In the 9 1/2 months since President Trump returned to the White House and FCC leadership transitioned from Jessica Rosenworcel to Brendan Carr, forces behind the transition to ATSC 3.0-powered NEXTGEN TV have aggressively pushed for a mandatory shut-down date of the current ATSC 1.0 digital TV technology that is universally found across MVPDs and broadcast channels in the U.S.
That was a change in tune from the voluntary transition to ATSC 3.0 seen in the Biden years, and brought fierce opposition from the Consumer Technology Association’s head and the cable TV lobby, as well as DirecTV and DISH.
It is now clear that the FCC has listened to all sides on the thorny matter of when to stop ATSC 1.0 broadcasting. And, it will not move forward with a firm end date for the “OG” of DTV.
According to a FCC Fact Sheet detailing its Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the authorization of permissive use of the “Next Generation” broadcast television standard released late Tuesday (10/7), “steps to support and accelerate the nation’s ongoing voluntary, market-based broadcast television transition to Next Gen TV” would be affirmed and accelerated.
“We propose to remove regulatory obstacles and give additional flexibility to broadcasters,” the fact sheet reads. “In addition, we seek comment on how to minimize the costs and impact of this transition on all stakeholders, including consumers, manufacturers, MVPDs, and smaller broadcasters.”
That statement is the crux of how the FCC has likely listened to the CTA and its head, Gary Shapiro, who has been vociferously fighting any cut-off date for ATSC 1.0-powered digital TV signals. Why? Bringing ATSC 3.0-powered NEXTGEN TV signals to a MVPD is a matter that neither Pearl TV or the ATSC has directly addressed over roughly six years since a FCC symposium held at the Portals, at which Streamline Publishing Chairman/CEO Eric Rhoads appeared, first brought the question to key stakeholders.
Thus, the fifth FNPRM would “tentatively conclude that television stations should be allowed to choose when to stop broadcasting in 1.0 and start broadcasting exclusively in 3.0.”
Additionally, the new plan would “tentatively conclude that television stations should be allowed to broadcast in both 1.0 and 3.0 (or simulcast) as many are doing today, but with fewer restrictions and requirements on the 1.0 version of their signal.”
That is a big compromise that signals an extension of current transition regulations put in place under Democratic leadership.
The fifth FNPRM also seeks comment “on certain issues and proposals closely related to these tentative conclusions, including the use of encryption or digital rights management (DRM) on broadcast signals; a requirement that new televisions be able to receive and display 3.0 signals; and a requirement that traditional pay TV providers carry 3.0 signals to their subscribers.”
Those matters will also likely see the MVPD industry and the CTA fight against any TV set requirement. Ironically, a requirement to put a UHF channel on TVs some 60 years ago under the FCC of Newton Minow literally helped to create Sinclair Inc., the chief proponent of ATSC 3.0 today.
Lastly, as the FCC would seek comment on any other matters related to the FCC transition, the fifth FNPRM would also request input on other outstanding Next Gen TV issues, including the all-important sunset of 1.0 service; the status of certain technical standards in FCC rules; options to offset consumer costs; ATSC 3.0 test markets; accessibility; emergency alerting; the fundamental use of broadcast spectrum; privacy; notice requirements; and the state of the market for essential 3.0 patents.
Offsetting consumer costs appears to be a concession to the TV manufacturing industry — and brings to mind conversations about how ATSC 1.0 was the ultimate standard put in place a quarter-century ago even as Sinclair Inc. had the technology to move to what today is the key components of ATSC 3.0.
View the FCC Fifth FNPRM in full by clicking here
