Station is the first step in creating an active NextGen TV testbed to showcase the potential of ATSC 3.0 technology
The Public Media Venture Group (PMVG) has announced a “groundbreaking collaboration” between RAPA (Korea Radio Promotion Association) and WCTE Cookeville to launch NextGen broadcasting service on its low-power transmitter site in Monterey.
PMVG is a development consortium of 32 public stations. The station is the first step in creating an active NextGen TV testbed to showcase the potential of ATSC 3.0 technology for public media, according to a release by PMVG.
PMVG, RAPA and WCTE say they anticipate the commencement of full ATSC 3.0 service to the Upper Cumberland and Kentucky this fall.
“We are excited about the new capabilities ATSC 3.0 can bring. As a public station in rural Tennessee, we see 3.0’s potential to better serve our community by enabling us to add more services and distribution channels,” said WCTE Station Manager Craig Lefevre. “The testbed will not only benefit the Upper Cumberland region, but also inspire the broader industry to explore the possibilities of 3.0.”
In early August, a delegation of Korean engineers and technology suppliers visited WCTE to set up and test the new station, according to the release. The delegation included representatives from RAPA, ETRI, DS Broadcast and DigiCAP. WCTE leadership and technical staff welcomed the delegation.
The staff were actively involved in the testing process. The delegation met with local business leaders and two members of the Tennessee Legislature.
“As a platform for NextGen testing and development, this demonstration site will show how public media can continue to lead in delivering cutting-edge content and services,” said Marc Hand, founder and CEO of PMVG. “We look forward to working with WCTE and RAPA to experiment with the ATSC 3.0 features that can benefit all public stations and their communities.”
The future is bright for broadcasting.
“DigiCAP is proud to be part of this significant initiative that will showcase the capabilities of NextGen TV, from enhanced emergency alerting to targeted education services,” said Joonyoung Park, SVP of DigiCAP. “The launch of the testbed exemplifies the power of international collaboration and demonstrates how technology leaders and innovative broadcasters can come together to drive the future of broadcasting.”
Image by frimufilms on Freepik.
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