DirecTV Warns FCC Over ATSC 3.0 Mandate

For years, the unanswered question among some media observers monitoring the transition of the broadcast TV standard to ATSC 3.0 from ATSC 1.0 was just how multichannel video programming distributors would add NEXTGEN TV channels to their lineups. At what cost would this be for MVPDs? How would retransmission consent negotiations go for the addition of these ATSC 3.0-powered stations?

The American Television Alliance, a notorious group claiming to be pro-consumer but has been largely aligned with the interests of the Cable TV industry, has provided answers to the FCC with respect to a mandated end to ATSC 1.0 broadcasts from direct broadcast satellite service provider DirecTV.

In short, DirecTV wants a forced switch to ATSC 3.0 prevented at all costs.