A bipartisan group of 27 U.S. senators Wednesday sent a letter to Federal Communications Comission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel urging the Commission to take an active role in expediting the continued rollout of the Next Gen TV standard, also known as ATSC 3.0. The group was led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Todd Young (R-IN).
“Just as the FCC has successfully championed other innovative technologies like 5G, Wi-Fi, and the 2009 digital TV transition, we believe there is an essential role for the FCC in helping broadcasters and viewers fully realize the potential of Next Gen TV,” the letter states.
“We urge the FCC to take an active role in addressing the complex – but imminently solvable – questions posed by the transition from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0, including working with Congress, public broadcasters, and industry to ensure consumers with legacy TVs are not harmed by any changes.”
The senators note that “a successful ATSC 3.0 transition should be a priority of the FCC going forward to ensure that local broadcasters can continue to best serve their communities as a trusted source of local news,” citing that over 60% of Americans now live within range of a Next Gen TV signal.
This comes following the urging by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to expedite the standard earlier this year.
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
“NAB is proud of the progress broadcasters have made transitioning to Next Gen TV, especially given spectrum constraints and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the FCC’s championing of ATSC 3.0 is critical to ensure a successful transition to this groundbreaking technology, states Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO, NAB.
“Local broadcasters thank Sens. Schatz, Young and their colleagues for encouraging the FCC to use their platform to make the transition to ATSC 3.0 a reality for viewers across the country.”
This article was last updated 04.10.23.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
