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.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has introduced new regulations that can impose large fines on companies for false marketing claims and fake reviews. The rules hold companies accountable for claims related not only to their own products and services but also for those throughout their supply chain.
China's cyberspace regulators have penalized three online platforms. The action was taken for non-compliance with regulations that mandate the labeling of AI-generated content.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated an early review of the broadcast license renewals for The Walt Disney Company. The order, issued under chairman Brendan Carr, is reportedly linked to the company's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs affecting its ABC television stations.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has escalated its investigation into The Walt Disney Company by ordering an early license review for its ABC-owned broadcast stations. The report characterizes the action as an "unusual move" that significantly steps up the regulatory probe.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received nearly 9,000 public comments regarding its review of sports broadcasting regulations. According to the report, this volume of feedback indicates that consumer access to sports as content shifts to streaming platforms has become a highly contentious issue.
The FCC is set to conduct an early review of broadcast television licenses held by Disney's ABC, including Los Angeles station KABC. The review was reportedly prompted by complaints concerning late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
The FCC has ordered eight Disney-owned ABC stations to apply for early renewal of their broadcast licenses by May 28. The order is reportedly connected to an investigation into a joke made by ABC host Jimmy Kimmel about Melania Trump.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced it is reviewing the broadcast licenses for ABC. The action is being characterized as a challenge that increases pressure on the network's parent company, Disney.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has directed Disney's eight owned-and-operated television stations to submit their broadcast license renewal applications ahead of schedule. The order from the commission is a response to an informal objection filed by a third-party group challenging Disney's character qualifications following the company's response to a Florida education law.
French audiovisual and digital communication authority Arcom has launched a public consultation on the future of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) channels. The regulator is seeking input from stakeholders on the evolution of the broadcast platform.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reportedly considering an early review of The Walt Disney Company's television broadcast licenses. This action is prompted by allegations of possible discrimination.
A German court has ordered a halt to the direct sales of laptops and desktops from Acer and Asus in the country. The ruling follows a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Nokia, which the court decided in Nokia's favor.
South Korean Representative Inchul Jo has proposed a bill to bring global Content Delivery Network (CDN) and cloud operators under the country's service stability obligations. The legislative effort, which would amend the Telecommunications Business Act, is a response to recent service disruptions in Korea caused by outages from these providers.
The Security4Media (S4M) association, supported by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has launched a new initiative focused on 'Media Sovereignty' for European media. Chaired by ORF CTO Harald Kräuter, the new pillar will devise guidelines and a blueprint for creating sovereign infrastructures based on criteria including trust, interoperability, resilience, ethical AI, and sustainability. Italian broadcaster Rai, Irish broadcaster RTÉ, and Riedel Networks were also announced as new members of the association.
Australia has enacted a law prohibiting social media use for children under the age of 16, becoming the first country to do so. The regulation, which began in December, restricts access to platforms such as TikTok and YouTube for the specified age group.
Germany's Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has overturned a termination clause used by Netflix. The ruling pertains to the company's policies on gift cards and the handling of remaining user credit upon account termination.
The European Union is renewing pressure on Google under the Digital Markets Act to grant rival AI assistants, such as ChatGPT and Claude, the same level of access to Android features as its own Gemini assistant. This action is part of the EU's broader effort to enforce fair competition on major digital platforms designated as 'gatekeepers'.
The European Commission has sent preliminary findings to Alphabet's Google regarding compliance with the Digital Markets Act. Regulators have proposed measures that would require Google to share search engine data with third parties.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the Indian government to reduce reserve prices for the upcoming 5G spectrum auction. The industry group stated that monetizing 5G investments has been challenging and warned that high spectrum costs could strain future network buildouts.
A study by the Esya Centre suggests that carriage and pricing regulations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) may negatively impact niche TV channels. The analysis indicates these same rules could benefit distributors within the Indian market.
Apple has begun rolling out age verification requirements for users in the UK via a software update. The implementation follows increased pressure from the UK government on technology companies.
