PHILADELPHIA TELEVISION STATIONS LAUNCH NEXTGEN TV SERVICE IN NATION'S FOURTH-LARGEST TV BROADCAST MARKET

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Aug 10, 2023, 15:25 ET

Six Local Stations Bring Enhanced Video and Audio, Interactive Applications and Upgradable Technology to Their Free, Over-the-Air Services

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Viewers in America's fourth-largest television market can now experience the future of broadcast television as six stations join to launch NEXTGEN TV in Philadelphia. NEXTGEN TV is a revolutionary, free digital broadcast technology that utilizes the internet and digital applications powered by the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard to present viewers with more news and entertainment choices while providing broadcasters with a more compelling and interactive way to deliver their content.

Philadelphia viewers can now access six channels over-the-air for free with NEXTGEN TV: CBS' KYW-TV (CBS, channel 3) and WPSG-TV (CW, channel 57); ABC's WPVI (ABC, channel 6); NBC's WCAU-TV (NBC, channel 10); FOX's WTXF-TV (FOX, channel 29); and Univision's WUVP-TV (Univision, channel 65). Local viewers can easily tune to each station for information about accessing NEXTGEN TV locally, rescanning information and how to purchase the right television set to receive NEXTGEN TV.

Viewers watching these six channels can look forward to enhanced television viewing provided by NEXTGEN TV as a complement to streaming platforms, as NEXTGEN TV doesn't compete for household bandwidth with over-the-top content, but is provided as a free over-the-air service.

A feature built into select new TV models manufactured by Hisense, Sony, LG Electronics and Samsung, 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, NEXTGEN TV 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 will soon be available at retail, as a low-cost option for viewers across the country, including in Philadelphia.

"NEXTGEN TV gives consumers unprecedented entertainment, information and engagement opportunities," said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, the broadcaster business group that is leading the NEXTGEN TV transition. "Today, and in the future, Philly viewers will have a television experience that is more immersive, with better picture quality and enhanced audio features, and it will continue to be enhanced as broadcasters continue to innovate with new features and content. Broadcast television is one of the leading platforms for local news and NEXTGEN TV nurtures and enhances local services for all Philly viewers."

Philadelphia will now get the most out of live news, events and sports programming. Home to a bold sports market with professional teams spanning NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, Philly sports fans will have a lot to be excited about, as the interaction between them and their screens will be revolutionized with immersive features such as brilliant color and personalized bonus content.

NEXTGEN TV also enables Philadelphia broadcasters to strengthen its emergency alert information, helping to make area communities safer during natural disasters or severe weather events. The new broadcast TV standard enables improved location-targeting with notifications sent to precise areas and viewers able to choose the language in which they want to receive the emergency information. Multimedia files can also be added, upgrading the alerts with detailed maps or images. In times of crisis, NEXTGEN TV's sophisticated emergency alerting can enable viewers in that market to get all the information they need without affecting those not in the path of the emergency.

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 65 markets, NEXTGEN TV is expected to reach 75% of U.S. television households in 2023.

NEXTGEN TV makes possible:

Stunning 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video
Consistent volume across channels
Added voice clarity with Dolby's Voice +
Movie theater-quality sound
Enhanced internet content on demand
Advanced emergency alerts and information
Expanded and hyperlocal news
Dual language capabilities

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. Rescan instructions are available at: fcc.gov/rescan. Cable and satellite subscribers do not need to take any action.

Philadelphia viewers can learn more about NEXTGEN TV by visiting www.WatchNextGenTV.com, which offers a guide to cities carrying the service, as well as links to available NEXTGEN TV models and upgrade accessory device options, features and retail pricing as they are certified and move into retail availability.

LTN is enabling the video transport between the contributing Philadelphia stations. Utilizing the LTN Network, a proprietary multicast IP transport network, it ensures that each station's content is sent to the NextGen transmitter with the highest reliability and lowest latency.

About Pearl TV:
Pearl TV is a business organization of U.S. broadcast companies with a shared interest in exploring forward-looking broadcasting opportunities, including innovative ways of promoting local broadcast TV content and developing digital media and wireless platforms for the broadcast industry. Pearl's membership, comprising more than 820 TV stations, includes eight of the largest broadcast companies in America: Cox Media Group, Graham Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television Inc., Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the E.W. Scripps Company, and TEGNA Inc.

About LTN:
LTN® is a worldwide leader in video technology solutions for producers and distributors of broadcast-quality content. Built on the world's fastest and most reliable IP multicast network, LTN's universal media ecosystem unites modular services and integrates with other leading technologies to bring full-video-chain workflows, driving scale from creation and acquisition to monetization and delivery. LTN has been connecting the world with transformative video experiences for more than 15 years and continues to make content more valuable and relevant to media organizations and global audiences. For more information, please visit https://go.ltnglobal.com/home-page.

SOURCE Pearl TV