Gary Arlen

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Contributor Gary Arlen is known for his insights into the convergence of media, telecom, content and technology. Gary was founder/editor/publisher of Interactivity Report, TeleServices Report and other influential newsletters; he was the longtime “curmudgeon” columnist for Multichannel News as well as a regular contributor to AdMap, Washington Technology and Telecommunications Reports. He writes regularly about trends and media/marketing for the Consumer Technology Association's i3 magazine plus several blogs. Gary has taught media-focused courses on the adjunct faculties at George Mason University and American University and has guest-lectured at MIT, Harvard, UCLA, University of Southern California and Northwestern University and at countless media, marketing and technology industry events. As President of Arlen Communications LLC, he has provided analyses about the development of applications and services for entertainment, marketing and e-commerce.

Latest articles by Gary Arlen

Sinclair's Chris Ripley at NAB Show 2022

NextGen TV Slowly Finds Its Direction

By Gary Arlen Published 31 May 22

NAB Show highlights ATSC 3.0 spec’s progress in transportation, education

Technology

Public Broadcasters' Jump Into NextGen TV Tiptoes Into Alliances with Commercial Ventures

By Gary Arlen Published 23 February 22

Eyes on WNET multi-station venture in No. 1 market

Watch List

Susi Elkins during the 2021 ATSC "Full Steam Ahead" annual member meeting and conference.

Core Networks, Tower Connectivity, Broadcaster Education Vital for ATSC 3.0 Strength, Annual Confab Is Told

By Gary Arlen Published 27 August 21

Sessions hear success stories as NextGen enters markets; Awards go to InterDigital's Stein, NAB's Smith

Watch List

Evoca's LPTV 3.0 Service to Debut in Phoenix 'Around Labor Day'

By Gary Arlen Published 20 August 21

Combined broadcast/broadband system will include local college courses

Watch List

A screen grab from a Pearl TV NextGen TV ad campaign

NextGen TV’s Busy Summer Sets Up Fall Events

By Gary Arlen Last updated 16 August 21

Dozens of rollouts, innovative projects and promising predictions, amid concerns about viewer acceptance

Watch List

Advocates, Industry Spar at FCC Over Strict Caption Mandates

By Gary Arlen Published 16 August 21

Sides split over effectiveness of current accessibility rules

Policy

NextGen TV Has a Busy Summer

By Gary Arlen Published 16 August 21

ATSC 3.0 sees dozens of rollouts, innovative projects and promising predictions, but concerns about viewer acceptance remain

Technology

Next Gen TV Backers Seek Answers at Conferences

By Gary Arlen Published 5 August 21

ATSC set to meet Aug. 25-26 ahead of CEDIA, NAB Show in milestones for ATSC 3.0.

Technology

Closed captions on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

New Tech Brings New Tools to Captioning

By Gary Arlen Published 16 August 21

Voice recognition, AI part of push to make live subtitles more accurate

Technology

Closed captioning on Acorn TV's Jack Irish

Keeping Closed Captioning Ahead of the Curve

By Gary Arlen Published 12 July 21

FCC seeks to update policies as technology evolves and assistive services expand to more platforms

Policy

'Motown 3.0' Detroit Trial Adding Telematics, Fleets With 'Ultra-Affordable' Transmissions

By Gary Arlen Published 10 June 21

Watch List

Successful 'Technical Integration' at the Core of Year-Old Portland Test of Seven ATSC 3.0 Channels via Comcast

By Gary Arlen Published 4 June 21

OTA tests expected to begin by late summer

Watch List

Curtis LeGeyt Preps NAB’s Post-Pandemic Policy Agenda

By Gary Arlen Last updated 17 May 21

Collaboration is the watchword for incoming chief of broadcast’s top trade group

Policy

President Joe Biden boards plane to Pittsburgh to announce American Jobs Plan

Broadband Infusion in Biden Plan Faces Challenges

By Gary Arlen Published 12 April 21

Muni cable, speed requirements and wireless role add legislative hurdles

Policy

AMC’s Josh Reader Focuses on ‘Targeted Strategy’ for D2C Streaming Experience

By Gary Arlen Published 1 March 21

Growing churn expected as online video customers shift preferences, Deloitte’s Kevin Westcott explains at DEG Expo

As I Was Saying

Facebook Wants ‘Comprehensive Privacy Law’ for Collecting and Sharing Personal Data

By Gary Arlen Published 19 February 21

Firm’s top privacy official cautions not to restrict tracking

Policy

Increasing Challenges for Disunified Internet Ecosystem, SOTN Speakers Contend

By Gary Arlen Published 3 February 21

Security, digital divide, AI control, capacity management among hurdles cited by policymakers, analysts at virtual annual event

Policy

Sen. Amy Klobuchar Pushes ‘Competition Policy’ to Enhance Antitrust Crackdown

By Gary Arlen Last updated 28 January 21

Senate antitrust activist lays out plans to curtail monopolist moves, especially in tech platform sector.

Policy

A person streaming content on a mobile device

Streaming’s Youth Appeal Outweighs Cord-Cutting Impact, PQ Media Study Finds

By Gary Arlen Last updated 26 January 21

Pandemic-fueled viewing shift shows digital platforms' impact on young viewers; augur changes in revenue platforms for viewer vs. ad-supported programming, according to PQ Media research report.

As I Was Saying

Scott Reich of Pluto TV (l.) and Andrew McCollum of Philo dove into “The Great Unbundling of Video” at a CES panel.

CES Panels Highlight Streaming’s Growing Pains

By Gary Arlen Published 18 January 21

Players see shakeout coming and cite need for better navigation, content discovery

Lead-In

It’s the Most Wonk-iful Time of the Year

By Gary Arlen Published 30 December 20

Broadband, antitrust, copyright, security recommendations for ’21 abound, but think tanks restrain telecom policy prognostications

As I Was Saying

Comcast/NBCU’s Matt Strauss Laments Viewers Are ‘Being Priced Out of Cable’

By Gary Arlen Published 28 December 20

At DEG event, he cites advertisers’ desire ‘to participate in premium content’; calls NBC’s Peacock a realization of his Mag Rack dreams

As I Was Saying

5G, Broadband, Streaming Content, Cybersecurity Top Virtual CES Agenda

By Gary Arlen Published 28 December 20

Verizon, WarnerMedia, Microsoft, iHeartMedia among featured speakers; $149 price discount ends Jan. 3

As I Was Saying

Broadcast TV’s Dominance in Political Ads Will Persist, Gray TV’s LaPlatney Contends

By Gary Arlen Published 23 November 20

Record Political Ad Revenue Spurs LaPlatney's Optimism of Future Broadcast Dominance in Campaign Spending

Policy

Rethinking Universal Service, Putting Responsibility on Platform Firms Should Become Top Agenda Objectives, Says Brookings’ Turner-Lee

By Gary Arlen Last updated 28 October 20

Urges ‘no child left offline,’ digital ‘solutions’ (rather than ‘divide’) at Media Institute session

As I Was Saying

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