After some ups and downs in 2023, activity in the first five months of 2024 markedly accelerated for ATSC 3.0, the terrestrial broadcast system standard created by the Advanced Television Systems Committee, also known as “NextGen TV.” 

There’s been further proliferation.

By early February, for example, TV stations in Chicago, including CBS-owned WBBM, Fox’s WFLD and NBC’s WMAQ, had all adopted the ATSC 3.0 standard, which aims to provide higher-quality audio and video, better compression efficiency, and more robust transmission for mobile and fixed devices. 

Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Texas, a second wave of five TV stations, including Graham Media Group-owed KSAT, went online with ATSC 3.0 following adoption by KMYS and other local outlets last year. 

There has been further product refinement. 

In Detroit, where NextGen TV has been deployed for more than three years, broadcasters have been using the market as a laboratory, testing features and getting ready for when more viewers are paying attention. 

“There’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg phenomenon going on,” Michael Newman, director of transformation at Graham Media Group, owner of WDIV Detroit, told B+C Multichannel News back in early April. “We need to demonstrate the value of this next-generation television broadcast system.” 

During the second quarter of 2024, the Scripps stations in Detroit plan to enable “start over” and “pause” functionality, giving over-the-air viewers a feature that cable viewers and streamers take for granted. The features also create new advertising inventory for the stations to sell.

“We continue to search for the killer app that will be the motivating factor,” added Kerry Oslund, VP of strategy and business development at E.W. Scripps, which owns WXYZ-WMYD Detroit.

And there’s been technology innovation. 

ATSC 3.0 activity was punctuated at NAB 2024, where major stations owners introduced new interactivity features, hoping to convince TikTok-focused younger consumers to buy NextGen TV sets. 

This kind of interactivity is being enabled by the Fast Stream technology being brought to the U.S. by Roxi. At CES in January, Roxi announced plans to launch an interactive music service using ATSC 3.0 on Sinclair stations. At NAB 2024, Roxi said it's working not only with Sinclair, but with all of the members of the Pearl TV group promoting NextGen TV. Those companies include Gray Television, Nexstar Media Group, Hearst Television, Tegna and E.W. Scripps.

Fast Stream will be used by stations to launch dozens of national channels and hundreds of local news channels this summer, Roxi CEO Rob Lewis told Broadcasting+Cable.

“All of the major broadcasters have the same problem of an aging viewership base and not having younger customers interested in broadcast TV,” Lewis said.

Also at NAB, NBCUniversal said it is using NextGen TV technology to launch personalized experiences for broadcast viewers on six of its owned stations in four markets, starting Monday.

The technology is designed to create added engagement with viewers, advanced advertising opportunities and enhanced measurement of viewing.

In the four markets, NBC and Telemundo station viewers with NextGen sets and antennas will be able to go back to the beginning of shows, pause what they’re watching and select from a variety of content, including hyper-local weather forecasts.

The initial six stations are WNBC (NBC) and WNJU (Telemundo) New York, KNBC Los Angeles, WCAU in Philadelphia and WTVJ (NBC) and WSCV (Telemundo) Miami.

Also in January at CES, one of the largest smart TV makers in the world, TCL, announced that it will include the ATSC 3.0 tuners in Google TV-powered “S Series” and “Q Series” TVs.

Challenges … and Opportunities

All of this activity followed a 2023 that was perhaps the most challenging year for the ATSC 3.0 standard, with LG’s decision last fall to stop including ASTC 3.0 tuners in future OLED smart TV sets after the company lost a relatively small patent case against Maryland-based tech company Constellation Designs.

ATSC president Madeleine Noland even reminded members of the standards body that “every technology transition has its challenges.”

Constellation was awarded $1.68 million in damages associated with its ATSC 3.0 patents and LG reported that the required royalty payments going forward would drive up the cost for including a ATSC 3.0 tuner in each set from $3 to $6.75. NextGen sets generally start at about $599.

In a letter to the FCC, LG said, “This decision was not made lightly, because LG has been a vocal ATSC 3.0 advocate, a strong supporter of local broadcasters and a leading developer of television products with the latest NextGen TV technologies.”

In fact, LG Electronics made a big splash at CES 2020 as one of the first TV makers to integrate ATSC 3.0 tuners into its sets. 

LG complained about “companies like Constellation Designs that are not participating in the main patent pools for ATSC 3.0 technology,” saying they’re not committed to licensing their IP on “reasonable and nondiscriminatory” (RAND) terms.

