* Comcast Corp. and Xperi Holding Corp.'s TiVo Corp. struck a 15-year license agreement to settle a yearslong patent dispute between the companies. The deal, which is effective as of the expiration of Comcast's previous agreement in 2016, offers broad coverage under TiVo's patent portfolios into 2031.
* Shares in Zoom Video Communications Inc. and other names that benefited from pandemic-induced stay-at-home trends tumbled as investors digested results from a vaccine trial found to be highly effective at combating the disease. Zoom stock plunged 17.4% and Netflix Inc. stock fell 8.6% in Nov. 9 trading to close at $413.24 apiece and $470.50 apiece, respectively, after pharmaceutical companies Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE said their experimental COVID-19 vaccine was found to be over 90% effective in preventing infection.
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➤ The Week Ahead: Senate to consider new Republican FCC nominee amid uncertain future at agency
The nominee, Nathan Simington, reportedly played a large role in drafting a petition to the FCC that was mandated under a controversial social media executive order signed by President Donald Trump on May 28.
➤ Data Dispatch: Some cable analysts fear 2020's strong broadband growth could harm 2021 numbers
MoffettNathanson LLC analyst Craig Moffett said in a recent report that "it is reasonable to assume that much of this is a pull-forward from future periods, not a step-change in sustainable growth."
➤ Technology: Remote work pushes global AR/VR hardware shipments up 76% in 2020
The pandemic accelerated adoption for AR and VR hardware, which offers employees a way to train and collaborate while being socially distanced. Kagan forecasts there will be 4.3 million such devices installed for commercial use by the end of 2020.
TECHNOLOGY
* Adobe Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Workfront Inc., a work management platform for marketers, for $1.5 billion. Workfront CEO Alex Shootman will continue to lead the Workfront team.
* Microsoft Corp. globally released the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, two of its next-generation gaming consoles. The Xbox Series X carries a price tag of $499, while the digital-only Xbox Series S console costs $299.
* Entercom Communications Corp. completed the acquisition of QL Gaming Group, a sports data and iGaming affiliate platform, for about $32 million in cash. Justin Park, co-founder and CEO of QL Gaming Group, will continue to lead the business.
* Comscore Inc. confirmed that the company is in advanced talks for a recapitalization transaction with an anchor investor. If completed, the transaction would result in a "significant" reduction in Comscore's outstanding debt, improving its balance sheet and liquidity profile.
* A judge said he will mull hearing arguments pertaining to the safeguarding of confidential information in the U.S. Department of Justice's case against Google LLC, Reuters reported. The Alphabet Inc. unit and DOJ failed to agree on means of safeguarding confidential information provided by third parties to the government.
INTERNET AND OTT
* DISH Network Corp. will discontinue support for Sling Media Inc.'s Slingbox services and devices in two years, according to a company post. It will permanently discontinue Slingbox servers in 2022, but most Slingbox models will continue to normally operate until then.
* ViacomCBS Inc.'s TV streaming service Philo Inc. surpassed 800,000 subscribers, up from 750,000 subscribers noted in August, Fierce Video reported, citing a statement by CEO Andrew McCollum during a keynote session at the Stream TV Show.
* Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered C$750 million worth of additional funding for the Universal Broadband Fund meant to expand high-speed broadband connectivity across Canada by 2026, according to a press release. This complements a previously budgeted C$1 billion investment that aims to connect all of Canada by 2030.
* Netflix named former creative lead for independent TV studio Wiip, Nne Ebong, vice president of overall deals and original series, Deadline reported.
ENTERTAINMENT
* Univision Holdings Inc.'s Univision Communications Inc. registered sequential improvement with ad revenues in the third quarter and is trending toward an ad revenue gain during the final reporting period of 2020. Total revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 declined 7.9% to $627.6 million from prior-year period's $681.4 million.
* CBS (US) unveiled new standards to boost diversity in the creative and production teams involved in making unscripted series. All future unscripted programs are expected to have at least 50% of the contestants being Black, Indigenous and people of color starting with the 2021-2022 broadcast season.
* NBCUniversal Media LLC partnered with PayPal Holdings Inc. to make it easier for people to buy products promoted via TV programming, Variety reported, citing a statement by NBCU Executive Vice President and marketing and advertising creative chief Josh Feldman.
* The Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland enacted additional furloughs as its Southern California theme park resort remained closed, The Hollywood Reporter reported, citing a memo from Disneyland President Ken Potrock. The move reportedly affects an unspecified number of executive, hourly and salaried staffers, who will retain health and insurance benefits.
* Regal Cinemas Inc. will indefinitely close 18 of its locations on Nov. 12 that remained open in California and New York, Deadline reported, citing various distribution sources. The Cineworld Group PLC-owned theater chain reportedly cited a lack of "robust" theatrical release schedule as the reason for the move.
* Warner Bros. Television Group Chief Marketing Officer and President Lisa Gregorian will leave at year-end, Variety reported, citing a statement by CEO and Chair of Warner Media LLC's studios and networks group, Ann Sarnoff. A source said the departure does not pertain to restructuring moves at Warner Media.
MARKETS
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