NEW YORK—As the rollout of NextGen TV broadcasts hit a deployment milestone making them available in more than three out of four (76%) of U.S. households, Pearl TV is highlighting how local stations are adding new technologies offering improved audio and video capabilities as well as interactivity and other innovative features for TV viewers.
NextGen TV broadcasts offering enhanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) started with sports broadcasts at the Kentucky Derby and this summer’s Olympic games and continues with the vast majority of NextGen TV stations upgrading to offer better video and audio experiences, the broadcaster-backed group reported.
In addition, Pearl noted that new NextGen TV receivers are about to enter the market from Panasonic, which is re-entering the U.S. TV market, and from ADTH, which will soon introduce a tiny USB plug-in receiver to add NextGen TV to consumer’s existing screens.
The announcements regarding new receivers, improved HDR and a new promotional campaign for NextGen TV were made just ahead of the NAB Show New York on October 9 and 10 when broadcasters from throughout the world converge on the Javits Center in Manhattan.
“Now that NextGen TV is available in 76 U.S. markets, local stations are enabling new features that deliver outstanding picture quality, immersive audio, and engaging applications designed to retain viewers on local broadcast services.," said Anne Schelle, managing director of the Pearl TV business group representing more than 800 local TV stations. "Nationwide, more than 500 services are now available on NextGen TV. High Dynamic Range is also available from broadcasters in some 80 million households to expand the breadth and depth of high-definition 1080p images with even more lifelike video. Multichannel broadcast audio is also on the move, with Dolby Atmos audio now available to some 32 million households,”
“We’re delighted that Panasonic is returning to the U.S. TV market with a full range of NextGen TV receivers that will be enabled with a software download later this year,” Schelle said, adding that "ADTH has a tiny new receiver no bigger than a USB stick, which can connect to an antenna and an existing TV to expand the reach of NextGen TV signals even deeper into American homes. These new products are just the latest consumer receivers in the market, including NextGen TV-certified receivers that are also security verified from Sony, Samsung, Hisense, TCL, ADTH, and Zinwell,”
Pearl also announced that following November’s election, broadcasters nationwide will begin running promotional advertisements to explain the benefits of NextGen TV on nationwide stations.
“This will be our third year running a professionally-produced NextGen TV broadcast campaign. The effort has already reached millions of viewers on TV and online,” Schelle explained. “Those numbers and awareness are expected to grow now that several large metropolitan areas have added NextGen TV service over the past year. Anywhere that NextGen TV is on the air, we’d like our member stations to run an informational campaign to let consumers know that they should be looking for the NextGen TV certification mark as they shop for new receivers during the holidays leading up to the big football games in early 2025,”
Pearl is promoting HDR's benefits to consumers through explanatory sections of the WatchNextGenTV.com website and in-market TV promotion, where broadcasts have started with enhanced services.
To learn more about HDR, Dolby ATMOS and interactive applications, visit the www.watchnextgentv.com consumer website.
In addition, Pearl is also promoting the interactivity features of NextGen TV that are made possible by the Run3TV broadcast application that works seamlessly with NextGen TV sets.
The built-in application in NextGen TV sets responds to over-the-air signals. It can enable a whole host of streamed programming – including Program Re-Start capability- to start a show over if a viewer has joined the show midway. Program Re-Start was introduced in selected markets this summer, along with weather information broadcast to NextGen TV sets so that viewers can get more value from their NextGen TV purchase with just a touch of a button.
In addition, 46 U.S. markets also offer TV channels on NextGen TV that are delivered through internet connections, expanding the reach of local broadcasters and sports programming, whether those shows are broadcast over-the-air or arrive for viewing from an internet connection.
