FCC Adopts Next Gen TV Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

At its monthly meeting, the FCC Commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with the fifth proposed rulemaking related to use of the ATSC 3.0 “Next Gen” transmission standard for broadcast television, recognizing that several years have passed since it adopted rules allowing stations to voluntarily transition to ATSC 3.0 so long as a 1.0 signal was also maintained.

The NPRM responses to NAB’s petition filed earlier this year urging the FCC to remove all guardrails and allow stations to transition at their own pace.  The NPRM seeks volumes of information about technical issues, elimination of ATSC 1.0 simulcast requirements, application processing, coverage requirements, mandatory carriage implications, signal strength measurement levels and techniques, and the wisdom of allowing widespread elimination of ATSC 1.0 signals before consumer devices are capable of receiving 3.0 signals.