Key Points
- The FCC voted unanimously to advance a rulemaking that eases broadcasters’ transition to the NextGen TV standard.
- The proposal drops firm transition deadlines, letting stations decide when to shut off current digital signals.
- Broadcasters and the NAB say the move clears the way for better picture, sound and interactive features.
- Read the latest coverage on NextGen TV
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve the publication of a proposed rule that takes a significant step toward transitioning the country’s broadcast television standard.
The vote allows the FCC to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that aims to make it easier for local TV broadcasters to switch their current digital signals off in favor of transmitting through the new standard, thedesk.net/tag/nextgen-tv, within the next few years.
The commercial broadcast TV industry has lobbied intensely for permission to shut off their current digital signals in favor of NextGen TV, promoting the technology as one that will allow local TV stations to transmit clearer pictures with better audio, launch interactive features and deliver hyper-local emergency alerts and targeted advertising.
The technology puts broadcast TV stations on a more-even footing with streaming apps and services, which have offered personalized content recommendations, interactive features and targeted commercial messaging for several years, industry advocates say.
A move to NextGen TV would likely require Americans to purchase new TV sets or install converter boxes in order to receive the signals. NextGen TV-compatible equipment has been offered at physical and online stores for a few years now, but there is insignificant data on how many Americans have purchased them or how many TVs currently installed in homes can receive NextGen TV signals.
The cost of NextGen TV-compatible smart TVs tends to be higher compared with ordinary smart TVs that have conventional digital tuners. Standalone tuners that allow consumers with existing TV sets to receive NextGen TV signals currently cost around $200, though broadcasters say the cost of those devices is expected to come down.
The National Association of Brodcasters (NAB), the commercial broadcasting industry’s main lobbying organization, pushed for the FCC to mandate a transition away from the current digital standard in favor of NextGen TV since the start of the year. The NAB’s original proposal required TV stations in large cities to shut off their current signals and move to NextGen TV by mid-2028, with the rest of the country’s broadcasters moving to NextGen TV by mid-2030.
The NPRM adopted by the FCC on Tuesday eliminates these deadlines, and allows broadcasters to set their own timeline for moving off the current digital standard to NextGen TV. If the NPRM is formalized into a rule, broadcasters could shut down their signals much earlier than the mid-2028 deadline, though many will likely continue broadcasting for a few more years if Americans are slow to adopt new equipment needed to receive the signals.
In a statement on Tuesday, NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt praised the FCC’s action, saying the elimination of onerous broadcasting rules will benefit the broadcast TV industry over the long term.
“By moving to eliminate outdated rules, the Commission is clearing the path for broadcasters to better serve viewers with enhanced picture and sound, robust emergency alerts and new interactive features,” LeGeyt said.
LeGeyt noted that NextGen TV signals are already transmitting in more than 80 major metropolitan areas, though data is scarce on how many people are actually watching them.
Complicating the effort is that some NextGen TV signals are encrypted with digital rights management technology, which requires decryption certificates delivered over the Internet in order to unlock those channels. It isn’t clear how broadcasters will deliver their encrypted signals in a way that can be viewed by Americans who live in areas where broadband Internet is scarce.
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