LG left the door open for reintegrating the tuners in future lines, so perhaps they were just making a stand on the principle of the matter. But it’s safe to assume that a company of that size wouldn’t just abandon a wildly popular consumer electronics product line in the run-up to Christmas if it were a profitable business, especially over such a small cost increase. 

The news sparked a flurry of speculation about other TV manufacturers. Our sibling publication TechRadar wondered if Samsung and Sony might end up dropping ATSC 3.0 tuners from their products, as well. 

As January's TCL announcement revealed, a mass defection never transpired. 

But it is also worth noting that in August of 2023, Scripps rolled out the latest edition of the Tablo OTA DVR, after quietly acquiring Ottawa-based manufacturer Nuvyyo, it was assumed that since Scripps is primarily a broadcaster, the latest model would offer an ATSC 3.0 tuner, but alas, it did not, not even as an optional add-on. 

Next TV caught up with Nuvyyo founder and CEO Grant Hall, who was still calling the shots under the new ownership to ask about the decision to leave out an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

“We started this development a little while ago,“ Hall explained. “Back then, ATSC 3.0 was evolving as well, in the earlier stages. And it wasn't quite ready to, you know, for us to bet the farm and to include it into the very first product.” 

He added, “We do have ATSC 3.0 on the road map, and we’re actively working on products with that technology.”

TV Sets

Pearl TV, the industry association that has been orchestrating the U.S. NextGen TV rollout, estimated that by the end of 2023, NextGen TV signals will “reach” 75% of U.S. television households in more than 70 markets. 

But how many TV sets and/or standalone tuners are actually watching? More importantly, how much overlap is there between the OTA market and the target demographic for brand-new 4K UHD TV sets with a built-in tuner?

Pearl TV predicted that more than 10 million NextGen TV-capable devices will have shipped by the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the CTA estimated that about 5 million NextGen TV sets would ship in 2023 alone, representing 12% of all TV shipments and that the percentage will reach 50% by 2025. 

There are now approximately 75 models available at retail, at a starting price point between $600 and $700. 

On a global scale, so far only South Korea, Jamaica and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago have officially adopted the platform, with other countries still evaluating their options.

The Promise

ATSC 3.0 is designed to deliver stunning 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video with movie-theater-quality sound and added voice clarity with Dolby’s Voice Plus.

It allows for two-way interactivity, both over the air and in tandem with internet connections, opening a broad range of possibilities for broadcasters. That includes enhanced internet content on demand, data delivery to cars and mobile video, expanded hyperlocal news, dual-language support and addressable advertising, as well as advanced emergency alerts and information. 

There’s also the promise of 8K OTA signals in the future. 

In 2022, Pearl TV introduced a key component for the platform, Run3TV, which acts as an application development platform for broadcasters. 

“An industry first, Run3TV gives broadcasters the ability to leverage the new ATSC 3.0 A/344 Interactive Content broadcast standard to create television applications that enhance over-the-air viewing with interactive and on-demand content delivered over broadband,” explained Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. “With NextGen TV and Run3TV, broadcasters can now bring the OTA environment into the digital world.”

But the platform’s vast and somewhat nebulous potential is turning out to be a both blessing and curse. 

In April 2023, going into NAB, Next TV contributor David Bloom called NextGen TV “a tech TV version of 'Waiting for Godot,' where an unspecified something is imminently arriving to make everything better ... yet never quite materializes.”

He explained that “a problem that has been bedeviling this platform for years” is that “broadcasters seemingly can’t decide what to do with ATSC 3.0’s many possibilities.”

Charter Communications has been vocal in its complaints about the thousands of potential configurations of the new standard that make it difficult for them to deliver an ATSC 3.0 signal over their wired networks. Charter noted that the NAB itself has said that ATSC 3.0 has 40,000 possible configurations.

“Worse, many of the things made possible in ATSC 3.0 -- movie downloads, video on phones, data delivery to cars and Lord knows lots of sports betting information -- are already being done with other devices,” Bloom explained.

He reported that Charter warned the FCC and lawmakers that “station indecision and service duplication will reduce consumer demand for ATSC 3.0-capable equipment, slowing the rollout even more.”

In January 2023, the National Association of Broadcasters warned that ATSC 3.0 transition was in peril, and with it broadcasters’ future, calling on the FCC to phase out the "wasteful" ATSC 1.0 simulcast requirement. 

Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook and other top broadcast group executives met with FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners and staffers to stress that the “stalled transition” represents an existential threat to free, over-the-air broadcasting.

For one thing, NAB pointed out that 4K HDR is growing across other platforms and will soon be little more than table stakes to play in the video game. They called for a firm plan for phasing out the “wasteful dual transmission in both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0.”

At the 2023 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Rosenworcel announced a partnership, the Future of Television initiative, led by NAB and with the goal of a smooth transition to the new standard. 

“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 in a speech to the assembled broadcasters.

NAB set up three stakeholder working groups to deal with existing hardware, the technical aspects of executing the transition and other regulatory issues implicated by the evolution in broadcasting standards, respectively. 

Business Models

Launched in 2020, Evoca TV was one of the earliest attempts to build a business around NextGen TV, leveraging the system to provide a virtual pay TV service using ATSC 3.0 broadcast instead of the internet. 

Evoca TV operated in a handful of markets in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Michigan, packaging local broadcast stations, a few inexpensive cable channels and regional sports networks in skinny bundles priced at around $25 a month.

The initial play was for rural consumers who lacked the reliable bandwidth needed for streaming. Over time, Evoca turned itself into a platform that enabled inexpensive access to RSNs.

However, after making a brief splash, the Idaho-based start up ran out of cash at the end of 2022 and was forced to shutter. 

Earlier this year, Next TV reported that from the ashes of Evoca, we could be witnessing the emergence of an innovative post-RSN distribution scheme that finally utilizes the vast potential of NextGen TV. 

With the NBA's Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz both leaving their respective regional-sports-network homes and returning their regular-season games to over-the-air broadcast television, Next TV wondered if ATSC 3.0 might be used to gateway access to premium subscribers. 

This was inspired by what sources close to Evoca called the “Denver Example” --inb that region, Evoca had been bundling AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, home of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies, along with Altitude Sports, home of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL's Colorado Avalanche, delivering the package to consumers, primarily via ATSC 3.0, for $25 a month. 

Sports media consultant Patrick Crakes noted that "The potential model has components to it including tiered non-exclusive pay-TV distribution, as well as broadcast enabled pay walls via ATSC 3.0. Will those appear all at once? That I don’t know. But I do know it can keep rights fees within current parameters,"

But the rights market is complicated and with Bally Sports bogged down in bankruptcy court and Evoca out of the picture, a technical solution still seems evasive. 

Other use cases have included things like distance learning. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, education technology company SpectraRep partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group’s D.C. station, WIAV-CD, to deliver EduCast over ATSC 3.0. EduCast is SpectraRep’s broadcast internet product for K-12 and college learners without broadband internet services at home.

NextGen Stations

Meanwhile, the slow market-driven rollout continued apace throughout the last year. 

In 2023, Miami, Florida emerged as a top U.S. NextGen TV market with a combined total of 11 channels serving the city’s 1.7 million television households. Multiple major networks, including ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC, PBS, Telemundo and Univision are now available.

In December, Mission Broadcasting-owned station WPIX in New York kicked off NextGen TV broadcasts in the country’s top market. Operated by Nexstar Media Group, WPIX is using its new ATSC 3.0 signal to carry its own programming, as well as programming from The Walt Disney Co.’s WABC and TelevisaUnivision’s WXTV and signals for Rewind TV and Antenna TV in the Big Apple.

Also in December, Sinclair-owned KFOX in El Paso, Texas converted to an ATSC 3.0 transmitter and is using the new format to broadcast its own programming as well as the programming of four other participating stations in the market.

In August, five local Minneapolis stations joined the party, along with six local stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the country’s fourth largest TV broadcast market.  

Six stations in Boston, Massachusetts, the country’s 10th-largest television market launched service last January in a market of roughly 2.5 million households.

So, while broadcasters have been making progress in a difficult transitionary period, we’re not quite seeing a deluge of new stations going online.

The History

In 2019, the FCC started accepting applications to start broadcasting the ATSC 3.0 standard, stressing a “voluntary, market-driven” deployment of the technology. The new platform is a complete overhaul of the previous ATSC 1.0 system that first brought digital HD to American living rooms. 

(In case you’re wondering, they just skipped ATSC 2.0. It’s kind of a “marketing thing.”) 

The original ATSC standard was forged in a contentious process that included input from computer manufacturers, the TV industry and the consumer electronics industry, which finally hammered out a “Grand Alliance” blueprint for the U.S. conversion to digital in 1996. 

