Standards bodies and regulators quietly decide what becomes mandatory long before it reaches a press release. This category follows DRM and anti-piracy enforcement, codec licensing and patent pools, AI training-data copyright, and net neutrality and privacy rules shaping the industry.
EU legislative bodies reached a political agreement on proposed amendments to the AI Act, referred to as the “AI Act Omnibus,” on May 7, 2026. This Agreement involves changes to existing rules and an extension of deadlines related to AI regulation within the EU.
New guidance from the NTIA for its BEAD program, intended to support broadband deployment, is expected to benefit Starlink by potentially delaying traditional carrier projects. According to analyst Blair Levin, while the guidance aims to favor carriers, the resulting delays could inadvertently create opportunities for satellite internet providers.
The UK's less healthy food ad ban has led to a sharp decline in TV advertising by confectionery, snacks, and frozen food brands. This regulatory change is reshaping media spend in the UK, impacting traditional advertising channels and potentially shifting investment to other formats.
Nebraska is enacting legislation similar to the UK's Age-Appropriate Design Code, with last-minute changes made to the act. The law aims to regulate online services regarding child protection.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is urging Congress to reexamine the Sports Broadcasting Act. This call comes as sports leagues increasingly move game broadcasts behind streaming paywalls, impacting traditional broadcasters.
Gray Media requested and was granted dismissal of its complaint against Dish by the Policy Division Chief within the FCC's Media Bureau after the two companies reached an accord.
Nigeria's Federal Government has set June 17, 2026, for the nationwide rollout of its long-delayed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project, transitioning from analog to digital broadcasting. This initiative, supported by a N10bn grant, aims to provide free and clearer television services, improved audience measurement for advertisers, and launch with approximately 100 channels. The project will utilize satellite technology for nationwide coverage and aims to migrate to high-definition broadcasting soon.
A consultation paper issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ignited disagreement within the Indian media and telecom ecosystem regarding the future regulation of television. The paper addresses Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) and Aggregated Linear TV Distribution (ALTD) models, prompting varied industry responses.
Eenadu TV submitted a proposal to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) advocating for platform-level accountability over "overregulation" of FAST platforms. The submission suggests any new regulatory framework should focus on the platforms themselves rather than imposing duplicative regulations on broadcasters.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement on its AI Act, aiming to simplify compliance rules while maintaining safeguards for the European AI ecosystem.
Apple is reportedly opposing the European Union's regulatory measures that would require Google to grant its AI competitors access to its services. This opposition signals a unified stance by major tech companies against certain aspects of EU AI regulation.
Santa Clara County has filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company profited from billions of fraudulent ads. The suit claims these ads targeted vulnerable users. The legal action was initiated on Monday.
RSL Media has introduced a new Human Consent Standard that enables creators and public figures to publish machine-readable terms for controlling how AI technologies can use their likeness and work. This initiative provides a structured method for individuals to define consent parameters for AI applications, aiming to establish an industry standard.
IAB Tech Lab discusses the maturation of the Advanced TV ecosystem, highlighting how the distinction between OTT and CTV is no longer just semantic but now drives technical implementations and standardization. The article details how IAB Tech Lab standards like OpenRTB 2.6, VAST 4.3, AdCOM, and the CTV Ad Portfolio are enabling interoperability and consistent measurement, leading to increased efficiency and scalability in CTV advertising. It also touches on advancements in measurement, live streaming, and the overall shift from experimentation to standardized infrastructure.
IBC2026 will feature nine Proof of Concept (PoC) projects developed through its Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, addressing industry challenges such as AI-led production, immersive live experiences, and next-gen streaming. These projects, developed over six months, will culminate in live demonstrations at IBC2026, with participation from major media companies including the BBC, NBCUniversal, and DAZN.
The BBC has indicated that UK residents who exclusively stream content from services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video may still be required to pay the BBC license fee. This comes amidst discussions sparked by the BBC's warning of "managed decline" and explores potential new funding approaches, such as retaining the current license fee model.
Netflix is facing a lawsuit from the state of Texas regarding its alleged practices of user data collection, the implementation of an 'addictive' autoplay design, and the monetization of viewing data through advertisers and data brokers.
