Direct-to-consumer content delivery continues to be one of Disney’s “top priorities,” said CEO Bob Iger on a Thursday earnings call. More than a million subscribe to ESPN Plus, and “we continue to see impressive growth,” he said. That “bodes very well” for Disney’s overall direct-to-consumer ambitions, including the Disney Plus-branded service to launch late 2019, he said. The company will give “a first look at Disney Plus, along with some of the content we're creating for it," at an investor conference in April, he said. “You can't cry over spilled milk,” said Iger about Disney’s failed bid to land Sky, which went to Comcast. “We would have loved to have had Sky, both because we believe in the asset and we thought it could have helped us in terms of introducing a direct-to-consumer service in the European market.” Disney still plans to launch Disney Plus in Europe, he said: Without Sky, it’s possible “it takes us a little bit longer to penetrate some of these markets.”

Direct-to-consumer content delivery continues to be one of Disney’s “top priorities,” said CEO Bob Iger on a Thursday earnings call. More than a million subscribe to ESPN Plus, and “we continue to see impressive growth,” he said. That “bodes very well” for Disney’s overall direct-to-consumer ambitions, including the Disney Plus-branded service to launch late 2019, he said. The company will give “a first look at Disney Plus, along with some of the content we're creating for it," at an investor conference in April, he said. “You can't cry over spilled milk,” said Iger about Disney’s failed bid to land Sky, which went to Comcast. “We would have loved to have had Sky, both because we believe in the asset and we thought it could have helped us in terms of introducing a direct-to-consumer service in the European market.” Disney still plans to launch Disney Plus in Europe, he said: Without Sky, it’s possible “it takes us a little bit longer to penetrate some of these markets.”

Direct-to-consumer content delivery continues to be one of Disney’s “top priorities,” said CEO Bob Iger on a Thursday earnings call. More than a million subscribe to ESPN Plus, and “we continue to see impressive growth,” he said. That “bodes very well” for Disney’s overall direct-to-consumer ambitions, including the Disney Plus-branded service to launch late 2019, he said. The company will give “a first look at Disney Plus, along with some of the content we're creating for it," at an investor conference in April, he said. “You can't cry over spilled milk,” said Iger about Disney’s failed bid to land Sky, which went to Comcast. “We would have loved to have had Sky, both because we believe in the asset and we thought it could have helped us in terms of introducing a direct-to-consumer service in the European market.” Disney still plans to launch Disney Plus in Europe, he said: Without Sky, it’s possible “it takes us a little bit longer to penetrate some of these markets.”

The FCC is expected to issue a proposal kicking off the 2018 quadrennial review next month. Many industry officials foresee a focus on AM/FM subcaps, top-four duopoly rules, and how competition in the media market is defined.

The Port of New York/Newark issued a Nov. 9 notice on the importance of validating powers of attorney "prior to transacting Customs business on behalf of the principal." Ensuring the validity of each POA allows brokers to join CBP "on the national security frontlines in verifying the data used to screen what enters this country," Port Director Adele Fasano said. "In addition to security, the broker's own professional business interest and continuing obligation to demonstrate 'reasonable care' require verification of the POA grantor's identity and legal authority (position in a company or partnership) to enter into a POA. CBP has successfully pursued administrative penalties as well as criminal prosecution against brokers who fail to obtain valid POAs."

