By Shiva Stella
October 28, 2025
Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to adopt a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on steps to support the nation’s voluntary, market-based broadcast television transition to Next Gen TV, a new broadcasting standard also known as ATSC 3.0. Public Knowledge argues that any transition to Next Gen TV should not limit consumer access to over-the-air television or force consumers to pay for new equipment needed for older televisions to transition.
The following can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Legal Director at Public Knowledge:
The FCC’s ‘Next Gen TV’ item raises important questions about whether the use of encryption, digital rights management, and private certification systems in ATSC 3.0, a new broadcasting standard, is compatible with the fundamental nature of broadcasting as a free and universally accessible public service, and whether the use of broadcast spectrum for non-broadcast services is compatible with broadcasting’s public interest mandate.
“We at Public Knowledge, along with our allies, have urged the Commission to ensure that the transition to ATSC 3.0 does not limit access to over-the-air television or restrict competition among device manufacturers, and to ensure that consumers do not bear the cost of new equipment, or lose service. Broadcasting should remain open and competitive, providing a free and widely accessible alternative to subscription-based media platforms.”
You may view our joint comments to the FCC defending the public interest in this Next Gen TV transition.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.
