ATSC-M/H: Do what?

I read this yesterday but just couldn't believe it. But its still here today so I guess I will log it. The ATSC (Advance Television Systems Committee) announced it would come up with a standard for mobile TV signal distribution.

From the press release:

"The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has launched the process to develop a standard that will enable broadcasters to deliver television content and data to mobile and handheld devices via their DTV broadcast signal.

“The ATSC-M/H Standard will facilitate broadcasters’ use of their DTV broadcast channels to provide new services directly to small hand-held receivers, laptop computers and vehicles moving at a high rate of speed,” said ATSC President Mark Richer. “ATSC-M/H will be backwards compatible, allowing operation of existing ATSC services in the same RF channel without an adverse impact on existing receiving equipment.” Broadcasters will be able to allocate a portion of their 19.39 Mbps/8-VSB signal to mobile and handheld while continuing to transmit services such as HDTV."

If you are wondering who the ATSC is, they came up with the digital TV standard that has taken 20 years to almost make it to market.