FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Goals of Global Cooperation Dovetail with ATSC 3.0 Standardization

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2011 – The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) today endorsed the global declaration signed in China at the conclusion of the Future of Broadcast TV Summit, calling for the world’s TV broadcast technologists to work together on future improvements for broadcast TV. The Shanghai declaration calls for a global, coordinated effort to develop terrestrial TV broadcasting technology, moving ahead of past efforts that have resulted in fragmented systems and increased cost for broadcasters, equipment makers, and viewers.

"The conclusion of the Future of Broadcast Television Summit brings into focus the very real needs that broadcasters face as future technologies are primed for over-the-air transmission. It makes sense to work together -- to conserve scarce resources, to speed new developments to the market and to take advantages of economies of scale wherever possible," said ATSC President Mark Richer, co-chair of the summit. “The true benefit of this week’s conference will be seen and felt by viewers throughout the world, as the signatory organizations and others work together for the greater good.

The ATSC Board of Directors has endorsed the joint declaration, "recognizing that the global initiative is consistent with the goals of ATSC 3.0 next-generation broadcast standards development," said Samsung Vice President John Godfrey, ATSC board chairman, who accompanied Richer and more than a dozen other ATSC members at the summit in China.

ATSC 3.0 standards promise improved audio and video compression systems, more-efficient transmission technologies and new applications to serve viewers and broadcasters for decades to come. In the near-term, ATSC also is developing ATSC 2.0 backwards-compatible enhancements to the current U.S. digital TV transmission standard, including areas such as Internet-enhanced broadcast television and 3-D TV broadcasting.

The joint declaration issued today calls for defining requirements for future terrestrial broadcast systems, considering unified terrestrial broadcast standards, and exploring global technology sharing.

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About the ATSC: The Advanced Television Systems Committee is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. The ATSC member organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries. For more information visit www.atsc.org

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