NATPE's Bruce Johansen Neutral on HDTV, Pro Education.

The clock is ticking and time is running out. In a mere six years, all of the analog television channels in the U.S. are to be shut down and auctioned off to the highest bidder, paving the way for digital-only channels and HDTV programming. The problem lies in the fact that many Americans have yet to grasp the concept of digital television or are even aware that change is under way. The transition is being further stalled due to internal industry squabbles and "agendas" -- so much so that some television executives are concerned that the current digital rollout plan could fail.

This is the reality of the situation and neither I nor NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives) are in the position to take a pro or con stance on U.S. HDTV programming or to create a blueprint on how to introduce it into American households. However, NATPE can -- and should -- serve as both facilitator and educator. NATPE has the responsibility to inform its constituents about HDTV programming and its eventual implications since high-definition programming is part of the content represented by NATPE.

To this end, NATPE created the HDTV Consortium and Steering Committee more than a year ago in an effort to address the situation and help keep broadcasters abreast of current information and issues. Boasting more than 300 members, the HDTV Consortium offers several resources including the newly established E-mail Newsgroup, an online information source that enables members to post questions relating to HDTV as well as to share ideas about the challenges and rewards of HD programming and broadcasting. Another Consortium resource is NATPE's Free Program Sharing Plan, which features a list of ND programming that is available to Consortium-member television stations for only the cost of dubs and tape. Services on the NATPE website include recent HDTV news, FAQs about HDTV, HDTV stations-on-the-air and the ever-expanding "HDTV Glossary of Terms." A complete list of all FCC channel assignments will soon be added to the site.

One of NATPE's overall goals is to partner with other associations for the benefit of its members and constituents. On that note, NATPE has fostered a relationship with ND Vision, a company based in Irving, Texas. Featuring post-production services and multi-cameras, the company offers cost-effective HDTV production and webcast capabilities. NATPE members can receive special rental rates from HD Vision in an effort to stimulate interest in using HD technology.

Internationally, NATPE is establishing an alliance with IBC (International Broadcasting Convention), an association representing the electronic media industry that held its annual market in Amsterdam last month. Since most of Europe has already become "digitalized" and experienced the growing pains associated with the transition from analog to digital, NATPE has invited IBC representatives to its HDTV Steering Committee to give input and feedback. This would prove invaluable to NATPE -- they could bring ideas and experiences to the discussion that may ultimately streamline the rollover from analog to digital in the U.S. The arrangement would also allow for more European programming to be shared with HDTV Consortium members.

NATPE began as a grass-roots organization representing the needs of a handful of distributors and television-station executives. The primary objective of its members was to discuss issues pertaining to the television industry --specifically scheduling and distribution -- and to offer feedback and solutions. Over the course of 37 years, NATPE's goals haven't changed -- the association remains stalwart in its commitment to take challenges head-on, to educate its membership and to seek solutions. Dealing with the HDTV issue is a natural evolution for NATPE, an effort to respond to a special-interest segment within its constituency that deserves support.

None of us can predict the future of HD programming within the U.S. -- and if things aren't ready by the FCC's deadline of 2006, the date can always be pushed back so that wrinkles in the plan can be ironed out. But I, for one, think that before we take sides or make ill-informed decisions about the future, we must educate ourselves on the topic in an effort to assess the situation and all that HDTV has to offer.

Bruce Johansen is the president of NATPE.

Editor's Viewpoint

We at Video Age believe that HDTV has attained DOA (dead on arrival) status. It's now apparent that broadcasters don't need to waste a large amount of bandwidth to accomplish something like HDTV when the TV receiver can achieve similar results by itself with a built-in line-doubling device. In addition, it is clear that many cable-TV systems will not be giving broadcasters the full 19 Mbps bandwidth or even the 11 Mbps for the transmission of HDTV.

It has also been demonstrated that a program shot and recorded for HDTV, or on 35mm film, when transmitted in SDTV (standard definition digital TV) has the same qualities as an HDTV image, especially when viewed on a regular 21-inch TV set traditionally found in people's homes. Indeed, true HDTV can only be appreciated from a wide-screen TV (minimum 38 inches), something that would not easily fit in spaces where people usually house their television sets.

In addition, while it is difficult to monetize an HDTV broadcast, multiplex technology is able to offer a better business model by allowing up to 5 programs on a 6 MHz (19 Mbps) channel.

"Is HDTV on track?" asked an invitation sent by Mitsubishi to see its first big-screen HDTV set last month. This, in light of the fact that Sony has quietly abandoned the HDTV consumer sets.