The National Association of Broadcasters says the future of broadcast TV is HD, 3D, and mobile TV, "not regulation
from Washington, D.C."
That is according to a new spot promoting over-the-air TV that NAB says will run on member stations in Jan. 4-24.
NAB will start distributing the spot Dec. 16. The ad directs viewers to a new Web site promoting broadcast TV,
TheFutureOfTV.org, which also launches Jan. 4.
The spots, a 30-second radio and TV ad, will be available in English and Spanish.
The ad comes as the FCC is receiving comment on how it can free up broadcast spectrum for wireless by reclaiming some from broadcasters via give-backs, channel sharing and more. For broadcasters giving up spectrum, it would be
problematic to try to deliver on that NAB promise of 3D and HD given the bandwidth requirements.
NAB also talks about more content, more chioce, breaking local news, and emergency info as the future of over-the-air TV.
Was NAB targeting any specific regulation?
"We wanted to stress that we think broadcasting has a bright future and that we will ask our members to use the resources of broadcast airwaves to resist any involuntary reclamation of TV airwaves," said NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton. But the FCC has said it would be voluntary. "We think it is important to set down a marker as we engage in a debate over this issue with the new Congress," Wharton said.
