Consumer first-quarter 2014: analysis and outlook

The first quarter of 2014 was marked by controversies that dragged key elements of the connected-consumer space into the public policy arena -- dangerous and unpredictable territory for any industry. Among the key developments:

• Comcast announced plans to acquire Time Warner Cable for $45 billion, combining the two largest cable MSOs in the country and touching off fierce debate over media ownership, net neutrality, broadband access and antitrust issues just as the MVPD business is poised for further consolidation.
• Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced plans to re-impose network neutrality rules after a federal appeals court rejected the agencies previous rules
• A keenly watched court showdown between Pandora and ASCAP ended inconclusively, which is likely to pitch the ongoing debate over music performance rights back to Congress.
• Broadcasters will have their own courtroom showdown over performance licensing with Aereo, but even a win there won’t fully resolve the issue.
• Netflix’s transit and interconnection deal with Comcast thrust Internet peering into the policy spotlight in the first quarter but for now the FCC is keeping its powder dry on the issue.