A Report of the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters

1
Digital Public BroadcastingA Key Component of
Michigans Technological Infrastructure

• A Report of the Michigan Association of Public
  Broadcasters

1
2

• "It is clear beyond any doubt that these changes
  are important to us because they are influencing
  the environment, enriching competition, and
  causing old assumptions to be challenged."
• ( Hartford N. Gunn, Jr., 1978, Vice Chair of
  PBS)

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
2
3
Introduction

• Digital Public Broadcasting
• A cost effective last mile solution for
  real-time, on-demand content for students,
  teachers, families and businesses.
• Other states are capitalizing on this technology
  to better serve their communities.
• Recommended by Michigans Information Technology
  Commission

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
3
4
FCC MandatedDigital Conversion Timeline
Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
4
5
What is DTV?

• The new standard for TV
• Can work in conjunction with Internet, cable and
  satellite

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
5
6
How Does DTV Work?

• Data is transmitted digitally, using 1s and 0s,
  versus varying the amplitude and frequency

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
6
7
What Can DTV Do?

• High Definition Television (HDTV)
• Multi-Casting
• Data Transmission

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
7
8
High Definition Television (HDTV)

• Superior resolution for a clearer picture
• 6 Channel CD quality sound
• Excellent tool for education

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
8
9
Multicasting

• Broadcasting multiple standard definition
  channels at the same time.
• Used to enhance one program or broadcast several
  different, unrelated programs

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
9
10
Data Transmission

• Allows interaction with devices in homes,
  businesses, governments or schools.
• Enhances programming with items like actor
  biographies, statistics or product information.
• Allows the rapid exchange of all kinds of data
  unrelated to a television program, such as
  financial data, textbooks or technical drawings.
• Can deliver high volumes of data to rural areas.
• Can deliver homeland security messages and data
  to inform and protect citizens.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
10
11
How Will DTV Benefit Michigan And Its People?

• Expanded choices in programming
• Expanded information services
• Diverse educational and business opportunities
• Improved picture sound quality
• Can deliver data efficiently to rural areas
• Can be used to provide additional in-depth
  material to first-responders on public safety
  issues.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
11
12
What Will The Conversion To Digital Broadcasting
Cost?

• 38.8 million to convert the basic components of
  Michigans 12 public transmitters
• Additional cost to convert studio equipment for
  local production
• Increased operating costs
• Additional 12.6 million to connect Michigans
  public broadcasting stations

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
12
13
Public Broadcasting, Education And Coverage

• Can datacast and offer quick distribution of
  digital content to many sites
• Enhanced educational content in both adult and
  childrens programs
• Enhance educational programs by giving professors
  the means to use teaching methods that have been
  recognized as far more effective than lecturing

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
13
14
Instructional Television

• A partnership between public television stations,
  high schools, colleges and universities
• Utilizes television in the classrooms
• Courses through distance learning

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
14
15
Coverage

• Geographically covers 98 of Michigan
• Free, over-the-air access
• Locally produced
• Content customized to the community

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
15
16
DTV Coverage
17
The Digital Divide

• Internet availability and high-speed Internet
  dont reach many citizens.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
17
18
Digital Exclusion

• NTIA reports the Digital Divide is expanding.
• The gap in internet access between Caucasian and
  African American households increased 9.1 percent
  from 1997 -2000
• Institute for Public Policy and Social Research
  at Michigan State University estimated that 65
  of Hispanics have never used the Internet

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
18
19
What This Means

• While government funds advance internet
  technology, in reality, the effort is undermining
  one of the fundamental ideals for its
  distribution that it be provided equally to all
  citizens.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
19
20
Bridging The Gap

• African American and Hispanic groups are two of
  the fastest growing populations.
• Public television reaches a majority of the
  non-White population

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
20
21
Bridging The Gap

• 71 percent of people with disabilities do not
  have Internet access at all.
• Public television stations, through their unique
  relationships with civic groups and community
  service organizations, are able to develop
  programs and partnerships specifically for
  special needs groups.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
21
22
How Does The Future Look?

• 7 of children ages 3-5 have used the Internet at
  home
• The overwhelming majority of children in this age
  group are regular and active television viewers
• Digital technology can increase the impact of
  these programs
• Every Michigan child can have the opportunity to
  learn more effectively and from a younger age.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
22
23
Connecting Michigans Technology

• Premise
• The future of Michigan is digital
• Michigan is a leader in the information
  technology economy
• Solution
• To know what our states technology sources are
  capable of and who they can reach.
• Utilize all existing technologies synergistically
• Refrain from duplication
• Guarantee accessibility to all Michigan citizens
  and companies regardless of location

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
23
24
Connecting Michigans Technology

• 32 of Michigan citizens are still not using the
  Internet
• Allow high-speed internet access to more of
  Michigans population.
• Digital public television can provide high-speed
  information access to remote areas.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
24
25
How Will This Work?

