"One of the mysteries that has perplexed me for a number of years is how
traditional broadcasting became so uncool at the same time that wireless
connectivity for watching content became cool. Our industry has been wireless
since it began more than 100 years ago! What's up with that?"
It's not the technology. It's people who impress themselves because they spend
money on whatever - in this case, being tied to a monopolistic umbilical. They
got more sports, they became popular. Then, surprise surprise, they got upset
when the rates wouldn't stop climbing.
"But be that as it may, thanks to the cord-cutting and cord-shaving and
cord-nevering that is going on, we may actually be seeing the beginnings of a
bit of a renaissance of over the air broadcasting. Assuming this is actually
happening, this may be just the groundswell our industry needs to begin
embracing ATSC 3.0 and the capabilities it adds to the services that local
broadcasters can offer."
Such as? I'd love to read an article, for once, which would state clearly WHAT
whiz bang services would actually use, or more importantly need, the one-way
broadcast channel of ATSC 3.0. Everything that the press wow people with, be it
on demand, interactivity, targeted ads, hyper local, you name it, ALL of that
depends on the Internet broadband link. The broadcast link may exist or it may
not, and those new features would do just fine. Vice versa is not possible. The
Internet is key here. How does that message keep getting lost? In fact, how
does that message get lost, in view of what follows here:
"Now we are seeing this rediscovery of over-the-air reception and thanks to the
digital conversion, where there once were fewer than 10 program streams
available over the air in all but the largest markets, there are now 30 or 40
depending on what stations are doing with their ATSC 1.0 services available at
no cost. Couple that with the OTT and on-demand services available via
broadband and suddenly both packaged cable service and satellite service seem
unreasonably expensive and restrictive. This new generation of consumers will
begin looking for ways to put up antennas. Guess what? Those homeowner, condo
and local associations mentioned above probably still have those same
restrictions against television antennae. Does the renaissance end here?"
Indeed. Notice how ATSC 3.0 is not needed, for interactivity, for on demand,
for lots and lots of new program options. And too, how much of TV viewing time
is spent with actual TV broadcast, when a household is set up as Bill describes?
His other point is that people back when were actually looking for excuses for
getting cable. Excuses like, my condo association won't allow antennas, so I
need cable. Now they actually want to install antennas. Perhaps to some degree,
but I'll bet the bigger truth is that people will more readily forego that
local broadcast signal, when they have enough alternatives available online?
Broadcasters need to get an online role.
Honestly, if you dissect the content of the article, the only relevance of ATSC
3.0 would be, it should make it easier to install that antenna and get robust
OTA reception. Never mind that ATSC 1.0 has gotten pretty good with the newer
receivers, that it could be made even better, and that we are ultimately
obsessing over what is the least important of the TV links. Oh, and that no one
is selling ATSC 3.0 receivers, even when they do in their home markets.
But there's more. Let's not so quickly forget that it was only thanks to
Michael Powell's FCC that we managed to get ATSC 1.0. Until the Powell FCC
forced the issue, ATSC was the best kept secret in this country. Every other
TV-related organization out there, be it stores, broadcasters, CE vendors, all
seemed happy to kill off ATSC. This FCC is definitely in bed with those same 3
or 4 companies, so what are the odds? Zilch.
People are cutting the cord because they have found better ways of watching TV.
Those better ways do not require one-way broadcast links. It would make more
sense for local broadcasters to jump on the online bandwagon, one way or
another, and let ATSC 1.0 soldier on for the OTA signal? At least, people CAN
count on that receiver existing.
Bert
---------------------------------------------------
https://www.tvtechnology.com/opinions/making-over-the-air-tv-cool-again
Making Over-the-Air TV Cool Again
How far will viewers go to capture the signal?
Bill Hayes* 11 hours ago
AMES, IOWA-One of the mysteries that has perplexed me for a number of years is
how traditional broadcasting became so uncool at the same time that wireless
connectivity for watching content became cool. Our industry has been wireless
since it began more than 100 years ago! What's up with that? I could also make
the case that the earliest wireless communications were done with Morse Code, a
sequence of dots and dashes that equate to 1's and 0's and are therefore
digital, albeit painfully slow digital.
