Digital Television: Living with Emerging Standards

Don Simkovich (Editor: Rachel Chertkoff)

Digital Television (DTV) affects (1) the equipment used for producing news and sports segments; (2) the technology broadcasters use to transmit programs; (3) regulation; and

(4) viewers who will be introduced to new television sets. This essay will touch briefly on each area. Video servers in newsrooms connect editors and reporters on a network system and allow them to work simultaneously on the same news or sports footage. Computer-based editing has been in use for Fox Sports since 1994 while individual stations increasingly have made use of the technology on stand-alone systems.

There is a critical need for storing information and accessing it quickly, especially in live action programming such as a football game. ‘Digital asset management is where the real future leverage is,’ said Mark Ostlun of Hewlett Packard. ‘Material needs to be stored where it can be accessed, content-browsed and selected for use in editing applications’ (Tassel 1998:31). Broadcasters will transmit programs digitally through bandwidth compression. This increases the carrying capacity of systems making possible the transmission of four to ten analog channels on a single digital channel. Transmission systems for DTV are ‘an outgrowth of computer technology. . . . The information to be transmitted is reduced to a code of on and off, or zero and one, information’ (Baldwin et al. 1996:24). Bandwidth compression ‘[w]ith a digital system, the frame can be transmitted once, followed by a digital message to the receiving system. . . . At the receiver, the original analog frames are re-created by displaying the first frame over and over’ (Baldwin et al. 1996:105). Only the new information, such as movement of a car or athlete, is sent, which reduces the need for bandwidth.

Advantages to broadcasters using digital technology includes generation of new revenue streams such as transmitting data to consumers in addition to traditional types of programming. ‘Today’s developing data broadcasting market is a leading indicator of potential future digital market opportunities for the television industry’ (De Sonne1998). Industry analysts believe this will allow broadcasters to remain competitive with cable and satellite delivery. ‘The aim of the transition [from analog to digital] is to create a new broadcast system using digital transmissions, capable of carrying high-definition and other services’ (http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/digital.html).

On 27 February 1998, Sinclair Broadcasting Group started broadcasting the first ‘multi-station, multi-channel digital television signals in Baltimore.’ WBFF-TV and WNUV-TV were assigned DTV channels 46 and 40 (http://www.skyreport.com/34dig.htm). Executives are still trying to determine the cost of broadcasting digitally. Laurie Sillay Lahr, a spokesperson for Scientific Atlanta said, ‘the cost has to be factored in many ways. You don’t price one piece of equipment such as an antenna [which could cost seven figures] but entire systems. People will be asking "how much" at the [1998] NAB Convention.’ Scientific Atlanta is manufacturing decoders to ‘provide features designed to ensure picture quality and offer broadcasters or cable providers new revenue opportunities through subscription services. Additionally, data broadcast services similar to those delivered by the Internet may be provided using the PowerVu HD products’ (www.sciatl.com/newsroom/news&releases). ‘The ASC V300ä video server costs around $40,000,’ said Steve Wong. ‘The actual costs for stations to purchase this type of equipment is not much. The greater cost will come in transmission.’

The first consumers who want to purchase digital television sets will also notice a price difference. ‘Consumers must choose between expensive digital TV sets or converter boxes to be able to pick up the new signals. Initially, digital TV sets will retail from $3,500-$5,000’ (www.benton.org/Policy/TV/digital.html).

A growing number of editors at individual stations and with networks have been using digital systems for editing news and sports footage. ‘We had an aggressive editorial environment that you can’t achieve with videotape,’ said Andrew Setos, VP Technology Group, Fox (Tassel 1998:34). Technicians digitize videotapes and store information in a library until airplay is needed. In 1995, KHNL in Honolulu adapted digital servers for newsgathering. One editor can prepare the story to air while another can develop promos and teases (Tassel 1998). ASC Audio and Video Corporation pitched its equipment to potential buyers stating ‘Record satellite feeds, edit news stories, and play directly to air –all at the same time with the same media.’

Concerns that surfaced in early 1998 focused on transmission, reception, and responsibility of broadcasters. James Goodwon, president of Capitol Broadcasting Company, said, ‘The best word to sum up the transition to digital is confusing. Should we tell the public what we’re broadcasting, transmitting? And should the public be aware of how many pixels their television transmits? Should TV manufacturers tell us how many pixels they’re making?" In early 1998, David Smith of Sinclair Broadcasting expressed concerns to Vice President Al Gore that tests were needed immediately on digital TV antennas.

In the late 1940s, broadcasters used operating standards set by the National Television Systems Committee. It affected analog technology while establishing regulation based on public ownership of airwaves and scarcity of broadcast frequencies. Digital technology will demand a review of current technical and regulatory standards. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a timetable requiring commercial broadcasters to transmit digitally by 2005. Stations must air at least one free, over-the-air digital programming channel of equal resolution to today’s analog system (www.benton.org.Policy/TV/digital.html).

During the transition, both NTSC and DTV stations will be licensed under a single license. The FCC is not charging broadcasters for digital spectrum. ‘The FCC’s new rules will loan a second channel of spectrum’ for the transition (www.benton.org.Policy/TV/digital.html). Technical changes have led to debate over regulation and the responsibility broadcasters have to the public, including the resolution of frequency interference. The Telecommunications Industry Association reported, ‘the Commission [FCC] proposes to clarify and consolidate its rules regarding AM and FM broadcast interference, explicitly including television broadcasting for the first time’ (http://www.tiaonline.org/stan/9662com.html).

Digital technology is also a reason to reduce regulation according to Laurence Winer, Professor of Law, Arizona State University. He argued that broadcasters are no longer dominant gatekeepers of information. ‘Moreover, if digital broadcasting is truly a new medium of communication, why start from the default position of saddling these new broadcasters with the "old public interest obligations?" . . . Conversion to digital is a very expensive proposition for broadcasters . . . there is no guarantee they will be able adequately to recover this expense in the new television marketplace.’

Digital systems in place for commercial playback, news and sports delivery are meeting with satisfaction among editors and station operators. Broadcasters must answer the larger question of how they will use spectrum for their advantage. The transition to digital has been mandated, but as Robert Wright of NBC said, ‘additional outlets do not guarantee new advertisers’ (MEDIAWEEK 1997).

Baldwin, T.F., McVoy, D.S., and Steinfield, C. (1996) Convergence: Integrating Media, Information & Communication, Thousand Oaks and London: Sage Publications.

De Sonne, M.L., Director, Technology Assessment, National Association of Broadcasters, Research and Information Briefs No. 94-3, www.nab.org/Research) (12 April 1998).

Goodmon, J.F., President and CEO, Capitol Broadcasting Company, during Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters, 2 March 1998.

Lahr, L.S., Public Relations, Scientific Atlanta, personal interview 31 March 1998. E-mail: Laurie.sillay.lahr@sciatl.com.

MEDIAWEEK, 8 December 1997.

Tassel, J.V. (1998) ‘Serving up systems at NAB’, Broadcasting & Cable, March 16.

Telecommunications Industry of America web page, updated 28 February 1998. Available: http://www.tiaonline.org/stan/9662com.html (26 March 1998).

Winer, L.H. ‘The Media Institute Paper No. 1’, online: www.mediainst.org.

Wong, S., Senior Account Executive with ASC Audio Video Corporation, personal interview, 30 March 1998.

http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/digital.html (12 March 1998)

http://www.skyreport.com/34dig.htm (26 March 1998)

www.sciatl.com/newsroom/newsreleases/releases

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