of delivering digital content, with Accenture pointing primarily to sports, and how networks’ efforts to maintain exclusivity don’t always succeed. As an example, the Accenture report described “the expansion of sports content on mobile devices and the Internet,” including the NFL’s recent partnership with Twitter on exclusive streaming rights for 10 games during the upcoming regular season.

Developments like this, as well as the emergence of OTT streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, have led many to fear for cable’s future over the last few years. However, Accenture is firmly in the camp that cable is not dead yet. “This is not the year when cable is about to die,” said Mann. “Cable is in a healthy place. Albeit, we are seeing subscription numbers go down, but it’s not going at a rate at a rate of change where the industry won’t respond to that. Again, it’s changing, but it’s not falling off a cliff.”

Accenture’s remaining predictions were that “super platforms” would help create new live broadcasters, specifically referring to services like “Facebook Live,” which allows users to watch and stream live video from mobile devices, and how such videos could soon be used by news outlets; the invasion of ad blockers threatening the digital advertising industry; and the emergence of data driven broadcast/video business.

If Accenture’s predictions come true, it certainly sounds like it will be a busy year for the media industry, but as Mann pointed out, “pace of change is faster than ever, fueled by consumer’s expectations increasing faster than ever,” calling the current state of the industry “a modern renaissance period for content."

PITTSBURGH—One of the big questions in the broadcast industry at the moment is what effect streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have on traditional cable bundles. To try and shine a light on that subject, the American Cable Association has announced that it will host a panel of industry experts to discuss the shifting video landscape for both the independent cable community and its consumers at the 23rd ACA Summit.

Panelist will include Alexander “Sandy” Brown, president and CEO of One World Sports Network; Rich Greenfield, managing director, media and technology analyst at BTIG; Gene Kimmelman, president and CEO of Public Knowledge; Michael Morrison, director of fioptics services for Cincinnati Bell; and Shalini Ramachandra of the Wall Street Journal, who will serve as the panel’s moderator.

“With Netflix and YouTube accounting for nearly half of all downstream Internet traffic at peak times, the panel will take on an issue that is constantly making headlines across the country,” said Matthew M. Polka, president and CEO of ACA.

The ACA Summit connects small and mid-sized cable operators with leading lawmakers and regulators, as well as media representatives. In addition to the panel, expected speakers include Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KAN) and Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).

The 23rd ACA Summit will take place from March 1-3 in Washington. For more information, visit www.acasummit.org.

Belden 1800B digital audio cable, which also works well for analog audio

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—As television engineers age, those brought up in the era of analog signals and the subsequent transition to digital are retiring and talking hard-earned knowledge with them. Younger engineers (when they are hired) often have stronger IT backgrounds than audio/video backgrounds.

That’s probably good for some of the directions that television will go in the future, but many of these IT specialists have little understanding of cable impedance and its effect on signals. Many of these people will not realize the difference between cable designed for digital audio and analog audio, and this brings up the possibility that someone could plug an old analog cable into a digital line and suffer the consequences.

Furthermore, although North America, Europe and advanced countries in the Pacific region have transitioned to digital, much of the world has not. Many of the places yet to convert to digital have long traditions of wearing out their gear and physical plants before replacing them. When it comes to audio cables, digital and analog varieties with XLR connectors look more-or-less identical, but their performance is significantly different.

Everyone working in video knows that video cables have a characteristic impedance of 75 Ohms, and most probably realize that pinching a video cable (such as using an overly tight cable tie to hold it in place) can change the impedance at that point. And most know that impedance changes lead to signal reflections, loss of signal and distortion.

Just as it is with video cables, audio cables have a characteristic impedance and they are also subject to the same impedance changes when poorly installed and handled. In the case of AES/EBU digital audio, the standard calls for 110-Ohm cable, although it looks much like audio cable that’s been used for decades to carry analog audio. The typical broadcast-quality analog audio cable has a characteristic impedance of 45 Ohms.

ALMOST LIKE DC

Audio cable with XLR connectors for analog use can look identical to a cable for digital use, but an analog cable can kill a digital feed. In the analog world, audio is relatively low frequency and it behaves almost like DC. Obviously, the higher the frequency gets, the more like RF the signal acts. A quarter-wavelength at 1,000 Hz is approximately 75,000 meters (roughly 47 miles), so the effects of an impedance reflection in a 100-foot analog cable will be minimal.

It’s a different story with digital audio, which can include waveforms that are as high as 25 MHz.

“25 MHz has a quarter-wavelength of 3 meters (10 ft.),” said Steve Lampen, a multimedia technology manager at Belden, a St. Louis, Mo.-based manufacturer of cable. “If you cinch down wire ties at precisely 10 ft. you might be able to see [negative effects]. More likely, if you use a patch cable that is the wrong stuff (i.e., microphone cable) with the wrong impedance, and it is at least 10 feet long, you will definitely see that.”

So what are these effects?

“Impedance problems show up as reflections (“return loss”), so the level will drop dramatically,” Lampen said. “It will look like the cable had a lot of attenuation, which in fact, is reflection.”

The result could be that a digital audio run of a couple hundred feet that’s kinked or overly cinched could have enough signal loss to prevent the signal from reaching the end. This is exacerbated when an analog audio cable is patched into a digital line.

GET RID OF ‘EM
As wasteful as it sounds, if you have a digital plant and still have lots of analog patch cords or older cables with XLR connectors that seemingly fit, it’s best to either clearly mark the analog cables in an unmistakable way or to simply get rid of them. If you are having problems with digital audio passing down cable lengths that should be acceptable, look carefully for analog interlopers, such as patch cables and gender-changers that use analog-rated connectors.

If you still need to connect analog devices to your system (such as a microphone or an older device with analog audio), a modern digital cable with XLR connectors will work fine. For more information about installing and working with digital audio cables, Belden’s Lampen has a book from Mc Graw-Hill titled “The Audio/Video Cable Installer’s Pocket Guide,” which has separate chapters on analog and digital audio.

By the way, the restriction about using analog cable in a digital feed doesn’t work in the opposite direction. It’s perfectly acceptable to use a digital audio cable for an analog feed — in fact, audio cable made for digital service is better with analog signals than analog-only rated cable. Digital cable will have less attenuation at high analog frequencies than does cable built specifically for analog operation.