ATSC 3.0

NextGen TV’s revenue is likely to come from wholly different services than traditional linear programming, according to technology executives on a panel at TVNewsCheck’s TV2025 this week. Broadcasters need to think of 3.0 as “an entirely new platform” to realize its monetization potential, says BIA’s Rick Ducey. Read the story and/or watch the full video above.

In addition to traditional programming, Sinclair plans to use channel capacity from one of the stations to provide advanced “Broadcast Internet” services. “We now have a prime showcase for the amazing features of NextGen TV that members of Congress and the Federal Communications Commission can witness first-hand,” said Chris Ripley, Sinclair’s president-CEO.

It debuts its new pay TV service — the first such subscription-based NextGen TV service — over low-power KBSE-LD and KCBB-LD in Boise, Idaho.

ATSC 3.0 in smartphones took a big step forward this week with delivery of the first of hundreds of production sample phones to the Sinclair Broadcast Group, a key part of the station group’s strategy to ensure that NextGen TV one day is an integral part of mobile phones and other devices. The ONE Media Mark One phone powered by Saankhya Labs is an Android smartphone with built-in Saankhya Labs SL4000 ATSC 3.0 receiver chip providing NextGen TV reception, tuning and demodulation.

KOCO, KFOR, KOKH, KOCB and KAUT began broadcasting Thursday with NextGen TV technology.

KXAN, KEYE, KNVA and KBVO-CD began broadcasting Tuesday with NextGen TV technology.

When it comes to the deployment of ATSC 3.0 and the new services that it can provide to broadcasting and beyond, the NAB tells the FCC it should take a “light regulatory touch.” On a call on Oct. 1, NAB spoke with the FCC Media Bureau on its Notice of Ex Parte Communication that deals with potential ATSC 3.0 regulations, specifically regarding new services that broadcasters could offer the public with the NextGen TV standard.

Top executives behind the ATSC 3.0 rollout assess what they’re learning about the business potential of the standard and consumer reactions in its expanding markets at TVNewsCheck’s TV2025: Monetizing the Future virtual event Oct. 20-23. Register here.

The television industry, which has walked the same technical path for the past 20 years with its OTA delivery of DTV, is on the cusp of a new era of innovation in fields as far flung as the delivery of wireless data to cars and premium video to homes.

A roundup of the NextGen TV applications station groups and startups are delivering today.

The American Television Alliance wants the FCC to require broadcasters using the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast transmission standard to deliver an HD version of their primary broadcast signal before using any of its spectrum for ancillary or supplementary services. That came in comments to the FCC as it decides on the framework for “Promoting Broadcast Internet Innovation Through ATSC 3.0.”

Imagine’s Graham Heap discusses the tech and a hope to shift from spots to audience-based buying and selling

Pearl TV, the consortium of nine station groups working to advance local NextGen TV, has added a new webinar scheduled for Aug. 19 to its ongoing series of ATSC 3.0 webcasts. The consortium split the one-hour content security and protection webinar scheduled for Aug. 12 into two separate 60-minute educational webcasts.

KATU, KOIN, KGW, KPTV, KOPB, KRCW and KPDX began broadcasting Tuesday with NextGen TV technology.

Around 10 markets should be on-air with 3.0 broadcasts by the end of the third quarter and perhaps 20 by year’s end, according to representatives of Pearl TV and BitPath. Broadcasters are also exploring the full capabilities of the NextGen standard with several new initiatives this summer, including the launch of a NextGen-capable smartphone and a trial of advanced alerting capabilities in Washington, D.C. Above, one of the six 2020 LG OLED sets that have earned the NextGen TV logo from the Consumer Technology Association.

The FCC is trying to remove a potential barrier to the deployment of the ATSC 3.0 technical standard by TV broadcasters by ruling that a broadcaster’s lease of spectrum to a third party for provision of ancillary, non-broadcast services does not trigger attribution for the FCC’s broadcast ownership rules. Comments on the matter are due Aug. 17, replies on Aug. 31.

It is too early to make the case spectrum is needed for ATSC 3.0, comments claim.

Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, which is coordinating the Phoenix Model Market, said: “The addition of a second transmission facility provides a robust test platform with the power of two transmitters for signal testing by consumer receiver and transmission equipment manufacturers.

KUTV, KTVX, KUCW and KJZZ take to the airwaves with NextGen TV technology.

“There was a slight delay, but it was not a serious delay,” says Sinclair tech chief Mark Aitken.

A deep bench of business, advertising, transportation, computing, media and technology experts from a variety of industries will be participating and taking questions in this six-episode, bi-weekly series beginning Tuesday, July 7, 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET.

WTVF, WKRN, WZTV, WUXP and WNAB begin broadcasting ATSC 3.0 signals today.

The FCC has resolved some major outstanding issues in its framework for a transition to the ATSC 3.0 broadcast transmission standard. It declined to allow vacant in-band channels to be used for ATSC 3.0 deployment, which broadcasters sought but computer companies opposed because they want to use those channels for wireless broadband.

WPGH, WTAE and WPNT roll out the new television transmission technology.

One Media, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, said the FCC should adopt the “modest” modifications to its plan for deployment of the ATSC 3.0 advanced broadcast transmission standard, but should also look to be a little less modest, including recognizing the value of distributed transmission to localism. That came in comments on the FCC’s recent rulemaking.

The NextGen Video Information Systems Alliance coalition brings together providers of advanced broadcast and multichannel TV solutions to accelerate the deployment of ATSC 3.0.

The National Association of Broadcasters this week recommended to the FCC that it adopt new ownership rules that would encourage broadcasters to offer “Broadcast Internet” services via ATSC 3.0 (aka NextGen TV).

Edge Networks’ Todd Achilles: “Many cities and towns in America have only a single local TV signal, importing network programming via long-distance cable and satellite feeds. Now that ATSC 3.0 has begun its march across America, there’s a real opportunity to hitch our future to a powerful stagecoach — particularly for viewers in mid-sized and small markets.”

Powered by ATSC 3.0, Sinclair’s KSNV (NBC) and KVCW (CW), Nexstar’s KLAS (CBS) and Scripps’ KTNV (ABC) are now broadcasting with the new NextGen TV technology.