Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group launch campaign to increase awareness of NextGenTV
Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group are launching a joint consumer education campaign across 13 U.S. television markets to increase awareness of NextGenTV, expanding broadcaster-led efforts to explain the capabilities and availability of the ATSC 3.0 television standard.
According to Citybiz, the GoNextGenTV campaign will begin Sept. 17 “and combine on-air promotion with digital and social media content. The initiative is designed to explain how consumers can access NextGenTV and highlight features including improved picture and sound, enhanced broadcast services and greater interactivity.
Nexstar will participate through stations in Cleveland, Austin, Kansas City, Tampa, Portland, Oregon, Buffalo and Denver. Sinclair will run the campaign in Las Vegas, Columbus, Nashville, Baltimore, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
Both companies, states the release, will use a common set of campaign materials and direct consumers to GoNextGenTV.com, which provides information about NextGenTV availability and compatible television equipment.
“The collaboration represents an effort by two major U.S. television station groups to address the consumer-awareness side of the industry’s transition to ATSC 3.0. While broadcasters have been deploying the technology across markets, adoption also depends on viewers understanding what NextGenTV provides and whether their television equipment supports the standard.”
“Consumer education is an important part of accelerating adoption of NextGenTV,” said Del Parks, president of Technology at Sinclair. “Our experience in Columbus demonstrated that when consumers understand what NextGenTV is, how to access it and the benefits it can deliver, we can meaningfully increase engagement.”
The joint program, states the release, “grew out of a consumer education initiative Sinclair developed and tested in Columbus, Ohio, during the summer. Sinclair and Nexstar are now extending that approach across a broader mix of markets using consistent messaging.
“NextGenTV is powered by ATSC 3.0, the latest generation of digital television broadcasting technology. The standard gives broadcasters capabilities beyond conventional over-the-air television, including improved video and audio and the ability to combine broadcast transmission with internet-connected features and services.
“For broadcasters, those capabilities create opportunities to make over-the-air television more flexible and interactive while maintaining the reach of local broadcast infrastructure. For consumers, however, accessing those features can require compatible equipment, making device awareness and education an important part of broader adoption.”
NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, is the newest digital broadcast standard for over-the-air television. It combines traditional antenna signals with home internet. This technology brings free, high-quality broadcasts without a cable subscription.
