Technology360

Weekend readings for #pubmedia, Oct. 1, 2017

October already.  Here are selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed in the past week.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV/Next-Gen TV

• Next-Gen TV: Will the bang match the buzz?  TVTechnology
• NAB reinforces no tuner mandates for Next Gen TV.  TVTechnology

Cable/MVPD/Pay-TV/Cord-Cutting

• Linear OTT boosts falling U.S. pay-TV.  Rapid TV News
• must read  Research: Pay-TV satisfaction is up, but price remains Achilles heel.  Video Nuze
• must read  Bad news and good advice for operators in new TiVo data.  nScreenMedia
• U.S. TV households subscribing to a pay-TV service dips below four-fifths mark.  Rapid TV News  …and…  Only 70% of U.S. homes have pay TV.  FierceCable

Digital Video/OTT/VOD

• OTT: Is it TV or digital?  MediaPost  …and…  Is OTT a broadcast or digital buy?  MediaPost
• Is Amazon’s video strategy working?  nScreenMedia
• BBC iPlayer opens up access to archive programs.  Rapid TV News
• Full extent of Millennial, Gen X video consumption not being measured.  Rapid TV News

Journalism

• Network news audiences continue to shrink.  Los Angeles Times

Radio/Podcasting/Digital Audio

• Radio’s wake-up call.  Jacobs Media Strategies
• must read  More music, less typing, replacing radios drive smart speaker adoption in new NPR/Edison research.  Part 1: Radio & Internet News and NPR, Part 2: Radio & Internet News  …and…  The full report.  National Public Media

Repack/Spectrum Auction

• my blog  The repack death toll begins.  Technology360.com
• [for engineers] Unanticipated interference after repack. Charles Rhodes in TVTechnology

Television

• Destination TV maintains its grip on American viewing.  Rapid TV News
• Wells Fargo analyst: Local TV stocks rated to outperform.  TVNewsCheck
• Network news audiences continue to shrink.  Los Angeles Times

The repack death toll begins

The FCC’s crazy-ambitious 39-month timetable for repacking the TV bands post-auction may have contributed to the deaths of three workers from Tower King II, a Texas tower contractor.  The gin pole, a standard temporary device that is installed at the top of a tower to enable the lifting into place of permanent tower sections or an antenna, failed.  The tower is shared by two Miami stations, WSVN (Fox) and WPLG (ABC).  WSVN is moving from channel 7 to channel 9 in the repack, requiring a new antenna.  The tower is eight years old and is just over 1,000 feet high, about half the maximum height that many stations use.

There is no evidence to my knowledge that the pushed nature of the repack schedule contributed to the deaths of these three men, but with the paucity of qualified high tower crews and a forced schedule that is ambitious even if everything (weather, supply, crew availability, etc.) turns out optimal, safety issues are unavoidable. 

I strongly suspect this won’t be the last of these tragic accidents.  --Dennis

Link:  ABC News

Weekend readings for #pubmedia, Aug. 18, 2017

Rainy today, nice this weekend; so here, a little early, is your weekly compilation of selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• must read  Next-Generation TV expected to usher in new era of T-commerce.  Multichannel News

Cable/MVPD/Pay-TV/Cord-Cutting

• Cord cutting becoming pricier than keeping cable.  FierceCable
• Kagan: ‘Unprecedented’ annual decline as U.S. pay-TV loses nearly a million subs in 2nd quarter.  Rapid TV News  …and…  Cord cutting climbs to 976k users in Q2.  FierceCable  …and…  Skinny bundle gains help offset steep Q2 pay-TV video losses.  Video Nuze

Digital Video/OTT/VOD

• TV becomes go-to platform for the BBC iPlayer.  Rapid TV News
• OTT growth helped by connected TV.  MediaPost

Radio/Podcasting/Digital Audio

• must read  Lessons learned from “The Millennial Research Project.”  Jacobs Media Strategies
• must read  How to make local listeners care about your story.  NPR Training
• How public radio is using Amazon’s smart speakers.  Current

