Digital television transition in the United States
The digital transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of terrestrial television programming. According to David Rehr, then president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, this transition represented "the most significant advancement of television technology since color TV was introduced."[1] For full-power TV stations, the transition went into effect on June 12, 2009, with stations ending regular programming on their analog signals no later than 11:59 p.m. local time that day.[2]
Further information: Digital television transition
Under the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, full-power broadcasting of analog television in the United States was initially planned to have ceased after February 17, 2009. To help U.S. consumers through the conversion, the Act also established a federally sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program.
The DTV Delay Act changed the mandatory analog cutoff date to June 12, 2009, although stations were permitted to cease analog transmissions before the new mandatory cutoff date. The legislation was passed by both houses of Congress by February 4, 2009, and on February 11, 2009, US President Barack Obama signed it into law.[3][4] The purpose of the extension was to help the millions of households who had not been able to get their coupons for converters because demand for coupons exceeded the funding provided for in the initial bill, leaving millions on a waiting list to receive coupons. Funding for extra coupons was provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. By midnight on the original cut-off date of February 17, 2009, 641 stations representing 36 percent of U.S. full-power broadcasters were transmitting exclusively in digital.[5]
Analog broadcasting did not cease entirely following the June 12, 2009 deadline: under the provisions of the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act, approximately 120 full-power stations briefly maintained analog "nightlight" service usually displaying a program about the DTV transition, ending no later than July 12, 2009.[6] In a separate category, low power television stations were permitted to continue analog broadcasts for several more years.
On July 15, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) posted the required transition deadlines for low-power television stations. Stations broadcasting on channels 52 to 69 were required to vacate those channels by December 31, 2011, and all analog television transmitters (primarily low-powered (LP), and Class-A low-powered (-CA) stations, and also broadcast translator (TX) (repeaters in rural communities)) were required to shut down by September 1, 2015.[7] On April 24, 2015, it was announced that the conversion date for standard LPTVs and translators still broadcasting in analog had been suspended until further notice, due to economic problems that might have arisen from the then-upcoming spectrum auction, however, Class A low-powered stations were still required to convert by the original deadline date of September 1, 2015.[8] After the auction's completion in 2017, the FCC announced on May 17 of that year that all analog low-power stations and transmitters must have converted by July 13, 2021.[9][10] The transition was eventually completed by January 10, 2022, after the State of Alaska was granted an extension to shut down their analog transmitters after a number of factors impacted their transition to digital television.[11]
The transition to digital broadcasts was pushed back several times. Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, with the original transition date being December 31, 2006. However, the transition to digital television was set back three times: first to December 31, 2008, then to February 17, 2009, and then finally to June 12, 2009.[12]
All U.S. full-power analog TV broadcasts were required by law to end on June 12, 2009.[13] Since March 1, 2007, all new television devices that receive signals over-the-air, including pocket-sized portable televisions, personal computer video capture card tuners, and DVD recorders, have been required to include digital ATSC tuners.[14] Prior to this, the requirement was phased-in starting with larger screen sizes. Until the transition was completed, most U.S. broadcasters transmitted their signals in both analog and digital formats, though a few were already digital-only. Digital stations transmitted on another channel, which was assigned to each full-power broadcaster in a three-round digital channel election.
The transition from the analog NTSC format to the digital ATSC format was originally required to be completed on February 17, 2009, as set by Congress in the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.[15] Following the analog switch-off, the FCC reallocated channels 52 through 69 (the 700 MHz band) for other communications traffic,[16] completing the reallocation of broadcast channels 52–69 that began in the late 1990s. These channels were auctioned off in early 2008, with the winning bidders taking possession of them in June 2009. Four channels from this portion of the broadcast spectrum (60, 61, 68, and 69) were held for reallocation to public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue). Some of the remaining freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers, such as Qualcomm's planned use of former UHF channel 55 for its MediaFLO service.[15][17]
For U.S. cable television, the FCC voted 5–0 on September 12, 2007, to require operators to make local broadcasts available to their users in analog. This requirement lasted until 2012, when the FCC reviewed the case again. This was necessary since many cable companies, including major ones such as Comcast, have been taking analog channels away from customers.[18]
In 2007, a bill in the U.S. Congress called the DTV Border Fix Act was introduced. It would have allowed all television stations within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the Mexican border, in areas such as San Diego and the Rio Grande Valley, to keep their analog signals active for another five years. The bill passed the Senate, but did not pass the House.[19]
The SAFER Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in December 2008.[20] The act has been called the "analog nightlight" act, and allows analog stations on channels that did not conflict with post-transition digital stations the option of leaving their analog transmitters on for an additional 30 days, but only to provide disaster information and information regarding the digital transition.
