Five Tampa Stations Roll Out ATSC 3.0

Five Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., stations — WMOR (ind.), WFTS (ABC), WFLA (NBC), WTSP (CBS) and WTVT (Fox)  — today launched NextGen TV or ATSC 3.0.

Based on the same fundamental technology as the Internet, digital applications and other web services, NextGen TV can support a wide range of features currently in development, such as immersive audio and video (up to 4K), broadcasting to mobile devices, personalized viewing tools, and advanced emergency alerts providing rich media instead of simple text messages.

NextGen TV also allows full integration with 5G and other broadband-delivered Internet content.

WMOR is owned by Hearst Television and will serve as the host station for the market’s NextGen TV signals from the five stations.

ABC affiliate WFTS, owned by E.W. Scripps, will host existing first-generation digital TV signals and provide its NextGen TV signal to WMOR for broadcast to viewers.

NBC affiliate WFLA, owned by Nexstar, will provide NextGen TV signals to WMOR for broadcast.

CBS affiliate WTSP, owned by Tegna, will also host existing first-generation digital TV signals and provide its NextGen TV signal to WMOR for broadcast.

Fox O&O WTVT will also host existing first-generation digital TV signals and provide its NextGen TV signal to WMOR for broadcast.

Pamela Barber, president and general manager of Heart Television, said: “We want consumers to understand that the NextGen TV experience from local stations will be getting better and better, as more functions and features are added down the road. NextGen TV services launch in 1080P high-definition, with WMOR-TV also providing the market’s first High Dynamic Range video for enhanced performance on HDR-equipped receivers.”

Hearst also said WMOR will be the first station in the country to offer a secure signal compliant with the new A3SA security authority.