The FCC shouldn’t change new video description rules in response to NCTA’s request for relaxation of regulations (see 1710040031) limiting how often repeat programming can count toward the 87.5 hour-per-quarter quota, the National Federation of the Blind and American Council of the Blind said in opposition filings in docket 11-43. Commissioners unanimously voted to expand the video description requirement in July, and companies have until next July to comply (see 1707120055). “We hope the Commission will continue to affirm its own commitment exercised this past July in its vote to expand video description,” said ACB. NFB said “87.5 hours is less than one hour of video-described programming per day.” Using a “single episode of an hour long program” through repeats to satisfy five hours of that quarterly quota is “counterproductive,” NFB said, acknowledging adapting to the new requirements could be tough for non-broadcast networks. NFB said one NCTA request was reasonable, saying, “After a period of time the networks should be able to re-air video-described programming and have it count toward the minimum hour requirement.” Problems within the regulation “should be approached with a legitimate solution, and not a quick loophole to exploit in a path toward easy compliance,” NFB said.

Verizon's failure, without warning, to sign a contract extension with Univision that would have continued carriage while the companies continue negotiations was largely unprecedented in how abruptly the telco ceased talks and how precipitously it rejected the extension, Univision CEO Randy Falco said in a letter this week to Chairman Ajit Pai. The broadcaster was no longer available on Verizon's Fios and mobile platforms as of Monday. Falco said that just before 5 p.m. Monday expiration of the extension the two were operating under, Verizon dropped Univision and affiliated channels and began messaging viewers. Verizon Senior Vice President-Public Policy and Government Affairs Kathleen Grillo, in a letter Thursday to Pai, said Univision "consistently insisted on unreasonable terms," including more than double what the MVPD would pay annually despite declining viewership. She said the broadcaster's latest offer, hours before the expiration of the contract extension, "made it clear that the parties were at an impasse" and another extension wouldn't be productive. Verizon said it has been directing customers to the Univision Now app and expanding carriage of other Spanish-language channels. The FCC didn't comment.

Charter Communications and Viacom's announcement this week they reached a tentative carriage agreement gives Viacom CEO Robert Bakish "breathing room" for his turnaround strategy and also is a vote of confidence in the value of Viacom's networks to MVPDs, Credit Suisse's Omar Sheikh emailed investors Wednesday. The deal, when finalized, likely will include full carriage of Viacom networks, though Charter might enjoy a reduction in its affiliate rate, the analyst said.

The Wireless Infrastructure Association said Tuesday it's consolidating its annual spring trade show and fall HetNet Expo. The new Connectivity Expo or Connect (X) debuts May 21-24 at Charlotte Convention Center. “Wireless infrastructure and automotive to smart cities and commercial real estate” will be represented, WIA said.

Exhibitors in the Eureka Park pavilion for startups at the January CES can vie for one of 15 “climate change innovator” awards in recognition of companies that are “placing bold bets” on their technologies’ ability to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if widely implemented, said CTA in a Monday announcement. There’s “nowhere better than CES, the global stage for innovation, to scout the next startup that can deliver meaningful emission reductions," said CTA President Gary Shapiro in a statement. CTA will accept online entry forms through Nov. 16, announce the winners Dec. 20 and then honor them at CES Sustainability Day Jan. 11 in Las Vegas, it said. Applicants must be under contract as Eureka Park exhibitors at the January show and must exhibit a product or technology with the potential for substantial GHG reductions, it said. Winners will be chosen by a CTA-selected committee of GHG and industry experts based on several qualifications, including the credibility of the methodology used to quantify the potential GHG reductions, it said. Winners will receive a tabletop award for display in Eureka Park and exposure to CES media and attendees, it said.

Backers of a petition drive to block renovations to a home in North London because it would threaten the livelihood of Air Studios next door (see 1506110018) declared victory Friday when they said the homeowners dropped their plans to build an underground swimming pool at the site. “Currently there is nothing to stop new applications of a similar nature but if they do we hope we can count on your future support if required!” said an open letter from Air Studios posted at the website of 38 Degrees, the advocacy group that organized the “Save Air Studios” petition drive two years ago. Beatles producer George Martin founded Air Studios in 1969 and sold it to two entrepreneurs when he retired in 2006. Backers describe Air Studios as Britain’s top movie-scoring facility and the recording home to high-profile commercial artists such as Coldplay and Paul McCartney.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak started a digital educational institute designed to move people into the tech industry workforce “quickly and affordably,” he said in a Friday announcement. The goal is to create “long-term financial stability” for next-generation tech workers and to provide training solutions for businesses, Wozniak said. Woz U is based in Arizona. Courses will be online initially, but Wozniak plans to add ground campuses in more than 30 cities in the U.S. and around the world. A Woz U app helps match applicants with careers best suited to them, and the institute will include multiple teaching and training platforms. One will work with tech companies to recruit and train a workforce through subscription-based curricula or on-site customized programs. Another will provide school districts with K-12 STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) programs, “exposing digital engineering concepts to students at a younger age to nudge them toward a possible tech-based career,” he said. A future accelerator program will help identify and develop elite tech talent.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich will keynote at CES for the fourth time, CTA announced Thursday. Krzanich will deliver the preshow CES address Monday, Jan. 8, in a new CES venue, Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino's Park Theater, it said.

Attendance at CES Asia in Shanghai in June was 38,531, including 1,258 members of the media, said CTA, announcing results of an independent audit by Vault Consulting. Attendance increased 13.7 percent from 2016 and 34 percent from 2015, it said. The show attracted 4,076 attendees from outside China, said Karen Chupka, CTA senior vice president-CES and corporate business strategy.

With coming augmented and virtual reality services driving a need for greater upload capacity, CableLabs finished its Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 specification, blogged Belal Hamzeh, vice president-research and development, wireless technologies. It would allow for upstream and downstream traffic flowing at 10 GB concurrently, the group said Wednesday. The specification will be released later this month.