• Digital broadcasting is suited to enhance
  technologies such as the Internet by extending
  current distribution capabilities.
• Bandwidth for a T1 line is about 1.5Mb/s compared
  to 4 Mb/s of a DTV signal.
• Fiber connections are cost prohibitive
• DTV can send files instantly to many people with
  no loss of bandwidth.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
25
26
The Broadcast Model
Internet A copy of a file to each user with a
loss of bandwidth to multi-directional traffic
Shown Projected
Digital Broadcasting One copy of a file to an
unlimited number of users with no loss of
bandwidth to traffic.
Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
26
27
Why This Is The Best Solution

• Already established outlet for public information
  and education
• Greater audience reach
• Broadband DSL and cable connections are available
  in less than 11 of the country.
• There are places that fiber cannot reach because
  of terrain or economic considerations.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
27
28
Cable Modem Coverage
DSL Coverage
29
State Funding Public Broadcasting Digital
Conversion
Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
29
30
What We Must Ask

• Can Michigan truly be a technology leader while a
  large percentage of its citizens are prevented
  from accessing its advantages?
• Will their tax dollars, in fact, help to fund the
  very technology they cannot receive?
• Only through public television digital
  broadcasting can a statewide technology network
  have the potential to reach over 98 percent of
  Michigan citizens in an efficient, high-speed,
  cost-effective manner.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
30
31
The Populace Awaits

• Consumers appear ready to utilize digital
  broadcasting services, as evident by the recent
  drop in the cost of HDTV sets and the increase in
  HDTV purchases.
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) President
  and CEO Gary Shapiro remarked in April 2001 that
  "Consumers have overwhelmingly embraced the
  digital experience.
• First quarter sales of DTV sets and displays
  totaled 234,558 units, or dollar sales of more
  than 462 million, representing a unit increase
  of 158 percent over last year's first quarter
  results.
• The price decline of DTV products is much more
  rapid than the initial price declines of products
  like CD players, VCRs and large screen analog
  TVs.
• This is evidenced by the 44 decline of the
  average wholesale price of DTV sets and displays
  from an average of 3,500 in late 1998 to 1,955
  in January 2001 (HDTV News Online).

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
31
32
Proposed DTV Network
Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
32
33
Historical Trends In Technology

• Once this technology network is in place, and
  digital content is widely available, the demand
  for HDTV sets is positioned to climb considerably
  and thus drive down the price to a widely
  affordable level.
• Public broadcasting has the unique opportunity to
  act as a distributor of select data and video
  content for virtually all of Michigans citizens.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
33
34
According to historical trends in technology, the
price of HDTV equipment will drop significantly
as the availability of content and thus consumer
acceptance increase.
Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
34
35
Potential Partnerships

• Once Michigans technological infrastructure is
  in place, it will provide an invaluable tool for
  increasing the performance and interconnectivity
  of government, community and high-tech industry
  programs across the state.
• The current government initiative of the Michigan
  Virtual University (MVU) could be extended to
  reach large percentages of the unconnected
  population with rich, multimedia video, audio and
  data content.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
35
36
Example Partnership MVU

• MVU provides content, including 700 mini-courses
  in technology
• Reaches virtually every Michigan citizen whenever
  and however they choose with faster, high quality
  downloads of video and related data.
• Government programs and initiatives would have
  the capability to better reach their target
  audience
• Decreases costs and increases desired effects.
• Better enable the MVU to serve the states
  mission to ensure that EVERY Michigan child has
  an equal opportunity education (Governor John
  Engler, 1998)

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
36
37
Proposed Plan

• MAPB proposes the state of Michigan support a
  bonding proposal to fund the infrastructure of
  public televisions digital conversion.
• Millions have been spent on other infrastructure
  program rollouts that do not service all of
  Michigans citizens.
• Michigan public broadcasters can meet the FCC
  mandated conversion deadline and begin developing
  the partnerships necessary to permanently bridge
  the digital gap in Michigan.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
37
38
Conclusion

• Citizens are poised to benefit from an increased
  productivity of government and community
  initiatives
• The digital divide will truly begin to close
• The funding of the digital conversion of public
  television stations is critical
• Build a distribution network that will rival that
  of any in the world for low-cost, multi-point,
  rapid distribution of digital data and content.

Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters
38