Comcast 2014 Annual Report Download - page 31

Table of Contents
International Regulation
International regulation of television broadcasting varies widely according to jurisdiction and includes the regulation of programming
and advertising. For example, the European Union (“E.U.”)
establishes minimum levels of regulation across all E.U. member states
focused on content and advertising, which also extends to nonlinear television services, although E.U. countries are free to impose
stricter regulation in certain areas.
Online Video Distributors
The FCC has initiated a rulemaking to consider classifying certain OVDs that offer multiple linear programming networks to
customers with a broadband Internet connection as MVPDs under FCC rules. The FCC’
s proposal is designed to ensure that these
OVDs have program access rights to programming from vertically integrated cable programmers and the right to force broadcast
stations to negotiate to license their content. The FCC also has proposed potentially excusing these entities from all or some of the
regulatory obligations applicable to current MVPDs. If adopted, these proposals would increase our program access obligations and
raise complicated issues regarding the licensing of our broadcast programming. The outcome of this proceeding cannot be
determined at this time.
Filmed Entertainment
Our filmed entertainment business is subject to the provisions of “trade practice laws”
in effect in 25 states and Puerto Rico relating
to theatrical distribution of motion pictures. Under various consent judgments, federal and state antitrust laws and state unfair
competition laws, motion picture companies are subject to certain restrictions on trade practices in the United States. In countries
outside the United States, there are a variety of existing or contemplated governmental laws and regulations that may affect our
ability to distribute and license motion picture and television products, as well as consumer merchandise products. The ability of
countries to deny market access or refuse national treatment to products originating outside their territories is regulated under
various international agreements.
Theme Parks
Our theme parks are subject to various regulations, including laws and regulations regarding environmental protection, privacy and
data protection, consumer product safety and theme park operations, such as health, sanitation, safety and fire standards, and
liquor licenses.
Other Areas of Regulation
Intellectual Property
Copyright, trademark, unfair competition, patent, trade secret and Internet/domain laws of the United States and other countries
help protect our intellectual property rights. In particular, piracy of programming and films through unauthorized distribution of
counterfeit DVDs, peer-to-
peer file sharing and other platforms presents challenges for our cable networks, broadcast television
and filmed entertainment businesses. The unauthorized reproduction, distribution or display of copyrighted material over the
Internet or through other methods of distribution, such as through devices, software or websites that allow the reproduction,
viewing, sharing and/or downloading of content by either ignoring or interfering with the content’
s security features and copyrighted
status, interferes with the market for copyrighted works and disrupts our ability to exploit our content. The extent of copyright
protection and the use of technological protections, such as encryption, are controversial. Modifications to existing laws that
weaken these protections could have an adverse effect on our ability to license and sell our programming.
While many legal protections exist to combat piracy, laws in the United States and internationally continue to evolve, as do
technologies used to evade these laws. We have actively engaged in the enforcement of our intellectual property rights and likely
will continue to expend substantial resources to protect our content. The repeal of laws intended to combat piracy and protect
intellectual property or weakening of such laws or
Comcast 2014 Annual Report on Form 10
-
K
26