The LPTV Broadcasters Association (LPTVBA) has formally urged the FCC's Chairman Brendan Carr to recognize the 3GPP 5G Broadcast standard. This action aims to modernize low-power television broadcasting in the United States by integrating advanced broadcast technology.
The article discusses the challenges facing the U.S. right of publicity law in the context of advanced AI technologies capable of generating synthetic media. It explores the current limitations of existing legal frameworks to protect individuals' likenesses from unauthorized AI-driven replication and identifies nascent industry and legal responses forming to address these issues. The piece emphasizes the intersection of these legal debates with the streaming video industry's content creation and distribution, particularly regarding generative AI's impact on actors and artists.
Prasar Bharati is conducting its 98th e-auction for vacant MPEG-2 slots on DD Free Dish, inviting applications for the period spanning May 29, 2026, to March 31, 2027. This auction determines which broadcasters will secure slots on the DD Free Dish DTH platform.
Google's Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified what it reports as the first large-scale cyber exploit driven by AI models. The incident involved an attempted operation utilizing AI to develop and execute the exploit, which GTIG successfully disrupted.
Prasar Bharati is conducting its 98th e-auction for vacant MPEG-2 slots on DD Free Dish, inviting applications for channels to secure carriage on the platform. The reserve prices for these slots have reached ₹13.66 crore, indicating interest in the Indian free-to-air satellite and DTH market.
X.AI LLC filed a lawsuit to stop the enforcement of Colorado's Senate Bill concerning AI, with the Department of Justice intervening in the case. As a result, the enforcement of Colorado's AI Act has been suspended.
A Canadian tech firm has initiated global antitrust action against Apple, alleging unfair market practices related to the App Store and iOS ecosystem. This legal challenge follows the removal of the firm's app from the App Store.
The European Commission determined that a Czech measure providing financial compensation to DVB-T2 terrestrial television platform operators transitioning from DVB-T/MPEG-2 to DVB-T2/HEVC standards constituted illegal state aid. The Commission found the aid lacked an incentive effect, conferred an undue advantage, and was selective, benefiting only DTT operators over other competing technologies such as satellite, cable, or IPTV.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is progressing on efforts to identify spectrum for future 6G technologies. Updates were provided regarding work in the 7GHz, 4GHz, 2.7GHz, and 1.6GHz frequency bands.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has reached a privacy settlement with LG Electronics regarding its smart TVs. The settlement addresses how LG's smart TVs handle consumer data, leading to changes in the company's privacy practices for these devices in Texas.
The Texas Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging surveillance practices and the use of addictive features in its platform design. This legal action reportedly follows a product liability strategy previously used successfully against other major technology companies.
A DVB World 2026 session highlighted lessons learned from working with DVB-I, covering aspects from preparation time and regulatory involvement to metadata optimization and interoperability challenges. Experts from bmt, Eutelsat, OnScreen Publishing, Kineton, and TP Vision shared insights on DVB-I deployments and trials, emphasizing its readiness, data reusability, and potential for extending broadcast reach. Key takeaways include the need for country-specific implementation profiles and attention to metadata management and receiver interoperability.
Joonyoung Park details the technical configuration and parameter settings for time-division multiplexing ATSC 3.0 and 5G Broadcast signals on a single RF channel, facilitated by the new CAS-muting feature in 5G Broadcast Rel-19 and ATSC 3.0's coexistence capabilities. The article explains how to reconcile timing parameters across different systems, highlighting the `min_time_to_next` field in ATSC A/321 and `L1B_frame_length_mode` in A/322, and references the newly revised ATSC A/327:2026-04 as the authoritative guideline.
The Central Canada Broadcast Engineers (CCBE) held its 74th conference awards luncheon, recognizing individuals for contributions to Canadian broadcast engineering. Awards included the Bob Norton Ambassador Award to Doug Kirk for industry relationship building, and the Engineering Excellence Award to Orus Shushko for establishing Canada's first ATSC 3.0 test bed at Humber Polytechnic, pioneering B2C lab applications and collaborative work with partners like Avtech on MIMO receivers. Additionally, Keith Bellio received the Lifetime Achievement Award for over 35 years in broadcast engineering, including significant contributions to Rogers' TV distribution and mobile systems.
