Research from SNL Kagan shows and increase of 80% in the number of digital TV offerings available from local TV broadcasters. Included in the count are HD channels, multicast channels, and mobile DTV channels. The research showed that by the end of 2011, there were 4552 digital channels being delivered by the 1726 full-power local TV broadcast stations.
Most of the increase comes from multicasting (stations can broadcast multiple channels as long as they fit within their assigned channel's bandwidth). The largest segment of these channels consist of some of the new channels being marketed as multicast networks, like Bounce TV, Live Well, AntennaTV, among others. Spanish-language multicast channels are a second big segment of the growth of added channels, doubling in the last year. A few stations are actually multiplexing two HD channels.
The report gives the TV broadcast industry some support in its efforts challenging proposed broadcast spectrum takeback. Most of the recent proposals call for about 40% of the remaining TV spectrum to be carved out and returned for auction to alternative users (much has already been returned to the FCC for other uses). Under those proposals, either as many as a 15-20% of existing stations would be silenced, or channel space would need to be reduced to keep most on-air. And in that case, stations would lose the ability to carry as many digital channels.
Source - Broadcasters Boost Digital Offerings By 80%, Broadcasting & Cable
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