Noncommercial TV stations are all in for the FCC's proposal to boost broadband internet and the "critically important" conversion to ATSC 3.0.
The FCC is proposing to help promote broadcasting as a new competitive broadband pipe by making it clear that legacy broadcast TV ownership regulations do not apply to broadcast-delivered internet services like over-the-top video and data made possible by the ATSC 3.0 broadcast transmission standard.
The commission is scheduled to vote on the item at its June 9 public meeting.
America's Public Television Stations said in a letter to the FCC that it "strongly urges the Commission to adopt the DR (declaratory ruling) and NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) and move forward expeditiously in paving the way for the public to receive the important benefits of Broadcast Internet services."
APTS praised the DR as establishing "the importance and legality of Broadcast Internet," and the NPRM for recognizing "the need to update the rules governing 'ancillary and supplementary services' to enable broadcasters to take advantage of the many non-broadcasting capabilities inherent in ATSC 3.0 in order to better serve their communities."
ATSC said it would be weighing in further on potential uses for the new ATSC 3.0-enabled tech and issues like ancillary and supplementary service fee rules--broadcasters are allowed to charge for services provided on their multicast channels so long as they offer a free signal on their primary spectrum.
