FCC Takes First Big Step Toward Adopting 3.0

The FCC today released a draft of a rulemaking aimed at giving TV stations the option of broadcasting with new ATSC 3.0 standard that promises a host of new services and enhancements.

The FCC is expected to launch the rulemaking at its Feb. 23 meeting. During the rulemaking, the agency will consider formal and informal comments before deciding whether to authorize the new form of broadcasting.

Release of the draft along with another on revitalizing AM radio are commission firsts — part of new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s push to bring greater transparency to the FCC’s deliberations.

The leading trade groups representing commercial and noncommercial broadcasters and consumer electronics industry petitioned the FCC for the rulemaking last April. They asked that the FCC not mandate the new standard, but simply to allow stations to use it they choose to.

The draft takes that the voluntary approach, saying that the rules would “afford broadcasters flexibility to deploy” ATSC 3.0, “while minimizing the impact on, and costs to, consumers and other industry stakeholders.”

Action of the broadcasters’ petition springs from Pai’s enthusiasm for the new standard.

“Next Gen TV matters because it will let broadcasters offer much better services in a variety of ways,” says Pai in the “guest blog” posted on B&C. “Picture quality will improve with 4K transmissions. Accurate sound localization and customizable sound mixes will produce an immersive audio experience. Broadcasters will be able to provide advanced emergency alerts with more information, more tailored to a viewer’s particular location.

“Enhanced personalization and interactivity will enable better audience measurement, which in turn will make for higher-quality advertising—ads relevant to you and that you actually might want to see. Perhaps most significantly, consumers will easily be able to watch over-the-air programming on mobile devices.”

According to the draft, the rulemaking will seek comment on proposed rules that would require stations that opt for 3.0 to continue to provide their existing ATSC 1.0-based services to their viewers on channels set aside for the purpose and require MVPDs to continue carrying broadcasters’ ATSC 1.0 signals, but not necessarily their 3.0 signals.

The draft rulemaking also seeks comments on:

• Concerns of MVPDs that broadcasters may force them to carry 3.0 signals by leveraging their retransmission consent rights.

• Possible interference 3.0 signals might cause to 1.0 signals and other services that operate in adjacent bands.

• The FCC’s “tentative conclusion” that is it unnecessary to mandate 3.0 tuners in new TV receivers.

• Whether broadcasters should be required to provide on-air notifications to educate consumers about the transition to 3.0.

• How to ensure that deployment of 3.0 will “not negatively impact the post-incentive auction transition process.”

Fellow Republican FCC member, Michael O’Rielly applauded Pai’s move: “This is an idea whose time has finally come. Today is a major step forward for the agency in terms of transparency and accountability.  While it may make our jobs a bit more challenging, it is the right thing to do for the American people, the practitioners before the commission and the professional press who report on commission activities.” 

“NAB strongly supports the FCC moving ahead on two proceedings of significant importance to broadcasters — a rulemaking on Next Gen Television and an AM revitalization order. Both items will foster technological innovation, increase opportunities for minority and female owners, and create new and unique services for consumers,” said Dennis Wharton, spokesman of the NAB, one of the groups that petitioned the FCC for the rulemaking.

“Chairman Pai deserves credit for departing from the past practice of both Republican and Democratic-controlled commissions, and publicly releasing the proposals early to inject greater transparency in the FCC rulemaking process. We believe this action will provide greater clarity for stakeholders and greater trust from the public in dealing with the FCC going forward.”

Jerald Fritz, EVP of One Media, one of the technology companies behind 3.0, said:  “We’re delighted that the commission will be issuing the rulemaking notice soon with the significant commitment of Chairman Pai to move quickly to final rules. The benefit for viewers and broadcasters alike are as profound as any developed in the past 90 years. The timing to implement the new standard in conjunction with the repack is a practical and strategic imperative.” Sinclair Broadcast Group is part owner of One Media.

ATSC President Mark Richer calls the NPRM “another important step forward for next gen TV. We’ll look forward to seeing how various stakeholders respond to the Commission’s notice, and we’re hopeful that the NPRM process will be completed in a timely manner,” Richer said.

Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, a coalition of large TV groups that together operate more than 220 TV stations, echoes Richer’s sentiment. “As broadcasters focused on the development and deployment of new technology, Pearl is pleased that the FCC is poised to launch a rulemaking that would allow the voluntary adoption of next generation TV,” Schelle said.

John M. Lawson, executive director of the Advanced Warning and Response Network, said: “ATSC 3.0 is the world’s most advanced television transmission standard, and it will enable the world’s most advanced emergency alerting system, the Advanced Warning and Response Network. We commend Chairman Pai for recognizing ATSC 3.0’s life-saving potential during his time on the commission.”