Following a Super Bowl halftime show performance by Bad Bunny, the FCC has reportedly launched an investigation. The action was prompted by demands from several Republican lawmakers regarding what the article describes as "baseless claims" related to the performance.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Pat Ryan have sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman. The letter demands that the agency address the increasing costs for consumers to watch sports.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has modernized spectrum rules for satellites, a change that policy experts report will unlock a sevenfold increase in available satellite capacity. The SatNews article, citing analysis from Kristian Stout and Michael Calabrese, details the strategic importance of the regulatory update.
Hans Schroeder, the NFL's EVP of media distribution, met with officials from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last Friday. The meeting occurred amidst what the article describes as growing scrutiny from the FCC concerning the league's media strategy.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking public comment on a proposal to take control of television program ratings. According to a new filing, the proposal argues that the current system needs to be updated to address topics like gender identity.
The broadcast industry has partnered with consumer electronics companies to launch a program aimed at bringing low-cost NextGen TV converter boxes to market. The initiative is designed to accelerate consumer adoption of the ATSC 3.0 standard for over-the-air (OTA) broadcast upgrades.
A new generation of ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) receivers is being introduced for both consumers and broadcasters, with a core focus on secure content distribution. The new hardware is designed to enhance free over-the-air television with features such as advanced picture quality.
An analysis piece from Maeil Business Newspaper argues that Korean content creators and startups are facing significant survival challenges in a flooded global market. The article posits that industry collaboration and government support to "set the stage" are necessary for the K-content sector to remain competitive.
Disney will pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. The settlement provides for cash payments to customers of the YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream vMVPD services who qualify under the terms of the agreement.
The Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council has announced new regulations for the Kollywood film industry. The policy mandates a four-week theatrical window before films can be released on OTT platforms and establishes a new revenue-sharing model.
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly investigating whether sports leagues are complying with the terms of a longstanding antitrust exemption. As part of the investigation, DOJ officials are meeting with television executives.
At the 2026 NAB Show, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President Curtis LeGeyt argued for updated regulations to help broadcasters compete with streaming services. LeGeyt called on the FCC to modernize television ownership caps to allow for greater scale, resolve the bandwidth constraints of the ATSC 3.0 transition, and address the migration of sports rights to streaming platforms. He positioned these changes as necessary for the survival and growth of local broadcasting, enabling investment in new technologies like AI and better service to local communities.
The HbbTV Association has announced its 14th Symposium and Awards will take place on November 18-19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain, co-hosted by public broadcaster 3Cat. The conference program will address open standards for connected TV, diverse operating systems, and the application of AI for personalization and accessibility. The event will conclude with an 'unconference' format on the second day to facilitate participant-led discussions.
Harvey Arnold, Sinclair’s Senior Vice President of Engineering, has received the 2026 Television Engineering Achievement Award from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Arnold was recognized for his contributions to broadcast technology, particularly his key role in guiding the industry's transition to ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV. His work on the development of the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) was also cited as a reason for the honor.
The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order that prevents producer Aashirvad Cinemas from selling the OTT rights for the upcoming film "Drishyam 3." The decision supports Amazon Prime Video's claim of having first-refusal rights on future franchise titles, based on an "Amazon Option" clause in a 2020 licensing agreement. The restraining order blocks the producer from offering the film's rights to any other platform until the dispute is settled.
India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued an advisory directing streaming platform ZEE5 to halt the release of the docu-series 'Lawrence of Punjab.' The action was prompted by objections from the Punjab Police and a legal challenge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which argued the show would glorify gangster culture and pose a public order risk. The ministry's advisory cited concerns that the series could normalize criminal behavior and trigger social tensions.
The IAB Tech Lab has formed a new standards group, the Programmatic Governance Council, to address infighting and solve complex issues in programmatic advertising. Led by OMD Worldwide's Ben Hovaness, the council's initial priority is to solve bid duplication, an issue estimated to cost the industry $5 billion annually. The group will also address measurement incrementality and ID bridging.
