WISHFUL THINKING: ATSC New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 9, 2018 in ATSC News

As we turn the calendar page to a New Year filled with promise, current and former ATSC board members weigh in with their 2018 predictions, wishes and resolutions.

SMPTE’s Howard Lukk predicts that “the hard work done by our members will be reflected in hardware and software coming to market supporting 3.0. Going from paper to reality is a challenge, and to see it become real in products and content is one of the joys and rewards of being a part of the process.”

“My New Year’s wish for the ATSC is to see the new ATSC 3.0 standard in action, starting with the Olympics in Korea and finishing with markets starting to light up broadcasts in the U.S. before the year is out,” says Nextstar Media Group’s Brett Jenkins.

Similarly, Sony’s Dr. Paul Hearty wishes for “successful launches, particularly with the Pearl TV open testbed in Phoenix, and growth of understanding in the broadcast community of the power of the ATSC 3.0 interactive environment.”

Lukk adds that his ATSC New Year’s resolution is “to promote ATSC 3.0 and educate folks outside of our circles what Next Gen TV is all about.” He’s also hoping “that the ‘wave’ will catch on and expand beyond our wildest dreams.”

“My New Year’s ATSC resolution is for successful 3.0 trials to take place and demonstrate the wonderful quality, performance, and features of the world’s best digital TV Standard,” adds Dolby’s Craig Todd.

CTA’s Brian Markwalter hopes for “success for ATSC Implementation Teams and the numerous field tests being undertaken around the country this year.”

“As the New Year dawns, my ATSC hopes for 2018 are successful testing of the ATSC 3.0 Standard,” says Dave Siegler, Cox Media Group’s Dave Siegler, who just wrapped up six years on the board. “And shifting attention to implementation and developing business plans.”

Dr. Jong Kim, LG Electronics, says he “hopes to see initial ATSC 3.0 broadcast launches in a variety of markets in ‘18, so TV manufacturers can prepare to enter this exciting new product area that will bring incredible new features and benefits to consumers.”

“My New Year’s wish for the ATSC is that broadcasters, content creators and MVPDs will collaborate to develop and launch new ATSC 3.0 services that will delight and amaze consumers,” said Glenn Reitmeier, NBC Universal.

Echoing that sentiment, new board member Jon Fairhurst, Samsung, sees ATSC 3.0 in 2018 “enabling broadcasters and manufacturers to deliver new, forward-looking services and to delight television viewers in the U.S. and beyond.”

Pete Sockett, Capital Broadcasting, hopes that “a large scale manufacturer commits to silicon so that the ecosystem can become complete.  This will enable small and large companies alike to begin development of all the new technologies and opportunities that 3.0 brings to the table!”

“Seeing ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV deployed in North America!” is the New Year’s resolution of CRC’s Yiyan Wu, who represented IEEE on the board in 2017. 

ATSC President Mark Richer looks forward to “another year of working with the best and brightest in our industry.”

“To have broadcasters agree on a common television service that OEMs embrace and consumers adopt” is the New Year’s prediction by Anne Schelle, Pearl TV, who also sees 2018 as the year “to develop and deploy a common framework for the transition of spectrum for 3.0 that can scale…”

“And perhaps one more wish for 2018,” adds Schelle, “to earn a third Rubber Chicken – don’t things good always happen threes?”

Posted in ATSC News