Due to a successful public-private communications and advertising effort that led to the need for more Commerce Department funds to provide for additional converter box coupons, and concerns for other potential problems, the Barack Obama transition team asked Congress in a January 8, 2009 letter to delay the end of analog TV. Gene Kimmelman of Consumers Union, which wanted a delay, feared elderly people, those outside cities, and the poor would lose access to help during a disaster.[21] Speaking to a group of area residents as part of a nationwide campaign to persuade people to upgrade, FCC chair Kevin Martin said in Raleigh, North Carolina that a delay was "unlikely," and that it would be "unfair" to all those who made the effort to switch, and to those who bought the reallocated spectrum that was sold with the understanding analog broadcasts would end February 17, 2009.[22] The delay passed Congress despite this prediction (see Extension of transition to June 12).
Transition testing[edit]
Wilmington, North Carolina test market[edit]
As part of a test by the FCC to iron out transition and reception concerns before the nationwide shutoff, all of the major commercial network stations in the Wilmington, North Carolina market ceased transmission of their analog signals on September 8, 2008, making it the first market in the nation to go digital-only. Wilmington was chosen as the test city in part because the area's digital channel positions would remain unchanged after the transition.[23] Wilmington was also appropriate because it had no hills to cause reception problems and all of the stations would have UHF channels.[24]
The low-power CBS affiliate WILM-LD signed on its new digital signal in time for the transition. The test excluded UNC-TV/PBS station WUNJ, which kept their analog signal on, as they were the official conduit of emergency information in the area.[25]
Viewers were notified of the change by months of public service announcements, town hall meetings, and local news coverage. Only 7% of viewers were affected by the loss of analog broadcasts, the remainder subscribing to cable or satellite services, but this produced 1,800 calls to the FCC for assistance. Officials were concerned by the implications of this for larger markets or those where reliance on over the air broadcasts exceeds 30%.[26]
While many calls from viewers were straightforward questions about installation of antennas and converters, or the need to scan for channels before being able to watch digital television, hundreds more were from viewers who had installed converters and UHF antennas correctly but had still lost existing channels. Most affected were full-power broadcasters which had been on low-VHF channels. WECT (NBC 6 Wilmington), a signal which in its analog form reached to the edge of Myrtle Beach, could no longer be received by many who had watched the station for years– a victim of a move to UHF 44 at a different transmitter site. WECT's coverage area had been substantially reduced; for many who were on the fringes of the analog NBC 6 signal, WECT was no more.[27] However weeks before, new digital-only WMBF-TV, a new NBC affiliate, came to the air to serve Myrtle Beach with a city-grade signal; like WECT, WMBF was owned by Raycom Media at the time.
On November 7, 2008, the FCC issued an order allowing distributed transmission systems to be constructed by stations which otherwise cannot cover their original analog footprint with their new digital channels and facilities.[28] While broadcasters may now apply for DTS facilities, this decision was made far too late to allow the extra transmitter sites to be constructed and operational before the original February 17, 2009 analog shutoff.[29]
Legislation[edit]
On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 bill to end analog television by February 17, 2009.[30]
Extension of transition to June 12[edit]
DTV Delay Act[edit]
On January 21, 2009, Senator Jay Rockefeller introduced a bill in the Senate titled the DTV Delay Act because millions of Americans would not be ready for the cutoff on February 17 due to a shortage of converter box coupons, and planning that the transition date be moved to June 12. Rockefeller, chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, worked together on the bill. Hutchison supported the idea because Rockefeller did not intend to ask for another postponement. On January 22, The Nielsen Company said 6.5 million Americans had not prepared for the switch. Opponents pointed out that TV stations would face extra operating expenses, and those who paid to use the spectrum to be made available would have to wait.