India's Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a notice to Telegram to remove pirated content from its platform, following complaints from OTT services including JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video. The action was taken under the Information Technology Act, 2000, after 3,142 Telegram channels were identified for distributing pirated movies and web series. The article also notes a separate recent MIB action, where five smaller OTT platforms were banned for obscene content.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued new rules for recurring digital payments, impacting services like OTT subscriptions. The guidelines mandate the automatic transfer of e-mandates to re-issued customer cards and prohibit banks from charging fees for the e-mandate facility. Additionally, payment notifications must include complaint filing details, and OTP requirements have been adjusted for various transaction amounts.
The Delhi High Court has granted Amazon Prime Video an interim injunction, restraining Malayalam production house Aashirwad Cinemas from creating or dealing with any third-party OTT rights for the film tentatively titled "Drishyam 3." Amazon initiated the legal action, claiming a 2020 agreement gave it an exclusive first right to negotiate for future films in the franchise. The court was later informed that both parties are engaged in settlement discussions.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has introduced the "For the Fans Act," a legislative proposal aimed at addressing the cost and complexity of watching live professional sports. The bill seeks to eliminate blackouts for subscribers who pay for sports streaming services. It would also mandate that fans have a free option to watch their local teams live, either through an in-state broadcast network or a streaming alternative.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reportedly met with executives from local broadcast station groups to seek feedback on the migration of live sports from broadcast to streaming. The meeting is part of a broader DOJ investigation into whether sports leagues are upholding the terms of their antitrust exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. Local broadcasters argued that the exemption, which allows leagues to sell media rights centrally, should not apply to games sold to streaming services.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken notice of fan frustration over the fragmentation of sports broadcasting, specifically concerning NFL games moving from free over-the-air channels to paid services. The article references the NFL's media rights deals with partners including Disney, Paramount, Fox, NBCUniversal, Amazon, Google, and Netflix. According to the FCC, these deals in total will exceed $100 billion.
An independent review of Australia's Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act) calls for major legislative changes to reduce complexity and shift from a compliance-driven model to one focused on demonstrable outcomes. Published on March 25, 2026, the report recommends harmonizing the act with other regulations and strengthening enforcement. The review also identifies AI services, hyperscale cloud providers, and content delivery networks as areas for potential future inclusion and sector-specific guidance.
The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a copyright infringement judgment against the operator of the pirate streaming services UlaiTV and AhlaiTV. The operator, Fraifer, was found liable for retransmitting Arabic television channels into the US without authorization from exclusive licensee DISH Network. The court's ruling reinforces the validity of registered foreign works and limits an infringer's standing to challenge the transfer of rights between a content owner and its licensee.
Nexstar Media Group has filed an appeal against a preliminary injunction blocking its $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA. The injunction, which converts a temporary restraining order, was granted in response to a consolidated antitrust lawsuit filed by DIRECTV and several state attorneys general. Nexstar argues the consolidation is necessary to compete with large streaming technology companies, while opponents claim it would substantially reduce competition in local TV broadcasting.
DISH Network has dropped Gray Media's television stations, including NewsChannel 10, after the parties failed to reach a renewal agreement. Gray Media states the dispute stems from DISH insisting on an "unprecedented" and "materially adverse" provision, which Gray claims violates DISH's federal statutory obligation to negotiate retransmission in good faith. Gray stated it will seek restitution for damages resulting from the dispute.
Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice met with broadcast television station operators to gather feedback for its antitrust investigation into the sports media market. The probe, which is also being conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, is examining the migration of sports rights from broadcast television to streaming services and the potential harm to consumers and the broadcast industry. The economic power of the National Football League was a specific topic of discussion.
Attorneys general from eight U.S. states have filed a lawsuit to block Nexstar Media Group's proposed $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna. The suit alleges the deal would grant Nexstar excessive control over local TV stations, reduce news diversity, and lead to higher consumer cable bills due to increased leverage in retransmission fee negotiations. Pay-TV provider DirecTV has filed a separate, similar lawsuit seeking to block the merger on grounds of potential consumer harm.
