October 2023

The labor agreement that writers struck with studios and streaming platforms will likely accelerate the end to “peak TV," a decade that included an explosion of programming for viewers and job opportunities for talent in Hollywood. Streamers will have to find a way to pay increased talent costs—from the writers’ settlement, along with an earlier deal with directors and whatever is finalized with actors—without adding to their overall production costs. That will likely mean that companies will make fewer new shows and cancel even more that are on the bubble.

The City of Syracuse (NY), Community Broadband Network (CBN), and US Ignite launched the Surge Link, a high-speed Internet connectivity program. Surge Link aims to connect 2,500 underserved Syracuse families to high-speed, affordable broadband. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) subsidies make the no-cost service possible. US Ignite advised the City on the overall technology, deployment models, and funding strategy for Surge Link.