I recently spoke with Frank Copsidas, the president of the Low Power TV (LPTV) Broadcast Association, to discuss a segment of the broadcast industry that is seeing a surprising amount of activity and even optimism!
Watch the full interview here!
While the broader television landscape faces significant headwinds due to the decline of cable and shifts in advertising, the LPTV sector is experiencing a period of expansion. During a recent filing window, the FCC received 2,300 applications for new licenses, a notable figure considering there are currently about 5,300 licensed stations in operation.
Copsidas explained that LPTV stations operate with less power than that used by full-power stations, it provides a signal radius of approximately 30 miles depending on the market. This range is often sufficient to cover a metropolitan area, allowing these stations to reach a large localized audience effectively. One of the primary distinctions of LPTV is its cost-effectiveness; the filing fee for a new station is under $1,000, and the operational expenses are a fraction of what is required for a major broadcast outlet.
Our conversation touched on the current technical standards governing the airwaves. Most stations currently use ATSC 1.0, but the larger full power stations are pushing to move toward the ATSC 3.0 standard. Copsidas expressed reservations regsarding ATSC 3.0 for low power stations, saying the new standard has been a “nightmare.” He described his own 17-month attempt to implement ATSC 3.0 in Boston as a struggle with complexity, stability and cost. Instead of a government mandate for a specific new standard, his association is advocating for the freedom to choose between various technologies, including 5G Broadcast.
The 5G Broadcast standard is a global technology developed by 3GPP, the same organization that handles standards for cellular and satellite communications. Unlike traditional cellular data, 5G Broadcast does not require a SIM card or a subscription. It allows a station to transmit video or data directly to smartphones using a one-to-many model. Copsidas noted that this is particularly efficient for emergency alerts, which can be delivered to every device in a coverage area within half a second, even if cellular networks are congested or down. Qualcomm has indicated that chips supporting this technology may be available in consumer devices as early as next year.
The audience for over-the-air television appears to be shifting. Copsidus observed that while older viewers who transitioned to cable decades ago are often unaware that free television still exists, viewers under the age of 35 are rediscovering the medium. This younger demographic is often motivated by the rising costs of streaming and cable. In response, some LPTV operators are experimenting with localized content, such as high school broadcast programs in Alabama and short-form linear programming, to see what resonates with these new viewers.
Financially, LPTV stations operate on a different scale than their full-power counterparts. They do not benefit from the same mandatory carriage requirements on cable systems, meaning they rely primarily on over-the-air viewers and digital platforms. Revenue is typically generated through local advertising and leasing out sub-channels to other programmers. Because a single 6MHz channel can host multiple sub-channels, an operator can broadcast a variety of niche content simultaneously.
The future of this sector likely depends on how the FCC handles these emerging standards and whether mobile device manufacturers begin to enable broadcast reception. The next few years will determine if these stations remain a niche local service or become a primary vehicle for delivering data and video directly to the pockets of the general public.