The standard embraced no less than 18 different broadcast formats, incorporated as part of a compromise meant to replace the NTSC standard that ruled the airwaves from 1941 until stations started adopting the new standard in the late 1990s. That process concluded with the shutdown of the last major NTSC broadcasts in the U.S. in June 2009, although low-power TV (LPTV) stations in remote areas were permitted to continue for a few more years.

But the original format met with pushback from some corners of the U.S. broadcast industry at the time, most notably Sinclair Broadcast Group, which advocated for the rival European standard, DVB, citing ATSC’s issues with multipath interference and other strengths of the DVB’s COFDM modulation like the ability to reach mobile users. 

At the time, ATSC’s proponents argued that that with its inherent cellular design, COFDM would never be able to replicate the coverage range of legacy NTSC transmission towers, (a key design requirement at the time) and that it was more suited to the dense population centers of Europe than the vast expanses of rural America. 

ATSC 3.0, which adopts a similar COFDM modulation scheme, was designed to open up a whole new world of opportunities for U.S. broadcasters, first and perhaps foremost is 4K UHD OTA broadcast. When ATSC 1.0 first went on sale, high definition, in both its 1080p and 720p variants, quickly emerged as the key selling point among consumers who were enthralled by the big, bright, clear pictures. 

But while 4K UHD, especially combined with Dolby Atmos, could certainly deliver the next bright shiny thing consumers want in their living rooms, getting there is proving to be more challenging than anyone anticipated.

As we commemorate the remarkable 40-year journey of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), it is essential to recognize the pivotal role that high-quality content has played in the success of digital television broadcasting. This significant milestone calls for both celebration and introspection, emphasizing the significance of content in driving the widespread adoption and utilization of ATSC standards, particularly the latest, ATSC 3.0. 

While technology serves as a necessary foundation, it alone is insufficient in the dynamic media industry. The availability of captivating high-quality content is a requisite to unleash the potential of the technology and accelerate its adoption.

During the NextGen Broadcast Conference 2023 on June 15, FCC commissioner Nathan Simington emphasized the importance of differentiating content between ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0, with the aim of attracting viewers to preferentially gravitate towards ATSC 3.0 content. This preference establishes a pathway for the successful transition to the new standard.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Technology and Content: Reflecting on the remarkable achievements of the ATSC over the past four decades, it becomes evident that the evolution of digital television broadcasting relies on a symbiotic relationship between technology and content. ATSC’s advancements in standards and transmission protocols have paved the way for enhanced viewer experiences and expanded possibilities for content creators. However, it is the creative prowess, innovation and storytelling excellence of content providers that captivates audiences and fosters loyalty.

The Role of Content Producers and Broadcasters: Recognizing the pivotal role that content producers and broadcasters play in driving the demand for ATSC 3.0 is of utmost importance. By understanding the capabilities of ATSC 3.0 and aligning their content production strategies accordingly, producers and broadcasters can effectively leverage the innovations in digital television broadcasting and offer a better quality of experience (QoE).

Understanding the Media Ecology: To comprehend the impact of ATSC and its co-existence with other media technologies, we must acknowledge that no medium operates in isolation. Each medium exists within a broader ecosystem comprising various platforms, technologies and diverse content. Therefore, when introducing a new medium like ATSC 3.0, it becomes crucial to assess its interactions and integration with existing and emerging media, such as traditional broadcast platforms like ATSC 1.0, streaming services, online content platforms like over-the-top (OTT) and FAST channels, as well as DOCSIS 4.0 and 5G.

The Power of AI in Content Production: The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about a transformative revolution in audiovisual content production, increasing efficiency and unleashing creativity. Through computer vision technologies, the process of capturing, editing and stitching video content has been streamlined, enabling content creators to achieve remarkable results in a fraction of the time. This AI-driven efficiency has reduced the previous barriers of low efficiency and high costs associated with high-quality content production, providing content creators with a newfound freedom to explore their creativity and bring their visions to life.

The Co-Evolutionary Process of the Media Landscape: The media landscape is a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem in which content, technologies, and human experiences co-evolve. This co-evolution entails reciprocal influences and adaptations among these elements, constantly shaping and transforming the media ecosystem over time.

Content creators have a crucial role in cultivating this ecosystem by producing innovative, thought-provoking, and entertaining content that captures attention and resonates with viewers.

Technologies serve as enablers within the media ecosystem, introducing new possibilities and revolutionizing the creation, distribution, and consumption of content.

