The FCC should ensure that efforts to streamline international licensing and other authorizations actually accomplish that, said industry parties reacting to an NTIA letter suggesting commission process changes to facilitate executive branch reviews (see 1605120035). Parties voiced concern that the administration's proposal for the FCC to require certain applicants to provide more information upfront is overly broad and could add to industry burdens. They said the FCC should issue an NPRM that proposes specific time frames and other steps to streamline its international reviews, which are coordinated with the executive branch's "Team Telecom" on national security, law enforcement and other issues. Comments on an FCC public notice teeing up the NTIA letter were posted in docket 16-155 Monday and Tuesday.
House lawmakers were poised to pass several telecom measures under suspension of the rules on the floor at our deadline Monday -- the Kari’s Law Act (HR-4167); the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act (HR-3998); HR-2589, which would require the FCC to post online any changes to commission rules within 24 hours of receipt of dissenting statements; and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889). But Democrats objected to the Kelsey Smith Act, citing its loss of privacy protections, and demanded a roll call vote set for Monday evening.
House lawmakers were poised to pass several telecom measures under suspension of the rules on the floor at our deadline Monday -- the Kari’s Law Act (HR-4167); the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act (HR-3998); HR-2589, which would require the FCC to post online any changes to commission rules within 24 hours of receipt of dissenting statements; and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889). But Democrats objected to the Kelsey Smith Act, citing its loss of privacy protections, and demanded a roll call vote set for Monday evening.
Talks on a treaty updating broadcasting protections crept forward again at the May 9-13 Geneva meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), some following the discussions told us. There appears to be growing consensus that, to be meaningful to broadcasters, any accord will have to encompass the digital environment, said European Broadcasting Union Head of Intellectual Property Law Heijo Ruijsenaars. Support for pure webcasting remains limited, while the possibility of covering simulcasting is still under discussion, said Carole Croella, WIPO senior counselor-culture and creative industries sector.
Talks on a treaty updating broadcasting protections crept forward again at the May 9-13 Geneva meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), some following the discussions told us. There appears to be growing consensus that, to be meaningful to broadcasters, any accord will have to encompass the digital environment, said European Broadcasting Union Head of Intellectual Property Law Heijo Ruijsenaars. Support for pure webcasting remains limited, while the possibility of covering simulcasting is still under discussion, said Carole Croella, WIPO senior counselor-culture and creative industries sector.
Total wearables shipments reached 19.7 million units in Q1, up 67 percent over the year-ago quarter, said an IDC report Monday. Driving the increase were multiple fitness tracker and smartphone introductions at major technology shows; post-holiday price cuts on wearables including the sport version of Apple Watch; and category expansion into clothing and footwear.
Rural telco groups said the FCC should be careful in changing rate-of-return rules for carrier cost recovery and related practices. Regulatory changes should apply prospectively only and should be targeted to provide increased clarity about allowable expenditures where helpful, said various RLEC groups in comments Thursday in docket 10-90, responding to a recent Further NPRM included in an item that overhauled rate-of-return USF mechanisms (see 1603300065 and 1603310039). Some voiced concern the FCC could make sweeping changes to throw out rules -- which they said had worked reasonably well -- based on "anecdotal" accounts of isolated problems.
Applying to the FCC International Bureau for such international licenses and permissions as Communications Act Section 214 authorizations and transfers, submarine cable landing licenses, satellite earth station licenses and Section 310 rulings could get more complicated if the agency agrees to an NTIA request. Whether that NTIA-sought approach -- having the FCC require more information upfront with the aim being a streamlining of the approval process -- bears fruit, "we won't know until this is rolled out and plays out," David Klein, lawyer at Klein Moynihan, whose practice includes Section 214 applications for telco clients, told us Thursday.
RIAA said the music industry’s official logo mark for Hi-Res MUSIC -- previously available primarily to high-quality digital download services -- will be available June 1 for adoption by music streaming services. New data packing technologies -- including MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) and MPEG 4 Audio SLS -- “support the streaming of hi-res music files to consumers in a more efficient manner,” said RIAA Wednesday, and will enable licensed services to display the Hi-Res MUSIC logo on their landing page or next to an individual album or track. If the resolution of a recording falls below the required minimum standards of the Hi-Res MUSIC definition at any time, users will be made aware of the change, it said. The announcement was made along with RIAA members Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group in cooperation with the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing, the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), and DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group. The Hi-Res MUSIC logo and accompanying definition were announced in June by the RIAA on behalf of member labels, and focused on digital files and download services that met the definition’s requirements. The program was adopted by download services offering hi-res music including Acoustic Sounds Super HiRez, Blue Coast Music, HDtracks, IsoMike Recordings, ClassicsOnline HD*LL, PonoMusic, and ProStudioMasters, it said. The technologies ensure listeners hear “music that preserves, without loss of information, recordings from sources that achieve a minimum of 48kHz/20-bit resolution,” RIAA said. RIAA Chief Technology Officer David Hughes called the extension to music streaming services “the logical next step, one embraced by music labels large and small, that will provide an optimal listening experience to this growing consumer segment.”
RIAA said the music industry’s official logo mark for Hi-Res MUSIC -- previously available primarily to high-quality digital download services -- will be available June 1 for adoption by music streaming services. New data packing technologies -- including MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) and MPEG 4 Audio SLS -- “support the streaming of hi-res music files to consumers in a more efficient manner,” said RIAA Wednesday, and will enable licensed services to display the Hi-Res MUSIC logo on their landing page or next to an individual album or track. If the resolution of a recording falls below the required minimum standards of the Hi-Res MUSIC definition at any time, users will be made aware of the change, it said. The announcement was made along with RIAA members Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group in cooperation with the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing, the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), and DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group. The Hi-Res MUSIC logo and accompanying definition were announced in June by the RIAA on behalf of member labels, and focused on digital files and download services that met the definition’s requirements. The program was adopted by download services offering hi-res music including Acoustic Sounds Super HiRez, Blue Coast Music, HDtracks, IsoMike Recordings, ClassicsOnline HD*LL, PonoMusic, and ProStudioMasters, it said. The technologies ensure listeners hear “music that preserves, without loss of information, recordings from sources that achieve a minimum of 48kHz/20-bit resolution,” RIAA said. RIAA Chief Technology Officer David Hughes called the extension to music streaming services “the logical next step, one embraced by music labels large and small, that will provide an optimal listening experience to this growing consumer segment.”