NAB: Spectrum Crucial to Next-Gen

National Association of Broadcasters Gordon Smith offered encouragement to efforts to develop the next-generation of television technical standards, but cautioned that for the promise of any advancements to become reality, television stations will have to have access to sufficient spectrum.

“Now, while I marvel at the technology of broadcasting, I don’t claim to understand it intimately as many of you do. But what I do understand is politics, business and the role that technology plays in the intersection of both. The interplay of those three elements will have a strong impact on determining the future of television broadcasting. “We are fast moving past the age of linear television-only, though, into a new world that is on-demand, interactive, Internet-enabled and three-dimensional, with a public that has an insatiable need for more high quality content. So, finding a way for broadcasters to take part in that new world isn't optional, it’s a necessity in order to stay competitive with other media in this complex and unpredictable digital world.”