NAB, NRB Lobby on ATSC 3.0 Sunset Requirements

Extensions for the ATSC 3.0 substantially similar and A/322 physical layer sunsets shouldn’t be open-ended, said the NAB in an ex parte call with an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, according to a filing posted in docket 16-142 Wednesday. In a separate letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Religious Broadcasters said continuing to require broadcasters to transmit in both 1.0 and 3.0 is “financially wasteful and unsustainable.” An open-ended extension of the substantially similar requirement would be "a dramatic shift from the Commission’s previous approach for no reason at all,” NAB said, arguing market incentives will keep broadcasters from transitioning in a way that leaves their viewers unable to receive their signals. Letting the market control the transition is how the FCC treats the wireless and tech industries, NAB said. “This process should not be different simply because a different bureau within the Commission is currently responsible for shepherding the transition.” An “overly prolonged transition would be a failed transition, and may prove fatal for OTA television broadcasting, particularly for smaller broadcasters,” said NRB, seconding NAB’s call for an FCC ATSC 3.0 task force (see 2302160056). For ATSC 3.0 multicast hosting, the agency should require only in limited circumstances that broadcasters submit showings that they aren’t using more capacity than they could transmit on their own, NAB said. Such showing should be required only in response to a commission inquiry or a complaint from a cable operator “that made a prima facie case the Commission deems worthy of a response,” the filing said. The full FCC temporarily stayed the sunset of the ATSC 3.0 A/322 physical layer requirement Monday, said an order. The requirement was to expire that day. A report and order on the physical layer sunset and the 3.0 substantially similar requirement was circulated to the 10th floor last week (see 2303030064), and the stay will last while that item is pending, Monday’s order said. NAB said in the ex parte filing that it doesn’t object to an extension for the physical layer standard if it isn’t open-ended. “We find the public interest is best served by preserving the status quo during this brief period of time in order to consider this open question,” said the order.