President’s Memo

Posted on April 4, 2016 in ATSC News

To Boldy Go!

One of my favorite TV shows is celebrating its 50^th anniversary later this year.  In the opening strains of STAR TREK, the heroic Captain Kirk intones the mission of the Starship Enterprise – to boldly go…

Such is the spirit of the ATSC now that work on the ATSC 3.0 standard is nearing completion.

The Internet-protocol-based ATSC 3.0 standard will enable new business models, giving broadcasters a competitive edge that they haven’t had since leading the HDTV revolution 15 years ago. But fully exploiting the benefits of next-generation television will require bold plans.

As they sharpen those bold strategies, it’s important for senior broadcasting executives to understand that the major elements of the ATSC 3.0 suite of standards are essentially completed.

The first part of the Physical Layer, the so-called “Bootstrap” signaling subsystem, was just approved by our members as a final ATSC Standard. Next up for the Final Standard membership ballot is the core Physical Layer modulation/transmission system. Other parts also are moving ahead as planned, and in a noteworthy development, the much-anticipated audio subsystem is now moving toward Candidate Standard status.

At the NAB Show later this month, broadcasting executives – many of whom have been hearing about ATSC 3.0 from their chief engineers for a while now – will see first-hand the amazing possibilities enabled by next-gen broadcasting.

When they visit the “ATSC 3.0 Consumer Experience” exhibit, co-sponsored by ATSC, the Consumer Technology Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, they’ll see how to monetize next-gen broadcasting with targeted ad insertion, how to enhance their viewers’ experience with high-dynamic range programming (even with 2K broadcasting), how to reach more consumers during emergencies with advanced emergency alerting, and more. And to help give executives more confidence to make bold plans, they’ll also want to visit the “ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Pavilion,” the epicenter of Next Gen TV broadcasting workflows and studio technologies in the NAB Futures Park.

Looking ahead, please mark your calendars to join us next month in the Nation’s Capital. The theme for the 2016 ATSC Broadcast Television Conference on May 11 is “Countdown to Launch,” reflecting where things stand on the ATSC 3.0 standard, the spectrum auction and repack plan. For 2016, the “ATSC 3.0 Boot Camp” (traditionally held on the eve of the Broadcast Television Conference) has evolved, too. On May 10, we’ll host a day-long implementation tutorial entitled “Ready-Set-Go! Planning Your ATSC 3.0 Rollout.” Registration is now open for both events.

At the ATSC, we’re committed to helping the industry prepare for the timely launch of next-generation television services and products. These times require bold plans, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas and Washington as the future of television becomes a reality!

Mark Richer, ATSC President

Posted in ATSC News