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The DTV Transition

The DTV Transition. Jane Mago National Association of Broadcasters Senior Vice President and General Counsel Law & Regulatory Policy. What is NAB?. The National Association of Broadcasters 150 people at 1771 N St. NW in Washington DC

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The DTV Transition

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  1. The DTV Transition Jane Mago National Association of Broadcasters Senior Vice President and General Counsel Law & Regulatory Policy

  2. What is NAB? • The National Association of Broadcasters • 150 people at 1771 N St. NW in Washington DC • NAB is a full-service trade association which represents the interests of free, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters. • 7043 Radio Station Members • 1127 Television Station Members

  3. The DTV Transition is Complex • The process began in 1987 • Many stakeholders in the transition • DTV transition is now accelerating at a rapid pace

  4. Advantages of DTV • More efficient use of spectrum • Better quality signal, including cinema-like “high definition” or HDTV programming • Allows for multicasting • Will free up spectrum for other uses, including public safety and wireless broadband

  5. Old DTV Transition “Soft” Date • The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) established a soft guideline for the DTV transition: • December 31, 2006 or later if 85% in market have yet to receive digital signal

  6. New DTV Hard Date • DTV Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (part of Deficit Reduction Act) signed into law by the President • Sets hard deadline for cessation of analog broadcasts at February 18, 2009

  7. 0110010111011011010 1101110011010100010 Now that the Hard Date is Set … ? How do we finish going from:

  8. DTV Penetration Estimates

  9. Digital Buildout • 1550 Stations • 211 markets • Reaching 99.9% American Population

  10. Ch. 2 - 69 Ch. 2 - 51 (All DTV) 108 MHz Public Safety Auction Television Spectrum Plan

  11. Channel Election • After the transition, all digital television stations will be relocated to the “core spectrum” consisting of current television channels 2 through 51 (54-698MHz) • FCC has adopted a seven-step channel election and repacking process to help orchestrate the reallocation

  12. Channels 52-69 Broadcast Spectrum Shrinks by 108 MHz 5-6 7-13 2-4 14-69

  13. Many unresolved issues • 73 Million remaining analog televisions, representing 22 million households • Multicasting • Downconversion of broadcasters’ signal • Unlicensed devices in the broadcast spectrum

  14. Our Deepest Concern: On February 18, 2009, 73 million analog televisions will go dark Our viewers, Congress’ constituents

  15. Education Campaign • Millions of Americans know little or nothing about the DTV transition • NAB is committed to educate the public about the DTV transition • Broadcasters will be working together on a nationwide campaign • Doing their part • It takes all stakeholders • NTIA given $5 million for consumer education and program administration costs

  16. Converter Box Subsidy • NTIA will implement program whereby households may obtain coupons that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes • Coupon value of $40 • Limit of two coupons per household • Coupons given on first-come-first-served basis • Households to make coupon requests between January 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009 for delivery via USPS. • Coupons expire after 3 months • Maximum $1.5 billion for coupon program

  17. Remaining Issues: • Multicasting • With digital, broadcasters will provide more channels, more local content • Issue likely to be revisited by the FCC

  18. Downconversion • Broadcasters have spent billions of dollars converting to digital • Some cable operators want to downconvert at the head-end for analog customers • This would degrade broadcaster signal for every cable subscriber – even those with a DTV set will receive an inferior signal • Why were broadcasters required to offer a digital signal if millions of viewers cannot see it?

  19. Unlicensed Devices • Current FCC filing • Very concerned about interference • Digital signal strength/reception issues still murky • At the minimum: • We should wait until after the DTV transition is complete in February 2009 • We need real world testing • Proposed Telecom Bill from Sen. Stevens would require FCC to complete rulemaking within 270 days with rules that allow unlicensed devices to operate in the broadcast television frequencies

  20. Questions?

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