ATSC 3.0 Rollout Affected by Virus, but Group's Chief Optimistic

ATSC 3.0 rollout is “going OK, despite the fact that we can’t have shows" in person, ATSC President Madeleine Noland told us Thursday. “In this little period of time, I think it’s slowing down the deployment because we can’t get bodies in stations. At the same time, broadcasters and TV manufacturers are taking advantage of this” standard. “People can access all this information on demand" from virtual events, she noted. Stations are “taking this opportunity to get on the air” with 3.0 and “get the basic TV signal up there,” Noland said. Though brick-and-mortar retail curtailments are impeding the industry’s ability to demonstrate compatible sets for consumers at the point of sale, “the most important time frame for that kind of activity is going to be when there are more services on the air in more markets,” said Noland. It gives broadcasters time to hone their unified messaging, she said. “There’s an opportunity here to really, really get this right, so that when we are back at retail, we’ve got a great story to tell." She said NAB postponing next year's annual show six months to October 2021 (see 2009090049) was the right move. “The chance that it could have been an excellent show in April, at least by my research and evidence, appeared to be on the low side. Who knows what the future may bring, but I don’t think they could have picked a better date if they want to hold a show in 2021, as they obviously do. We all do.” NAB didn't confer with Noland, but she's sure the association consulted with ATSC members. Canceling the April 2020 show a month out involved “so much fluidity and nobody really knew what was going to happen,” she said. That spotlighted “the level of planning that has to happen in advance,” she said.