Cable Supports FCC's Cybersecurity Plan

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called on broadband providers and other internet stakeholders to develop solutions to bolster cybersecurity. Speaking to the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, the Chairman said cyber attacks pose a critical threat to the country's future, and the industry needs to develop practical measures to address key threats.

Genachowski's recommendations focus on three areas: botnets, domain name fraud and IP hijacking. The commissioner urged ISPs and other relevant entities to develop concrete steps to address the threats because economic opportunity via internet technology is so great.

"The online marketplace is the new 'Main Street,'" Genachowski said. "If we fail to tackle these challenges, we will pay the prices in diminished safety, lost privacy, lost jobs and financial vulnerability."

Citing Comcast and CenturyLink as early leaders, the commissioner urged other service providers to better educate consumers on botnets and how to identify a compromised computer. Genachowski urged "internet stakeholders" to develop an industry-wide code of conduct that would combat the botnet threat and protect unsuspecting consumers. The Chairman also urged ISPs to develop secure routing standards to curb IP hijacking, and implement domain name security extensions to add another level of secure web traffic.

In response, both the ACA and NCTA issued statements in support of the plan.

"ACA and its members agree with the FCC Chairman that there is a vital need to make sure our networks are protected from cybersecurity threats (and) the need for practical solutions to minimize them," ACA President & CEO Matt Polka said. "By encouraging the development of best practices that network providers could implement on a voluntary basis, and facilitating public/private collaboration, today's speech demonstrates that we're headed in the right direction."

The NCTA agreed, saying protecting the nation’s communications systems "is best accomplished through voluntary public-private partnerships rather than top-down government regulation. Best practices and other voluntary measures will give parties throughout the internet ecosystem the flexibility they need to identify and respond to constantly evolving cyber threats."

Comcast Unwraps SVOD Service

Comcast unveiled plans to launch a VOD streaming service of its own this week dubbed Xfinity Streampix. The service will be included as part of the company's Xfinity triple-play and as a standalone product for $5/month.

The company said it has secured several long-term licensing agreements with major media companies to supply the new service with loads of content. Predictably, NBCU titles will be featured in the service, in addition to programming from Disney/ABC Television (no theatrical movies), Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Cookie Jar Entertainment.

According to Comcast, the new service will be available on Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console and Android mobile devices. The company says its Xfinity TV platform already boasts 75K movies and TV shows for on-demand viewing, not including any of the new titles. •

Canoe Goes Down - Cox Next for LIN TV - Big Developments on Multiplatform Ads

Strategy: Canoe Ventures, the major interactive TV cable partnership, is shutting down operations and closing its offices in New York City. The move will see as many as 120 employees laid off - including CEO Kathy Timko and other top management positions - while the company relocates to its technical center in Denver. Reports suggest the decision was based on a "reassessment" by the firm's partner companies. A company rep says Canoe will remain intact, but only as a shell of its former self. Partners include Comcast, TWC, Cox, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House. Get details, here.

Disputes: After pulling its signals from Mediacom last fall, LIN TV is now warning certain Cox subscribers could be next. Reports say if the two sides cannot reach a new retransmission deal, viewers will lose access to WNAC-TV (Fox) and WPRI-TV (CBS) in Rhode Island, and WALA-TV (Fox) and WFNA-TV (CW) in Florida. LIN TV's contract with Cox expires Feb. 29.

Advertising: Big news on the ad collaboration front, as AOL, Digitas, Hulu, Google (YouTube), Microsoft and Yahoo! are joining forces to bring the Digital Content NewFronts (DCNF) to the U.S. market. The group said the DCNF's mission is to develop solutions to connect native digital content with brand marketers and agencies... Get details here. --- A new study suggests TV advertisements resonate with viewers more during related programming (think: food ads on food shows). Check out this report from MediaPost. --- AdWeek says Cablevision has narrowed its search for a new creative team to lead the marketing efforts on the MSO's Optimum brand. Details here.

Rules & Regs: T-Mobile is asking federal regulators to block the Verizon Wireless/Spectrum Co. deal. In a filing with the FCC, T-Mobile says the $3.9B mega-deal would lead to "excessive concentration" in the wireless spectrum marketplace. Other groups to oppose the deal include public interest groups Public Knowledge, Media Access Project, and the National Consumer Law Center.

