NAB-Proposed 3.0 Task Force Has Wide Support
NAB’s call for an FCC task force on ATSC 3.0 appears to have broad support and is aimed at both the FCC and the consumer electronics industry, said both supporters and critics of ATSC 3.0 in interviews (see 2301260049). “A ‘NextGen Broadcast Acceleration Task Force’ is a good first step along with a firm signal to the marketplace that 1.0 service will end on a date certain,” emailed One Media Executive Vice President-Strategic and Legal Affairs Jerald Fritz. An FCC 3.0 task force could gather more information on the transition and where 3.0 and broadcast TV are going, said frequent 3.0 opponent Michael Calabrese, of New America’s Open Technology Institute.
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“NAB believes that an internal FCC Task Force would help focus the Commission on its important role to make this transition a reality for viewers across the country,” emailed an NAB spokesperson.
NAB’s ex parte asked for an internal FCC task force to focus on the 3.0 transition, similar to the one that successfully oversaw the broadcast incentive auction. NAB hopes such a task force would jump-start FCC and Media Bureau action on the 3.0 transition, which is seen as having stalled, broadcast industry officials told us. NAB has sought clarity on 3.0 multicasting rules for several years (see 2207290054) without results, and broadcasters suggested the agency should begin work now on a plan for dropping the dual-casting requirement (see 2209070048). “It’s been five years, we need to start the conversation,” said Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle.
“The Commission is currently evaluating NAB’s request and examining options as to how we can engage in a productive dialog with all stakeholders,” an FCC spokesperson emailed. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel didn’t comment, but commissioners from both parties told us they support the 3.0 transition, though they stopped short of endorsing the task force request. “I’m glad to see new developments in the broadcast space, and I see numerous potential benefits from ATSC 3.0 from higher quality video and audio to more free over-the-air content,” emailed Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “Right now, we need to focus on the transition -- for both broadcasters and consumers.” “As a technology, ATSC 3.0 is a game changer for consumers,” emailed Commissioner Brendan Carr. “I continue to believe that the FCC must remain vigilant in identifying and eliminating any regulatory roadblocks that would block consumers from realizing the benefits.”
NAB told the FCC the 3.0 transition is “in peril” without agency action and “a stalled transition is threatening the future of the broadcast industry altogether,” but broadcast officials have since downplayed that aspect of the filing. “It’s incredible how far the industry has come given spectrum constraints and challenges” of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the NAB spokesperson. A recent investor presentation from Nexstar touted the company’s 3.0 deployment and repeated projections that 3.0-enabled data transmission revenue will one day rival retransmission consent dollars. A Pearl news release last week said consumers are “purchasing, on average, more than 13,000 NEXTGEN TV sets every day” and “more than six million TV receivers equipped with NEXTGEN TV electronics” are already in homes. “NAB’s characterizations as ‘stalled’ and ‘in peril’ took me by surprise,” said broadcast attorney Meg Miller of Gray Miller, who has noncommercial clients transitioning to 3.0. “The task force, however, is a good idea, in my view."
“Things are moving pretty fast” compared with previous TV tech transitions, said John Taylor, LG Electronics senior vice president-public affairs and communications. “But we’d all like to see it move faster,” he said. “It’s not happening fast enough” for broadcasters dependent on the traditional broadcast business model, said Joshua Weiss, CEO of broadcaster and 3.0 datacasting company Ark Multicast, in an interview. “NextGen Broadcast deployment is very difficult,” said One Media's Fritz. “We need for the Commission to understand that significant advantages to consumers and other data users are being delayed by this complex deployment regime.”
The task force is also intended to assure consumer electronics manufacturers the transition is going to happen, industry officials said. The participation of CE companies in 3.0 is “the single biggest factor in the success of this transition,” NAB told the FCC, saying it's “almost completely out of our control.” “We don’t need reassurance,” said Taylor of LG, which is heavily involved in 3.0. “But there are some manufacturers that are still learning about this.” An FCC task force would be a good signal for CE companies on the fence about the new standard,” said Weiss. It's “not evident that there is any consumer demand or manufacturer interest” in ATSC 3.0, said the Open Technology Institute's Calabrese.
Other transitions were successful “because the Commission drew on resources across the agency and made those projects a priority,” the NAB spokesperson said. “ATSC 3.0 deserves the same focus, and we are optimistic that the FCC will heed our call.”