WASHINGTON—The reach of ATSC 3.0 services is expected to continue expanding this summer as broadcasters in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Reno, Nev., and South Bend, Ind., are poised to flip the switch to bringing NextGen TV to local viewers, the Pearl TV coalition of U.S. broadcasters said today.
The launches follow recent successful deployments in the major markets of Boston, Miami and San Francisco and coincide with expected service expansions in Miami and San Antonio. In all, NextGen TV currently is available to more than 60% of U.S. households, it said.
The news comes on the eve of the Advanced Television Systems Committee Annual Conference here. Besides discussing the recent launches, Pearl TV plans to highlight growth in the number of NextGen TV consumer accessories, feature new resources for broadcasters and efforts to educate the public, it said.
“NextGen TV has experienced incredible growth from concept to reality and is now broadcasting in more than 60% of U.S. households—and it would not have been possible without the collaboration, innovation and perseverance of the broadcast and consumer electronics community,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV.
“As we introduce new services and education to the consumer about the benefits and upgradeability of the technology, it’s key that we continue to support them as they look for the NextGen TV logo at retail and when they engage with exciting and interactive broadcaster content.”
Pearl TV also emphasized that broadcasters launching 3.0 in these markets will have the ability to use the RUN3TV web platform that brings interactive experiences and streaming content to over-the-air TV viewers. The platform’s architecture enables stations to develop, innovate and differentiate at the application service level and provides a consistent viewer experience across NextGen TV devices, it said.
The coalition also will highlight other wins for NextGen TV, including the fruits of Pearl TV’s Fast Track for NextGen TV program that aims to accelerate development and retail availability of low-cost NextGen TV accessories.
Tolka software powering a 3.0 receiver from Atlanta DTH (ADTH) is the first to receive NextGen TV certification. The ADTH device is now available for pre-order with shipments expected in July. Another from Zinwell is in the certification process, it said.
When it comes to NextGen TV set sales, promotional efforts appear to be working. “A recent consumer ad campaign during the 2022 holiday season revealed not only do they [consumers] consider their local broadcast stations who offer NextGen TV as innovative, but three in four were likely to purchase a NextGen TV upon seeing the ads,” said Schelle.
“In response to consumer excitement and interest to learn more, broadcasters will provide significant promotional inventory, a series of on-air and digital brand campaigns this year timed with Father’s Day, back-to-school, and football seasons, culminating with our popular holiday season campaign.”
Pearl TV and the Pearl Network Consortium also have updated the NextGen TV Host Station Manual. The free educational guide informs broadcasters of the requirements they must consider as they begin the process for their station and market to plan, license, build and operate a NextGen TV host facility. New updates include a technical explanation, implementation and use cases about the audio watermark and an expanded FAQ.
NextGen TV accessibility enhancements will be on display at the conference. First demonstrated at the NAB Show in April, the enhanced audio accessibility features of Dolby Atmos immersive sound in English and Spanish with Audio Description and Voice+ dialogue enhancement were well-received at the demo in Las Vegas.
Schelle will moderate two conference sessions:
- Wednesday, June 14—Business Cases for NextGen TV Services: Opportunities for Monetizing Television Services (open to ATSC members only).
- Thursday, June 15—The NextGen TV Audience Experience: Delivering an Awesome TV Experience for Viewers.
More information is available on the Pearl TV and ATSC websites.
