Audio Video News

The rollout of NEXTGEN TV broadcasting continues to make headway with industry officials today reporting that over-the-air service featuring high dynamic range (HDR) programming is now available in 57 TV markets across the U.S., meaning more than 70 million homes are now able to receive these broadcasts, which include internet-based “broadcast IP” sources.

The milestone comes at a time when three-quarters of American households have access to the next-generation TV broadcasting — also known by its technical name, ATSC 3.0 — which builds on and improves the ATSC 1.0 system that kicked off the HDTV revolution 26 years ago.

Since broadcasters gathered at the annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in April, a large group of stations have begun offering interactive capabilities through the RUN3TV broadcast web platform, according to Pearl TV, an alliance of broadcast companies that runs the informational website watchnextgentv.com. The organization has overseen many of the voluntary market launches of NEXTGEN TV technology.

“Since the first local broadcast of a high-stakes sports event with the Kentucky Derby last month, even more NEXTGEN TV stations have upgraded to offer high dynamic range,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. “Louisville viewers got an eyeful and an earful with the rich pageantry of the Derby that brought Dolby Vision high dynamic range and the Dolby Atmos audio system to those watching WAVE-TV at home.”

Noting that viewership of NEXTGEN TV at Kentucky’s WAVE television station doubled during Derby week, Schelle added: “We expect improved picture and sound to drive similar interest in future sporting events. That’s why HDR, in all its flavors, is so very important to viewers and to stations.”

Pearl is promoting the benefits of HDR with in-market TV promotions where NEXTGEN TV is on the air and through its watchnextgentv.com, website, which also provides a place where viewers can put in their zip code to see which NEXTGEN TV channels are available in their area.

Pearl says the app-based RUN3TV broadcast platform could be up and running in as many as 200 stations by the end of the year. The platform enables broadcasters to provide seamless access to applications like ”start over” functionality and advanced emergency alerts in addition to “improving content discovery and viewer engagement.”

Built on the RUN3TV platform, NBCUniversal is now delivering enhanced digital features on NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations across the nation. Personalized and customizable experiences include hyper-local weather data, content features such as program restart, as well as access to on-demand clips, full episodes, alternate programming, and integrated public safety alerts.

The platform takes advantage of one of the key benefits of NEXTGEN TV — the ability to marry linear broadcast service with broadband connections. The application launches automatically when a viewer tunes to the NBC or Telemundo station, and was created in partnership with Fincons, Ease Live (an Evertz company), and RUN3TV.

“Each day, consumers are buying and unpacking more than 12,000 NEXTGEN TV products — from accessory devices [that receive the new TV signal] to NEXTGEN TV sets, plus accessory add-ons like new TV antenna options,” Schelle said. “The addition of better quality pictures and sound and interactive applications ushers in a new era for local stations, all powered by ATSC 3.0 and NEXTGEN TV.”