​Though EPA seeks comment by Nov. 7 on the “revised final draft” of the Energy Star Version 8.0 TV spec it released Tuesday (see 1710240066), CTA didn’t wait to say the changes proposed “would put EPA in the business of control, deciding how consumers receive and use technology.” The final spec, to be released soon “after the comment period ends,” takes effect July 1, EPA said. The revised draft spec proposes limits to a TV’s “average screen luminance” at various ambient-lighting conditions when automatic brightness control (ABC) is enabled by default in the set’s “brightest selectable preset picture setting.” Doug Johnson, CTA vice president-technology policy, said the proposal “means the American living room would look a little more like how the government thinks it should” and "if ABC is enabled by default in all preset picture modes, these modes will look very similar and, more troubling, negatively impact the consumer experience.” The Natural Resources Defense Council, which supported the changes included in the revised final draft, “is pleased that EPA is closer to finalizing its update to the ENERGY STAR specification for TVs,” Senior Scientist Noah Horowitz emailed us.

EPA released additional tweaks Tuesday in its Energy Star Version 8.0 TV spec, but in a “revised final draft,” not the actual final spec that the agency said it would release mid-August. EPA continues to grapple with how low to set a TV screen’s required minimum brightness when the set is viewed in dark rooms with the energy-saving automatic brightness control feature enabled. EPA sees the rule as critical for discouraging consumers from disabling ABC because the screen is too dark in ambient room light of 3 lux. EPA originally set the minimum brightness at 150 nits at 3 lux on Imaging Science Foundation recommendations, lowering it to 125 nits after TV makers complained the minimum setting would be too bright (see 1705190033). After July 18 release of the final draft spec, three TV makers that EPA didn't name stepped forward to argue that the 125-nit requirement would still be too bright, said a Tuesday agency cover memo. EPA “has subsequently become aware” of the SMPTE standard (ST 2080) for content editing on HDTVs, which calls for a 100-nit screen luminance, the agency said. “In the absence of industry-wide consensus on optimal brightness for dark room viewing, and given this additional point of reference, EPA is lowering the requirement for luminance at 3 lux to greater than or equal to” 100 nits, it said. Comments are due Nov. 7. EPA representatives didn’t comment further, and the memo said V8.0's effective date was pushed back to July 1 from April 16.

Netflix announced a $1.6 billion senior note offering to institutional buyers Monday. It plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including content acquisitions, production and development, capital expenditures, investments, working capital and potential acquisitions and strategic transactions, it said. The company said in its most recent shareholder letter (see 1710160062) it had 5.3 million net subscription streaming additions in Q3, significantly better than the 4.4 million net additions it predicted in July. Netflix in the past four years has taken a long-term view “that we’re in the early stages of the worldwide, multi-decade transition from linear TV to internet entertainment,” the letter said, citing Disney’s announced plans to launch direct-to-consumer services for ESPN and its other brands and the international expansion of CBS All Access. The letter didn't mention Disney's decision to pull its films from Netflix starting in 2019 (see 1709080027). Linear TV networks are “cutting down on scripted series” as online services like Netflix have “ramped up activity,” it said. Netflix raised subscription prices on its monthly mid- and top-tier services this month to $10.99 for two screens of simultaneous viewing, including HD, and downloads for two mobile devices, and to $11.99 for four screens of HD and Ultra HD viewing and downloads for four devices. Its basic tier remains $7.99 monthly.

Honda spoke with FCC Media Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau officials Wednesday about possible adjustments to accessibility features and how they're initiated by users, said a brief ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket 12-108.

A variety of political leaders, community groups and viewers expressed disappointment at the Univision blackout on Verizon (see 1710190034), the network said Friday. The National Hispanic Media Coalition in a letter to the telco's CEO, Lowell McAdam, that was released Thursday by Univision said it was "outraged" and Verizon "risks being ostracized by Latino consumers" and threatened to "agitate for public condemnation." Verizon didn't comment Friday.

Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat, supports the Honest Ads Act introduced Thursday (see 1710190054). The FEC, which reopened a proceeding on ad disclaimers, wants input on how to improve transparency of political advertising, Weintraub said in a statement: HR-4077, will "significantly strengthen the law and empower Americans by better illuminating how campaigns are being waged on the internet."

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.

Charter Communications representatives told FCC officials they view 3.5 GHz licenses “as an important part of its overall wireless strategy,” as long as rules are right. Charter reported meetings with Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr and aides to the other commissioners. Commissioners are scheduled to vote Tuesday on an NPRM revising the rules, with an eye on changing the regulations for priority access licenses (PALs) (see 1710180043). Charter “reiterated the importance of setting licensing rules that ensure and encourage deployment and investment by new entrants,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. "Its existing network infrastructure well-positions it to deploy high speed and high capacity wireless broadband quickly in the 3.5 GHz Band because it provides pervasive location, power and backhaul.” NCTA said it and members met with Rachael Bender, aide to Pai, on the 3.5 GHz band and other issues. The cable representatives “highlighted the cable industry’s interest and investment in 3.5 GHz standards development and testing,” NCTA said. “We noted cable’s support for reasonable changes to the PAL geographic area and license term that will facilitate investment by a wide variety of providers in the band.”

The Washington Capitals are the first professional team to bow an Alexa Skill, said the NHL franchise last week and as part of an email blast to fans Tuesday.

Lions Gate Entertainment and defendants Ameritrade and Havas Worldwide settled Lions Gate's copyright and trademark infringement claim involving Ameritrade/Havas use of the media company's "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner" trademark (see 1607120017), according to a docket 2:15-cv-05024 stipulation to dismiss (in Pacer) filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.