Under later amendments, stations could choose to end analog broadcasts before June 12 even if the bill passed, and any frequencies freed up by such action could be used by fire and police departments and other emergency services. Those whose converter box coupons had expired would be allowed to apply for new coupons. The House postponed a similar bill (by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman), until the Senate's version was complete.[73][74]
The Senate unanimously voted on January 26, 2009, to delay the digital TV transition to June 12, 2009.[75] However, the House of Representatives voted on and defeated a similar measure on January 28.[74] Rep. Joe Barton led the movement in the House to defeat the measure, saying that "the DTV transition is neither stuck nor broke", and that any problems with the DTV transition can be fixed.[76] Barton also said, "I guarantee you, no matter when you set the date— February 17, June 12, July the Fourth, Valentine's Day— there are going to be some people that aren't ready."[77][78]
On January 29, the DTV Delay Act passed in the Senate.[79][80] On February 4, the House also approved this measure.[81][82][83]
The bill was submitted to President Obama on February 4, who did not immediately sign it into law. On February 9, President Obama posted the bill on whitehouse.gov, giving the public five days to weigh in on it. Under a midnight February 10 deadline imposed by the FCC, broadcasters disclosed whether they would still cease broadcasting analog signals on the original date of February 17, or if they would delay until June 12, should the DTV Delay Act be signed into law.[84] On February 10, the FCC published the list. 491 stations stated they intended to transition on February 17. The FCC reserved final say on which stations would be allowed to transition on February 17 and which ones would be required to continue analog broadcasts, depending on how many viewers in each market have been determined not ready for the transition.[4][82][85][86]
Most O&O stations of six major networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Univision, and Telemundo, plus The CW, MyNetworkTV, TeleFutura, and independent stations), as well as the station groups of Gannett, Hearst-Argyle, and Meredith, committed to keeping all or most of their analog signals active until the new June 12 cutoff date.[87][88] On February 11, 2009, President Obama signed the bill into law, officially moving the cutoff date to June 12, 2009.[3] In total, 191 stations already had turned off their analog transmitters for good.[85]
On February 20, 2009, the FCC released an order stating that stations that wish to go all digital before the final June 12, 2009 date must inform the FCC of that decision by March 17, 2009.[89][90]
While 93 large-city network owned and operated stations (controlled by CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and Univision) would continue analog broadcasts until June 12,[91] many small-market broadcasters were unable to justify the extra cost, with non-commercial and independent stations very adversely affected. No funding was provided to reimburse broadcasters who incurred additional costs due to the DTV Delay Act.
Public Broadcasting Service CEO Paula Kerger had estimated a $22 million cost to the nation's PBS member stations to extend simulcasting until June 12;[92] more than a hundred PBS stations ultimately elected to stick to the original deadline.[93] Some individual commercial station groups, most notably Sinclair Broadcast Group and Gray Television, shut down the vast majority of their analog signals on the original deadline. Others left the question to their individual local stations. Many local markets, ranging from Burlington, Vermont and Sioux City, Iowa[94] to San Diego,[95] lost analog signals from most or all major U.S. stations. Some stations in coastal regions such as Fort Myers, Florida had chosen not to wait until June 12 so as to ensure transition is complete before hurricane season .[96]
In some cases, the Federal Communications Commission forced stations to continue full-power analog broadcast of at least a local newscast and information on the digital transition for an additional sixty days – a costly move for individual affected broadcasters. Of 491 stations which had indicated their intention to go digital-only in February 2009,[97] 123 affiliates of four major U.S. commercial networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) were targeted by Federal Communications Commission opposition, precluding or applying additional restrictions to the shutdown of their analog signals[98] in markets where the only analog service remaining after the February 17 shutdown would have been an independent or educational broadcaster, an adjacent-market station or a low-power station.[99][100] Of approximately 1800 U.S. full-service TV stations, an additional 190 were already digital-only before February 2009; these included Hawaii (digital since January 2009), Zanesville, Ohio (digital since July 2008), and Wilmington, North Carolina (the FCC's 2008 digital test market), as well as some new stations and a few broadcasters forced to shut down analog early due to technical problems.
On April 12, Nielsen estimated that 3.6 million households remained unready;[101] key problem markets (according to FCC and NTIA) included Albuquerque, Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas–Fort Worth, Denver, Fresno, Houston, Brownsville, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis–St. Paul, Phoenix, Portland, Oregon, Tulsa, Sacramento, St. Louis, the San Francisco Bay Area, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.
