NEXTGEN TV rollout continues in Charlotte
July 8, 2021
By Colin Mann
Television viewers in Charlotte, NC, are to benefit from enhanced broadcast video as five local TV stations band together to launch NEXTGEN TV, using the digital television standard ATSC 3.0.
“Watching in NEXTGEN TV immerses the viewer in stunning video with brilliant colour, sharper images, and deeper contrast, making them feel like they’re part of the action,” explained Paul Curran, EVP, Television at Cox Media Group. “NEXTGEN TV adds a whole new dimension to TV viewing with Voice + audio from Dolby, available only on NEXTGEN TV. Viewers will feel the power of movie theatre-quality sound, allowing them to hear every voice clearly and offering uniform volume across different channels.”
NEXTGEN TV is a feature built into select new TV models manufactured by LG Electronics, Samsung, and Sony, and now widely available to consumers. While features available on NEXTGEN TV will vary by device and by broadcaster as commercial service becomes available in local markets, it is designed to be upgradable, enabling a viewer’s television set to advance in lock-step with the latest technology.
“By merging over-the-air TV with the internet, NEXTGEN TV will change the way viewers watch live broadcast television, revolutionising the interaction between viewers and their home screens,” added Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, the broadcaster business group that is coordinating NEXTGEN TV station launches. “Because NEXTGEN TV can also be enhanced with Internet content, Charlotte area viewers will be able to get the most out of live sports, live news and live events.”
Charlotte joins nearly 40 early-adopter cities across the US – from Tampa to Portland and Las Vegas to Virginia Beach – where NEXTGEN TV service is already available. The five local stations launching the new third-generation digital TV broadcast technology are Cox Media Group’s WAXN-TV, Cox Media Group’s WSOC-TV (ABC), Nexstar Media Group, Inc.’s WJZY-TV (FOX), Gray Television’s WBTV-TV (CBS), and TEGNA’s WCNC-TV (NBC).
As the new standard for broadcast television, consumers can look forward to enhanced television viewing associated with NEXTGEN TV as a complement to streaming platforms. NEXTGEN TV doesn’t compete for household bandwidth with over-the-top content, it offers free over-the-air television to elevate a viewer’s experience.
The participating stations have worked together 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. Antenna viewers can simply rescan their TV sets to ensure full service.