WASHINGTON—The National Association of Broadcasters is applauding a draft notice from the Federal Communications Commission that would potentially speed up the transition for NextGen TV/ATSC 1.0.
In a Oct. 9 blog, the NAB called the draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking a notable example of how “momentum is building for America’s transition to the next generation of free television service.”
The FCC released the draft NPR earlier this week. It isn't clear how the government shutdown might impact the agency's plan to vote on the proposal on October 28.
The draft notes that the FCC has "tentatively" concluded that television stations should be allowed to choose when to stop broadcasting via the ATSC 1.0 standard and begin broadcasting exclusively in 3.0.
It also has "tentatively" concluded television stations should be allowed to broadcast in both 1.0 and 3.0, as many are doing today, but with fewer restrictions and requirements on the 1.0 version of their signal. This would free up more spectrum for advanced ATSC 3.0 services.
In a blog post, the NAB said that the “(FCC) has proposed eliminating key barriers that have slowed broadcasters’ ability to bring viewers the full benefits of this cutting-edge technology…The proposal reflects the Commission’s growing recognition that the future of broadcasting depends on innovation, not regulation, and that local stations are already leading the way.”
“We look forward to working with the Commission as it removes these barriers and establishes dates by which the broadcasting industry and viewers will take this exciting leap into the next generation of television.” the NAB also said.
The blog post did not address the fact that the FCC draft notice seems to have tentatively concluded that stations should decide when they make the transition. The NAB has pushed for a hard cut-off of ATSC 1.0 broadcasts starting in February of 2028, arguing that a firm date is required to firmly push consumers and consumer electronics manufacturers towards making the transition.
The NAB, Pearl TV and larger broadcasters have also been pushing for FCC rules mandating 3.0 tuners in new TV sets. Those mandates are opposed by set manufacturers and the CTA.
“The FCC’s draft notice comes on the heels of new investment in ATSC 3.0 across the government and industry,” the NAB blog noted. “The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded NAB a $744,000 contract to advance field testing of the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS), which uses NextGen TV signals to enhance GPS resilience and strengthen national security. And earlier this year, all 50 state broadcaster associations united behind a resolution urging the FCC to establish a clear plan for completing the transition.”
“NextGen TV progress is also evident in communities across the country,” the group also stressed. “Today, more than 125 television stations in 77 markets reaching roughly 75% of viewers are already broadcasting with the ATSC 3.0 standard, delivering enhanced interactive services to local communities.”
“NextGen TV represents the most significant leap forward in television broadcasting since the digital transition,” the post by NAB’s senior vice president, communications Alex Siciliano concluded. “It delivers ultra-high-definition picture and sound, robust emergency alerting, interactive features and powerful new datacasting capabilities that can power everything from connected vehicles to precision agriculture.”