Human experiences drive the evolution of the media ecosystem, as they influence content preferences and social dynamics that shape the demand for specific types of content and the adoption of different technologies.

This co-evolutionary process is characterized by constant feedback loops and adaptations that drive innovation and progress. Evolving content preferences and user behaviors influence the development of new technologies, creating a continuous cycle of innovations.

In celebrating 40 years of ATSC, it is important to recognize the indispensable role of high-quality content in shaping its success. Content producers and broadcasters hold the key to harnessing the capabilities of this technology and creating exceptional experiences for viewers.

Understanding the interconnected nature of media technologies, content production, and audience experiences is paramount for continuous innovation and adaptation. By nurturing the symbiotic relationship between the medium and content, we can cultivate a vibrant and relevant media landscape that evolves with the needs and preferences of audiences. With a commitment to high-quality content, we can ensure that ATSC’s legacy endures, driving the future of exceptional digital television broadcasting.

Advanced television's growing pains -- along with its growth trajectory -- were evident during this week’s ATSC "Full Steam Ahead" annual member meeting and conference. Discussions veered from NextGen TV's ability to make traditional broadcasting better to entry paths for entirely new data delivery ventures.

At the members-only session on Wednesday (Aug. 25), the focus was on the role of the core network, which "is going to be critical for IP datacasting," and operational issues such as "inter-tower communications network," Advanced Television Systems Committee President Madeleine Noland told Broadcasting + Cable. The next day's open conference looked toward evolving services, such as vehicular connectivity and regulatory oversight, offering a mixed collection of success stories and hopeful dreams.

And throughout the hybrid program (about 190 people in Washington’s Reagan Center plus about 90 others tuned into a live video stream), there was an upbeat "vibe" (as Noland called it) and a pep-rally motif as broadcasters and vendors encouraged each other with data about service launches and promising TV receiver sales forecasts that envision up to two million NextGen TV sets in homes with two years.

Nonetheless, "As we move into ATSC 3.0, the puzzle gets a lot harder," said ATSC Chairman Lynn Claudy, who is also senior VP technology at the National Association of Broadcasters.

"The notion of broadband service and data applications brings out a new set of industry players," Claudy acknowledged.

Also Read: NextGen TV’s Busy Summer Sets Up Fall Events

'Road Shows Are Back'

"This is about much more than standards development," Claudy added in his opening conference remarks. He pointed out that "standards development is still a core function," but insisted that a "standard is no good if no one understands it."

With that in mind, Claudy said, NAB will sponsor a series of at least five seminars around the country to show TV station business and technical executives how to implement ATSC 3.0 applications. The sessions will be "an all-day deep dive" into NextGen TV, reviving earlier NAB industry education projects. "Road shows are back," Claudy said.

The ATSC conference heard encouraging words from two Republican members of the Federal Communications Commission and field reports from pioneering NextGen TV ventures in Lansing, Michigan, Phoenix and elsewhere.

The core network "will supply the efficiency that will be necessary to provide services that will be attractive in the market place," Noland told B+C. 

She characterized the inter-tower communications network as analogous to the studio-to-transmitter link, which she said might travel via microwave or fiber link. In the IP version, a broadcaster will have to "commit some of [its] own bandwidth to get data form one tower to another." She acknowledged that "STL is not cheap," but it "gives broadcasters another option" for their entry into the local data marketplace.

Noland noted that because there is line-of-sight, "You can get data between towers more efficiently and the equipment on the towers is professional quality," which will give broadcasters a near-term advantage "before MIMO [multiple-input and multiple-output] is available" on some other wireless networks. She cited the "tremendous efficiencies" of the broadcast structure.

Noland summed up the looming competitive battleground of data delivery: "If you want to win in the commodity market, you have to win on price and service." She said that broadcasters feel that their one-to-many use cases will appeal to customers in the evolving data delivery business.

Carr, Simington Explore Big Tech Competitive Role

Two Republican FCC commissioners took part in the ATSC conference. Commissioner Brendan Carr extolled the data opportunities of NextGen TV, saying that it “makes it easy to cellularize the broadcast signal” for a “broadcast internet” that will generate innovative applications. In an on-stage conversation with Noland, Carr encouraged TV stations to go “beyond the broadcast TV model,” citing opportunities in education.

In response to a question about the role of Locast (the over-the-air streaming service) and another proposal for dealing with multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) streaming use of spectrum, Carr said, "I'm all for listening to how FCC can encourage facilities-based competition. I'm open to hearing ideas about how to make sure entities have fair access."

