Seven Stations Launch NextGen TV In Wichita, Kan.

Seven television stations serving the Wichita-Hutchison, Kan., market today began broadcasting with NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0.

Switching on the new transmission standard are Lockwood Broadcast Group’s KAKE (ABC), Gray Television’s KWCH (CBS) and KSCW (CW), Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KSAS (Fox), Nexstar Media’s KSNW (NBC), Kansas Public Telecommunications Service’s KPTS (PBS) and Mercury Broadcasting’s KMTW (DABL).

Today’s launch in Wichita-Hutchinson follows a decade of development and months of planning and preparation by the local stations. KSCW and KMTW have converted to ATSC 3.0 transmissions and are broadcasting their own programming, as well as the programming of the other participating stations, in the NextGen TV format.

All programming of all participating stations will continue to be available in the existing DTV format, which can be received on all modern television sets.

BitPath, which is developing new data broadcasting services, led the planning process and coordinated efforts across the seven television stations.