Fcc Takes Steps To Accelerate The Future Of Broadcast Television

Leo Migdal

-Dec 5, 2025, 2:22 PM

fcc takes steps to accelerate the future of broadcast television

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules to accelerate the nation’s broadcast television transition to NextGen TV, eliminating mandatory simulcasting requirements while giving local broadcasters more control over their conversion timelines. “America’s television broadcasters are in the midst of an ongoing transition,” Chairman Brendan Carr said during today’s commission meeting. “They’re shifting to a new broadcasting standard known as ATSC 3.0 that can deliver significant benefits to consumers across the country.” The commission voted to adopt a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would “support and accelerate the nation’s ongoing voluntary market-based broadcast television transition to NextGen TV,” as described by FCC Secretary Marlene Dortch... Carr emphasized the local nature of the transition, noting that “local broadcasters have unique insights into what works best in their communities, and the proposed rules we adopt today will put more power and... The measure, which passed with support from all three commissioners, marks a change in the FCC’s regulatory approach.

Due to aggressive automated scraping of FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov, programmatic access to these sites is limited to access to our extensive developer APIs. If you are human user receiving this message, we can add your IP address to a set of IPs that can access FederalRegister.gov & eCFR.gov; complete the CAPTCHA (bot test) below and click "Request... This process will be necessary for each IP address you wish to access the site from, requests are valid for approximately one quarter (three months) after which the process may need to be repeated. An official website of the United States government. If you want to request a wider IP range, first request access for your current IP, and then use the "Site Feedback" button found in the lower left-hand side to make the request. Commission will act on whether to propose shutting down 1.0 by 2030

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The FCC announced this week that it will consider proposed rules to sunset ATSC 1.0 to make way for full transition to ATSC 3.0 (aka “NextGen TV”) “For television, ATSC 3.0 represents the future of broadcasting, which is how many Americans receive their local news,” Chairman Brendan Carr said on Monday. “This month we’ll vote on a notice that would take steps to accelerate the transition to this Next Gen TV standard.” At issue is the transition to ATSC 3.0 that began when the commission adopted the standard in 2017.

Currently between 75%-80% of the nation’s TV households are within reach of a 3.0 signal but the transition has slowed in recent years as it moves into smaller markets. The top official in charge of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says the agency will take up the topic of transitioning America’s television broadcast standards from one digital standard to another. In a short statement on Tuesday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency will vote on whether to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that “takes steps to accelerate the transition to this... NextGen TV combines traditional broadcast signals with new capabilities unlocked via the Internet. It allows broadcasters to offer their existing network affiliated stations over the air, while launching new video feeds and interactive features to smart TVs and tuners that are Internet-connected. Proponents of the transition — including most major broadcast groups through their lobbying firm, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) — say transitioning the country to NextGen TV will allow them to free up...

Other benefits include enhanced video and audio signals that are on par with most streaming services, along with hyper-local emergency alert notifications and targeted commercial advertising, which broadcasters say will benefit consumers as much... While NextGen TV signals reach most of the country, there is little data on how many NextGen TV-capable smart TVs and tuners are in American homes. Most TVs sold following the last broadcast transition — from analog to digital — won’t work with NextGen TV, and the likelihood that Americans will have to buy new TVs or converter boxes to... The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is pushing hard for broadcasting’s ‘next-gen’ ATSC 3.0 adoption – which can handle 4K, High Dynamic Range (HDR) immersive audio and other valuable benefits for viewers. But it means considerable investment for broadcasters. ATSC 3.0 was adopted by the FCC as a standard back in 2017, and if transmissions started now, its signals could reach 75-80 per cent of the TV homes in the US.

“For television, ATSC 3.0 represents the future of broadcasting, which is how many Americans receive their local news,” Chairman Brendan Carr said on October 6th. “This month we’ll vote on a notice that would take steps to accelerate the transition to this Next Gen TV standard.” The current thinking is that ATSC 1.0 should end by February 1st 2030, and for the top 55 markets by February 2028. The FCC will introduce a vote on its proposals later in October. Free, over-the-air television broadcasting stands at a crossroads. Nearly a decade after the industry first proposed transitioning to Next Generation Television (Next Gen TV or ATSC 3.0), we’ve made impressive progress – but the final leap to complete adoption now requires the...

Today, NAB filed a petition to get us to the finish line. Since 2016, when major industry organizations including NAB first petitioned the FCC, Next Gen TV has transformed from vision to reality. Today, it reaches over 75% of the U.S. population across more than 80 television markets, all while broadcasters continue to provide ATSC 1.0 service without any additional spectrum. The results speak for themselves. Since receiving FCC authorization in 2017, Next Gen TV has delivered:

And the best part is, because it’s over-the-air broadcasting, these new features are delivered for free to viewers. All you need is a Next Gen-capable TV and an antenna. There are no monthly subscription fees. Despite this progress, the broadcast industry faces what FCC Chairman Brendan Carr calls a “break glass moment.”. As competitive pressures mount from streaming services and other platforms, completing the transition to ATSC 3.0 has become essential for the industry’s future and the public’s benefit. Without immediate, decisive action, we risk missing our window of opportunity to ensure that free, local, over-the-air television remains a strong, high-quality option for consumers.

Posted on November 19, 2025 in ATSC News At the close of October, ATSC Board Chairman John Taylor and I had the privilege of attending the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Meeting in Washington, D.C., — a pivotal event for the broadcast community. The Commission’s unanimous vote to adopt a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is a significant step forward to accelerate the U.S. transition to NEXTGEN TV powered by ATSC 3.0. As the standards organization behind the ATSC 3.0 platform, ATSC has provided technical background and context to the Commission, highlighting the interoperability, scalability, and international alignment that 3.0 offers. FCC Chair Brendan Carr noted that the Notice proposes to eliminate mandatory simulcasting requirements, giving local broadcasters greater control over their conversion timelines and empowering them to tailor their transition strategies to community needs.

Commissioner Anna Gomez emphasized that this transition to an IP-based format is essential to ensuring broadcasters remain competitive in today’s digital media landscape. Commissioner Olivia Trusty added a thoughtful reminder that even as we embrace new opportunities, the industry must keep the public interest at the heart of the transition. The Commission cited ATSC 3.0’s potential to offer targeted emergency alerts, interactive programming, enhanced video and audio, and new IP-based services that strengthen local broadcasting’s relevance in a rapidly evolving media environment. The Rulemaking Notice is the beginning of a longer process by the FCC to establish final rules, which will likely cover a wide variety of transition issues. In short, the FCC’s action represents both recognition of how far we’ve come — and a green light to continue moving forward. The NEXTGEN TV transition is not just about new technology; it’s about empowering local stations to innovate and serve their audiences in new ways.

Fcc Takes Steps To Accelerate The Future Of Broadcast Television

People Also Search

The Federal Communications Commission Has Adopted New Rules To Accelerate

Due To Aggressive Automated Scraping Of FederalRegister.gov And ECFR.gov, Programmatic

When You Purchase Through Links On Our Site, We May

Currently Between 75%-80% Of The Nation’s TV Households Are Within

Other Benefits Include Enhanced Video And Audio Signals That Are