Carr said he favors an approach that enables "every one of these technologies get out there and compete" but acknowledged that, "we have to work through various bodies of law," including retransmission consent rules that focus on facilities-based competition.

The commissioner emphasized that NextGen TV developments "outside the usual broadcast silo" will be "huge," and he called the shift to the new technology "a very different transition" from the DTV migration more than a decade ago.

Carr also addressed the issue of how Big Tech (i.e., Silicon Valley companies) will compete with broadcasters' digital delivery plans. He cited the "imbalance" of broadcasters in the faceoff with "big tech" companies' communications' agendas, and he encouraged broadcasters to delve deeper into enabling disruptive technologies themselves.

"The FCC needs to adjust its approach to large tech companies," he said. Carr cited the need for Section 230 reform, but offered no specifics about his outlook.

Carr said that there is an "imbalance."

"There is a different treatment," he said. "We need to take a much stronger position of accountability." Asserting that tech companies "don't contribute" Carr suggested that for some of the spectrum issues, the Department of Homeland Security should lead and "we should work collaboratively," including communications industry involvement.

In one of the strangest attempts to duck a question about a timeline for FCC review of multicast rules, Carr said his staff had briefed him on the topic but he could not recall their information. He said there is no schedule for the timing of a decision.

"It is not clear to me the role of the FCC here," Carr said. "It has been consistently raised," but he said it has "been a while since I ran through the statutes."

Commissioner Nathan Simington, in a prerecorded video presentation, extolled NextGen TV as "broadcasting in the internet age" that will enable TV stations to expand their strength in localism. He cited the opportunities for broadcasters to "reclaim the targeting value proposition" by using IP technology, saying it lets "broadcasters double down this advantage as ATSC 3.0 rolls out."

Simington also encouraged broadcasters to explore NextGen TV's datacasting potential for services such as "simultaneous transmissions to thousands of devices" for automotive and navigation updates and other local services "that don't touch media consumption" but demonstrate the "resilient, reliable broadcasting infrastructure."

"I can't think of a better use of ATSC 3.0 technology than for next gen datacasting to supplement 5G tech," Simington said.

The Voices of Experience: Educational First

Susi Elkins, general manager WKAR Public Media and director of broadcasting at Michigan State University, offered a case study of NextGen TV applications from the viewpoint of a "customer's customer." Her presentation was supported by Gaian Solutions, Inc., which supplied the integrated digital Apollo Public TV Platform that WKAR has used for about two years.

Explaining how the station has used "a new ecosystem that recognizes the power of our over-the-spectrum capabilities," Elkins emphasized that NextGen TV serves as a "broadband pipe … [that] changes the paradigm." She demonstrated dynamic interactive features that the station has introduced for student education and campus engagement such as emergency alerts, some of which are integrated with 5G network features.

"This will fundamentally change the way we operate," Elkins explained. "Instead of sending audiences to our website, we can build that interactivity within our broadcast."

Sean D. Plater, general manager, WHUT-TV (licensed to Howard University in Washington, D.C.), also cited the importance of a campus emergency alert system. His station has been involved in a test of NextGen TV with a local middle school; Plater explained how the station "took a learning management system that Howard was using and put it on the platform" with "awesome" results so far.

Mark Aiken, senior VP, Sinclair Broadcast Group, which has also been involved in the Washington projects, cited the value of NextGen TV.

"IP Broadcast is not an add-on to the standard, it's at the core of the standard," Aitken said, pointing out that the services are "taking advantage of the file delivery facility that is at the core of this standard. We're leveraging those core features today." He also put in a plug for the chip (made by another Sinclair subsidiary) and the value of putting such a chip "into every handset to bridge the gap of the homes [that] don't have other internet connections."

Rob Folliard, senior VP, government relations and distribution, Gray Television, describing a field trial at one of Gray's stations, declared that "so much more can be done with unlimited multicast channels." He cited "advanced advertising, addressable advertising and … supporting the broadcast system in the future."

Awards to InterDigital's Alan Stein and NAB's Gordon Smith

ATSC ended the day's program by handing out its two annual awards for both 2021 and for last year (when the meeting and ceremony were virtual).

Alan Stein, VP of technology at InterDigital, received this year's Bernard J. Lechner Outstanding Contributor Award. The Mark Richer Industry Leadership Medal was awarded to NAB President/CEO Sen. Gordon Smith.