Strategy/Management/Business

• must read  Preparing to expand news, KCET refines model for digital content.  Current
• At the heart of impact measurement, listening to customers.  Stanford Social Innovation Review
• Nielsen boosts distributed video model by creating Facebook, YouTube and Hulu views.  Video Nuze

Television

• must read  The messy, confusing future of TV? It’s here.  New York Times
• Voice search, voice-first video search availability growing, usage not so much.  nScreenVideo
• The four big trends affecting the television industry today.  FierceCable

Weekend readings for #pubmedia, July 15, 2017

Here is another collection of selected links from my @haarsager  Twitter feed posted in the past week.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• 21st century broadcasting, part 2 – the consumer [video interview].  nScreenMedia  …and…  here is part 1 posted last week  …and…  Keynote with NAB CTO Sam Matheny [video].  ITVT
• Could advanced TV be a $100B business?  MediaPost
• In the race for local ad dollars, are big tech plans enough?  MediaPost

Digital Video/OTT

• Roku is leading Amazon, Google and Apple in the media streamer race.  Business Insider
• must read  How to launch an OTT app.  MediaPost
• Pay-TV, streaming preferences almost even.  Rapid TV News
• must read  Connected TV just a normal part of the U.S. home.  nScreenMedia
• Nearly 3/5ths of U.S. broadband households take Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.  Rapid TV News  …and…  Netflix is in half of all U.S. broadband households.  FierceCable

Repack/Spectrum/Incentive Auction

• Broadcasters turn in $2.1B for reimbursement.  TVTechnology  …and…  Stations’ repack expenses to hit $2B.  TVNewsCheck
• Top 15 markets by incentive auction take.  TVTechnology
• FCC needs to implement ‘rocket docket’ for wireless spectrum, and fast.  The Hill
• must read  If at first you don’t succeed, you’re Microsoft pushing its magical white space broadband.  The Register   …and…  LPTV/translator organization: Microsoft’s white space plan would destroy community TV.  Broadcasting & Cable  …and…  To close digital divide, Microsoft to harness unused television channels.  New York Times
• Shared spectrum: Path to wireless expansion.  Multichannel News
• As the digital divide grows, an untapped solution languishes [EBS, née ITFS].  Wired

Television

• The future of TV metrics.  TVTechnology

This week’s readings for #pubmedia, July 10, 2017

Here are this week’s selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• 21st century broadcasting, part 1 [video interview].  nScreenMedia
• ATSC 3.0: A new value-added approach for emergency information.  TVTechnology

Digital Video/OTT/VOD

• Six OTT technologies to reshape the business of streaming.  nScreenMedia

Strategy/Management/Business

• Noncoms ask FCC for some content deregulation.  Broadcasting & Cable

Radio/Podcasting/Digital Audio

• must read  Here’s what happened the last time audio producers got better data.  NiemanLab  …and…  Will data make podcasts better, or will it stifle the creative process?  Jacobs Media Strategies
• Radio is not dead.  Here’s why.  Bob McCurdy in Radio Ink
• must read  Threats are real, but benchmarks point to healthy public radio system.  Mark Fuerst in Current
• Study finds 600+ FM stations could be affected by TV repack.  Radio World
• must read  The Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research.  National Public Media
• Radio seeks smart speaker home audience.  Radio World

Repack/Incentive Auction/Spectrum

• Post-repack: Key challenges and solutions.  Broadcasting & Cable
• Study finds 600+ FM stations could be affected by TV repack.  Radio World
• Don’t lose sight of SFNs in deadline push.  TVNewsCheck

This week’s readings for #pubmedia, June 19, 2017

Here is this week’s collection of selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed.  It’s a little thin because I’ve been a bit distracted this past week, but don’t think I missed much.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• must read  4K for broadcast: Is it worth the expense?  TVTechnology
• Apple’s blessing crowns HEVC king of video compression.  FierceCable
• ATSC 3.0: Cable uses reply comments to urge caution on broadcast standard.  CableFax
• Public TV to FCC: MVPD ATSC 3.0 approach doesn’t fly.  Broadcasting & Cable