WebTV: More social TV news as Facebook has plans to feature a new show called "On the Map," an interactive reality travel show which allows viewers to connect with friends and get inside the program. The first four episodes are available online with new weekly releases through April 19.

Mobile: Netflix inked a deal with Sony to stream content to the PlayStation Vita handheld gaming unit. A cool feature enables customers to start a title at home, and pick up where they left off on the Vita. Non-Netflix members who own the Vita have access to a month free trial. --- HBO GO and MAX GO have been added to BendBroadband's TV Everywhere service.

Programming: CBS Sports Network will air the National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Alliance championships on four consecutive Sundays beginning April 15. --- ShortsHD, the network dedicated to short films, is featuring a special showcasing all the Oscar-nominated shorts this year on Feb. 21. ShortsHD is available on cable systems distributing iN Demand service. Details here.

Online: A coalition of technology and media companies have created the DASH Group, a new organization focusing on advancing IP-based video streaming standards. The org. has developed its own MPEG DASH (dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP) format for universal delivery. Founding members are Microsoft, Netflix and Qualcomm; others include Digital TV Labs, Dolby, NDS, Samsung, and more. --- BBC.com updated its Future site for audiences outside the UK to include new trends in science, tech, eco and health news.

Tech: LA Times has updates on Google's (and Apple's/Microsoft's/Sony's) plans to develop voice-control technology for their respective TV products. Read more.

SkyREPORT: ViaSat has filed a patent lawsuit against SES alleging breach of contract over technology on the recently-launched (Loral-built) ViaSat-1 satellite. The suit alleges, among other things, that SES didn't have permission to use ViaSat tech on board the Jupiter-1 satellite the manufacturer is making for EchoStar's Hughes. In related news, ViaSat priced its offering of $275M in aggregate principal amount of 6.875% senior unsecured notes due 2020. --- Humax is now deploying HD satellite STBs from Broadcom to markets in emerging countries. --- RRsat is now providing playout and uplink services to TEMPO Networks, a Caribbean media and entertainment company.

QRs: Windstream posted a Q4 net loss of $31.9M ($.06 per share) as compared to net income of $56.5M ($.10 per share) in the previous year. The company said results included a pre-tax non-cash pension charge of ~$163M. Adjusted earnings per share for the period hit $.19 per. --- LodgeNet reported Q411 revenue of $100M, compared to $107.3M in the Q410, with a 15.1% y/y increase in operating income to $4.5M.  The company earned $1.2M of net income (before preferred dividend) in the period versus a net loss of $-4.4M one year ago. In related news, Lodgenet signed a deal to provide more than 30 Omni Hotel properties with its Envision interactive HDTV platform.

Over, Up & Under: Don't tell LightSquared, but the UK gov't is committing €216M ($285M) to find solutions to interference issues related to new 4G mobile networks. The Dept. of Culture, Media and Sport said some households will experience interference to their DTT services "when part of the spectrum being auctioned is used for 4G services." --- Infront Sports & Media is joining Russian state broadcaster VGTRK to secure rights to the Russian premiere football league for the next six seasons. Russian reports say the company is ready to drop $360M for ~240 games per season. --- YOU On Demand signed an agreement with Disney Media Distribution for films on the company's TVOD and SVOD platforms throughout China.

Events: The ACA will hold a retransmission consent panel at the 2012 ACA Summit. Speakers representing cable's perspective will be Barbara Esbin, Managing Partner, Cinnamon Mueller, and Cristina Pauze, VP of Regulatory Affairs, Time Warner Cable. The panel, scheduled for March 14, will be moderated by Sports Business Journal's John Ourand. --- The Republican National Convention selected Bright House Networks as the official communications provider for the 2012 RNC in Tampa Bay. --- The Paley Center for Media signed Hulu as a partner for PaleyFest 2012. As part of the agreement, Hulu will stream full-length content and short form clips exclusively on-demand from nine of the festival’s panels on Hulu and Hulu Plus.

People: Reports say former HBO Films president Colin Callender is in talks with Netflix to produce original movie and mini-series content. "Should a deal be reached, it would accelerate Netflix's growing resemblance to HBO... where Callender worked for two decades." Read more at Company Town.

--- Catch today's media market news in The Evening BRIDGE. •