Stein, who heads InterDigital's Visual Standards Team, holds 16 granted patents in the field of digital video and oversees the company team involved with global video standards organizations. He has chaired ATSC's video group since its inception.

ATSC President Noland said that Smith, who is retiring as NAB chief, "understood the value that next-generation television could bring to the broadcasting industry and he was instrumental in promoting the potential to NAB's board and membership." NAB Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt, who will take over as NAB President in 2022, accepted the award for Smith.

"This technology gives broadcasters a compelling and interactive platform to tell our stories," LeGeyt said. "Our future is tied to developing standardized methods of innovation … to the ability to do something that's never been done before."

He added, "I commit to you that under my leadership, NAB will continue to push this important technology forward."

The FCC voted unanimously to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a proposal to allow broadcasters greater flexibility in using distributed transmission systems (DTS) to deliver new ATSC 3.0 signals.

The FCC said, and broadcasters agree, that allowing that flexibility with the new advanced TV broadcast standard will get those signals to hard-to-reach viewers, improve indoor reception and be more efficient with the spectrum, a big priority for the FCC.

The FCC's proposal is responsive to a petition by the National Association of Broadcasters and America's Public Television Stations to change the current DTS rules, which were adopted during the last transmission sea change--to digital, to allow for single frequency networks (the DTS systems comprise "two or more transmission sites located around a station’s service area, each using the same RF channel).

The item approved Tuesday (March 31) seeks comment on whether and how to allow signals to exceed a TV station's service area by more than the current de minimus (minimal) amount. The FCC also wants input on the possible impact of extending the signals on other uses, including low-power TV stations, and whether to extend the signals of current ATSC 1.0 signals as well. Broadcasters currently use translators to boost their signals at the fringes of the service area and in other areas where terrain weakens a signal, but translators usually use a different channel, while DTS use the same channel.

Computer companies, most notably Microsoft, have argued against the rule change, saying it could be "catastrophic" to its rural broadband rollout and arguing broadcasters could get what they want through existing rules. Microsoft is using the "white spaces" between TV signals to deliver it.

“NAB applauds the Commission for proposing deployment of single frequency networks allowing broadcasters to better serve viewers while preserving our commitment to localism," said NAB president Gordon Smith. "These SFNs could improve service throughout a station’s coverage area and, in particular, near the edge of the coverage area. SFNs could also improve mobile reception and allow more efficient use of broadcast spectrum. FCC staff is to be commended for moving this item quickly, and we look forward to establishment of final rules."

“America’s Public Television Stations applaud the action taken today by the FCC, a welcome endorsement of changes in the current rules that will allow broadcast television stations to unlock the benefits of Next Gen TV through DTS operations that better serve their viewers while preserving their commitment to localism and avoiding interference issues,” said APTS president Patrick Butler. “These small changes will improve coverage throughout local public television stations’ service areas and improve their ability to offer robust mobile service. It will also enhance spectrum efficiency by reducing the need for television translators operating on redundant channels."

Haier America Trading, the U.S. operating unit of China's Haier Group, a TV and appliance manufacturing company, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Panasonic, Philips, the Columbia University Trust Committee and MPEG LA for "monopolization" of ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) patents and for "conspiracy" to force Haier to pay a higher license fee to use the technology, which is at the core of the digital TV standard used in the U.S., Mexico, Korea and other countries.

Zenith Electronics, LG's U.S. subsidiary which holds patents, is also named in the suit.

The antitrust lawsuit, filed quietly in New York last week, is seen as retribution for the lawsuit filed in March by MPEG LA, the patent pool licensing organization. MPEG LA accused Haier of breaching its agreement to pay the ATSC licensing fees. Haier had deemed the fees ($5 per set) unfair and announced last year that it would cease payments at the end of 2016. The ATSC receiver royalty dropped to as low as $1 in January. Haier claims that the ATSC license fee is "150%-200% higher than comparable technology licenses in Europe."

Haier alleges that the "unreasonable pricing" does not reflect the falling price of ATSC tuners. It also charges that MPEG LA has "attempted to maintain its excessive royalty rate by adding 'broadcasting' patents, which it characterizes as "improper royalty stacking."

Some observers believe that Haier's antitrust lawsuit could mark the beginning of legal battles against its competitors, especially the Korean companies LG and Samsung.

Related: Roku to Keep Haier’s Roku TVs Updated

News of the lawsuit emerged in Korean business publications late last week. Spokesmen and attorneys for all of the companies contacted by Multichannel News, including Haier, LG, Samsung, MPEG LA and ATSC, either declined to comment on the current case or failed to return calls.

