Weigel Broadcasting Co., the parent company of MeTV and MeTV Toons, has emerged as a vocal critic of the National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) proposal to transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0, warning that the plan could jeopardize free, accessible television for millions of viewers. In a series of meetings with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 22, 2025, Weigel representatives expressed strong opposition to the NAB’s proposed “flash cut” deadlines, which would mandate a switch to the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard by February 2028 for the top 55 markets and February 2030 for remaining stations.
In the letter Weigel Broadcasting Co said “Today, anyone with a television and antenna can get a wealth of programming for free. ATSC 3.0 changes this equation, potentially making a free service expensive, and a simple service complicated.” The letter went on to say “Consumers, primarily those in rural areas underserved in terms of content and connectivity, may be most harmed by a transition to ATSC 3.0.”
Weigel, a pioneer in low-power television (LPTV) and a key player in over-the-air broadcasting, argued that the transition to ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV, risks undermining the simplicity and affordability of free TV. The company highlighted concerns that the new standard could introduce costs for consumers, particularly in rural and underserved areas, where access to affordable content and connectivity is already limited.
The NAB’s roadmap for the ATSC 3.0 transition has garnered support from many broadcasters, who see the standard’s enhanced picture quality, interactivity, and potential for data services as a leap forward. However, Weigel and other LPTV operators have raised alarms about the plan’s impact on viewers and the broadcasting ecosystem. In its FCC meetings with Chairman Brendan Carr’s office, the Media Bureau, Commissioner Anna Gomez’s office, and Commissioner Nathan Trusty’s office, Weigel outlined three primary concerns: the potential cost and complexity for consumers, the risk that broadcasters might prioritize non-broadcast services like pay-TV or private data delivery over free programming, and the disproportionate harm to rural viewers.
In a prior FCC filing, Weigel, which was among the first to experiment with ATSC 3.0, emphasized that it has not observed significant consumer demand for the new standard. “Broadcasting succeeds because it is free and simple,” the filing noted. “ATSC 3.0 changes this equation.” To mitigate these risks, Weigel proposed several “guardrails” to ensure the transition prioritizes viewers. These include setting market penetration benchmarks similar to the 2009 DTV transition, ensuring a minimum portion of the ATSC 3.0 signal is dedicated to broadcasting, maintaining signal accessibility comparable to ATSC 1.0, and imposing reasonable limits on digital rights management (DRM) within the broadcast signal. Weigel also urged the FCC to retain the “substantially similar” requirement for ATSC 3.0 broadcasts and continue mandating ATSC 1.0 tuners in receivers.
The opposition comes amid broader tensions within the industry. The NAB has accused critics, including the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the Low Power Television Broadcasters Association (LPTVBA), of attempting to “stifle broadcast innovation” to protect their own interests. Meanwhile, groups like Pearl TV have defended the transition, arguing it will enhance viewer experiences. Weigel’s stance underscores a critical divide as the FCC weighs the future of broadcasting, with the outcome likely to shape access to free TV for years to come.
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