President’s Memo: International Momentum and Strategic Focus for the Future of ATSC 3.0

Posted on February 18, 2026 in ATSC News

It’s an exciting time for ATSC stakeholders, and I’m continually inspired by the energy, innovation, and collaboration driving the future of broadcasting.

It felt like a natural fit for ATSC to attend BES EXPO-2026, the 30th International Conference & Exhibition on Broadcast & Media Technology held in Delhi, India. With Prasar Bharati (India’s public broadcaster), regulators, and standards stakeholders in attendance, the focus was firmly on broadcast policy, national infrastructure, and public-service delivery. Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) was featured prominently in opening remarks and program sessions, which underscored the growing global interest in leveraging broadcast spectrum to efficiently reach mobile devices.

We were proud to support Tejas Networks, which presented a compelling live ATSC 3.0-enabled D2M broadcast demonstration showcasing its broadcast radio hardware and D2M-compatible devices powered by indigenous SDR technology. FreeStream also participated as a partner in presenting the broader D2M ecosystem at the show, aligning with Tejas’ mobile broadcast innovations. The engagement and dialogue at BES reinforced that D2M is central to national conversations about resilience, reach, and next-generation service delivery.

Closer to home, the ATSC Board of Directors recently re-elected John Taylor as Chairman and Lynn Claudy and Brian Markwalter as Vice Chairs for 2026. The Board also named Dr. Rikin Thakker to the Executive Committee and welcomed new directors Raymundo Barros and Javier Ruano. ATSC’s 2026 officers appointed by the Board include myself as President, Vice President Luiz Fausto, Secretary Anh Ngo, and Treasurer Lynn Claudy. I look forward to working with this exceptional leadership team as we continue advancing our mission.

Strategic planning remains a top priority. The ATSC Business Advisory Council presented a detailed report grounded in the global results of the ATSC Vision 2035 survey. Among other things, the report to the ATSC Board outlined a number of business-, ecosystem- and execution-focused recommendations for advancing ATSC 3.0. The Board will review these recommendations during its annual strategic retreat this spring. This is a valuable opportunity to align our technical excellence with marketplace momentum and ensure we are not just enabling standards’ development but also supporting successful implementation at scale.

We also continue to engage actively in regulatory proceedings as the ATSC 3.0 standards technical authority. ATSC recently submitted reply comments in the Federal Communications Commission’s rulemaking process related to the U.S. transition to next-generation broadcasting.  Two observations stand out.

First, across a large and diverse group of commenters, no party identified technical shortcomings in the ATSC 3.0 standard or argued that it is deficient or unfit for purpose. On the contrary, commenters acknowledged its advanced capabilities, including improved efficiency, IP-based delivery, mobility, and enhanced emergency communications.

Second, the proceeding generated unusually high engagement from industry stakeholders, public safety organizations, consumer advocates, and television viewers among others – demonstrating the importance of next-generation broadcasting to the business community and audiences alike. International adoption continues to provide additional validation, particularly Brazil’s extensive testing and ultimate selection of an ATSC 3.0–based system. This momentum reinforces ATSC’s leadership in shaping the future of broadcast.

Looking ahead, the 2026 NAB Show will provide another opportunity to showcase that leadership. The ATSC booth will once again be powered by an incredible lineup of industry leaders driving the evolution of ATSC 3.0. We are grateful to our Platinum Supporters: AT&T, HCLTech, and Sinclair, with special thanks to HCLTech for hosting our April 19 Coffee Break. Our Industry Innovators – including A3SA, Advanced HDR by Technicolor (Philips), DTVKit, Mirakulo, Pearl, SiliconDust, Tejas Networks, Tolka, Triveni Digital, and VBox – will demonstrate cutting-edge solutions throughout the show. Thanks as well to Zixi, our Poker Chips Partner, and Rohde & Schwarz, sponsor of the ATSC 3.0 Guide.

We’ll also gather for daily Happy Hour events at the ATSC booth, sponsored by American Tower (April 19), International Reception sponsored by ATSC’s Brazil and Caribbean Implementation Teams (April 20), and EdgeBeam Wireless (April 21). EdgeBeam Wireless will also offer a presentation on innovation across the ecosystem daily at 4:00 PM in the booth. I encourage you to stop by, connect with colleagues, and experience firsthand the breadth of progress underway.

For a deeper look at our ongoing technical efforts, I invite you to read this month’s Standards Column, which provides insight into recent developments within ATSC’s working groups.

Finally, please save the date for the annual NextGen Broadcast Conference, June 1–3 at NAB headquarters in Washington, D.C. Several hotel room blocks have been secured near the venue and rooms are available for booking. Visit the NextGen Broadcast Conference website for details.

We look forward to continuing these important conversations with you there.

Together, ATSC members are powering the future of broadcast. I encourage each of you to engage, whether through our standards work, strategic discussions, or industry events, and help ensure ATSC 3.0 achieves its full potential.

Madeleine Noland

President

Posted in ATSC News