Problems with the final transition[edit]
Initial problems[edit]
On May 1, 2009, Nielsen Media Research reported that 3.1% of Americans were still completely unprepared for the transition.[117] On June 11, 2009, one day before the analog shutoff, the National Association of Broadcasters reported that 1.75 million Americans were still not ready.[118]
971 TV stations made the final switch to digital on June 12. It was believed Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Austin, and Dallas would be the least prepared markets, but this turned out not to be the case, as most of the difficulties were in the Northeast, primarily with stations that changed their digital frequencies from UHF to VHF.
On June 13, 2009, the FCC said their help line, with about 4000 answering phones, received 317,450 calls on June 12. About one-third of callers still needed converter boxes, and one-fifth had reception problems. Acting FCC chair Michael Copps said, "Our job is far from over. This transition is not a one-day affair."[119]
In New York City, about 11,000 people called the FCC for assistance, the most of any market. The other areas from which the most calls to the FCC were made: Chicago (6526), Los Angeles (5473), Dallas–Fort Worth (5473), and Philadelphia (3749). Around 900,000 calls were received in total.
The National Association of Broadcasters said 278 TV stations received 35,500 calls, but most callers merely needed to rescan.
The Commerce Department said 319,900 requested converter box coupons on June 11, almost four times the average during the previous month.[120]
SmithGeiger LLC said 2.2 million homes were not ready, while Nielsen said the number was 2.8 million. This included homes which had requested coupons.[121] On June 14, Nielsen said the number was 2.5 million, or 2.2 percent of homes. That number was down to 2.1 million, or 1.8 percent, by June 21,[122] and 1.7 million, or 1.5 percent, a week later.[123] One month after the transition, the number was 1.5 million, 1.3 percent,[124] and after nearly 2 months, the number was down to just over one million, or 1.1 percent.[125] As of August 30, 2009, the number was 710,000, as 572,000 had upgraded in August and 1.8 million since June 12.[126]
In some cases where digital frequencies moved, people have been advised not only to re-scan but to "double-scan", in order to clear outdated information from the digital TV or converter box memory.[120]
Calls to the FCC decreased from 43,000 a day in the week ending June 15 to 21,000 the next week. Reception problems, representing nearly a third of calls at first, were down to one-fifth.[127]
On June 15, 2009, U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, introduced the House version of The Digital TV Transition Fairness Act, which Senator Bernie Sanders introduced in December 2008. It would require video service providers to offer a $10 basic package to anyone who lost at least one channel to the DTV conversion (with broadcasters waiving fees), pay for outdoor antennas (including installation) and extend the converter box program beyond July 31.[128][129] It did not pass.
VHF frequencies and digital television[edit]
One of the most common problems was the return to VHF frequencies by stations that had used them when they were analog. Over 480 stations were broadcasting digitally on the VHF spectrum after the transition, up from only 216 on the frequencies before. Many antennas marketed for digital TV are designed for UHF, which most digital stations use. VHF analog signals travel further than UHF signals, but watchable VHF digital signals appear to have a more limited range than UHF with the lower power they are assigned, and they do not penetrate buildings as well, especially in larger cities.[130][131] Mike Doback, vice president of engineering for Scripps Television, said, "It's only now that we've found out the planning factors were probably wrong in terms of how much power you need to replicate analog service."[132] According to TV consultant Peter Putman, the problem with VHF reception is that VHF antennas must be large to be effective, and indoor antennas do not perform well enough. In addition, channels 2 through 6 are more susceptible to many types of interference.[24] Richard Mertz of Cavell, Mertz & Associates says multipath interference inside the house is also a factor. Some receivers can deal with this problem better than others, but there are no standards. And with amplified antennas or amplifiers, it is possible to overload a converter box. Amplifiers can also cause noise that is interpreted as data.[43] Raycom Media Chief Technology Officer Dave Folsom said, "There's nothing inherently wrong with VHF. It's just easier to have interference, because it goes out further."[132]
The FCC sent extra personnel to Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City to deal with difficulties in those cities. WLS-TV had received 1,735 calls just by the end of the day on June 12, and an estimated 5000 calls in total by June 16. WLS-TV is just one station which may solve its problems by increasing its signal strength, but doing this required making sure no other stations are affected.[133] A low-power analog station, not required to shut down after 30 days like other nightlight stations, aired newscasts that could not be seen by a number of people after the transition, while the stations attempted to solve problems.[134]
In Philadelphia, most of the problems were with WPVI-TV, which had the area's leading news program, and public station WHYY-TV. Many people having trouble with those stations could pick up stations from Reading and Atlantic City.[135] Unlike WLS, WPVI had concerns about increasing its signal because of potential interference to other stations and to FM radio.
