"Dentistry's Unusual Sojourn: A Toothpick's Journey to Saturn's Moon, Titan"

"Dentistry's Unusual Sojourn: A Toothpick's Journey to Saturn's Moon, Titan"

**Datacasting: A Promising Shift for the Broadcast Industry**

Datacasting, a technology that allows for the transmission of data alongside traditional broadcast signals, is being hailed as a transformative opportunity for the broadcast industry. With its potential to reshape business models and revenue streams, datacasting is attracting attention from industry leaders and regulators alike.

### Engineering Advantage

The engineering advantage of datacasting lies in its ability to support a wide range of applications, such as providing backup data for GPS, connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and offloading traffic from wireless networks. This technical capability is seen as superior to what other entrants can offer, making it an attractive area for investment and development.

The ATSC 3.0 standard, which supports datacasting, is being developed to integrate with 5G technologies, enhancing its efficiency and applicability for new mobile applications. Projects like "B2X" (Broadcast to Everything) aim to align ATSC 3.0 with 5G new radio waveforms, further expanding its potential.

### Role in Revenue Generation

Datacasting is envisioned as a means to shift broadcasters' primary revenue streams away from ad sales and towards connectivity services. This shift is seen as crucial given the competitive pressures on traditional ad revenue models. By offering datacasting services, broadcasters can diversify their income streams, reducing dependence on ad sales and retransmission fees. This diversification is expected to bolster the financial stability of broadcasting companies.

### Regulatory and Implementation Challenges

The expansion of datacasting requires the removal of regulatory barriers to facilitate a consistent and interoperable backend on a large scale. This would enable the necessary investments in R&D and sales to make datacasting a viable business proposition.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and other proponents of ATSC 3.0 see datacasting as a public good, highlighting its potential for public safety, educational services, and other data-intensive applications.

In conclusion, datacasting offers significant engineering advantages and potential for revenue diversification in the broadcast industry. However, its growth is contingent on regulatory support and investment in infrastructure to fully leverage its capabilities.

The recent swearing-in of Olivia Trusty as FCC commissioner, joining FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez, may signal a new era for the regulation of datacasting and the broadcast industry as a whole. Former FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington's vision for datacasting as a means for broadcasters to significantly enter the connectivity business continues to resonate with industry leaders, such as Conrad Clemson, the new CEO of EdgeBeam Wireless.

The FCC, under the leadership of former Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, previously viewed ATSC 3.0 as a means for broadcasters to experiment with new technology. As the FCC moves forward with its current commission, it may be time to clear the way for the growth of ATSC 3.0, comparing its current state to a toothpick, suggesting its potential for growth in the broadcast business.

1. The broadcast industry is looking to datacasting, a technology for transmitting data alongside traditional broadcast signals, as a transformative opportunity with the potential to reshape business models and revenue streams.
2. The engineering advantage of datacasting lies in its ability to support a wide range of applications, such as providing backup data for GPS, connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and offloading traffic from wireless networks.
3. The ATSC 3.0 standard, which supports datacasting, is being developed to integrate with 5G technologies, enhancing its efficiency and applicability for new mobile applications.
4. Datacasting is envisioned as a means to shift broadcasters' primary revenue streams away from ad sales and towards connectivity services, offering diversification and bolstering the financial stability of broadcasting companies.
5. The expansion of datacasting requires the removal of regulatory barriers to facilitate a consistent and interoperable backend on a large scale, enabling necessary investments in R&D and sales.
6. The FCC, under the leadership of its current commission, may be poised to clear the way for the growth of ATSC 3.0, comparing its current state to a toothpick, suggesting its potential for growth in the broadcast business.
7. Industry leaders like Conrad Clemson, the new CEO of EdgeBeam Wireless, continue to resonate with the vision of former FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington for datacasting as a means for broadcasters to significantly enter the connectivity business.

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