Gray Television will give local viewers of its 41 television stations access to their local signals over the top on Internet-connected devices via Syncbak, the broadcast group said last week.
Gray’s announcement brings to nearly 200 the number of television stations that are deploying the technology to stay connected via the Internet with their viewers in their local markets.
"Gray Television was one of the very first broadcasters to launch mobile DTV service," noted Bob Prather, Gray's president and COO. "Over the past few months, Syncbak has proven that they can provide another critical route to reach our local viewers.”
Syncbak, a Marion, IA-based company, uses location-based authentication technology to allow local TV stations to stream their channel to in-market viewers.
By working with Syncbak, Gray is able to replicate its existing national, local and affiliate partnerships on the Internet and mobile devices. By localizing the Internet, Syncbak's technology enables retransmission of live TV over the Internet in much the same way it works over cable, satellite and telcos. The Syncbak Internet-TV platform includes a proprietary CDN and mobile app to authenticate, distribute and measure live television for in-market distribution to mobile and connected devices.
Gray has been testing Syncbak's system at four of its stations for the past several months, the broadcast group said. Following a careful evaluation of the tests, Gray has decided to launch all of its television stations commercially on Syncbak's platform.
Over the next few weeks, Gray stations will stream on Syncbak all programs in their schedules that have been cleared for streaming to the local viewers within each station's market.
Gray Television is one of 40 broadcast groups testing Syncbak's platform. Syncbak's technology is being tested in more than 150 television stations in 98 markets representing all major networks.
CBS, NAB and the Consumer Electronics Association are investors in the company. Jack Perry founded the company in 2009.
