Six Sacramento Television Stations Launch NEXTGEN TV Broadcasts

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents in the Central Valley can now get a taste of the future as six Sacramento television stations have banded together to launch NEXTGEN TV. Delivering more expansive audio and video options, as well as other innovative new capabilities, such as robust emergency alerts, NEXTGEN TV enables TV stations to better personalize their broadcasts with information and interactive features, making the content more relevant and engaging for viewers.  

"We're proud to partner with our fellow broadcasters to prepare the Sacramento market for the next generation of TV viewing. With NEXTGEN TV, viewers are immersed in stunning video with brilliant color, sharper images, and deeper contrast, making them feel like they're part of the action," said Ariel Roblin, president and general manager of KCRA-TV. "Offering a whole new dimension to TV viewing with audio from the Dolby audio system Voice +, available only on NEXTGEN TV, viewers will feel the power of movie theater-quality sound, allowing them to hear every voice clearly and offering uniform volume across different channels."

NEXTGEN TV is a feature built into select new TV models manufactured by LG Electronics, Samsung, and Sony, and now widely available to consumers. While features available on NEXTGEN TV will vary by device and by broadcaster as commercial service becomes available in local markets, it is designed to be upgradable, enabling a viewer's television set to advance in lock-step with the latest technology.

NEXTGEN TV delivers:  

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

"Viewers in the state's capital have a lot to be excited about, as NEXTGEN TV will change the way they experience live broadcast television, and it will continue to get better as local stations add more features," stated Kurt Rao, senior vice president and chief technology officer, TEGNA. "NEXTGEN TV ensures the future of television, where content and the experience of watching culminate – informing, entertaining, and inspiring viewers."

Sacramento is the first city in Northern California to launch a commercial NEXTGEN TV service, joining nearly 40 other early-adopter cities across the country where the service is already available – from Orlando to Phoenix and Seattle to Buffalo. The six local stations launching the new third-generation digital TV broadcast technology are KOVR (CBS owned and operated station, Channel 13), Hearst Television-owned KCRA (NBC, Channel 3) and KQCA (MyNetwork, Channel 58), Nexstar-owned KTXL (FOX, Channel 40), TEGNA's KXTV (ABC, Channel 10), and Univision's KUVS (Univision, Channel 19). Hearst's KQCA is serving as the stations' lighthouse for NEXTGEN TV services for the market.

"NEXTGEN TV is changing the way viewers watch live broadcast television and revolutionizing their interactions with their home screens, by merging over-the-air TV with the internet," added Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, the broadcaster business group that is coordinating NEXTGEN TV station launches. "Because NEXTGEN TV can also be enhanced with internet content, viewers in Sacramento will be able to get the most out of live programming, such as news, events, and sports." 

The participating stations have worked together to ensure 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. Because NEXTGEN TV has no impact on a household's internet bandwidth, there is no competition for bandwidth in the home, allowing viewers to benefit from the enhanced viewing experience alongside whatever streaming platform they use.  

Sacramento 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 TEGNA:
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of top 4 network affiliates in the top 25 markets among independent station groups, reaching approximately 39 percent of all television households nationwide. TEGNA also owns leading multicast networks True Crime Network, Twist and Quest. TEGNA offers innovative solutions to help businesses reach consumers across television, digital and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Premion, TEGNA's OTT advertising service. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.

About Nexstar Media Group:
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) is a leading diversified media company that leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms. Its wholly owned operating subsidiary, Nexstar Media Inc., consists of three divisions: Broadcasting, Digital, and Networks. The Broadcasting Division operates, programs, or provides sales and other services to 199 television stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 116 markets or approximately 39% of all U.S. television households (reflecting the FCC's UHF discount). The division's portfolio includes primary affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW. The Digital Division operates 120 local websites and 284 mobile apps offering hyper-local content and verticals for consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when and how they access content and creating new revenue opportunities for the company. The Networks Division operates NewsNation, formerly WGN America, a national news and entertainment cable network reaching 75 million television homes, multicast network Antenna TV, and WGN Radio in Chicago. Nexstar also owns a 31.3% ownership stake in TV Food Network, a top tier cable asset. For more information, please visit www.nexstar.tv.

About Hearst Television
Hearst Television owns and operates 33 television and two radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels, including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.

About Univision Communications Inc.
As the leading Spanish-language content and media company in the U.S., Univision Communications Inc. entertains, informs and empowers U.S. Hispanics with news, sports and entertainment content across broadcast and cable television, audio and digital platforms. The company's top-rated media portfolio includes the Univision and UniMás broadcast networks, as well as 10 cable networks including Galavisión and TUDN, the No. 1 Spanish-language sports network in the country. Locally, Univision owns or operates 61 television stations in major Hispanic markets across the United States. Additionally, Uforia, the Home of Latin Music, encompasses 58 owned or operated radio stations, a live event series and a robust digital audio footprint. The company's prominent digital assets include Univision.com, free AVOD streaming service PrendeTV, Univision Now, the largest Hispanic influencer network and several top-rated apps. For more information, visit corporate.univision.com.

About KOVR
KOVR (CBS 13) is part of CBS Television Stations, which includes 27 stations in 17 major markets across the U.S. CBS Television Stations is part of ViacomCBS.

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 750 TV stations, includes nine of the largest broadcast companies in America: Cox Media Group, Graham Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television Inc., Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the E.W. Scripps Company, and TEGNA, Inc.

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SOURCE Pearl TV