• 3DTV takes a nosedive. The format
promulgated on the public to save the TV
manufacturing industry fizzles like a wet
firework.
• Mobile DTV is demonstrated for Congress
every other day. Congress replies, “That’s
very nice. We’re taking your spectrum
anyway. We’ve got bills to pay.”
• The final, final, final, final, almost final rules
for the Emergency Alert System are issued.
• People record more TV than they watch live.
• The London Olympics is produced in 3D for
an audience comprised primarily of people in
the 3D production truck.
• The first commercial White-Fi is launched in
North Carolina. Congress says, “What-ever.”
• LightSquared is shot down like a clay pigeon
at a rifle range and vows to carry on.
• ATSC 2.0 is on track to be done roughly six
years too late.
• Barry Diller steals TV signals in New York.
The court is kind of OK with that.
• Everything must be closed-captioned.
Spelling is optional.
• TV station public files must be posted
online at an FCC-hosted website that is the
“Where’s Waldo” of file folders.
• The “cloud” emerges as the catch-all of
everything imaginable.
• Dish skips commercials only on broadcast
networks and advertises the fact with the
most annoying commercials ever made in a
bid to make people want to skip them.
• Broadcasting repeatedly asks the FCC how
TV stations are going to fit into 40 percent
less spectrum. The FCC replies, “Trust us.
We’re the government and we are here to
help.” Broadcasting begins drinking heavily.
• The systematic elimination of LPTV begins
with a sweep of Class A downgrades.
• Consumer 4KTVs are introduced. Consumer
4KTV content is not.
• The FCC approves TV spectrum incentive
auctions vaguely styled on “Antiques
Roadshow,” and admits that repacking TV
stations could be a pain.
• Political ad spending breaks records. Again.
No one is surprised.