MCN Newswire: Shaw's X1-Based 'Blue Sky' Hit With Patent Suit; YouTubeTV Service Coincides With Increased Cord-Cutting; Altice Acquires Addressable Ad Platform
WHY THIS MATTERS:The suit alleges that Shaw's system infringes on six Canadian patents owned by the two companies related to pay TV purchasing, distribution, viewership monitoring and interactive television systems.
WHY THIS MATTERS:The U.S. pay TV industry shed 319,000 subs in Q4 versus a gain of 48,000 in the year-ago quarter, and for the full year of 2016, the industry shrank by 1.7%, or 1.7 million subs, media analyst Craig Moffett said.
WHY THIS MATTERS:The acquisition gives Altice USA a data-driven addressable ad platform that supports programmatic ad buying and support for multiple screens, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, TVs and billboards.