Broadcasters expand NEXTGEN TV features as fall football season begins

As fall football returns to local broadcasters, viewers with access to NextGen TV are seeing expanded features including high dynamic range video, Dolby Atmos audio and new interactive channels.

Gray Television and Sinclair Broadcast Group have increased their deployment of High Dynamic Range, or HDR, with Gray airing the first U.S. over-the-air sports broadcast produced in native HDR. The Aug. 23 professional preseason football game, aired by Gray’s WVUE in New Orleans and produced by Gray’s Tupelo Media Group, featured end-to-end HDR, from the cameras through to the production truck and transmission to NextGen TV receivers.

Sinclair is offering upconverted HDR on its stations and has launched additional content through broadcast-enabled streaming. This includes the T2 Tennis Channel and the Pickleball TV Channel, now available in 45 markets.

NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, is currently available in 78 designated market areas, reaching approximately 76 percent of U.S. television households. More than 250 channels now support HDR, and over half of U.S. households have access to broadcast Dolby Atmos audio.

Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, said, “With NextGen TV reaching more than three-quarters of viewing households, it’s exciting to see broadcasters enable High Dynamic Range on almost every channel to greatly enhance picture quality.”

Pearl TV coordinates market launches for NextGen TV and is planning a marketing campaign for the holiday season. According to the organization, more than 620 services are available through NextGen TV via both traditional broadcasters and internet-connected stations.

In addition to video and audio enhancements, broadcasters have begun offering interactive services. ROXi, a free music video channel from FastStream Interactive and Sinclair, is now available in more than 31 markets. The channel offers access to approximately 100 million music videos from major labels, with interactive controls accessible via TV remotes.

GameLoop, another new service, allows viewers to play games such as Pac-Man, Tetris and Tomb Runner directly on smart TVs. Carried by Gray and Sinclair in 49 markets, GameLoop offers a two-screen experience with guided play introduced by live hosts.

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