‘Future Of TV’ Public-Private Initiative Unveiled By FCC Chief Jessica Rosenworcel At NAB Show

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel took the NAB Show stage Monday to announce a new public-private initiative led by the National Association of Broadcasters to guide the next steps of what is known as “NextGen TV.”

The “Future of TV” initiative will work to identify a roadmap to orderly transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0-based, essentially a set of more advanced engineering standards that create a unified experience for viewers. Long hailed by boosters and broadcasters as a savior for an industry beset on all sides by rivals from Netflix to TikTok, ATSC 3.0. Simply put, the new setup is capable of delivering ultra-high definition (4K) images, two-way interactivity, greater accessibility options, and multi-screen applications to televisions via over-the-air broadcast signals working in tandem with broadband.

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Despite the utopian promise of ATSC 3.0, it has taken many years to get off the ground and remains short of wide-scale market penetration, with availability in roughly 60% of U.S. households. Complicating matters from the Washington end, Rosenworcel also presides over an FCC that is deadlocked at two Republican and two Democratic members, compared with the usual five-member setup.

“Today, we are announcing a public-private initiative, led by the National Association of Broadcasters, to help us work through outstanding challenges faced by industry and consumers,” Rosenworcel said.  “This Future of Television initiative will gather industry, government, and public interest stakeholders to establish a roadmap for a transition to ATSC 3.0 that serves the public interest. A successful transition will provide for an orderly shift from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 and will allow broadcasters to innovate while protecting consumers, especially those most vulnerable.” 

The Future of TV initiative is a public-private partnership led by NAB and working closely with the FCC, consumer groups, and other entities. Working groups are expected to focus on addressing backwards compatibility and its impact on consumers; the final conditions needed to complete the national transition to ATSC 3.0; and consideration of the post-transition regulatory landscape.

The FCC adopted rules in 2017 to support a voluntary, market-by-market rollout of ATSC 3.0, which first became available in 2020 in the Las Vegas market. But consumers access to NextGen TV signals requires new, ATSC 3.0-compatible televisions or reception devices, which pose important cost and accessibility challenges.

Along with Rosenworcel’s remarks, NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt sat for a wide-ranging interview with Gabriela Teissier, an anchor on Noticias 34, Univision’s LA station. The chat covered everything from the effort to combat AM radio’s decline to smart cars to the importance of local broadcasting. Following the conversation, CBS stalwart news magazine 60 Minutes received the Insight Award from the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation.

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