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo (D) accused the FCC of allowing a wireless industry land grab by approving an order in September designed to speed siting of small cells (see 1809260029). Many mayors “have welcomed the opportunity to partner with the private sector to equip their city-owned streetlight poles with these new technologies and achieve more equitable access in their communities,” Liccardo wrote Thursday in a New York Times opinion. “The telecommunications industry has quietly worked to usurp control over these coveted public assets and utilize publicly owned streetlight poles for their own profit, not the public benefit.” The new rules “force local jurisdictions to provide telecom companies with unfettered access to public streetlight poles at below-market, taxpayer-subsidized lease rates,” he said. “By eviscerating the ability of cities to negotiate with industry, the rules undermine widespread local efforts to broaden access for less affluent families and create an uncertain future for some existing agreements.” Liccardo made headlines earlier this year when he resigned from the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee complaining about a lack of local representation (see 1801250049) and his city, along with Seattle, sued the FCC (see 1810250055). Wireless industry groups didn't comment. “The real story of San Jose’s digital divide is Mayor Liccardo and his 5G tax,” emailed a spokesperson for FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. Under Liccardo “San Jose -- the Capital of Silicon Valley -- has seen zero small cells deployed,” the spokesperson said “Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of small cells have been deployed in places overlooked by coastal elites. … For those living in San Jose, Mayor Liccardo’s leadership gap has been the cruelest part of the digital divide.” Liccardo is right, countered Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood. "While it's so important to focus on the kids and the families hurt by this FCC's policies, as he rightly does, even this telling of the harms doesn't do full justice to the comedic villainy of this FCC,” he said. “Thank goodness the FCC is in line for some serious oversight questions from the incoming House of Representatives.”

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo (D) accused the FCC of allowing a wireless industry land grab by approving an order in September designed to speed siting of small cells (see 1809260029). Many mayors “have welcomed the opportunity to partner with the private sector to equip their city-owned streetlight poles with these new technologies and achieve more equitable access in their communities,” Liccardo wrote Thursday in a New York Times opinion. “The telecommunications industry has quietly worked to usurp control over these coveted public assets and utilize publicly owned streetlight poles for their own profit, not the public benefit.” The new rules “force local jurisdictions to provide telecom companies with unfettered access to public streetlight poles at below-market, taxpayer-subsidized lease rates,” he said. “By eviscerating the ability of cities to negotiate with industry, the rules undermine widespread local efforts to broaden access for less affluent families and create an uncertain future for some existing agreements.” Liccardo made headlines earlier this year when he resigned from the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee complaining about a lack of local representation (see 1801250049) and his city, along with Seattle, sued the FCC (see 1810250055). Wireless industry groups didn't comment. “The real story of San Jose’s digital divide is Mayor Liccardo and his 5G tax,” emailed a spokesperson for FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. Under Liccardo “San Jose -- the Capital of Silicon Valley -- has seen zero small cells deployed,” the spokesperson said “Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of small cells have been deployed in places overlooked by coastal elites. … For those living in San Jose, Mayor Liccardo’s leadership gap has been the cruelest part of the digital divide.” Liccardo is right, countered Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood. "While it's so important to focus on the kids and the families hurt by this FCC's policies, as he rightly does, even this telling of the harms doesn't do full justice to the comedic villainy of this FCC,” he said. “Thank goodness the FCC is in line for some serious oversight questions from the incoming House of Representatives.”

New York voters removed a big obstacle to passing a state net neutrality bill by flipping the state Senate in Tuesday’s election. Fresh Democratic trifectas there and elsewhere could encourage more state action to counter recent FCC decisions on net neutrality and privacy, some said. And broadband and net neutrality supporter Phil Weiser will be attorney general in Colorado, where additional local governments cleared ballot initiatives on municipal broadband. Incumbents and Republicans performed strongly in state commissions with elected commissioners.

New York voters removed a big obstacle to passing a state net neutrality bill by flipping the state Senate in Tuesday’s election. Fresh Democratic trifectas there and elsewhere could encourage more state action to counter recent FCC decisions on net neutrality and privacy, some said. And broadband and net neutrality supporter Phil Weiser will be attorney general in Colorado, where additional local governments cleared ballot initiatives on municipal broadband. Incumbents and Republicans performed strongly in state commissions with elected commissioners.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appoints Laura Peter, ex-A10 Networks, deputy undersecretary-intellectual property and Patent and Trademark Office deputy director ... Goodwin law firm adds Heidi Mayon, ex-Gunderson Dettmer, as partner, including in technology practice ... Nathan Kelley, ex-U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, joins Perkins Coie as partner-intellectual property and patent litigation ... Venable taps Shane Brun, ex-Goodwin, as partner-intellectual property.