Major station groups push for mandatory ATSC 3.0 transition date in new FCC filings

Major broadcast companies filed sharply contrasting responses to the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to eliminate simulcasting requirements for ATSC 3.0, with most large station groups calling for mandatory transition deadlines while smaller broadcasters warned against forcing a premature shift that could harm viewers.

The FCC’s Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, released in October 2025, seeks to accelerate the transition to ATSC 3.0 by removing regulatory obstacles and providing broadcasters with flexibility in how they deploy the technology. The proceeding drew comments from broadcast groups representing hundreds of stations, revealing deep divisions over how quickly the industry should abandon the current ATSC 1.0 standard.

Gray Media, Sinclair, Nexstar and Scripps each urged the FCC to establish a firm date by which full-power television stations must cease ATSC 1.0 broadcasts and transition exclusively to ATSC 3.0.

“The most important thing the Commission can do to advance the ATSC 3.0 transition is to set a hard date for full power stations to transition to NextGen TV,” Gray Media stated in its filing. The company argued that without regulatory certainty, manufacturers remain hesitant to include ATSC 3.0 receivers in lower-cost television models.

Sinclair supported the National Association of Broadcasters’ proposed February 2028 deadline for stations in the top 55 markets and February 2030 for remaining markets, calling these timelines “readily achievable for the industry.”

“Time is of the essence for a successful transition to ATSC 3.0 that will unlock the benefits of NextGen Broadcast for viewers, broadcasters, and the public interest,” Sinclair wrote.

Nexstar, which has invested approximately $23 million to transition 90 stations to ATSC 3.0, said a firm deadline would break the current “cycle of hesitation,” where manufacturers delay due to market uncertainty and broadcasters delay due to audience retention concerns.

Scripps proposed a two-year deadline after the effective date of final rules, with limited waivers available for noncommercial educational stations and non-Big Four affiliated stations facing economic challenges.

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Receiver requirements

All four major commercial broadcasters called on the FCC to update its television receiver standards to require ATSC 3.0 tuning capability in all new television sets.

“The All Channel Receiver Act provides the FCC with authority to require television sets sold in the United States to include ATSC 3.0 receivers,” Nexstar stated, arguing that the current exemption for ATSC 3.0 signals should be eliminated once the simulcast requirement ends.

Gray noted that TV manufacturers’ business models have shifted dramatically in recent years. The company cited industry analysis showing some manufacturers now sell television sets at a loss while generating profits from advertising and user data collected through smart TV operating systems.

“People are happy to sell TVs below cost. You just have to look at the finances of Vizio or Roku to see they’re selling TVs at somewhere between -3 and -7% margin, just in that scramble for users,” Gray quoted from industry sources.

This shift has created what broadcasters describe as a conflict of interest, where manufacturers may prefer viewers watch streaming content that generates advertising revenue rather than free over-the-air broadcasts.

Public television perspective

America’s Public Television Stations and the Public Broadcasting Service supported eliminating regulatory barriers but emphasized the need for flexibility rather than mandated deadlines.

“Given the close connections that local public television stations have with their communities and their mission-driven approach to public service, a flexible regulatory approach for public television stations on sunsetting ATSC 1.0 will enable public television stations to best serve their local communities,” the organizations wrote.

The groups noted that more than 40 public television stations have deployed ATSC 3.0 in various capacities, using the technology for enhanced emergency alerting, multilingual audio transmission and improved service to rural areas. New Mexico PBS became the first TV translator to transition to ATSC 3.0, bringing enhanced emergency alerts to a remote rural community.

PBS and APTS also highlighted technical challenges specific to public broadcasting, noting that public television stations are not organized around designated market areas like commercial broadcasters. Many operate from sites designed to provide universal service across entire regions or states, making the FCC’s proposed same-DMA requirements for expedited application processing less applicable.

Opposing view

Weigel Broadcasting filed the most critical comments, arguing that a premature transition would harm a “thriving broadcast industry” and disenfranchise viewers who rely on free over-the-air television.

