Over 100 former ABC News journalists have issued an open letter in support of ABC News as it responds to an FCC investigation. The investigation concerns a segment on 'The View' related to former President Trump.
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.
Over 100 former ABC News journalists have issued an open letter in support of ABC News as it responds to an FCC investigation. The investigation concerns a segment on 'The View' related to former President Trump.
This article serves as a monthly update for May 2026, summarizing significant Federal Communications Commission (FCC) actions and filing deadlines. It specifically mentions new satellite spectrum-sharing rules among the topics covered.
The Rural Broadband Protection Act, an oversight bill for the FCC's High Cost Program, has been signed into law. This legislation establishes a vetting process for internet service providers participating in the federal program.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated the FCC's 2023 "Digital Discrimination" rule, which was established under Section 60506 of the IIJA, impacting future broadband regulation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
California regulators are moving beyond policy audits to technical verification ('pen-testing') of privacy compliance, as highlighted by a recent $12.75 million settlement with General Motors. This development indicates a shift towards more rigorous enforcement of privacy regulations, requiring companies to demonstrate actual technical adherence rather than just documented policies.
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.
Associations representing broadcasters across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico are urging Congress to review the Sports Broadcasting Act. This action indicates a push for potential legislative changes concerning live sports broadcasting regulations.
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 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.
The European Commission is developing standards for AI transparency obligations as part of broader EU efforts to regulate the generative AI sector.
Licensors within the VCL HEVC/VVC patent pool have been asked to vote on changing the pool administrator to Sisvel. Additionally, patent owners are being asked to endorse a suspension of royalty reductions for departing licensors.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez urged Disney to take a stronger stance against censorship, referencing what she termed a "double standard" in the agency's enforcement practices. This communication marks Gomez's first formal address to Disney leadership since Josh D'Amaro assumed a leading role.
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.
Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has outlined its online safety priorities for 2026-27, focusing on implementing the Online Safety Act (OSA) and preparing for new legislation. The priorities include protecting children through age assurance and content moderation, combating illegal hate and terror content, and enhancing women's and girls' safety online, with a focus on intimate image abuse and AI-generated sexual deepfakes. Ofcom will use supervision and enforcement, including potential fines up to 10% of global revenue, to drive compliance.
UCL's Faculty of Laws announced its 8th annual "Patents and Standards 2026" conference scheduled for May 14-15, 2026, in London, focusing on global market developments in intellectual property. The event features key speakers from Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Nokia, and includes panels on topics such as FRAND disputes, licensing streaming standards, patent portfolio valuation, and the role of courts and platforms.
Unified Patents has filed an ex parte reexamination proceeding against U.S. Patent 10,778,989, a video codec patent owned by Malikie Innovations Limited. The patent, originally assigned to Blackberry Ltd., relates to a rolling intra prediction method based on H.264/AVC/HEVC standards. Malikie Innovations, an NPE funded by Key Patent Innovations Limited, has previously filed other litigations.
Griffin Media's CBS affiliates KWTV-9 (Oklahoma City) and KOTV-6 (Tulsa) are no longer carried by DirecTV due to a failure to reach a new retransmission consent agreement. Griffin Media claims DirecTV declined permission to continue carrying the stations during ongoing negotiations, impacting severe weather coverage in Oklahoma. The media company is asking DirecTV for fair market compensation for its local stations.
This analytical article synthesizes several recent reports and industry developments, focusing on the challenges of data coherence in the media and entertainment industry, the call from European broadcasters for stricter regulation of CTV operating systems and voice assistants under the EU Digital Markets Act, and advancements in video monetization and AI applications. It highlights how these factors are shaping the future of streaming and traditional broadcasting, including the increasing adoption of DVB-I.
The article discusses how eXtended Reality (XR) and DVB-I are impacting immersive video experiences. It highlights their role in next-generation sports experiences and redefining audience engagement. The piece suggests these technologies are transforming how viewers interact with video content.
An appeals court has ruled against LG in a patent lawsuit related to NextGen TV technology. This legal development occurs as federal regulators consider a nationwide transition to NextGen TV by the end of the decade.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has extended the consultation period for feedback on proposed amendments to IT rules concerning synthetic content to May 7. The proposed changes mandate clear labeling of synthetic media and outline responsibilities for social media intermediaries regarding artificial intelligence (AI) generated content.
Avid's Pro Tools Studio and Pro Tools Ultimate, with the 2026.4 release, now natively support MPEG-H Audio, integrating immersive and interactive audio production capabilities. This development, powered by Fraunhofer IIS, addresses a growing broadcast standard adopted in markets like Brazil and South Korea, enabling object-based Next Generation Audio within the Pro Tools workflow.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) criticized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for ordering an early renewal of licenses for seven ABC-owned television stations. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt stated that this action is "unprecedented" and introduces "significant uncertainty for all broadcasters."
Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv Media Global, argues that Canada's media policy, designed for the broadcast era, is now out of sync with opportunities in global streaming and AI. The article claims the existing system prioritizes production volume over IP ownership and distribution, leading to a "managed decline" rather than fostering a competitive Canadian media sector. It suggests that while past policies aimed to cross-subsidize Canadian content, the changing landscape of streaming and AI necessitates a redesign of market incentives to retain value within Canada.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.