Consumer Electronics

• Alexa TV voice control over-promises, under-delivers.  nScreenMedia

Digital Video/OTT

• 2-in-5 seniors own a smartphone.  Time for 65+ video app?  nScreenMedia
• Most OTT subscribers would pay more to keep service.  Rapid TV News
• Broadcast TV, vMVPDs and addressable TV…a cauldron of disruption.  Rapid TV News
• Cord-cutters consuming 60% more OTT content than other viewers.  Rapid TV News

Radio/Podcasting/Digital Audio

• Radio: A century head start.  Jacobs Media Strategies

Repack/Spectrum

• FCC creates LPTV, translator window.  TVNewsCheck

Television

• must read  4K for broadcast: Is it worth the expense?  TVTechnology
• Linear TV, digital video ad models come closer as premium video unification advances.  Rapid TV News
• Battle over local TV ratings gets interesting.  TVNewsCheck

This week’s readings for #pubmedia, June 4, 2017

It’s been busy, so this is a two-week compilation of selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed.  Because it’s been two weeks, I’ve tried to be a bit more selective than normal.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• HbbTV for TV operators.  Castoola (promo)
• South Korean broadcasters ready to launch ATSC 3.0 (actually, they did 5/31).  TVTechnology
• Univision joins Sinclair/Nexstar 3.0 group.  TVNewsCheck  …and… see my related blog post from 5/21
• Completing the ATSC 3.0 skyscraper.  ATSC
• How public broadcasters are lagging behind the innovation curve of Next Gen TV.  John Lawson in Current
• must read  ATSC examines 3.0 progress, views future.  TVTechnology
• must have pdf for your CTO  ATSC 3.0 Transition and Deployment Guide, v. 2 now available.  GatesAir, et al.
• Road to FCC 3.0 order could be bumpy.  TVNewsCheck
• Sinclair offers 1 million free ATSC 3.0 chips to phone makers.  FierceCable  …and… TVNewsCheck  …but…  ATSC 3.0 chips in the iPhone and other smartphones? Don’t hold your breath.  FierceCable (from 2/3/17)
• Next-gen TV promises immersive, personalized audio.  TVTechnology
• Fox makes HD services available via HbbTV in Hungary.  Digital TV Europe

Cable/MVPD/Cord-Cutting

• Cord-cutting explodes.  Axios
• Comcast quietly deploys 4K set-top.  FierceCable

Consumer Electronics

• Got an antenna and tuner?  You can now stream live TV to your devices with Plex.  Ars Technica
• Report: U.S. households own average of seven screens.  TVTechnology
• The disappearing computer [Walt Mossberg’s last column].  The Verge
• HDR to drive 4K TV through to 2022.  Rapid TV News
• Comcast quietly deploys 4K set-top.  FierceCable

Digital Video/OTT

• must read  Netflix to spend $6 billion on original content in 2017.  Rapid TV News
• Mobile internet to account for a quarter of media consumption.  Rapid TV News
• Research: Interest in video downloading is strong, but awareness lags.  Video Nuze
• must read  Connected TV and smartphone the focus of video usage growth.  nScreenMedia

Radio/Podcasting

• Why radio broadcasters should joint the podcast movement.  Jacobs Media Strategies
• must read  Survey: Many podcast listeners are switching away from radio.  Radio and Internet News

Social Media

• Facebook ramps up original video push with slew of deals.  Rapid TV News

Spectrum/Incentive Auction/Repack

• Harnessing the potential of ‘unlicensed [TV] spectrum to power connectivity.  New America Weekly
• WGBH, others tell FCC to allow post-auction license transferability.  Broadcasting & Cable
• FCC “incentive auction” marks progress and pitfalls towards freeing wireless spectrum.  Thomas Hazlett in Brookings
• LPTVs zero in on spectrum auction’s ‘Phase Zero.’  Broadcasting & Cable

