National Association of Broadcasters and Consumer Technology Association Officials Collaborate on Something

May 19, 2020 — NextGen technologies have a bright and multi-faceted future, said panelists in a webinar hosted by the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Technology Association Monday.

The panel discussed the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s new standards for television broadcast quality and functionalities. Representatives from Samsung, Pearl TV, LG and America’s Public Television Stations spoke about the many applications for such technologies, which may feature 4k video quality, frame rates of up to 120 fps and multiple audio track choices for individualized viewing.

In his opening remarks, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr addressed the importance of cutting legislative red tape to get the technology out as soon as possible.

“It’s critical that we identify and remove the overhang of unnecessary government regulations that could otherwise hold back the introduction and growth of competitive offerings,” he said.

Representatives from the company expressed excitement about the future of television under the new updates. However, getting the word out about the updates was a challenge, participants said.

“One of the challenges we’ve had to overcome [is to] come up with a way of branding this new service to the consumer so that they will understand it,” said John Godfrey, senior vice president of public policy for Samsung Electronics America. “And I think the name that the broadcasters and the consumer electronics industry came up with together is great: Next-gen TV.”

A widespread rollout that is not backward-compatible will rely on consumers buying into pricey television technologies that will accommodate the new standards — so worthwhile new features are crucial.

Several participants voiced the relevance of and need for increased television capabilities following the pandemic.

“Never before has America’s love affair with television been so relevant as it has been over the last ten weeks, and for the foreseeable future, people are connecting in new ways through television,” said John Taylor, senior vice president of public affairs and communications for LG. “[They’re] depending more and more on not just the entertainment value, but really critical information delivered by the networks, especially the local broadcaster. So, kudos to that, and I think it bodes well for the future of next-gen TV.”