* Comcast names Finnegan VP of intellectual property strategy
By Mike Robuck

Comcast announced today that James J. Finnegan has joined the company as VP of intellectual property strategy. Prior to joining Comcast, Finnegan spent 17 years with AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent as a contributor to their intellectual property business.

* Cablevision adds Korean channel to iO TV lineup
By Traci Patterson

Cablevision has added The Korean Channel (TKC) to its international programming, available on iO TV, which now features approximately 60 channels from around the world.

The channel will be available across Cablevision’s service area to all subscribers of the iO International Korean Package ($14.95 per month), which currently includes MKTV and MBC.

* Cox’s Osteen wins SCTE Foundation grant
By Mike Robuck

The SCTE Foundation announced today that Cox Communications’ Rick Osteen was awarded a grant of $3,000 to help cover the cost of a graduate course he needs to complete for a Master’s degree in systems engineering. Osteen, who joined the SCTE two years ago, is manager of network systems deployment at Cox in West Warwick, R.I.

* Verizon expands FiOS services in N.Y., Fla.
By Traci Patterson

Verizon has been awarded a cable franchise in the Long Island, N.Y. village The Branch. The vote brings the total number of New York communities that have approved franchises for Verizon to 75.

Also, nearly 3,500 households surrounding Bell Shoals Road in Tampa, Fla., now have access to Verizon’s FiOS Internet and TV services, as well as its voice service. The triple-play bundles are delivered over Verizon’s all-fiber network.

* AT&T adds U-Verse features in Connecticut
By Traci Patterson

AT&T’s customers in Connecticut now have access to new TV features: AT&T U-bar, which brings customizable weather, stock, sports and traffic information to the TV screen; Yellowpages.com TV, a new way to search for local businesses and other information on the TV; and AT&T Yahoo! Games, which are also available on the TV screen. The telco recently added the same features to its U-verse service in the Detroit and Houston areas.