Strategy/Management/Business

• Digital ad spend to eclipse TV this year.  Rapid TV News  …but…  Forrester says it’s end times for digital and display advertising.  The Drum
• Sinclair poised to become major syndie force.  TVNewsCheck
• must scan (& read if you can)  Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends 2017 report (355 pages).  Kleiner Perkins  …and…  All the slides, plus analysis.  Recode  …and… plus highlights.  Quartz
• must read  Turning membership upside-down: An experiment from a nonprofit news site.  Nonprofit Quarterly
• A broadcaster’s guide to Washington issues.  David Oxenford and David O’Connor in TVNewsCheck

Television

• must read  Nielsen: TV still dominates viewing platforms.  Rapid TV News

Wireless/Broadband

• MoffettNathanson upgrades AT&T, but still skeptical about wireless long-term.  FierceWireless
• Digital gap between rural and nonrural America persists.  Pew Research

Weekend readings for #pubmedia, May 20, 2017

This week’s selected links from @haarsager on Twitter follows.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

my blog post  ATSC 3.0 boost from Tribune acquisition by Sinclair.  Technology360

Free over-the-air TV is going to get better.  Consumer Reports

must read  The three disparate visions of ATSC 3.0.  Harry Jessell in TVNewsCheck

Survey: Consumers impressed by 3.0 features.  TVNewsCheck  …and…  U.S. consumers willing to pay more for ATSC 3.0 features.  Rapid TV News

‘All’ LG 4K TVs sold in South Korea to soon feature ATSC 3.0.  TVTechnology

Cable/Pay-TV/MVPD/Cord-Cutting

Why an Amazon skinny bundle seems all but inevitable.  Will Richmond

U.S. pay-TV subs decline by more than 800,000 in Q1 2017.  Rapid TV News

Report: Majority of cord cutting occurred in last two years.  TVTechnology

Life without pay TV now a viable option for many.  nScreenMedia

must read  Broadcasters are the new bundlers.  Light Reading

Consumer Electronics

Strong 4K/Ultra HD uptake helping maintain value in challenging TV set market.  Rapid TV News

The first television with Amazon Fire TV [and Alexa] built in is just fine.  engadget

PBS Kids releases baby’s first HDMI dongle.  engadget

Digital Video/OTT

must read  Publishers’ candid thoughts on video: ‘Facebook is taking a cut of what used to be ours’.  Digiday

Journalism

must read  Research: A New Understanding: What Makes People Trust and Rely on News [pdf download].  Media Insight Project of American Press Institute

Radio/Podcasting/Digital Audio

New AM-to-FM translator window could open as early as July.  Radio Magazine

must read  Voice commands for radio.  Jacobs Media Strategies

must read  NPR One will test in-app [station] donations with U.S., U.K. users.  Current

Social Media

Three ways social media can help broadcasters.  nScreenMedia

Spectrum/Incentive Auction/Repack

In aftermath of spectrum auction, even stations that sat out could still benefit.  Marc Hand in Current

Strategy/Management/Business/Legal

What to do with public TV’s spectrum auction ‘windfall’.  Columbia Journalism Review

Five U.S. media trends to keep an eye on.  theMediaBriefing

FCC details window for LPTV stations and TV translators displaced by incentive auction to seek new channels.  Broadcast Law Blog

Buying spree brings more local TV stations to fewer big companies.  Pew Research

Television

Broadcast TV maintains media dominance.  MediaPost

Wireless/Broadband

Analyst: Mobile revenues flatten even as data consumption ramps up in U.S.  FierceWireless

MoffettNathanson: Small cells and fiber don’t threaten tower companies.  FierceWireless

ATSC 3.0 boost from Tribune acquisition by Sinclair

I was curious how Sinclair Broadcast Group's acquisition (if approved) of Tribune Company's stations might help complete the former's national footprint.  Sinclair is a well-known booster of ATSC 3.0 and has partnered with a third group owner, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, in an ATSC 3.0 alliance.  Tribune's stations tend to serve larger markets than Sinclair's, and Nexstar's stations tend toward smaller markets than Sinclair's, though with significant overlaps.

