FCC's Nov. 16 Meeting Widely Expected to Include Vote Authorizing ATSC 3.0

The FCC’s Nov. 16 meeting is widely expected to include a vote authorizing ATSC 3.0, industry officials said. The 3.0 draft order could face a party-line 3-2 vote, industry officials told us. The draft is expected to require broadcasters to simulcast ATSC 1.0 signals that are substantially similar but not identical to their 3.0 signals, and isn’t expected to contain provisions barring 3.0 from being a factor in retransmission consent negotiations, industry officials said (see 1710170048). The American Cable Association, meanwhile, is joining American TV Alliance (see 1708100033) and Charter Communications (see 1710230049) urging the FCC to require carriage negotiations of ATSC 3.0 streams be held separately from talks about continued carriage of ATSC 1.0 signals. In a docket 16-142 ex parte filing Tuesday, ACA said if the FCC doesn't do so for all MVPDs, it should at least do so for small ones "uniquely susceptible to broadcast coercion" in carriage talks. Alternately, the agency could bar broadcasters from demanding carriage in a format the MVPD doesn't yet carry, ACA said. NAB didn't comment. Recapping a meeting with Office of Engineering and Technology staff and Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey, ACA said the FCC should make clear parties can agree to carry 3.0 signals in formats other than those transmitted over the air, including formats compatible with existing cable equipment, so there's no question down-conversion is allowable. ACA urged the FCC not to allow 3.0 flash cuts, or at least only until equipment becomes commercially available that would let MVPDs receive, down-convert and deliver the signals in a viewable format. Meantime, NAB criticisms of Verizon's stance on 3.0 (see 1710240072) don't account for the effects of the new standard on MVPD customers, a Verizon spokesman said. "Any mention of consumers or the new equipment or higher programming costs that could hit them if the transition to ATSC 3.0 is forced on them prematurely before there's market demand" was "notably absent" from a recent NAB filing attacking the pay-TV company, the spokesman said. "We’re supportive of innovative new technologies, and have no beef with ATSC 3.0."