MSTV and CEMA jointly announced the formation of the Model HDTV Station Project, Inc. in April 1996, selecting Washington D.C. as the location for the first fully operational HDTV broadcast station in the United States. The three-year project, directed by former FCC bureau chief James C. McKinney, aimed to give broadcasters and equipment manufacturers hands-on experience ahead of nationwide HDTV rollout.
Washington D.C. Chosen As Location For First HDTV Station In America
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Washington, D.C., April 2, 1996 -- Digital High Definition
Television HDTV)
took a giant step toward marketplace reality today with
a joint announcement
that television broadcasters and equipment manufacturers
have agreed to
establish the first fully-operational HDTV station in
the United States. The
announcement was made by the sponsors of the project The Association for Maximum Service Television (MSTV) and the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA), a sector of the Electronics Industries Association (ETA). At the initial meeting of the Board of Directors of the MODEL HDTV STATION PROJECT, INC., James C. McKinney was appointed Project Director and a member of the Aboard Washington, D.C. was chosen as the location of the station which is to be hosted by an existing broadcast television station. All Washington area stations will be invited to apply and the selection will be based on specified center. MSTV President Margita E. White hailed the "Model HDTV Station as providing local television stations the information and hands-on experience to move rapidly into commercial HDTV implementation with confidence Television broadcasters' furthers financial commitments to HDTV should demonstrate once and for all that their goal is to transition our broadcast served to the highest technical quality -HDTV. " She added that MSTV shortly will reach out to all television stations to participate as funding members of the project, Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronic Manufacturers Association (CEMA), noted that "the model HDTV Station will offer electronic manufacturers the opportunity to design and evaluate new digital technology products in preparation for the introduction of digital HDTV to consumers." On addition to the commitment of financial resources to the Model HDTV Station Project, commercial and prototype equipment will be loaned to the station by individual equipment manufacturers. Eddie Fritts, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, said, "The Model HDTV Station, being initiated by EIA/CEMA and MSTV, is a logical next step in moving forward toward advanced television implementation. We look forward to the roll-out of the practical exercise of delivering over-the-air digital television broadcasting in Washington and tips benefits that broadcasters and others will derive from it." The Board praised McKinney's qualifications as the Model HDTV Station Project Director. He is a widely recognized expert on HDTV who chaired the Advanced Television Systems Committee which documented the HDTV technical standard that the FCC Advisory Committee recommended to the FCC in Novembers. McKinney held three bureau chief positions at the Federal Communications Commission including Chief of the Mass Media Bureau. He also was Deputy Assistant to President Reagan and Director of the White House Military Office. He received the NAB's Engineering Achievement Award in 1992 and the Presidential Proclamation of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in 1990. A number of tangible benefits for the consumer and involved industries will be realized by this project
The implementation schedule will begin later this year with installation of an HDTV transmitter and compression encoder at the "Host Station." HDTV production equipment and techniques would be scheduled for early 1997. This will be a 3-year project. The group will apply promptly to the FCC for an appropriate experimental broadcast authorization for the Model HDTV Station. While the station is being operated, all relevant industries will be pressing forward with various aspects of digital television implementation. The Model HDTV Station will speed that process and make initiation of nationwide HDTV broadcasting more efficient. Additional information will be available at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas. For additional information:
James C. McKinney, 703 354-6060
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