1. Monthly archive
  2. February 2016

February 2016

LPTV Threatens to Sue to Block Spectrum Auction

Low Power Television (LPTV) operator Latina Broadcasters of Daytona Beach has asked the Federal Communications Commission to either stay its Feb 12 decision not to let the broadcaster participate in the incentive auction, or alternately delay the incentive auction, scheduled to launch March 29. It has given the FCC until Feb 24 to make a decision, after which it says it will go to court to try and get reinstated or block the auction. Latina was eligible to upgrade to Class A status (which would have made eligible for a potential multimillion dollar payout or channel protection in the repack if it did not win), but missed the deadline for upgrading according to the FCC, which declined its request that it be allowed to participate--the FCC had made an exception in at least one other case, but the commission said that was based on a a different set of facts.

In an emergency motion for a stay filed Feb. 22 with the FCC, Latina said the FCC was wrong to exclude it; that it would suffer irreparable harm without a stay; and that the FCC had discriminated against it by excluding its WDYB but making an exception for another station. Latina said that given the short period between the FCC's Feb. 12 order denying its participation and the start of the auction, it would consider the petition denied if the FCC did not take any action by Feb. 24 and would then go to court to try and get into the auction. The broadcaster said the FCC had indicated WDYB was eligible for the auction up until the Feb. 12 decision that it was not.

More Advertisers Using TV Data for Digital Video

Advertisers are increasing coordinating their on-air and online campaigns by using data about TV viewing to target their digital video buys, according to Videology. Geographical and behavioral data are still used to target the majority of campaigns, Videology said in its fourth quarter report. But 18% of campaigns, up 114% from a year ago, used TV viewing information as a buying criteria. Most often targeted were people who saw the advertiser’s own commercials on TV, followed by sports viewers, political show viewers and people who saw a competitors’ commercial on TV. Daytime TV viewers, TV drama viewers, adults exposed to children’s programming, cable TV viewers, news show viewers and primetime TV viewers were also audience segments targeted by clients of Videology, which provides software for converged TV and video advertising. Videology said 39% of digital impressions were measured using Nielsen’s Digital Ad Ratings or comScore’s Validated Campaign Essentials, which means the advertiser wanted to validate that impressions were being delivered within the appropriate demos.

Broad support for Internet freedom around the world

In a relatively short period of time, the Internet has become an influential arena for public debates about political and social issues. And around the world, many consider free expression in cyberspace to be a fundamental right. Majorities in 32 of 38 countries surveyed by Pew Research Center in 2015 believe that allowing people to use the Internet without government censorship is important. And in 20 countries, at least 80% hold this view. Moreover, across the nations polled, a median of 50% say freedom on the Internet is very important. Support for Internet freedom is especially strong in Argentina (71% very important), the US, Germany and Spain (each 69%), and Chile (68%).

In many countries, young people, those with more years of education and high-income respondents tend to place a higher value on internet freedom. Even though support for Internet freedom is common around the globe, it is not as strong as support for other fundamental aspects of democracy. Across the 38 countries in our study, larger percentages of people say religious freedom (median of 74%), gender equality (65%), honest and competitive elections (61%), free speech (56%) and media freedom (55%) are very important. However, the findings suggest that as access to the Internet continues to spread globally, demands for freedom in cyberspace may grow as well. Countries in which a large share of the public reports using the Internet also tend to have greater levels of support for Internet freedom.

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