Technologie i telekomunikacja · 15.08.1995

Broadcast Services; Advanced Television Systems

This Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Third Notice of Inquiry examines a broad range of issues related to the conversion of our current broadcast television to digital technology. In previous orders in this Advanced Television (``ATV'') proceeding, our focus was on fostering the development of High Definition Television. Technological evolution now obliges us to revisit some of those decisions, which we do in this document. Accordingly, we invite comment on a broad range of issues related to the conversion by television broadcasters to digital television, including eligibility requirements, spectrum issues, definition of the service, public interest obligations, transition issues, recovery of spectrum, length of the application/construction period, issues related to small markets and noncommercial stations, all-channel receiver issues, and must-carry and retransmission consent, to ensure that the rules that we fashion in this proceeding serve the public interest in all respects. We also institute an inquiry to invite comment as to where in the spectrum broadcasters should eventually be located and as to the amount, value and uses of the spectrum that could eventual