March Luncheon Nab Fcc Petition On Atsc 3 0 Implementation Events

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has taken a significant step toward ensuring a smooth transition to ATSC 3.0 by filing a petition urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a clear timeline... This move aims to address the growing uncertainty surrounding the transition process and provide broadcasters—particularly Low Power Television (LPTV) stations—with the guidance they need to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape. ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV, is a transformative technology that enhances over-the-air broadcasting with improved video quality, immersive audio, better signal reception, and interactive features. The standard also allows for advanced emergency alerting and datacasting capabilities, which could revolutionize how broadcasters engage with their audiences. For LPTV stations, the adoption of ATSC 3.0 presents both challenges and opportunities. While the new standard promises better service and monetization potential, the lack of a definitive transition timeline has left many stations hesitant to invest in upgrades.

The NAB’s petition seeks to eliminate this uncertainty by pushing for a structured, well-defined migration plan. The NAB’s petition highlights several critical areas that require immediate regulatory attention: A Firm Transition Deadline: NAB is requesting the FCC set a clear deadline for the industry-wide adoption of ATSC 3.0, ensuring that broadcasters have a predictable roadmap. Local broadcasters keep you connected and informed. Learn about how we serve Americans every day, the economic impact we have on local communities, read stories of broadcasters' public service and more. Local television and radio stations played an indispensable role in 2024 connecting communities to trusted journalism and verified information during an election year.

Take a look back at all that we accomplished together in 2024. Questions? NAB members can call our free Legal Hotline to learn more about legislation, filings and updates from Washington. Call: (866) 682-0276 Email: legal@nab.org Join our team of broadcast advocates. When legislative issues arise that could impact your station and career, we'll reach out and give you simple steps to contact your legislators.

Sign Up Today A coalition of six industry groups representing consumer electronics, pay-TV operators and broadcasters formally opposed the National Association of Broadcasters’ petition for a mandatory transition to ATSC 3.0 during a June 27 meeting with... The stakeholders, including the Consumer Technology Association, Public Knowledge, NCTA, ACA Connects, American Television Alliance and LPTV Broadcasters Association, detailed their objections to NAB’s February petition in a July 1 letter to the FCC. The petition requests a two-phase transition deadline that would require full-power stations in the top 55 markets to end ATSC 1.0 simulcasting by February 2028, with remaining markets following by February 2030. The Consumer Technology Association reiterated its position that the transition to ATSC 3.0 should remain voluntary, arguing that “a mandatory transition to ATSC 3.0 would harm consumers by imposing real costs for consumers, stifling... Brian Markwalter, CTA’s senior vice president of research and standards, and Rachel Nemeth, senior director of regulatory affairs, represented the organization at the meeting.

In February, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) asked the FCC to set a deadline for shutting down ATSC 1.0 and transitioning to ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV. Now, the FCC is seeking comments on the proposal, as well as any other potential issues that should be discussed before the transition. The NAB suggested a two-phase plan. First, they asked that stations in the top 55 markets, which cover about 70% of U.S. households, switch to ATSC 3.0 by February 2028. The second phase would have all remaining markets make the switch before February 2030.

Comments can be submitted here, where you can also read the comments of other interested parties. In the document seeking comments, the FCC notes that it received thousands of complaints from consumers about Digital Rights Management encryption on ATSC 3.0 signals which could block consumers from watching programming. The FCC asks “What steps can or should the industry and/or the Commission take to ensure broadcasters are able to protect their content and signal, while also ensuring viewers are able to continue to... Individuals and companies are also seeking comments about additional issues with moving to ATSC 3.0, specifically mentioning a few potential barriers to the transition, including: So much for that voluntarily go-as-you-wish shift from the current ATSC 1.0 digital standard to the NEXTGEN TV-fueled ATSC 3.0 standard being rolled out across the country. The association representing the nation’s biggest broadcast TV station owners wants a full shift to ATSC 3.0 in five years.

The voluntary, market-by-market transition to the ATSC 3.0 standard has reached a critical juncture, and the broadcast industry’s leading advocate is now demanding a finite end to the process. The NAB’s Petition marks the official start of a new, potentially contentious, phase in the evolution of over-the-air television, shifting the debate from "how" to "how soon." If you need to stay up to date with live email updates when filings hit the FCC's ECFS, check out docket-rocket.io. Create an account to set up email alerts for dockets or filers you care about. For instance, if you want an email alert when the NAB files in any proceeding on ECFS, Docket Rocket alerts will send you an email to access an AI-generated summary of the filing as... Thanks for reading Docket Rocket’s Substack!

Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has formally asked the Federal Communications Commission to set a hard deadline to shut down legacy ATSC 1.0 broadcasts. On February 26, 2025, the NAB submitted a detailed Petition for Rulemaking in the Authorizing Permissive Use of the “Next Generation” Broadcast Television Standard proceeding (GN Docket No. 16-142). 1 Arguing that the transition risks stalling without decisive Commission action, the NAB proposes a coordinated, industry-wide plan to complete the migration to ATSC 3.0.

The petition asserts that while Next Gen TV service is now available to over 75% of the U.S. population, the parallel requirement to maintain ATSC 1.0 simulcasts creates spectrum constraints and market uncertainty that stifle investment and innovation.

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