In New York City, many called the FCC because they lived in apartment buildings with a single roof antenna which was not suitable for digital reception. The city reported antenna shortages and numerous requests for cable service.[120]
By the end of June, four stations had received permission to increase power. Ten other stations asked for power increases as well, but these were not in major cities; instead, the markets were in rural or mountainous areas such as Montana, Virginia, and Alabama.[136] KNMD-TV in Santa Fe tried an alternate VHF channel.[137]
The FCC had two concerns about the requests for more power: some stations just wanted a competitive advantage and were not actually experiencing difficulties. Other stations wanted UHF frequencies instead because UHF worked better with mobile digital TV. However, some stations with legitimate problems have asked to return to their UHF frequencies.[136]
Two months after the transition, "two or three-dozen" stations continued to have problems.[138] Three months after the transition, about 50 stations had applied for a power increase.[24]
"Approximately a half-dozen stations" were still deciding at the end of October about what to do.[139] In some of the cases where stations returned to UHF, interference to nearby stations prevented a power increase.
Ironically, KUAC-TV in Fairbanks, Alaska moved from channel 24 back to channel 9 in September 2009. The area never had UHF before DTV, so most people had VHF antennas, while few people lived in apartment buildings. The higher power needed for UHF cost too much, and channel 24 had signal problems, so the station asked to move back.
Of 79 stations asking for a new channel, 22 wanted to go from VHF to UHF, and 10 wanted to go from UHF to VHF.[132]
Low-power stations[edit]
In September 2010, the FCC announced a proposal to set a hard deadline of 2012 for low power stations to broadcast in digital, though this deadline was not adopted.
On July 15, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission issued a final ruling regarding Broadcast translator (TX), Low-powered (LP), and Class-A low-powered (-CA) stations, requiring that analog transmitters shut down by September 1, 2015.[142] Transmitters on channels 52 to 69 were required to vacate their channels by December 31, 2011, but may remain in analog on another channel until the September 1, 2015 deadline. As part of the rules that were imposed, low power VHF stations on channels 2 to 6 can transmit with a maximum ERP 3 kW instead of the previously allowed maximum of 0.3 kW.
On August 13, 2009, the Community Broadcasters Association (CBA) announced in a statement that it would shut down after 20 years of representing LPTV stations. One reason given was the cost required to fight "restrictive regulations that kept the Class A and LPTV industry from realizing its potential," including the campaign to require analog passthrough, a converter box feature that allows both digital and analog television to be viewed on older TVs. Amy Brown, former CBA executive director, said, "some 40% of Class A and LPTV station operators believe they will have to shut down in the next year if they are not helped through the digital transition."[143] On April 24, 2015, the requirement for broadcast translator (TX) and low-powered (-LP) stations to convert by September 1 of that year was suspended, pending the then-upcoming spectrum auction.[144] After the auction's completion in 2017, on May 17 of that year the FCC announced July 13, 2021 as the new analog low-power shutoff date.[145] On June 21, 2021, the FCC granted the State of Alaska an extension due to novel factors that prevented the completion of stations' digital facilities, setting a new low-power analog shutoff date of January 10, 2022.[11]
ATSC 3.0[edit]
ATSC 3.0 (also known by the moniker NextGen TV) is a new digital television transmission standard which is not backwards compatible with ATSC 1.0, the standard employed in the 2009 digital transition. Transition to ATSC 3.0 is voluntary on both ends: television manufacturers are not required to provide ATSC 3.0 compatible tuners in televisions. Further, digital television stations may elect to broadcast in ATSC 3.0 at any time, with the caveat that they must simulcast ATSC 1.0 signals for up to five years after beginning broadcasts in ATSC 3.0.[146]
If and when digital television stations sunset their ATSC 1.0 broadcasts, consumers that wish to see the newer broadcasts will be required to purchase televisions which can receive ATSC 3.0, install a software update (for sets that have the capability to be updated in such a manner), or purchase ATSC 3.0 tuners for their older digital television sets.[146]