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Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, Dec 7, 1998

Broadcasters would be allowed to provide broadcast pay-per- view or subscription service using WavePhore's e-commerce metering and payment system, company announced. It signed licensing agreement with Wave Systems Corp. to use latter's e-commerce Embedded Application Security System (EMBASSY), enabling WavePhore to use data transmitted in broadcaster's vertical blanking interval and special TV tuner cards to control access to content, allowing broadcasters to charge for such things as video, data, games. WavePhore said same technology could be used to control access to other content distributors, including Internet, cable, CD-ROMs, DVD.

Four major networks suing EchoStar for copyright infringement as result of retransmitting local signals asked judge to issue preliminary injunction. Suit was filed last month in U.S. Dist. Court, Miami, under jurisdiction of Judge Lenore Nesbitt (TVD Nov 9 p5). NAB Pres. Edward Fritts said: "We hope the judge in Miami will quickly see through EchoStar's charade and promptly stop its illegal activities in the same way she dealt with PrimeTime 24, EchoStar's fellow scofflaw."

Society of Motion Picture & TV Engineers will sponsor all-day seminar on DTV April 17, during NAB convention in Las Vegas -- 914-761-3115.

NABET-CWA accused ABC of violating "news blackout" agreement and telling "outright lies and misrepresentations" in Dec. 3 memo to network employees on negotiations for new labor contract, being held under auspices of federal mediator. In statement, NABET-CWA said ABC's memo "is an obvious and desperate attempt by Disney/ABC to undermine the collective bargaining process." Union said that in latest round of talks it "offered new and significant proposals... in exchange for a degree of employment security," but that ABC "made no effort whatsoever to counteroffer or to negotiate in good faith." ABC official said memo was "a good- faith misunderstanding," but refused to disclose contents. Negotiations resumed Dec. 4 under news embargo after day off Dec. 3 at ABC's request.

NAB Pres. Edward Fritts returned to Washington middle of last week after apparently successful knee replacement at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and planned to attend Assn.'s Christmas party Dec. 4. Similar knee replacement year ago in Washington area had to be removed at Mayo last summer after infection developed. Fritts has been in and out of office for several months and has work station set up in his suburban Va. home. His first business trip now is planned for Jan. 9-13 NAB board meetings in Naples, Fla.

FCC issued warning to communications tower owners about complying with lighting rules following recent Tex. incident in which helicopter ambulance nearly hit unlit radio antenna. Enforcement of lighting rules is "top priority," said Compliance & Information Bureau Chief Richard Lee. FCC also said it welcomes information from public about unlit towers -- 1-888-CALLFCC.

Carmel Group is sponsoring DBS conference Feb. 16-17, Sheraton Gateway Hotel, L.A. -- 831-643-2222. Keynote speaker is Hughes Electronics Chmn.-CEO Michael Smith. Others are EchoStar Chmn. Charles Ergen, DirecTV Pres. Eddy Hartenstein, Primestar Chmn. Carl Vogel.

Sen. Cleland (D-Ga.) will fill sole opening on Senate Commerce Committee next year, Democratic leadership announced. He will replace Sen. Wendell Ford (D-Ky.), who retired. No changes are expected in Republican membership. Senate Republicans have yet to announce committee assignments for new Congress that starts in Jan. Democrats also announced that Sen.-elect Schumer (D-N.Y.) will join Judiciary Committee (as well as Banking Committee) and that Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.) will leave Judiciary to join Appropriations panel. Schumer is expected to join Antitrust Subcommittee, replacing Sen. Torricelli (D-N.J.), who will take ranking seat on subcommittee to be named later. Schumer is completing his service on House Judiciary Committee as part of impeachment proceedings. Sen. Feinstein (D-Cal.) also gains Appropriations seat, will stay on Judiciary, where she's senior Democratic member on Terrorism subcommittee. On Republican side, Sen. Thompson (R-Tenn.) may leave Judiciary for Finance Committee. Sen. Boxer (D-Cal.) moves from Appropriations to Foreign Relations Committee, allowing Feinstein to regain seat she left to allow Boxer seat on committee during her reelection efforts.

After 15 years as NBC Washington lobbyist, with current title of vp-govt. relations, Terry Mahony is leaving at end of year and will take network with him as client in his new Washington legal practice under 2-year contract. Mahony joined NBC in 1983 from deputy dir.-legislation at FCC 1978-1983. Before that, Georgetown U. Law Center graduate was in Govt. Relations Dept. at NAB. "We're looking forward to continuing our close association with Terry," said NBC Exec. Vp-Gen. Counsel Richard Cotton.

Temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing implementation of Child Online Protection Act (COPA), due to expire Dec. 4, is likely to be extended to Feb. 1. U.S. Dist. Judge Lowell Reed, Philadelphia, already has approved extension to Dec. 18. However, both sides in case asked Reed to approve another extension, until Feb. 1. That request is pending.