On March 27, a group of Congressional Members sent a letter to the Commission pleading the FCC to establish a firm transition deadline for full-power broadcasters to complete their transition to ATSC 3.0, which powers NEXTGEN TV signals. The association founded by “SuperFrank” Copsidas has responded, and makes it clear that low-power stations should be exempted.
With its thanks to Rep. Mark Alford for leading the call for Congress to establish a firm transition deadline from ATSC 1.0, the Low Power Television Broadcasters Association (LPTVBA) shares that strongly supports a mandatory transition timeline for the nation’s 1,700-plus full-power stations to drive manufacturer investment, content availability, and public-safety benefits.
However, the LPTVBA respectfully requests that any FCC mandate apply only to full-power facilities and not to the 5,200-plus low power, translator, and Class A stations.
“LPTV stations are distinct under FCC rules and serve as Local Power television for smaller communities, rural areas, and specialized audiences,” said Copsidas, who also serves as Chairman of the LPTVBA. “We must remain free to continue broadcasting in ATSC 1.0 so that the approximately 80% of viewers who rely on legacy receivers are not left behind. LPTV stations will provide critical redundancy and reliable emergency alerting during and after the full-power transition.”
The letter also highlights some LPTV interest in the 5G Broadcasting standard, which delivers signals directly to smartphones—even without cellular service—and can issue emergency alerts “in under half a second.”
LPTVBA wants Congress to tell the FCC to promptly open a rulemaking for voluntary 5G Broadcasting use by low power stations. The likelihood of this happening is somewhat small, given the industry support for ATSC 3.0 and past efforts to bring 5G Broadcasting to fruition in the U.S.
Still, Copsidas said, “We stand ready to work with Congress, the FCC, and full-power broadcasters to ensure a smooth, consumer-protective transition that delivers ATSC 3.0 benefits without disenfranchising millions of American viewers.”
The full letter is available here.
