Jul 27, 2017

Comcast's "Xfinity Instant TV" to launch this year

Jeff Fusco / AP

Comcast executives told investors on today's quarterly earnings call that it will launch its millennial-focused TV service the second half of this year. It will be an in-home cable service that doesn't include a set-top box. Prices are still being tested.

"It's ideal for certain segments and millennials in the test markets," said Dave Watson the new president and CEO of Comcast's cable division.

Why it matters: The service would compete with other telecom companies in the skinny bundle space, like AT&T's Direct TV Now and Dish's Sling TV, as well as other tech-based skinny bundles, like Youtube TV and Hulu TV. It's a crowded space, but Comcast is hoping to retain millennial cord-cutters by offering them something cheaper and more aligned with their consumption habits. (The average Comcast cable/broadband was $151 last quarter, up nearly 8% from just two years ago.)

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Axios

Updated 10 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 4 p.m. ET: 31,175,205 — Total deaths: 962,076— Total recoveries: 21,294,229 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 4 p.m. ET: 6,829,956 — Total deaths: 199,690 — Total recoveries: 2,590,695 — Total tests: 95,121,596 — Map.
Health: CDC says it mistakenly published guidance about COVID-19 spreading through air.
Media: Conservative blogger who spread COVID-19 misinformation worked for Fauci's agency.
Politics: House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11.
World: "The Wake-Up Call" warns the West about the consequences of mishandling a pandemic.

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Axios

35 mins ago - Politics & Policy

McConnell: Senate has "more than sufficient time" to process Supreme Court nomination

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a floor speech Monday that the chamber has "more than sufficient time" to confirm a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the election, and accused Democrats of preparing "an even more appalling sequel" to the fight over Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said "nothing is off the table next year" if Republicans push ahead with the confirmation vote before November, vowing alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to use "every procedural tool available to us to ensure that we buy ourselves the time necessary."

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Alayna Treene

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Democrats on Monday released their proposal for short-term legislation to fund the government through December 11.

Why it matters: This is Congress' chief legislative focus before the election. They must pass a continuing resolution (CR) before midnight on Oct. 1 to avoid a government shutdown — something both Hill leaders and the White House have claimed is off the table.