The Texas Attorney General has filed a privacy lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the streaming company collected and sold users' personal data, including that of children, despite previous assurances that its revenue model did not involve data collection or advertising. The complaint claims Netflix developed a "behavioral-surveillance program" and used "dark patterns" to gather extensive user and kids' data, which it then leveraged for digital advertising after pivoting its monetization strategy in 2022.
The state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the company spied on children and designed its platform to be addictive. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claims Netflix misrepresented its data collection practices, secretly tracked user habits, and used "dark patterns" to increase engagement, violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The lawsuit seeks for Netflix to purge illegally collected data, cease using data for targeted advertising without consent, and pay civil fines.
The NFL is reportedly attempting to alleviate U.S. government scrutiny regarding its shift toward streaming services by airing a triple-header on Fox, a free over-the-air broadcaster. This move is presented as an effort to make games more accessible to a wider audience, thereby addressing concerns about content being behind paywalls.
The Colorado Senate has approved a bill to regulate AI-powered chatbots, passing with a vote of 24-11. The legislation aims to establish rules for the use of AI in chatbots.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the company misled consumers about its data collection practices, particularly concerning children's profiles, and its transition to an advertising-supported model. The lawsuit claims Netflix secretly built a behavioral surveillance apparatus and used "dark patterns" like autoplay to maximize user engagement and data collection, violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The state seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief, including orders for Netflix to purge deceptively collected data, prohibit targeted advertising without express consent, and disable autoplay by default on children's accounts.
A lawsuit filed in Texas against Netflix alleges undisclosed data tracking, sharing of this data with ad-tech firms, and the use of design features to promote addictive viewing among children on its platform. This legal action targets practices that are integral to ad-supported streaming models.
Ofcom, the UK regulator, has initiated an investigation into GB News for its second airing of an interview with Donald Trump. This investigation follows a previous decision not to pursue the initial broadcast but was prompted by the repeat showing the day after the first broadcast.
Abrint, the Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers, conducted a live demonstration of Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band. This action supports their advocacy for regulatory approval of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies in Brazil, utilizing this frequency spectrum.
New implementation deadlines for the EU AI Act have been welcomed by the industry, as they are expected to reduce uncertainty for European companies. The changes aim to address "genuine friction" caused by previous deadlines.
UK regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into GB News over a 2026 interview with Donald Trump, citing concerns of "material misleadingness." The interview was conducted by GB News presenter Bev Turner.
India is developing new statistical tools to measure its creative economy, which includes intellectual property, digital content, and cultural industries. This initiative aims to quantify the sector's growth, similar to how the manufacturing sector is measured in the country.
Saudi Arabia has introduced new guidelines for the regulation of deepfakes, classifying them into beneficial and malicious categories. The framework also includes safeguards for high-risk applications of synthetic media.
The US Take It Down Act 2025, which mandates a 48-hour deadline for removing non-consensual intimate images, will be enforced next week.
NFL officials reportedly met with the FCC last week. The meeting, requested by the NFL, included a presentation by the league highlighting its broadcast television interests.
Louis Libin, designated special frequency coordinator for the FCC, is preparing for the World Cup's spectrum challenges. The event poses significant RF challenges due to the high demand for wireless communication.
Italian regulator Agcom has approved an update to the country's list of events considered of major national importance, marking the first revision since 2012. This expansion dictates events that must be protected for free-to-air broadcasting.
The UK government is considering requiring Netflix and Amazon Prime subscribers to pay for a television license. This proposal is part of an ongoing review of broadcast funding models in the United Kingdom.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) advocates for global cooperation on developing trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The EDPS positions safe and ethical AI as a key initiative for Europe to promote globally.
The American Television Alliance is urging federal regulators to address an alleged loophole that allows TV broadcasters to acquire local major network channels despite existing ownership limits. This call is a response to station owners purportedly using the loophole to consolidate ownership of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates.
