Broadcasters and Programmers Push for ATSC 3.0 Lateral Hosting

Broadcasters need flexibility in hosting arrangements for their ATSC 1.0 multicast channels to preserve service during the ATSC 3.0 transition, said NAB, Fox, NBCUniversal and Paramount in a call with FCC Media Bureau staff Thursday, according to an ex parte filing posted in docket 16-142 Tuesday. The broadcasters and content companies emphasized the need for the agency to allow “lateral hosting,” where a station broadcasting in 1.0 hosts some multicast channels on another 1.0 station in the market during a transition to 3.0. An FCC proposal to clarify 3.0 multicasting rules didn’t include provisions for lateral hosting, but such arrangements would be vital for launching the new standard in the New York market, the filing said. “While such arrangements are unlikely to be any broadcaster’s first choice, broadcasters engaged in channel mapping and planning for market launches have emphasized that lateral hosting will likely be essential in some markets,” the filing said. Permitting lateral hosting won’t make things more difficult for viewers, and broadcasters would use the arrangement sparingly because of its complexity, the filing said. “Absent a specific and concrete reason to believe there is an urgent countervailing public interest consideration, the Commission’s approach with respect to the ATSC 3.0 transition should be to provide broadcasters with as much flexibility as possible,” the filing said.