FIVE LOUISVILLE TELEVISION STATIONS LAUNCH NEXTGEN TV BROADCASTS

NEXTGEN TV Delivers Enhanced Broadcast Video and Audio Features, Future Interactive Applications, and Upgradable Technology

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Louisville television viewers can now experience the future of broadcast television as five local TV stations join together to launch NEXTGEN TV. Block Communications' WBKI will host five stations including Block's WDRB and market partners WAVE, WHAS and WBNA; Kentucky Educational Television's (KET) WKMJ will launch on Sept. 19. Delivering more expansive audio and video options, as well as other innovative new capabilities, NEXTGEN TV delivers an enhanced live broadcast viewing experience to more than 660,000 viewers in the metro and outlying areas of Louisville.

NEXTGEN TV is the first major overhaul to the Advanced Television Systems Committee's standard for receiving over-the-air (OTA) signals in 25 years. Now broadcasting in more than 50 markets, NEXTGEN TV is expected to reach 60% of U.S. television households by the end of 2022.

Louisville—a top 50 ranked media market in the US—will now get the most out of live news, events, and sports programming, as NEXTGEN TV incorporates internet content so that viewers are informed and entertained. As Louisville is home to a unique and bold sports market spanning college and professional teams, sports fans have a lot to be excited about, as the interaction between them and their screens will be revolutionized.

"For nearly 120 years, Block Communications has reflected a diversified media group, bringing news and entertainment to our viewers," said Dale Woods, vice president of TV broadcasting, at Block Communications. "As broadcast television has fundamentally changed over the last 10 years, our team recognized that the introduction of NEXTGEN TV would do the very same, and our viewers are the biggest benefactors of this innovation. Our excitement about this new standard and the opportunities it presents the business of broadcasting today and in the future has only grown since we joined Pearl TV in this transition."

Just in time for the fall sports season and the FIFA World Cup, viewers can find NEXTGEN TV-enabled televisions from Hisense, Sony, LG Electronics and Samsung at local and national retailers, starting at $599. While features available on NEXTGEN TV will vary by device and broadcaster as commercial service launches in local markets, it is designed to be upgraded, enabling a viewer's television set to advance seamlessly with the latest technology—in addition to sophisticated day-one video and audio features.

NEXTGEN TV delivers:

• Consistent volume across channels
• Added voice clarity with Dolby's Voice +
• Stunning 4K, High Dynamic Range (HDR) video
• Movie theater-quality sound
• Enhanced internet content on demand

Associated with NEXTGEN TV is the RUN3TV web platform that brings interactive experiences and streaming content to over-the-air viewers. Built by broadcasters for broadcasters, RUN3TV's web-based platform architecture enables stations to develop, innovate, and differentiate at the application services layer, allowing a consistent viewer experience across all NEXTGEN TV devices. The broadcaster can leverage advanced advertising in live and streaming content, audience insights, and premium content distribution thanks to the new platform.

"NEXTGEN TV delivers unprecedented entertainment, information and engagement opportunities to consumers and it will revolutionize Louisville viewers interactions with their screens," stated Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. "Today and in the future, Louisville viewers will have a television experience that is more immersive, visually and audibly better, and will continue to be enhanced as more features from broadcasters and device manufacturers become available."

Louisville viewers can find five channels over-the-air on channel 16 with NEXTGEN TV: Block Communications' WBKI and WDRB (CW and Fox); Gray Television's WAVE (NBC); TEGNA's WHAS (ABC); and Word's WBNA (Independent). Shortly following will be KET's WKMJ, (PBS), on channel 34. Viewers watching these channels can look forward to enhanced television viewing enabled 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 to elevate viewers' experiences.

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.

Louisville 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.

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.

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SOURCE Pearl TV