Silicondust Challenges Broadcast Gatekeepers With New Security Authority

In a move that escalates the battle for control over NextGen TV, TV tuner maker Silicondust has become an official ATSC 3.0 Certificate Authority, creating an independent path for broadcasters to get the security credentials required for their signals.

• An alternate authority: The company is now a direct competitor to the A3SA, a controversial consortium of major station groups that previously monopolized the certification process. Silicondust will issue its own "FullTrust" and "AskTrust" certificates, a move that Heartland Video Systems' Mike Schmidt says will "benefit broadcasters and lead to more robust and flexible workflows."

• High noon showdown: The conflict follows accusations of anti-competitive behavior against the A3SA, which is largely composed of companies from the rival Pearl TV broadcast group. The accusations were bolstered by a Weigel Broadcasting FCC filing that exposed an A3SA plan, dubbed 'High Noon,' which would have blocked signals from any station that refused to pay the consortium for certification.

• Keeping the lights on: To ensure stations can stay on the air during emergencies, Silicondust also launched a patent-pending offline validation system. "Broadcasters need an ATSC 3.0 security solution that will operate flawlessly throughout any emergency, with or without internet,” said Silicondust President Nick Kelsey.

By creating its own certification path, Silicondust is prying open a walled garden, giving broadcasters an alternative to paying a consortium of their competitors for the right to broadcast and intensifying the power struggle over who dictates the rules for TV's next generation.

This fight over signal security is the latest chapter in a long-running broadcast industry saga that includes the failed "broadcast flag" of the 2000s, which was struck down in federal court. Meanwhile, the original "High Noon" controversy first gained traction through community discussion on the Silicondust forums, where users debated the implications for the future of over-the-air television.