FCC Adopts New Television ATSC 3.0 Proposed Rules

In a 3^rd Report & Order, the FCC has largely adopted its proposed rules for the ongoing ATSC 3.0 “Next Gen” television conversion.  Among other actions, the R&O extended for four years, through July 17, 2027, the existing rule requiring that ATSC 1.0 “Lighthouse” signals contain programming “substantially similar” to a station’s ATSC 3.0 primary video stream, as well as the current A/322 standard for new ATSC 3.0 transmissions.

The FCC also decided that ATSC 3.0 stations airing multicast streams on other stations in a market can seek to modify their licenses to include, for regulatory compliance purposes only, programming streams being hosted by other stations on the ATSC 3.0 originating station’s license.  Currently, multicast streams aired on other stations remain the responsibility of host stations under currently regulatory structures, although contractual arrangements typically specify obligations for the originating station to ensure compliance and indemnify the host station in the event of non-compliance.