As part of its plan to shift 120 MHz of spectrum from TV broadcasting to wireless broadband, the FCC wants to pack TV stations more tightly together in the remaining 180 MHz of spectrum to free up some for auction. To do that most efficiently, it must make the VHF portion of the remaining spectrum (chs. 2-13) more hospitable to broadcasting. That process got underway this week, when, as part of a larger rulemaking on TV spectrum reallocation, the FCC proposed increasing the power of VHF stations and imposing minimum performance standards on VHF receive antennas. It also called …

The BBC has confirmed plans to make its on-demand video iPlayer available outside the U.K. via a subscription iPad app sometime in the middle of 2011. No pricing or specific markets have been confirmed, but the U.S. would be a likely target for the early launches of the English-language service, given the popularity of shows like "Torchwood" and "Top Gear" on BBC America. BBC's iPlayer has already proved incredibly popular in the U.K. Launched in December 2007, usage nearly doubled from 61.5 million plays in January 2009 to 120.3 in January 2010.the launch of a global player could allow …

DirecTV will look long and hard at its programming lineup in an ongoing effort to keep programming costs in check, including paring channels that are lacking in viewership, executive vice president of content strategy and development Derek Chang says. Historically, DirecTV had carried some networks simply because cable lacked the channel capacity. But in the current 200-plus channel universe, having an extra network or two that your competitor doesn't isn't the advantage it used to be. "In our battle to manage our economics, we will look to repackage channels where we have over-distributed, or frankly just to remove …

USA has given a formal green light to the "Burn Notice" movie prequel starring Bruce Campbell, which will be directed by "Burn Notice" star Jeffrey Donovan. The two will also executive produce with the show's creator Matt Nix, who wrote the movie, and the series exec producer Mikkel Bondesen. The untitled two-hour film, which was announced at this year's Comic-Con, will begin shooting in January on location in Bogota, Colombia, for a premiere in Spring 2011. "Burn Notice" has wrapped production on Season 4, and filming on Season 5 is slated to begin shortly after the movie finishes …

Lagardere SCA, France's biggest publisher, is in "informal" talks that could lead to the sale of its international magazine business, whose titles include Car and Driver and Elle's foreign editions. The company wants to "re-center on the geographic zones where it has critical mass," a spokeswoman for the magazines unit, Lagardere Active. Lagardere, which also publishes Paris Match and Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" novels, is looking to focus on its main publishing businesses. Chief Executive Officer Arnaud Lagardere started preparations for an initial public offering of its 20% stake in pay-TV operator Canal Plus France and also aims to …

ESPN has poached Sony Pictures Television's exec Ross Hair to become its new managing director across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Hair, who was executive vice president of Sony's European TV networks, will launch sports networks and drivea local programming strategy for ESPN, where he was director of strategic planning at ESPN Star Sports in Singapore before joining Sony. ESPN is looking to expand its portfolio of live local and international rights -- such as the package of live Premier League Soccer rights it acquired when U.K. sports operator Setanta Sports collapsed -- and use that to expand …

All those meetings Internet providers held with the Federal Communications Commission over the last few days have paid off in an FCC net neutrality agenda item the companies can live with, at least until Congress gets a hold of it. The proposed net neutrality rules will officially be voted on at the Commission's Dec. 21 meeting. The rules would establish an open Internet framework, prohibiting Internet providers from blocking or discriminating against lawful Internet traffic, yet allowing providers to manage their networks, address congestion and continue to employ usage-based pricing. Nothing in the FCC's proposal seem to adversely affect …

New York Times Co. is completing plans to charge readers for online news after spending a year studying Web sites such as Consumer Reports and WeightWatchers. The New York Times, which in 2007 abandoned its first big effort to charge consumers to read its columnists online, is betting it can overcome readers' objections to paying for news they have grown accustomed to reading free of charge. The newspaper said they would announce as early as January prices for its 'metered' Internet model, apps for smartphones and tablets and newspapers delivered to people's doors and other details. In its metered …