What nonsense. At the very worst, ATSC 3.0 would make no difference. For that
matter, even for new sets that might potentially support ATSC 3.0, there's no
guarantee that the CE vendors will support any new alert features. So what? How
is that worse than the status quo?
Bert
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http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/aca-hill-atsc-30-rollout-could-hurt-emergency-alerts/165843
May 16, 2017 10:27 AM ET
ACA to Hill: ATSC 3.0 Rollout Could Hurt Emergency Alerts
Polka points to lack of backward compatibility, need for simulcasting
By John Eggerton
The American Cable Association is telling Congress that the new next-gen
broadcast standard could potentially hurt, not help, emergency alerts.
That came in a letter to the chair and ranking members of the House
Communications Subcommittee-Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.),
respectively-from American Cable Association president Matt Polka in advance of
a May 17 hearing on emergency alerts.
One of the advantages broadcasters have been pointing to with the ATSC 3.0
interactive transmission standard is more targeted alerts and even being able
to wake a sleeping TV to alert its owners of possible danger.
Polka concedes there could be benefits but also tells the legislators that "the
proposed transition to the new broadcast standard may well harm emergency
alerting."
Polka points out that the new ATSC 3.0 standard is not backward compatible, and
so does not work with current sets. He points to some recent comments by
broadcasters that their need not be a simulcast requirement-broadcasters argue
that it is in their interests to insure viewers have access to their signals.
Polka says that is unacceptable, and it might prove to be in a station's
economic interest not to simulcast, even if that means some viewers would not
get alerts.
And even if broadcasters commit to simulcasting, Polka says they need to reach
all viewers, which he said the initial broadcaster simulcast proposal does not
guarantee.
"The subcommittee should take the time to consider the ways in which the
proposal as now formulated could disrupt emergency alerts," he said.
"ACA's silly rhetoric opposing broadcasters' transitioning to Next Gen TV is
typical of an industry that abhors competition. The idea that broadcasters
would adopt a new transmission system that diminishes our emergency alerting
capabilities does not pass the laugh test. Broadcasters take seriously our
role as 'first informers', and we are absolutely confident that Next Gen TV
will improve public safety and save lives."
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