Microsoft, public interest groups and some broadcasters disagree with NAB, America’s Public Television Stations, larger broadcasters such as Meredith and Tegna, and both the BitPath (formerly SpectrumCo) and PearlTV ATSC 3.0 consortiums on whether proposed changes to the rules on TV distributed transmission systems would lead to stations with vastly expanded reach. “The intent of the proposed rule change is not to have broadcasters reach viewers beyond their authorized service area,” said Pearl TV in comments filed by Friday’s deadline in docket 20-74, urging the FCC to “stay focused.” The FCC shouldn’t be “spawning monstrous megastations that are largely divorced from any real connection to the ‘communities’ that they are licensed to serve,” said TV broadcaster PMCM.
A new coalition of developers and manufacturers aims to speed the transition to ATSC 3.0. The NextGen Video Information Systems Alliance includes BitRouter, Digital Alert Systems, Hitachi-Comark, Triveni Digital and Verance, the group said Thursday. “The Alliance's initial objective is to ensure the successful deployment of enhanced emergency information solutions across the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem,” the release said. "This is a time of significant transformation, and forward-thinking companies are exploring how to leverage new technology areas like ATSC 3.0," said alliance Chairman Edward Czarnecki, senior director-strategy and government affairs for Monroe Electronics, which is affiliated with Digital Alert Systems.
The FCC approved clarity on wireless siting rules to speed the collocation of wireless infrastructure on existing cell towers 3-2, over dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks. They objected, as some expected (see 2006030057), after the agency declined to delay a vote to give state and local governments more time to respond due to the demands because of the COVID-19 pandemic and protests. Republicans said change is needed as companies struggle to build out 5G networks. The ruling takes effect upon release.
The FCC is expected to approve a draft declaratory ruling and NPRM on rules for ATSC 3.0 “broadcast internet” (see 2005180066) at Tuesday’s meeting with few changes. Commissioners already voted to approve a separate order that largely won't allow broadcasters to use vacant TV bands for the 3.0 transition but permits waivers of simulcast rules.
A petition asking the FCC to change the rules for the signals FM boosters are allowed to transmit to make geotargeted radio ads and content possible is widely supported and considered a likely candidate for eventual FCC approval, said broadcasters and their lawyers in recent interviews. Some big broadcasters have concerns, but that may not derail the whole proceeding, stakeholders said.
The draft declaratory ruling and NPRM on not applying broadcast ownership rules to ATSC 3.0 datacasting should seek comment on whether a broadcast stream in standard definition satisfies FCC minimum requirements for TV stations, said the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute. It's filing posted in docket 20-145 Monday. OTI spoke with aides to Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks. OTI broadly supported the drafts, saying the NPRM should also gather information on increasing the fee for broadcasters providing ancillary services such as datacasting: “A better question would be whether the fee should be substantially higher than 5 percent given the enormous potential value of TV spectrum.” Questions in the draft NPRM about setting that fee to zero don’t seem to jibe with congressional intent, OTI said. The proceeding’s use of the term “Broadcast Internet” is misleading, the group said. “Nothing in the NPRM seems oriented to encouraging broadcast station licensees to use their spectrum to broadcast new services -- ATSC 3.0 or otherwise -- but instead seems oriented to pave the way for them to aggregate and lease out their spectrum.”
ATSC 3.0 broadcasts went live on four Las Vegas TV stations Tuesday, said BitPath, the new name for what had been the consortium SpectrumCo. The stations airing the NextGenTV feed are Sinclair's KSNV and KVCW, Nexstar’s KLAS-TV and E.W. Scripps’ KTNV-TV. This is the first multi-station full-power deployment of the new standard, said BitPath. The stations are working together to also air their 1.0 streams, it said. “We look forward to cooperating with other broadcasters to roll out this new technology across the country,” said Nexstar CEO Perry Sook. Using the same technology that powers NextGenTV, BitPath "will launch innovative new services and bring important new revenue streams to broadcasters," said BitPath CEO John Hane. Las Vegas stations had planned to go live with 3.0 during the 2020 NAB Show, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event's cancellation (see 2005140066).
The FCC Media Bureau opened docket 20-145 on a draft declaratory ruling and NPRM on broadcasters using ATSC 3.0 for datacasting, said a public notice Wednesday. The items are for commissioners' June 9 meeting (see 2005180066).
A draft NPRM on ATSC 3.0 datacasting set for the commissioners' June 9 meeting “makes it clear the FCC is looking to be very flexible about opening up services beyond traditional TV,” said NAB Senior Vice President-Technology Lynn Claudy during the teleconferenced annual ATSC meeting Wednesday. Claudy, the group's chairman, said “it’s nice to know data broadcasting can begin at scale.” The FCC’s draft items (see 2005180066) use the term “broadcast internet” -- a phrase promoted by Commissioner Brendan Carr -- which Claudy said emphasizes the convergence trend among communications technologies. The pandemic is causing delays in the 3.0 transition, but ATSC President Madeleine Noland said she expects U.S. broadcasters to “substantially achieve” their stated deployment goals for 2020. Noland said the pandemic affected deployment in 3.0 pioneer South Korea, though the country is still expected to offer the standard in 95% of the country “in coming years.” The rollout of 3.0-capable TVs in the U.S. also was affected by the pandemic-related shuttering of brick-and-mortar stores, but the consumer electronics industry has seen “strong initial interest” in the devices, said John Taylor, LG senior vice president-public affairs and communications. Noland lamented the pandemic-caused loss of trade shows as venues to spread the word on the new standard, saying the group’s NextGen Broadcast Conference is still set for Aug. 27-28. That event will happen only if local restrictions and COVID-19 concerns allow it to proceed, she said.
A draft declaratory ruling circulated by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Tuesday clarifies that industry can swap out antennas and other infrastructure on towers without delay under the 2012 Spectrum Act. Commissioner Brendan Carr told us Tuesday that despite the early resistance (see 2005110029) some local governments support the infrastructure clarification and the pandemic underscores the need for building infrastructure quickly.