NextGen TV launched in South Bend, Indiana

Major Broadcasters Launch NextGen TV on Five Local Television Stations in South Bend, Indiana

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The leading television stations serving the South Bend-Elkhart television market today began broadcasting with NextGen TV, a revolutionary new digital broadcast technology. Today’s launch includes WSBT-TV (CBS and Fox), WNDU-TV (NBC), WSJV (H&I), WNIT (PBS), and WHME-TV (Independent).

Based on the same fundamental technology as the Internet and digital apps, NextGen TV can support a wide range of features that are currently in development. In addition to providing a new, improved way for broadcasters to reach viewers with advanced emergency alerts, NextGen TV features stunning video with brilliant color, sharper images and deeper contrast to create a more life-like experience.

NextGen TV adds a new dimension to TV viewing, with vibrant video and new Voice+ dialogue enhancement that brings voices to the foreground. Movie theater-quality sound lets viewers hear every voice clearly and keeps volume consistent across channels. NextGen TV also can be enhanced with Internet content to enable viewers to get the most out of live sports, live news, and live events in real-time, without looking away from TV screens.

Powered by ATSC 3.0, NextGen TV is the most significant broadcast technology upgrade to date. Features available on NextGen TV will vary by device and station as broadcasters roll out service across the country. Television shoppers should look for the distinctive NextGen TV logo to ensure their new sets can take advantage of new advanced features as they are rolled out.

Today’s launch in South Bend follows a decade of development and months of planning and preparation by the local stations. WSJV, which is owned by Gray Television, has converted to ATSC 3.0 transmissions. WSJV will broadcast its own programming, as well as the programming of the other participating stations, in NextGen TV format. All programming of all participating stations will continue to be available in the existing digital format, which can be received on all modern television sets.

BitPath, which is developing new data broadcasting services, led the planning process and coordinated efforts across the five television stations. BitPath will make its groundbreaking NavPath™ and BitPoint™ precise navigation and positioning services available at no charge to Indiana’s first responders.

From Honolulu to Houston, from Seattle to south Florida, and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, NextGen TV service is already on the air in more than 60 cities across the country.

Antenna viewers without NextGen TV sets can simply rescan their TV sets to ensure uninterrupted service. Cable and satellite subscribers do not need to take any action.