Telemundo promotes Michael Rodriguez to executive vice president of multimedia development and distribution … Openwave names Brian Beattie, Synopsys, to board … Journal Broadcast Group promotes Beverlee Brannigan to director of country programming, new position … Cox Enterprises names Grace Huang, ex-Cox Media Group, senior director of business development.
FCC Chairman Martin will let small cable systems out of some digital must-carry obligations in an order he sent to colleagues Tuesday, he told an American Cable Association conference. Martin stopped by on short notice, interrupting a panel discussion on the small cable operator association’s lobbying goals to make the announcement. If approved, Martin said his order would exempt cable systems that have less than 552 MHz capacity from a 2001 order requiring them to carry broadcasters’ signals in high definition.
The SEC added four former Nortel executives to a fraud complaint against colleagues, it said Wednesday. The SEC wants an injunction, a civil fine, a ban on the defendants working as officers or directors of public companies, and relinquishment by them of profits from the fraud, it said in an amended SEC v. Dunn complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for New York’s Southern District.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side, if comments to NTIA on the renewal of its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICANN are any indication. While disagreeing on the extent of U.S. govt. involvement with DNS management, key commenters warned that international management and demands would be worse. The greatest polarization on continued U.S. involvement was between U.S. and foreign commenters.
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s (CIRA’s) decision to withhold funding until it concludes ICANN has mended its ways (WID March 21 p4) drew a conciliatory response from Pres. Paul Twomey. In a March 23 letter to CIRA Board Chmn. Clyde Beattie and Pres. Bernard Turcotte, Twomey said he regretted the authority’s action but welcomed its assertion that it “remains optimistic with regard to ICANN’s bottom-up multi-stakeholder process.” The loss of CIRA’s voice can only hurt that process’s prospects, he said. Twomey said he and Board Chmn. Vint Cerf “would welcome discussion” with CIRA on the matter at the board meeting this week in Wellington, New Zealand. CIRA suspended its voluntary contributions because of growing unease over what it considers ICANN’s lack of accountability and openness. ICANN’s recently renewed -- and controversial -- registry agreement with VeriSign for .com management was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” Turcotte said last week.
LAS VEGAS -- Telcos are only beginning to spend money on IPTV and next-generation networks, but they're starting to decide how, vendors said on the show floor at the TelecomNext convention here. “The big money will be spent over the next few years,” Anne Coulombe, SeaChange dir.-product mktg., said: “This is still nascent, but the big decisions are being made now.”
LAS VEGAS -- Telcos are only beginning to spend money on IPTV and next-generation networks, but they're starting to decide how, vendors said on the show floor at the TelecomNext convention here. “The big money will be spent over the next few years,” Anne Coulombe, SeaChange dir.-product mktg., said: “This is still nascent, but the big decisions are being made now.”
Fallout from the new .com registry pact last week took a surprising turn, when the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) suspended voluntary contributions to ICANN. In a March 17 open letter to the Internet body, CIRA Board Chmn. Clyde Beattie and Pres. Bernard Turcotte have grown increasingly uncomfortable with ICANN’s “departure from a number of its core values,” they said, citing how it renewed the .com agreement.
Local govts. should file comments on the FCC rulemaking on local competitive franchising, NATOA said in a statement. NATOA has “identified a number of issues of concern and interest to local governments,” said NATOA Exec. Dir. Libby Beatty: “We also believe the Commission lacks the authority under the Cable Act to adopt or enforce rules in this area.” NATO Pres. Lori Panzino- Tillery, San Bernardino, said it’s important that the FCC not act “based on anecdote.”
LAS VEGAS -- FCC Chmn. Martin told Telecom ‘05 he'd like to see action on IP video franchising at the FCC’s Nov. agenda meeting. Martin said he wants comments on whether there’s a role for the FCC in assuring new entrants into video services aren’t impeded by local franchising activities. Martin spoke live by satellite link because he didn’t want to leave Washington. His wife expects to deliver their first child any day. He told the group appearing “virtually” may be particularly appropriate at a conference that has been emphasizing technology as a way to make life more efficient.