Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Berry Gordy, Justino Diaz and Lorne Michaels are the latest recipients of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' lifetime achievement awards. A live presentation will take place Dec. 5 and be broadcast later.

Senators have agreed that broadband funding in the proposed infrastructure bill should primarily go to regions that lack essential service, an aide reports, a move that addresses the concerns of NCTA - The Internet & Television Association and cable providers in general. Many operators reportedly were uneasy about the potential of companies overbuilding existing networks with federal money.

HBO Max will air a minimum of 10 new Warner Bros. films exclusively next year, WarnerMedia head Jason Kilar recently announced. The streaming service is increasingly turning to original content in order to remain competitive with other video-on-demand platforms.

Comcast's Xfinity Flex, which currently has 3.5 million users, recently added Hulu+ Live TV access. The broadband-only platform previously integrated Sling TV and the Hulu video-on-demand option.

Comcast's XMF platform brings fiber cut detection time, previously two hours, down to under two minutes by using older optical spectrum analyzers. Engineer Venk Mutalik spearheaded the project, which monitors individual fiber performance.

My Paranormal Network will debut on July 26 with a series of 13 original eerie podcasts by well-known genre personalities. The online service will also offer videos and host exclusive fan events.

Consolidated Communications aims to expand its fiber services to 70% of its territory, or more than 1.6 million businesses and households, using DZS technology for 10G XGS-PON. Consolidated is using $59 million from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction to offer broadband to 27,000 locations in seven states.

Verizon continues to support its C-band network efforts, setting a full-year 2021 budget of as much as $3 billion -- the company has already spent $160 million on C-Band efforts this year, executives said. Verizon has set a target of reaching 100 million people in 46 markets in 2021 via 7,000 to 8,000 new C-band sites.

AT&T added 246,000 fiber-based consumer broadband subscribers in the second quarter, a gain of 21,000 year-to-year, and executives predicted the company would tack on about 1 million new fiber customers in full-year 2021. Broadband average revenue per user grew by $3.15 to reach $54.76 and AT&T's Pascal Desroches said about 80% of the gains came from new subscribers.

The US Air Force is touting the advent of 5G and telemedicine as a significant breakthrough for soldiers' health as it conducts tests on the capabilities of the technologies at Joint Base San Antonio. Telehealth will enable the military to "provide more care in real time and bring more expertise to the table than they currently are," said Jody Little, executive program manager for 5G NextGen at JBSA.