The case only deals with the original ATSC digital standard; it does not involve the emerging ATSC 3.0 standard.

In its 48-page complaint and request for a jury trial, Haier contended that patent holders cited in the suit hindered fair competition by colluding with MPEG LA. Industry observers told Multichannel News that they didn't understand why Haier picked on the five organizations that are members of MPEG LA; nine of the member companies have patents on various ATSC features.

Overall, 38 organizations belong to MPEG LA, including CableLabs, Cisco, Apple, Google and Dolby, none of which are involved in Haier's complaint.

Haier had 3.4% worldwide TV set market share in 2016, slightly higher than its 2015 share, according to Statista. By comparison, the global shares for other major TV makers in 2016 was 21.6% for Samsung, 11.9% for LG Electronics and 5.6% for Sony.

“MPEG LA along with LG, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic and other licensors have conspired in restraint of trade to affect, raise, fix, maintain, and stabilize prices in the downstream product market by demanding an excessive, non-FRAND royalty rate for the ATSC standard,” according to Haier's complaint. FRAND refers to Fair, Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory terms in a voluntary licensing commitment, often used by standards organizations in patent licensing.

In its suit, Haier claims that it "attempted to negotiate license agreements ... on FRAND terms" with Samsung and LG, both of which said that it must obtain licensing from MPEG LA.

Related: MPEG LA Looking to Fill ATSC 3.0 Patent Pool

Among the 12 claims that Haier makes in its filing -- some directed at all of the defendants, others aimed at only two or three of the patent holders -- are charges of restraint of trade, nonessential patent misuse, expiration dates for the licenses and breach of "good faith and fair dealing."

Haier said it "will suffer irreparable injury" because of the alleged antitrust discrimination and asked the court for "treble damages" of the amount "to be proven at trial" for the defendants' actions.

There is no timetable for the new filing or for the MPEG LA's March suit against Haier.

The Television Academy has announced the recipients of the 66th Primetime Emmy Engineering Awards, which will be honored on January 8, 2014, at the Bellagio Hotel, and held in tandem with the Consumers Electronics Show

-The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a group founded in 1916 under the chairmanship of inventor Charles F. Jenkins, is this year's recipient of the Philo T. Farnsworth Award, which honors an agency, company or institution whose contributions impacted TV technology and engineering.

-Laurence J. Thorpe is this year's recipient of the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors a living individual whose on-going contributions have significantly affected the state of television technology and engineering. Thorpe has served as the head of HDTV market development at Sony Electronics as well as senior fellow at Canon U.S.A.  A graduate of the College of Technology in Dublin, he began his career with the BBC in London.

The Academy also announced this year’s five Engineering Emmy recipients:

-Philips Professional Broadcasting for the LDK6000, DPM CCD Multi-format HDTV Camera System. First demonstrated in 2000, it uses the company’s patented DPM (Dynamic Pixel Management) imager technology, enabling the camera to capture multiple video formats and frame rates without physically changing the image sensor. It became a popular choice for remote sports and entertainment television productions including the Olympics (2004) and Super Bowl (2005), as well as live entertainment shows such as the Academy Awards (2003-2006).

-Sony Professional Solutions of America for the Multi-format HDTV CCD Fiber Optic Camera System. First used in 2005 on the Fox TV show, American Idol, the product is touted for providing superior HDTV image quality in a progressive video format (720 progressive). 

-High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI).  HDMI has evolved into a universally-implemented, standardized, digital-interconnection method that delivers high quality digital audio, video and auxiliary data to home entertainment devices while simplifying the consumer experience.  Unlike older cables, an HDMI connection transmits uncompressed audio-video data in 100 percent digital form through a single cable, the Academy pointed out.

-Intel Corp. for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). Intel Corporation, in concert with HDMI, created and deployed a universally implemented protocol for the clear identification and transparent delivery of copyrighted high quality audio/video content in a manner that discourages unauthorized redistribution.  Gaining broad adoption as an approved output protocol, it supports billions of device interfaces used by consumers worldwide.

-Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) for its Recommended Practice on Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television.  Spurred by public pressure, impending legislation, and newly-refined techniques for quantifying apparent loudness, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) codified a Recommended Practice on Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television as RP A/85. This publication is now mandated by the FCC as an enforceable regulation in response the United States Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act of 2010, effective December 13, 2012.