CBA 2004CBA FCC Media Bureau (202)

Today’s Topics Brief DTV Update Digital LPTV Report and Order (non- technical aspects) FCC News Interference analysis and other technical elements covered tomorrow morning

/04 Total DTV Stations On Air (out of 1688 paired DTV channels) (est.) Currently: 1445 stations (794 with STA) Source: FCC Video Division, Sept. 2004

The Digital Transition HDTVSDTVDATAHDTVSDTVDATA 2 nd Periodic Review Report & Order (August 4, 2004)

NTSC channel DTV channel Post-transition Channel DTV Channel Election

Filing Freeze: (Announced August 3, 2004) Rule making petitions for: –DTV channel changes and new allotments –NTSC channel allotments or changes in community of license Applications to “maximize” DTV or NTSC broadcast facilities

Filing Freeze Class A and Class A-eligible LPTV stations Displacement applications –Stations facing imminent disruption of service may request an STA to permit continued operation Facilities modifications that would extend coverage contour in any direction

DTV Channel Election Milestones (1) Certification of intent to “replicate” or “maximize” already-authorized facilities – November, 2004 (2) 1 st round elections - December, 2004 –stations with in-core DTV and NTSC channels select one or negotiate a channel swap with another licensee –Stations with a single DTV or NTSC in-core channel select it or release it and request another channel in round two

(3) Interference conflict resolution of first round elections – Complete by February, 2005 (4) 2 nd round elections: stations with two out-of-core channels and stations from 1 st round that wish to be treated like them request a channel or ask FCC to select one – July, 2005 (5) Conflict resolution of second round elections – Complete by September, 2005

(6) Third (final) round election: channel preference of stations not yet accommodated – January, 2006 (7) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing a post-transition DTV Table of Allotments – August, 2006

Digital LPTV Is Coming!

New Digital LPTV Service Rules Report and Order (MB Docket No. 03–185) Adopted: September 9, 2004 Released: September 30, 2004 Our FCC Home

Goals –Hasten transition to digital service –Minimize disruption to existing service Analog TVDigital TV

Priority on facilitating the digital transition of existing LPTV, TV translator and Class A service

What is a digital low power TV station?

A station in the LPTV service that: A station in the LPTV service that: “may retransmit the programs and signals of a DTV broadcast station, may originate programming in any amount greater than 30 seconds per hour for the purpose of providing digital television (DTV) reception to the general public, and subject to a minimum video program service requirement, may offer services of an ancillary or supplementary nature, including subscription-based services.” § (k)

What digital service is required?

Whenever operating, must transmit a free off- air video programming service of at least analog TV technical quality Intended for reception by the general public using receivers based on the FCC transmission standard (i.e., 8-VSB modulation) I want that free video programming service on my new DTV set.

Video Program Service Examples TV or DTV signal rebroadcasts –Need consent of station licensee –May arrange carry only portion of DTV bit stream Satellite video program service retransmission Local program origination (of the kind aired by analog LPTV stations)

Public Interest Obligations Generally apply the obligations applicable to analog LPTV stations Examples: –broadcasts by candidates for political office –sponsorship identification –closed captioning Future proceeding will address public interest obligations for LPTV and Class A station multi-casts

What digital service is permitted?

Dynamic Bit Allocation Options (19.38 megabits/sec) HDTVSDTVDATASDTVAncillary & SupplementarySDTV 1SDTV 2 SDTV 3 SDTV 4SDTV5SDTV Empty Bit Space

Ancillary and Supplementary Services Pay TV Can partner with outside service providers Annual fee of 5% of gross revenues from feeable services Examples: Data sent to TV or computer, subscription video, downstream internet, paging

How do I convert to digital operation ?

(i.e., cease analog transmissions on authorized channel and begin transmitting a digital signal) “Flashcut” analog channel to digital Option 1

What happened to my favorite TV !!! Pro: Run only one station at a time Con: If done prematurely, lose audience that cannot receive a digital signal

May file for digital conversion of your analog station at any time on a 1 st come basis (minor change application on FCC Form 346) Digitally converted station protected contour Analog station protected contour

Option Seek digital “companion channel” for transitional dual analog & digital station operations

AnalogDigital Pro: Offer digital service without losing audience receiving analog service Cons: (1) Economics of running analog and digital station and (2) initial digital audience may possibly be small

Digital Companion Channel Window Auction window procedures Eligibility limited to permittees and licensees of LPTV, TV translator and Class A stations Class A station licensees will be filing for a digital LPTV stations –Third DTV periodic review proceeding will consider how and when to permit Class A licensees to seek digital companion channels with Class A primary status or to convert LPTV companion channel to Class A status.