But be that as it may, thanks to the cord-cutting and cord-shaving and
cord-nevering that is going on, we may actually be seeing the beginnings of a
bit of a renaissance of over the air broadcasting. Assuming this is actually
happening, this may be just the groundswell our industry needs to begin
embracing ATSC 3.0 and the capabilities it adds to the services that local
broadcasters can offer. Like in surfing, if we start paddling as the swell is
approaching we can ride the crest of the wave to completion.
BACK TO THE DARK DAYS
However, to help insure that this renaissance actually happens, I want to take
us back into the dark days of the past and the birth of the Satellite Home
Viewer Act, TV broadcast white spaces and the processing of waivers to allow
for the importation of distant signals. For the most part these issues have
gone away as satellite antennae became smaller and local-into-local became the
norm. I would, however, remind you that one of the most common reasons given
for why a viewer within the coverage of local television deserved a waiver: My
homeowners association or condo association or local association doesn't permit
the installation of an outdoor television antenna.
In those dark times, the consumer was looking for a reason not to put up an
antenna to receive a service that was theoretically available via their
subscription to satellite. For most, they were looking for something to replace
their cable service, which was too expensive or not available because they were
too far from a high density population area to run the cable system past their
house. Remember at this time, we were still using dial-up phone lines to access
the internet and 24.4 kpbs was a relatively common connection.
Now we are seeing this rediscovery of over-the-air reception and thanks to the
digital conversion, where there once were fewer than 10 program streams
available over the air in all but the largest markets, there are now 30 or 40
depending on what stations are doing with their ATSC 1.0 services available at
no cost. Couple that with the OTT and on-demand services available via
broadband and suddenly both packaged cable service and satellite service seem
unreasonably expensive and restrictive. This new generation of consumers will
begin looking for ways to put up antennas. Guess what? Those homeowner, condo
and local associations mentioned above probably still have those same
restrictions against television antennae. Does the renaissance end here?
SEEKING ANTENNA WAIVERS
I spent a good portion of the 1990's reviewing waiver requests and became
intimately familiar with 47 CFR 1.4000, the Over-the-Air Reception Device Rule
or "OTARD." The rule has been in place since 1996 and while it has been through
several amendments, it is still in place. The rule prohibits most of the
restrictions that local associations place on members in regards to the
installation of not only traditional television antennas but also
direct-to-home satellite and MMDS antennas. It encompasses rental property as
well as homeowner-owned properties.
The key with rental properties is that the renter must have an "exclusive use
area" such as a patio or balcony where the antenna can be installed. While the
rule isn't perfect for every instance, I spent my last five years in commercial
broadcasting working for the CBS affiliates in New Mexico where we had a
network of a few full power stations and a plethora of translators throughout
the state and the vast majority of time I was able to secure an agreement from
the association that the viewer had the right to install the antenna. I would
point out that this included military bases that had strict rules regarding
antennas of any sort on base.
Now again, this work was done during the "dark days" where people were looking
to get waivers to not watch the local stations, so they were not always happy
when the waiver denial included a letter from their association stating that
they could put up an antenna as further evidence of why their waiver was
denied. However if the audience wants to put up an antenna to receive the free
local stations so that they can cut, shave or forego the cord, they will be
happy to have additional information that they can take to their association.
And let's also recognize that there are now options for over-the-air television
antennas that are a lot less unappealing then the old multiband Yagi's of the
1950's and 60's. Couple the new design with the increased robustness of the
ATSC 3.0 service and suddenly broadcasting is cool again.
The FCC also maintains a webpage on the Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule
with an FAQ that provides some talking points. I would encourage anyone working
in television broadcasting to consider using this information to put together
an educational presentation to do to local community groups to promote the
renaissance of over-the-air television and whet the appetites of the local
audience for what is freely available to them now and the incredible potential
of what is to come as ATSC 3.0 comes into its own.
Bill Hayes is the director of engineering for Iowa Public Television.
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