LAS VEGAS—ROXi is teaming up with Sinclair Broadcast Group to offer ROXi’s interactive music apps to Sinclair's ATSC 3.0 (aka NextGen TV) channels, bringing the U.K. based service to the U.S. for the first time.
Backed by U.K. entertainment icons Simon Cowell and Kylie Minogue, ROXi—which started in the U.K.—is expected to offer broadcast viewers access to an estimated more than 100 million music videos as well as curated music video channels, karaoke and music games, all available free with ads or a monthly subscription. The new channels—ROXi Music Channel, the ROXi Music Karaoke Channel and the ROXi Music Games Channel—will be made available over Sinclair’s 3.0 stations in early 2024.
“The new channels will change what broadcast TV means for millions of Americans,” ROXi said in a press release. “For the first time, linear TV channels will have all the interactive features of a downloadable TV app without consumers having to download or launch an app on the TV.”
The new broadcast TV music channels are powered via ROXi’s new FastStream technology which allows interactive TV channel experiences to be broadcast over the airwaves with the NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) standard.
“Our partnership with Sinclair will revolutionize what Broadcast TV means for millions of households across the U.S.—viewers will get instant access to TV music channels that feature the interactivity and capabilities of a music app, without having to download or launch an app,” said ROXi CEO, Rob Lewis. “Our viewers will be able to pause, play and skip on Broadcast TV for the first time. It is a true revolution in linear TV, and we’re bringing it to homes across America with Sinclair in 2024.”
“Through our strategic partnership with ROXi, we’re building a better and more interactive broadcast television experience. We’re confident this partnership will help accelerate the adoption of NextGen TV by delivering entertainment features that consumers will increasingly come to demand on their televisions,” said Skip Flenniken VP, GM of Technology Business Development at Sinclair.
ROXi is hosting sneak previews of its NextGen TV interactive music channels at CES2024 in Las Vegas all this week at the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) booth at CES Tech East - Las Vegas Convention Centre Central Hall, booth 19744.
According to ATSC president Madeleine Noland, NextGen TV market launches in Chicago, San Diego, and Tucson, will bring NextGen TV market penetration to 75% of U.S. households by next month. According to a spokesperson, approximately 45 of the station group's 185 TV stations nationwide are now broadcasting 3.0.
ROXi is also launching its new downloadable free ROXi TV Music App on a wide range of Smart TV platforms including Samsung, LG, Roku, Vizio, Sony BRAVIA, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast, Google TV and Android TV. The free ROXi TV App offers additional interactive features including the ability to search and play music from ROXi’s catalogue of 100 million music videos. ROXi TV app users can also upgrade to ROXi Premium for an unlimited ad-free music experience.
