The FCC on Wednesday released a Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on the state of NextGen TV, powered by the new ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard, transition.
There’s more — the Commission also wants to know what interested parties think about the scheduled sunsets of two rules adopted in a 2017 Report and Order.
With publication in the Federal Register the determining factor as to when a 30-day comment period and 60-day reply comment date is set, the Commission is essentially seeking to put together a progress report on NextGen TV’s rollout on a voluntary basis.
It’s a “market-driven deployment” — one that has been far from perfect. In San Antonio, for example, TEGNA’s KENS-5 and Graham Media Group’s KSAT-12 are not participating in the recent introduction of NextGen TV in the market, led by Sinclair Broadcast Group. In South Florida, West Palm Beach has access to NextGen TV signals; Miami does not as of yet.
For the FCC, one big question is whether holders of essential patents for the ATSC 3.0 standards are licensing such patents on “reasonable and nondiscriminatory (RAND)” term.
The Commission is also seeking public comment on the scheduled 2023 sunset of the rule
requiring that a Next Gen TV station’s ATSC 1.0 simulcast primary video programming stream be “substantially similar” to its 3.0 primary programming stream.
Lastly, the FCC wants public input on the scheduled 2023 sunset of the requirement that a Next Gen TV station comply with the ATSC A/322 standard.
That said, the Commission wants answers to big questions that groups including Pearl TV, the marketing arm of ATSC 3.0’s NextGen TV, have yet to answer publicly.
How many OTA TV viewers are currently watching 3.0 broadcasts?
Are there any current sources for this information?
Are any companies able or planning to
track this data as the transition progresses? If so, how?
How many OTA TV households have a TV set with (or attached to) a 3.0 tuner?
Is the number of 3.0 TV sets or other 3.0 TV equipment sold with ATSC 3.0 tuners a good indicator of consumer viewing trends for ATSC 3.0 service?
Is there evidence that consumers are currently using the ATSC 3.0 tuner featured in these sets?
Are OTA TV viewers and other consumers aware of the broadcasters’ voluntary transition to 3.0 and how it may affect them now and in the future?
The Commission doesn’t stop there. It wants answers from the public on how broadcasters are educating OTA TV viewers and other consumers about the broadcasters’ voluntary transition to 3.0 and how it may affect them now and in the future. How effective have the required on-air notices been in informing OTA viewers about the 3.0 transition? Here’s your chance to provide an answer to your liking with the Commission.
The FCC also wants to know if any MVPD plan to carry ATSC 3.0-delivered signals, something they are not required to do.
Is there equipment available that will allow MVPDs to receive 3.0 signals and redistribute them to their subscribers?
It’s a big question for the cable TV service provider.
To view the entire Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, please click here:
FCC-22-47A1
