Tyler, the Antenna Man, has put out an important video explaining the major risks involved with the FCC's recent action on ATSC 3.0 DRM, and he details exactly how you can submit your own fact-based comment to the commission.
[YouTube]
The core of the video warns viewers that the FCC's Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in Docket No. 16-142 threatens the future of free, open OTA television. Tyler stresses that Digital Rights Management (DRM) encryption is preventing whole-home DVR devices like Tablo and HDHomeRun from functioning and that eliminating the ATSC 1.0 simulcasting rule could force consumers to buy new hardware. Most critically, he points out that internet-reliant DRM poses a serious public safety risk by locking viewers out of local emergency alerts when their broadband connection is lost.
If you want to protect your ability to receive free, unencrypted OTA TV, you can file your comment referencing GN Docket No. 16-142 on the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings before the January 20, 2026 deadline.
For me, the ability to watch and record local programming using my large outdoor antenna and whole-home viewing setup is a core part of my cord-cutting strategy. The prospect of losing the ability to use a network tuner due to DRM, or being locked out during a weather emergency, is alarming. My Streaming Life has long been built around having control over my viewing, and I encourage everyone to participate in this process to protect that right.
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