Young, Schatz Call on FCC to Expedite Rollout of Next Generation TV, Support Local Broadcasting

WASHINGTON –– U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a bipartisan group of 28 senators in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expedite the continued rollout of the Next Generation Television (Next Gen TV) standard.

In a detailed letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the lawmakers urged the expedited rollout of Next Gen TV to help broadcasters continue to provide quality local news and support an improved emergency alert system.

“The Next Gen TV standard is essential to the continued vitality and competitiveness of local television broadcasters’ free, local, and trusted service in our communities,” the senators wrote. “This pro-consumer, innovative technology will allow local stations to better serve their viewers with improved pictures and sound, interactive features, including expanded local news, advanced emergency alerting, and the ability to deliver to viewers the content that is most relevant to them, when they want it, where they want it. 

In addition to Senators Young and Schatz, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) also joined the letter.

The full letter can be found here.