Here are the most read stories of the week.
Leaked memo raises questions about US government's role in speeding next-gen 5G
The telecom industry reacted swiftly and negatively to a leaked Trump administration proposal suggesting the U.S. government speed deployment of next-generation 5G wireless technology by building and running its own centralized nationwide network. The proposal, detailed in a PowerPoint presentation and an accompanying memo first published Jan. 28 by Axios and reportedly produced by a senior National Security Council official, argued swift action is needed to keep the U.S. from losing the race to deploy 5G technology and related innovations to China, stressing economic and security concerns are at stake.
Analysts: As Sky moves online, expect others to follow
Sky plc's move to deliver its entire TV offering online without the need for a satellite dish has been hailed by analysts as a game-changer and a future-proof strategy in the face of the rapidly growing online video market.
Q&A: Social media exec: Instagram an 'untouched' opportunity
Ryde Studios founder and CEO Nicolas Gibbs sat down with S&P Global Market Intelligence to discuss the state of social media, premium content and how social media needs to catch up with traditional media from a content investment perspective.
Analysts: Sluggish ad market, OTT competition will shape programmers' Q4 results
Constraints on advertising and affiliate revenues will shape results, but analysts also want to assess the traditional TV networks' strategies tied to the revised tax code and the potential for more consolidations. Naveen Sarma, an analyst with S&P Global Ratings, said in an interview that the principal benefits for the U.S. media industry are a lower corporate tax rate, the elimination of taxed earnings on future profits overseas, and full deductibility of qualified TV and film production costs, a major benefit for the programmers.
Analysis: Facebook still social media king, but content quality questions linger
As the social media pure-play companies prepare to report quarterly earnings, analysts will look for sector leader Facebook to provide more color on initiatives designed to address concerns about the quality of content shared on its platforms. For the fourth quarter, Facebook reported total revenue of $12.97 billion, up 47% year over year. For the full year, the company reported revenue of $40.65 billion, also up 47% year over year.
