• 3DTV takes a nosedive. The format promulgated on the public to save the TV manufacturing industry fizzles like a wet firework.
• Mobile DTV is demonstrated for Congress every other day. Congress replies, “That’s very nice. We’re taking your spectrum anyway. We’ve got bills to pay.”
• The final, final, final, final, almost final rules for the Emergency Alert System are issued.
• People record more TV than they watch live.
• The London Olympics is produced in 3D for an audience comprised primarily of people in the 3D production truck.
• The first commercial White-Fi is launched in North Carolina. Congress says, “What-ever.”
• LightSquared is shot down like a clay pigeon at a rifle range and vows to carry on.
• ATSC 2.0 is on track to be done roughly six years too late.
• Barry Diller steals TV signals in New York. The court is kind of OK with that.
• Everything must be closed-captioned. Spelling is optional.
• TV station public files must be posted online at an FCC-hosted website that is the “Where’s Waldo” of file folders.
• The “cloud” emerges as the catch-all of everything imaginable.
• Dish skips commercials only on broadcast networks and advertises the fact with the most annoying commercials ever made in a bid to make people want to skip them.
• Broadcasting repeatedly asks the FCC how TV stations are going to fit into 40 percent less spectrum. The FCC replies, “Trust us. We’re the government and we are here to help.” Broadcasting begins drinking heavily.
• The systematic elimination of LPTV begins with a sweep of Class A downgrades.
• Consumer 4KTVs are introduced. Consumer 4KTV content is not.
• The FCC approves TV spectrum incentive auctions vaguely styled on “Antiques Roadshow,” and admits that repacking TV stations could be a pain.
• Political ad spending breaks records. Again. No one is surprised.
