The market for software-defined WAN grew by 64% last year to soar past $1 billion in what an Dell'Oro Group analyst Shin Umeda termed a "breakout year" for its adoption with five vendors vying for leadership. Cisco Systems, Silver Peak, Versa Networks, VMWare and Fortinet split 60% of the market's revenues with none of them holding more than a 20% share.
The costs of broadcasting have held stable while advertising revenue has slowed to a trickle amid pandemic fears, leaving the industry in a crisis situation, says Gordon Smith, president of the National Association of Broadcasters. Smith adds that smaller stations will receive some federal aid to keep paying employees, and that NAB hopes larger broadcast groups will be allowed to count each station as a separate entity so they can also qualify for federal relief.
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones now owes $22,500 in additional legal fees after losing an appeal to a father whose child was murdered in the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting. Jones claimed that the killing of six teachers and 20 young children was staged, and currently owes a total of $129,500 in legal fees to nine of the victims' family members.
Better internet connections and developments in automation software are helping journalists as they attempt to stay on the air with broadcasts from their homes or remote locations. Computer systems in newsrooms rank among the most significant tools at broadcasters' disposal, while producing material for multiple platforms is a top challenge.
IPG Mediabrands' Magna has shifted its advertising sales outlook from 5.7% growth to a 2.8% drop due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and the resulting economic impact. The group has also revised projections for 2021 up, citing the positive impact of events like the Olympics, which have been pushed back a year.
Members of NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" family are mourning the loss of Josh Wallwork, a 45-year-old costumer on the show who passed away this week from complications relating to the coronavirus. Warren Leight, who runs "SVU," says the show's cast and crew are "heartbroken" over the loss.
Organizers behind the Tony Awards show have decided to postpone the annual event as a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The show will be rescheduled from June 7 to a later date, which will be set by Tony Award Productions and CBS.
Elton John, Alicia Keys, Billie Eilish and other artists will participate in Fox's "iHeart Living Room Concert for America" to raise funds for First Responders Children's Foundation and Feeding America. The program, in which all performers will participate remotely, will air Sunday, March 29, replacing the postponed iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Comcast and Charter Communications are making more of their services free for some people during the coronavirus pandemic. Educators now have access to Charter's free broadband program, while Comcast is dropping certain video-on-demand paywalls for Xfinity Flex and X1 subscribers.
Premium networks are showing major viewership bumps as people stay home, reports Samba TV. Viewers spent more than twice their average time watching six channels from HBO, Starz and Showtime during the week starting March 17, with Starz getting a 216% boost and HBO2 seeing a 130% increase.