Digital Companion Channel Window No geographic filing restrictions Single digital companion channel for each existing analog station (paired analog/digital license) Same community of license as analog station At a time to be determined later, must return one of the paired channels to the Commission

First-Come-First Serve Application Filing Will be announced by public notice Not limited to incumbents Option 3 (begins some time after the companion channel window)

How will mutually exclusive applications be handled? Digital LPTV or TV translator applications that are mutually exclusive with each other or analog station applications will be subject to the auction process –opportunity to resolve by settlement or engineering solutions

Mutually exclusive digital Class A applications (e.g., on-channel conversion) are exempt from auction –Provide opportunity for resolution of mutual exclusivity by engineering solution or settlement –Dismiss applications if mutual exclusivity not resolved

What are the priorities with respect to displacement relief applications? Analog and digital displacement relief applications have priority over applications for new or modified digital facilities, including digital conversion applications May file for a replacement channel and on- channel digital conversion in the same application

What are the priorities with respect to displacement relief applications? Digital displacement applications have priority over analog displacement applications When mutually exclusive, the lower priority application will be dismissed

Three years for digitally converted analog stations and new digital stations How much time will I have to build a digital station?

Extensions of Time Apply DTV extension policies and procedures, rather than tolling of permit –Demonstration of construction delays due to circumstances beyond permittee’s control and that all reasonable steps were taken to overcome delays –May base extension on financial hardship Media Bureau may grant two six-month extensions; requests for additional extensions referred for Commission action

What TV channels are available for digital LPTV service? , 3 … … … … 69

Channels Not available for further applications for analog stations, except those related to channel displacement relief Available for –digital conversion of existing analog stations –digital companion channels, if no suitable in-core channel is available

Channels Must notify in writing potentially affected co- channel and adjacent channel commercial wireless licensees within 30 days of filing FCC Form 346 May continue to operate without technically conflicting with the operations of a wireless licensee

Channels Existing or future wireless licensee may serve notice of potential conflict within 120 days of commencing new or modified operation Existing or future wireless licensee may serve notice of potential conflict within 120 days of commencing new or modified operation

Channels LPTV or translator station must cease operating within 120 days of receiving notice unless –start of wireless service is delayed –agreement is reached with wireless licensee or –FCC request for stay is granted

Channels By law, channels must be vacated by end of the full-service DTV transition Channels 63,64,68 & 69 are allocated for public safety use

Channels Not available for further applications for analog stations, except those related to displacement relief Available only for digital conversion of existing analog stations (not as a digital companion channel)

Channels Must notify in writing potentially affected co-channel and adjacent channel commercial wireless licensees and adjacent channel public safety entities within 30 days of filing FCC Form 346 Same conflict resolution procedure with commercial licensees as for channels

Channels Must secure coordinated use agreement with public safety frequency administrators before filing application –Regional Planning Committee(s) –State Interoperability Executive Committee(s) Must cease operating if station causes interference to public safety operations

If and when must Class A, LPTV, and TV translators convert to digital and cease analog transmissions?

Findings Class A, LPTV and TV translator stations must ultimately convert to digital FCC has discretion to set separate analog transmission end-date for these stations Less disruptive to set date some fixed time after the deadline for full-service stations Can’t set that date until certain full-service transition issues are resolved

End of Full-Service DTV Transition December 31, 2006 or when 85% of homes in a market can receive DTV signals

DTV transition extended for any requesting station in any market if the FCC finds that - 1. Major network station (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) justifiably not broadcasting in DTV signal or 2. Digital-to-analog converter technology not generally available or otherwise, 3. 15% or more of the TV households in a market do not have the capability to receive the digital signals of the TV stations licensed in that market.

LPTV/Class A Transition Deadline Deferred Will consider in the FCC’s 3 rd DTV periodic review proceeding - Will consider in the FCC’s 3 rd DTV periodic review proceeding - “establishing a deadline and/or other criteria for the digital conversion of LPTV, TV translator, and Class A stations”

Goal “We seek to hasten their transition to digital service and will work toward the goal of achieving an end-date at, or soon after, the end-date of the full- service transition.” “We seek to hasten their transition to digital service and will work toward the goal of achieving an end-date at, or soon after, the end-date of the full- service transition.”

What happens next? Publish summary of digital LPTV Report and Order in the Federal Register (F.R.) Digital LPTV service rules become effective 60 days after publication in the F.R. Obtain OMB approval of revised FCC Forms 346 and 301-CA (information collection-related rules become effective) Develop CDBS to accommodate digital LPTV Develop interference software (OET 69 methods tailored for LPTV)

When can digital conversion minor change applications be filed?

When will the digital companion channel window take place?

Your Path to DTV On-the-Air Authorization Watch Digital Community TV Consumer Reception & Acceptance Rules Adopted!

Thanks for listening ! Questions?

To obtain FCC documents go to For digital LPTV Report and Order –On the FCC home page, scroll to headlines for 9/30/04 and click on “FCC Establishes Rules for Digital Low Power and Television Translator Stations” Also check out FCC web site:

CBA 2004CBA FCC Media Bureau (202)