Five Stations Launch NextGen TV In Minneapolis

Five television stations serving Minneapolis (DMA 15) have begun broadcasting with NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0.

Switching on the new transmission standard are Sinclair’s WUCW (CW); Hubbard’s KSTP (ABC); CBS’s WCCO (CBS); Fox’s KMSP (Fox); and Tegna’s KARE (NBC.

The launch and new transmission standard was commemorated today at an event hosted by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, and Pearl TV with broadcast executives, government officials, and university students as the stations switch on the new transmission standard.

Jerald Fritz, executive vice president for Sinclair’s ONE Media subsidiary, said: “As a vanguard in developing and deploying this revolutionary technology across the country, Sinclair Broadcast Group is proud to be the host station for this collaborative effort with other local broadcasters. Together we are enabling Minnesotans to experience all that the digital world of TV and data services has to offer.”

Coinciding with the launch of the new service, the NAB will announce at the event that the Hubbard School will become the host for its next PILOT Next Generation TV Fellowship. The NAB, and its PILOT program, are dedicated to advancing broadcast technologies and cultivating new media opportunities.

“Today we are delighted to announce that the University of Minnesota will become a host school for the PILOT Next Generation TV Fellowship. First launched two years ago, the fellowship is an immersive program designed to educate and introduce students to television broadcasting through practical experience. The program provides hands-on application development to four students from each of our host schools to leverage the capabilities of the next-generation broadcast TV standard,” said NAB Senior Vice President John Clark, emerging technology executive director of PILOT. “Students and faculty participating in this experiential fellowship will spend eight months working with industry experts to conceptualize and develop an ATSC 3.0 application or service and demonstrate it at NAB Show, the premier trade show serving the media and entertainment industry.”

NextGen TV, a free over-the-air service, is the first major overhaul to the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s standard for receiving over-the-air signals in 25 years. Now broadcasting in more than 70 markets, NextGen TV is expected to reach over 75% of U.S. television households in 2023.

A feature built into select new TV models manufactured by Hisense, LG Electronics, Samsung and Sony, NextGen TV is widely available to consumers at retail across more than 100 models, starting at $599. While features may vary by device and broadcaster as commercial service expands in local markets, NextGenTV is designed to be future proof, enabling a viewer’s television set to advance with technological improvements.

The first NextGen TV certified upgrade accessory receiver from ADTH and powered with Tolka software is now available for order at an introductory price of $89. This device will soon be followed by a set-top box from Zinwell, available later this fall, adding to the growing market of affordable set-top products to help more viewers transition to NextGen TV service.