“For years, the National Association of Broadcasters and some large broadcasting groups have pushed the Commission to reshape American broadcasting through a nationwide, mandatory ‘flash cut’ to the ATSC 3.0 broadcasting format—whether television consumers want it or not, and whether it improves broadcasting or not,” Weigel stated.

The Chicago-based broadcaster argued that large station groups are primarily interested in using ATSC 3.0 for non-broadcast services such as datacasting, positioning systems and potentially gambling applications, rather than improving free television service.

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Weigel cited statements from executives at publicly traded broadcast companies describing broadcast spectrum as “oil in the ground” and a “free call option,” suggesting some broadcasters view ATSC 3.0 primarily as a way to monetize spectrum for services other than traditional broadcasting.

The company noted that approximately 20 million households rely exclusively on over-the-air television, with Nielsen reporting increases in broadcast viewership among younger audiences. Weigel estimated only 6 percent of televisions in American homes currently have ATSC 3.0 tuners, based on industry sales data.

“ATSC 3.0 in its current form would take an affordable, simple service and make it more expensive and cumbersome, without much corresponding improvement in the viewing experience,” Weigel wrote.

The broadcaster proposed guardrails to ensure any transition preserves a meaningful portion of broadcast spectrum for free over-the-air video programming that does not require internet connections or specialized equipment.

Technical and economic considerations

Several broadcasters addressed digital rights management systems, which have created reception problems for some early ATSC 3.0 adopters. The FCC noted receiving “thousands of consumer comments objecting to broadcasters employing the use of encryption on their ATSC 3.0 signals.”

Scripps defended the use of DRM as necessary to meet programming partners’ security requirements, noting that all major streaming services employ similar content protection measures. The company emphasized that DRM should not be conflated with implementation failures in consumer devices.

“DRM is not intended to be used by ATSC 3.0 broadcasters to restrict access to free over-the-air television,” Scripps wrote. “Instead, DRM is a technical framework designed to ensure that viewers continue receiving free broadcast programming consistent with copyright principles and longstanding consumer expectations.”

Gray highlighted its technical achievements with ATSC 3.0, including broadcasting the first major sporting event in high dynamic range with Dolby Atmos and producing the first native HDR over-the-air broadcast of an NFL preseason game in August 2025.

The company also described partnerships to deliver interactive gaming content and music video services through NextGen TV stations in several markets.

Infrastructure applications

Multiple broadcasters emphasized ATSC 3.0’s potential for non-entertainment applications, particularly the Broadcast Positioning System that could serve as backup to GPS satellite services.

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Nexstar, a founding member of EdgeBeam Wireless, described how ATSC 3.0 enables high-speed data transmission services that leverage the one-to-many broadcast architecture. The company participated in early BPS tests with the National Institute of Science and Technology, demonstrating timing precision comparable to satellite-based GPS.

“Unlike satellite-based GPS, which is vulnerable to jamming, spoofing, and cyberattacks, BPS provides a high-power terrestrial-based solution,” Nexstar stated.

Sinclair noted that BPS transmissions require no new spectrum and can be rapidly deployed using existing broadcast infrastructure, though the company acknowledged current deployment limitations in markets with fewer transmitter sites.

Carriage issues

Commercial broadcasters uniformly called for extending must-carry and retransmission consent rights to ATSC 3.0 signals. The groups argued that existing carriage obligations under the Communications Act should apply regardless of transmission standard.

“The statute makes clear that Congress intended that carriage of local stations by cable systems and DBS must not be impacted by any change in transmission standard,” PBS and APTS wrote.

Several broadcasters noted they are already negotiating ATSC 3.0 carriage terms with multichannel video programming distributors, though technical challenges remain regarding native format delivery to subscribers.

The FCC’s proceeding remains open as the commission considers next steps for the ATSC 3.0 transition. Chairman Brendan Carr has stated that NextGen TV “unlocks new potential business opportunities for broadcasters” and helps preserve “healthy, local broadcasters.”