Four Norfolk Stations Roll Out ATSC 3.0

WAVY, WVBT, WNLO-CD and WTVZ have begun broadcasting with NextGen TV technology.

Four Norfolk, Va., stations — WAVY (NBC), WVBT and WNLO-CD (Fox) and WTVZ (MNT) — today began broadcasting with 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.

BitPath, which is developing new data broadcasting services, led the planning process and coordinated efforts across the four stations. All four of the stations will be charter members of BitPath’s broadcast data network, which will launch in 2021.

The participating stations have cooperated to ensure that current programming remains available to all viewers, regardless of whether their television service is provided over-the air or by a cable or satellite company.

WAVY, WVBT and WNLO-CD are owned by Nexstar, while WTVZ is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.