# Presentation: 346396

## CBA 2004

- CBA 2004

- _[KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov](mailto:KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov)__  FCC Media Bureau           (202) 418-2607_

**Notes:**
Hello Broadcasters
Hello Community Broadcasters
Pleasure to be here – thanks
Will all broadcasters stand and be recognized
Exciting time – much to talk about

##           HELLO BROADCASTERS! 

## Today’s Topics

- Brief DTV Update
- Digital LPTV *Report and Order* (non- technical aspects)

- Interference analysis and other technical elements covered tomorrow morning

## Currently:  1445 stations (794 with STA)

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**200**

**400**

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**1400**

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**1998**

**1999**

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**2003**

**9/04**

**Total DTV Stations On Air**

**(out of 1688 paired DTV channels) **

- (est.)

- (est.)

- (est.)

- Source:  FCC Video Division, Sept. 2004

## 		The Digital Transition

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- 2nd Periodic Review *Report & Order * (August 4, 2004)

**Notes:**
Talk in two parts:  First, where things stand in the DTV transition.  Digital TV is the future.  It’s exciting.  You will be part of it and should know what’s happening.
DTV’s exciting features.  19.4 megabit/sec digital pipe.  Sends packets of video, audio and data in any combination.  Movie quality on big screens.  How many watch it?
Multiple formats and devices.  

## DTV Channel Election

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## 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) 2nd round elections:  stations with two out-of-core channels and stations from 1st 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

- (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 1st 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

- (7) _Notice of Proposed Rulemaking_ proposing a post-transition DTV Table of Allotments – August, 2006

## Digital LPTV Is Coming! 

- Digital LPTV Is Coming!

## Our FCC Home

- New Digital LPTV Service Rules

*Report and Order*  (MB Docket No. 03–185)
- Adopted:  September 9, 2004             Released:  September 30, 2004

## Goals

- Hasten transition to digital service
- Minimize disruption to existing service

- Analog TV

- Digital TV

## Slide 15

## What is a digital low power TV station?

##    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.”  § 74.701 (k) 

- “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.”  § 74.701 (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) 

- Intended for reception by the general public using receivers based on the FCC transmission standard (*i.e.*, 8-VSB modulation)

## 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)

**Notes:**
HDTV and SDTV
Video formats and aspect ratios

Dynamic bit allocation – on the fly.

## 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

**Notes:**
Minimum free off-air video program requirement of at least NTSC quality.
Then transmit A&S services, including subscription services
Examples:  Publications data, audio service (music), subscription video on demand, games, paging service
Partner with other services providers.  

## 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

- 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 1st come basis (minor change application on FCC Form 346)

- Digitally converted station protected contour

- Analog station protected contour

## Option 2

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

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- 11001001  10010011  11100110  11110100 10101100  10101011

- 11110100 10101100  10101011 1110

- 11110100 10101100  10101011 1110

- 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     

- 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?  

## Channels 52-59

- 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 52-59

- 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 52-59

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

## Channels 52-59

- 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 60-69

- By law, channels 60-69 must be vacated by end of the full-service DTV transition
- Channels 63,64,68 & 69 are allocated for public safety use

## Channels 60-69

- 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 60-69

- 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 52-59

## Channels 60-69

- 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 -

- Major network station (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) _justifiably_ not broadcasting in DTV signal or
- Digital-to-analog converter technology not _generally available_ or otherwise,
- 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.

**Notes:**
Test 3 is abbreviated.
Questions:  What is a market (DMA or Grade B contour)?
What does generally available mean? 
What does capability to receive mean?
FCC proposed that 15% test is met where 15% of more of the TV households in the market do no subscribe to a multiple video service provider that carries the DTV stations in the market or lack the equipment capable of displaying the DTV originated in DTV.
The idea is:  When analog TV ceases, will at lease 85% of households have some way to watch the TV stations in the market?
Who bears burden of demonstrating extension is warranted and what information must be collected?  Congress anticipated FCC would analyze second and third conditions based on consumer  surveys.  

## LPTV/Class A Transition      Deadline Deferred

-   Will consider in the FCC’s 3rd 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.”

## 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

**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 www.fcc.gov 
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: www.dtv.gov 

- 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: _[www.dtv.gov](http://www.dtv.gov/)__ _

## CBA 2004

- CBA 2004

- _[KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov](mailto:KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov)__  FCC Media Bureau           (202) 418-2607_

**Notes:**
Hello Broadcasters
Hello Community Broadcasters
Pleasure to be here – thanks
Will all broadcasters stand and be recognized
Exciting time – much to talk about