To map this, I dug out an auction related spreadsheet prepared for the now shut down Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition, helmed by Preston Padden.  The graph below plots DMA market on the x-axis and the FCC's estimate of station interference-free population on the y-axis.  Some of the dots cover up other dots in the same position, some of the stations have been sold in the auction, and others may be either sold or added before ATSC 3.0 launches in the U.S., but it does illustrate a pretty solid national footprint, consistent with Sinclair's public embrace of the mobile capabilities of ATSC 3.0.  

Missing are DMAs #6 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, #9 Boston-Manchester, #10 Atlanta, #13 Detroit, #18 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, and #22 Charlotte among the top 30 DMAs.  But I'll be they're working on that.

Click for larger image.

 

--Dennis

Weekend readings for #pubmedia, 13 May 2017

Another collection of selected links from my @haarsager Twitter feed.  --Dennis

ATSC 3.0/HbbTV

• must read  Sinclair + Tribune = transformative force.  Harry Jessell in TVNewsCheck
• must read  Sinclair Goals: U.S. reach, mobile users, 3.0.  TVNewsCheck
• ATSC 3.0 local simulcasting approach debated.  TVTechnology  …and…  Noncommercial TV to FCC: We don’t need ATSC 1.0/3.0 simulcast mandate.  Broadcasting & Cable
• Internet of Things is transforming industries you would never think of.  Greg Satell in Digital Tonto
• “ATSC 3.0 and The Future of Broadcasting.”  WideOrbit report [pdf] via TVB  [Note: Report based on small-response online survey of television traffic, engineering and operations execs; 101 responses of 1,583 surveyed.]
• Broadcasters spell out 3.0 recommendations.  TVNewsCheck

Broadband

• Internet to support Super Bowl sized audiences by 2022?  nScreenMedia

Cable/Pay-TV/MVPD/Cord-Cutting

• Pay-TV bleeds subs in worst quarter ever.  Rapid TV News
• must read  Broadcast TV’s role in skinny bundles bolstered by networks’ affiliate deals.  Video Nuze

Consumer Electronics

• Streaming-enabled TVs reach mainstream in U.S.  Rapid TV News
• More than half of cord-cutters cancel legacy service in the last two years.  Rapid TV News

Digital Video/OTT

• The new Hulu looks a lot like the future of TV.  Wall Street Journal [subscription required]
• SVOD dominant U.S. home entertainment medium.  nScreenMedia

Journalism

• The Facebook rescue that wasn’t.  Columbia Journalism Review
• Now profitable, Patch wants to be a platform for other local news outlets.  Digiday
• How media companies can pivot without losing their reason to exist.  The Media Briefing

Repack/Incentive Auction/Spectrum

• FCC outlines next repack steps for LPTVs and translators.  Broadcasting & Cable

Social Media

• One chart proves Facebook is mobile first.  Business Insider
• The Facebook rescue that wasn’t.  Columbia Journalism Review
• The rise and rise of social video advertising.  nScreenMedia

Strategy/Management/Business

• Standards and practices meet the reality of live streaming.  TVTechnology
• Pay attention to movies released on streaming platforms.  New Yorker

Television

• must read  Sinclair + Tribune = transformative force.  Harry Jessell in TVNewsCheck  …and…  Sinclair-Tribune deal is huge bet on future of broadcasting.  MediaPost
• Most Americans can get internet on their TV, but they’re still mostly watching plain old TV.  recode
• must read  A world awash in video – part 2.  Video Nuze [part 1 from 2007]
• Television is dead. Long live video.  The Media Briefing