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HDTV Origins

APTS and PBS Reject Sinclair's COFDM Petition, Seek Independent DTV Modulation Testing

1999

Mentioned: Joel Brinkley, Marilyn Mohrman-Gillis, Lonna Thompson

Summary

APTS issued a correction to a New York Times article that falsely claimed America's 350 public television stations supported Sinclair Broadcasting's FCC petition to replace the 8VSB DTV modulation standard with COFDM. APTS and PBS instead plan to file comments requesting an independent industry committee conduct comprehensive field tests before taking any position on the standard.

Source documentcirca 1999preserved as-is

AN

E X L U S I V E

Correction To
Joel Brinkely NYT Article

PBS & Stations Will File Seperately

 

November 2, 1999
Subject: Correction to New York Times re: Sinclair Broadcasting&Mac226;s FCC Petition

It was erroneously reported in the New York Times yesterday ("More Stations Back Revised DTV Standard" by Joel Brinkley) that America&Mac226;s 350 public television stations support Sinclair Broadcasting&Mac226;s petition to the FCC to revise its DTV modulation standard from 8VSB to COFDM. The reporter based this statement on misinformation provided to him by Sinclair Broadcasting and did not clear it with APTS. APTS is taking steps to have the article corrected publicly as soon as possible.

APTS (with the advice of our station engineering advisory group and in conjunction with PBS) is pursuing the following strategy at this point: o We are drafting comments intended to be filed by APTS and PBS that request that the Commission establish a balanced industry committee charged with conducting independent, reliable and comprehensive field tests to study the alternative modulation standards.

The comments will neither support nor oppose the Sinclair petition. Rather, we will wait for results of testing to formulate any position related to the standard.

The comments will stress public television&Mac226;s commitment to moving forward with the digital transition and the need for expeditious testing.

We will reviewing the draft comments with our engineering advisory group and PBS and make a final decision as to whether we will continue to pursue this strategy.

If you have any questions, please contact Marilyn Mohrman-Gillis (202-887-8401; [email protected]) or Lonna Thompson (202-887-7030; [email protected]).

APTS represents the interests of Public Television before the FCC and Congress.

COPYRIGHT 1999