NextGen TV launches from One World Trade Center in nation’s largest market

NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, officially launched in the nation’s largest market Oct. 16, 2023.

One World Trade Center is the first and only broadcasting facility in New York to launch NextGen TV, the brand name for the ATSC 3.0 broadcast television standard.

This significant development marks a key moment in over-the-air broadcasting, as this world-renowned tower delivers a powerful state-of-the-art television experience to the more than 8.4 million residents in the New York City area. According to Nielsen, 15.2 percent of U.S. homes use only over-the-air for viewing content.

Currently, New York City has two stations broadcasting in ATSC 3.0, Korean-language WNYZ-LD and PBS station WLIW, which also carries CBS flagship WCBS, NBC flagship WNBC, PBS station WNET, FNX station WMBQ-CD and Telemundo station WNJU.

This multiplex approach is known as “hosting” or the station in question serving as a “lighthouse” for ATSC 3.0 in a market.

All of these station feeds will air through the WLIW signal, but will be broken out under their corresponding channel numbers on ASTC 3.0-compatible devices. 

“The Durst Organization is committed to the success of our tenants and partners. As long-term owners, we continually invest in our properties to offer the latest technologies and services,” said Jody Durst, president of the Durst Organization, in a statement. “As the tallest building in Manhattan, One World Trade Center has become a beacon of innovation in the world of television.”

Durst is co-developer, along with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, of One World Trade Center, the building and complex that replaced the two twin towers destroyed during the 9/11 terror attacks. 

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“NextGen TV is the future of over-the-air transmission and we are delighted that One World Trade Center can help the more than one million viewers in the New York City area enjoy a host of exciting new features and an enhanced viewing experience like never before,” said Marc Musgrove, director of broadcast communications at the Durst Organization.

NextGen TV at One World Trade Center brings with it a multitude of benefits, including:

• Improved Over-the-Air Coverage: With ATSC 3.0, the tower at One World Trade Center can provide more reliable and high-quality over-the-air TV coverage across the vast New York City area.
• Immersive picture Quality: NextGen TV enables stunning 4K HDR picture quality that rivals the visual experience of movie theaters.
• Enhanced sound: Viewers can enjoy immersive surround sound, delivering audio quality that elevates the way we watch television.
• Interactivity: The new standard allows for increased interactivity.

As the home of the first high-power ATSC 3.0 signal in the largest U.S. TV market, the introduction of NextGen TV from One World Trade Center represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of television and sets a precedent for the future of over-the-air broadcasting.

Earlier in 2023, LG, which was the first major manufacturer to include ATSC 3.0 tuners in its television, announced it will stop including them as of the 2024 line. 

The move was largely due to a licensing cost increase from $3 to $7, causing LG to opt out of including the tuners. 

Other major manufacturers that offer ATSC 3.0 tunes include Sony and Samsung.