ATBA filed a response last week on record with the FCC in opposition to the Petition for Reconsideration filed by the American Television Alliance (“ATVA”) “because it is a transparent attempt to stifle innovation and to use the Commission’s regulatory processes to handicap the ATVA’s chief competitors in the broadcast industry.”

The response goes on to state “the ATVA Petition hits the trifecta of bad policy making: it would discourage innovation, harm competition, and increase regulatory burdens and costs.” It further adds LPTV and translators “will be a key lynch pin” in the upcoming transition to ATSC 3.0 and the ATVA’s recommendations for a 1.0 simulcast must-carry would detrimentally affect the future of LPTV.

In its response, ATBA stated it would like the FCC to follow it’s stated position in the order Authorizing Permissive Use of the “Next Generation” Broadcast Television Standard and “applauds the Commission’s work in this matter to expedite innovation and technological advances.”

ATBA stated, “By providing added flexibility to LPTV and translator licensees, the Order significantly increases the chances of success of the ATSC 3.0 transition. The Petition provides no new argument for why the Commission should undo its prior decision. Indeed, doing so would cause far more harm than good.”

To read the response in full, please click here.