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NAB asks for ATSC 3.0 mandate by 2030
- Thread starter Mediafrog+
- Start date
Mainly auto correct strikes again.
APTS, PBS says NextGen TV transition should be voluntary, not forced
APTS and PBS warned a forced transition could burden stations and viewers without federal rebate support.
thedesk.net
Here is more on the Nextgen TV comments this time by American Public Television Stations and PBS.
After doing some reading, here's my take:
A mandatory ATSC 3.0 transition would be a hot mess, and it seems that the only parties that seem to be interested in such a thing are the NAB and the FCC. Most everyone else seems to be firmly opposed, if they care at all (most consumers probably don't; they prefer on demand streaming instead, most likely because it's available everywhere, has far more content, and it's not limited to TVs (they can see the same content, with few if any compromises, on their phones, tablets, Macs and PCs)).
It's a sign of the times.
c
A mandatory ATSC 3.0 transition would be a hot mess, and it seems that the only parties that seem to be interested in such a thing are the NAB and the FCC. Most everyone else seems to be firmly opposed, if they care at all (most consumers probably don't; they prefer on demand streaming instead, most likely because it's available everywhere, has far more content, and it's not limited to TVs (they can see the same content, with few if any compromises, on their phones, tablets, Macs and PCs)).
It's a sign of the times.
c
I can't stop thinking about how carriage fees have become half or more of most stations' revenues. And here we are witnessing the death of linear cable and satellite.
Weaponizing ATSC 3.0 by switching off 1.0 prematurely would sure drive lots of non-carriage fee-paying former cable subscribers to carriage fee-encumbered streaming platforms. Because while your average wingchair-bound nonagenarian might not notice the sudden switchout to heavily macroblocked 480p lighthouses, pretty much everyone else is going to quickly discern that their sportsball games and police chase newscasts are suddenly looking like smuggled MPEG-1 CD-Rs in North Korea, and seek the alternative of least resistance. And buying completely new TVs (or forever fussing with multiple remotes for converters) is the path of greatest resistance compared to just feeding a credit card number to yet another Roku app.
Last edited:
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I don't think it will be as massive a shift as you might think. The vast majority of people who were already fed up with terrestrial linear television went to streaming long ago.
And sporting events have been migrating to streams for a while, so there may not even be that many people who depend on broadcast TV for that anymore, either.
The one thing I do think broadcasters will keep 1.0 alive for is their local newscasts. The ad revenue from those is a large enough part of their operating budget that they want viewers to have access to that. For example, KABC-TV here in Los Angeles not only simulcasts Eyewitness News on the website and the app -- and every single newscast opening includes the anchors reminding you about abc7.com and the ABC7 app -- but fills in between live newscasts with repeats of the most recent live ones. And they don't charge a penny for that.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
TV Technology reports on a survey which shows "strong consumer interest" in ATSC 3.0 converters:
www.tvtechnology.com
The last paragraph makes it clear that the survey did not inform respondents of the potential encryption and "pay-to-view" that would result:
Survey Shows Strong Consumer Interest in NextGen TV Converter Boxes
81% of over-the-air viewers would purchase box to preserve access to free local television
www.tvtechnology.com
The last paragraph makes it clear that the survey did not inform respondents of the potential encryption and "pay-to-view" that would result:
The claim that "it provides reliable reception, even when internet service is unavailable" is a lie. There are videos showing that encrypted ATSC 3.0 does not work without an Internet connection, even on devices which claim to be able to do so.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Well, if the survey didn't mention encryption, why should it also mention the necessity of an Internet connection?
Pretty much all of the conclusions are faulty, because the survey was GIGO.
Lawmakers: FCC should mandate NextGen TV switch to spur consumer interest
More than 90 lawmakers urged the FCC to set a clear timeline for transitioning to the NextGen TV broadcast standard.
thedesk.net
Here is the current status on ATSC 3.0 proposals.
That's a hilarious headline from TheDesk.
Here's a few examples of similar headlines from recent years where government agencies generated backlash against the thing they tried to mandate.
"Lawmakers: CDC should mandate Covid-19 vaccinations to spur consumer interest"
"Lawmakers: EPA should mandate electric vehicles to spur consumer interest"
Here's a few examples of similar headlines from recent years where government agencies generated backlash against the thing they tried to mandate.
"Lawmakers: CDC should mandate Covid-19 vaccinations to spur consumer interest"
"Lawmakers: EPA should mandate electric vehicles to spur consumer interest"
You'd think that with the preponderance of evidence that suggests it won't work, they'd quit doing it!
And yet....
Better enjoy OTA TV while we can. It seems like at this rate, in a few years it'll all be locked down and encumbered with encryption, and people must pay a monthly fee to watch.
I really couldn't care less if ATSC 3.0 has better interactivity and analytics, among other things. People already have the various Internet-based streaming platforms where they've had all those things from the beginning. My guess is that anyone watching OTA TV now, besides trying to save some money, is doing so to avoid those invasive features because they're tired of dealing with them on the streaming service (not to mention the subscription fees that add up).
c
A NEXTGEN TV STB Push Arrives For Manufacturers | Radio & Television Business Report
With the 2026 NAB Show opening Sunday and the broadcast TV industry eager to finally bring NEXTGEN TV to critical mass, the Pearl TV marketing arm promoting the new digital over-the-air TV standard for the last several years has confirmed that a big marketing push focused on consumer...
rbr.com
New Cheaper ATSC 3.0 OTA TV Boxes Are in the Works As Calls to Shut Down The Current OTA TV Grow | Cord Cutters News
America’s broadcasters have unveiled a major initiative aimed at helping millions of households upgrade their television viewing experience to the advanced capabilities of NEXTGEN TV without requiring expensive new equipment. The NEXTGEN TV Converter Box Program, launched by Pearl TV, opens the...
cordcuttersnews.com
Heres more but who the core demos for this is yet to be seen here for ATSC 3.0 devices.
Another UHF spectrum repack? Apparently existing stations would be consolidated onto shared ATSC 3.0 signals:
cordcuttersnews.com
Your Local ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC Station May Have to Give Up Their Free OTA TV Channel & Move To Power 6G Wireless Internet | Cord Cutters News
On April 15, Landover Saturn 5 LLC filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission urging regulators to launch a formal rulemaking process aimed at repurposing a significant portion of the UHF broadcast spectrum. The company specifically targeted television Channels 28 through 36...
cordcuttersnews.com
That exact thing was said about 5G, and even 5 years later, I haven't really noticed any meaningful improvement over LTE (aka 4G).
Sometimes 5G is faster, yes, but usually not by much. Often it's about the same as or slightly slower than 4G.
5G-UW can be faster, but it exists almost nowhere.
c
5G if close enough to the tower has faster upload. Thats about it. Most won’t notice it.
Complete insanity. In many large markets, the lower UHF channels got re-allocated to public service agencies and business band users in the 1970s. In Los Angeles, for example, channels 14-21 (with the exception of 18, which was already on-air at the time) are unavailable due to their use by multiple government and private sector two-way radio systems. Giving away 28 and above would leave LA. with just 7 channels on UHF -- 18 plus 22 through 27.Another UHF spectrum repack? Apparently existing stations would be consolidated onto shared ATSC 3.0 signals:
Your Local ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC Station May Have to Give Up Their Free OTA TV Channel & Move To Power 6G Wireless Internet | Cord Cutters News
On April 15, Landover Saturn 5 LLC filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission urging regulators to launch a formal rulemaking process aimed at repurposing a significant portion of the UHF broadcast spectrum. The company specifically targeted television Channels 28 through 36...